Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-11-21
San Francisco Twenty-Seyen Years
Ago.

We found a bleak and meagre fronts
piece to our Book of Fate. A few low
houses, and many tents, such as they
were, covered the base Of some of the
wind-swept treeless hills, over which the
June fog rolled it's chilling mist. De
serted ships Of all sorts were swinging
with the tide A crowd of men swarmed
about what is now Montgomery Street
then the mud shore Of the bay. 1t was
Aladdin's old lamp, however, homely as
it seemed, and fortune was there for
those who had what my father used to
call "a stomach for a fight" or those
who born lucky, succeeded by virtue OF
the unknown force to which we concede
that term.
The mere landing of the passengers
was problem. The crews who took
boats to shore were pretty sure not to
come back. The Ohio, Captain APP
Catesby Jones commanding, was there.
Captain Jones very kindly invited me
on board to remain until Mr.. Fremont
shoul arrive, for [ had the disappoint-
ment Of finding he was not yet here
Mr.. Howard, wealthy merchant, had
brought out his boat, and | accepted his
invitation, as after SO much sea travel
the land was best for me.
There were then some three or foul
regularly built houses in San Francisco
representing the Hudson Bay and the
Russian hide business; the rest were
canvass and blanket tents Of course
there was no lumber there for building,
and there were not even trees to be cut
down; nor would any man have divert
ed his attention from the mines to go to
house-building A little later, when they
found the hardships Of mining life too
great and the returns too uncertain, the
tide turned, Sand many men came back
to make fortunes at steady work in
building up the town. Sixteen dollars
day was ordinary pay for carpenters.
The young officers Of the army and
navy there used to lament to me that
their business was so far less profitable.
One of them turned to profit his having
been on the Wilkes surveying expedi-
ton, and made really a great sum Of
money by plotting in the thick incom-
ing fleet of vessels Of all sorts.
was taken to one of these houses
which had been the residence of Liedes-
dorf, the Russian consul, who had re.
Gently died there. It was a time Of
wonderful contrasts. This was we'll.
built adobe house one story high, with
good veranda about it, and beauti-
full garden kept in old-world order by d
Scotch gardener. Luxuries Of every
kind were to be had, but there were
wanting some necessaries. Fine car.
pets and fine furniture and fine Broad
wood piano. and no house-maid. The
one room with fireplace had been
prepared for my sleeping-room, and
had French furniture and no end Of
mirrors, but lacked fire.
The June winds were blowing, and
felt them more from recent illness
which had left the lungs, however, very
sensitive. There was no fuel proper
and little fagots of brush-wood, broken
up goods boxes, and sodden ends O.
old ship timber were all that could be
had
The club of wealthy merchants who
had this house together hae
excellent Chinese servants, but te
make every thing comfortable to me
they added the only woman that coull
be procured, who accepted temporary
place as chamber-maid at two hundred
and forty dollars a month and perqui
sites. One Of the perquisities was thu
housing of her husband and children
as we'll as herself She had beer
washer-woman to New York regiment
and was already the laundress of thes'
gentlemen. She was kind enough Il
tell me that she liked my clothes, ant
would take the pattern of certain dress
es, and seemed to think it matter o
course that would let her carry OF
gowns and wraps to be copied by he
Gress-maker a Chinaman. declined
this as civilly as I could, but the result
was that she threw up the situation.
The only really private house wa
one belonging to a young New Yorker