Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-02-23

compare with your Own lce-IetteFeu HdtuIe
and draw your conclusions: To-day, roses
are in bloom in my yard; the pasture lands
are covered with thick and growing car
pet of green; grain sown in December and
January is coming forward rapidly under
the warm rays Of our winter sun; from
morning until night our doors stand open,
and our children take their exercises in the
open air. To me, the climate of California
is everything; each breath I draw is not
frost-bitten, but comes to me fresh and pu-
rified from off old ocean. I would that
you all might spend one winter on this
coast, then l would be willing to hear your
enconiums upon the Lake Shore. Yet this
seeming prosperity cannot be insured to
all. There are thousands here to-day in
with the coming spring, Ihous-
ands more will leave the States for this
coast. This vast influx of souls will over
stock our labor market and l fear, cause
much destitution, if not discomfort. I am
importuned by young men as to
chances for employment in this country.
Far be it from me to encourgage or dis
courage any; young men of energy and
brains might succeed, but this country IS
overstocked with muscle.
Last month, again visited the city.
San Francisco is-comparatively speaking
coming nearer and nearer to US. Our
papers are only twenty-four hours old, and
the schedule time of stage and railroad
during summer, takes Us through in four
teen hours. A narrow gauge railroad is
now completed within thirty miles of US,
which cuts down our staging one-half, and
makes the trip one of pleasure. 1t gives to
the traveller variety. What is more exhil-
srating than to rise early, jump into four
horse stage and be whirled for half day
over as romantic road as the country af-
fords-rocks and mountains towering on
one side above you, on the other the green
hued waters of the Pacific splashing be
meath?
Russian river forms dividing line; on
the north of which the coast range assumes
an impossible appearance, nature having
thrown up the earth into rough and rug
ged shapes, thus defying the art of man to
span with railroad. At the south, timber
is not seen, the country is very broken,
the hills are not so high and rocky, the soil
is tillable. valleys and water courses being
plenty. A short distance from the mouth
of the river, this road has its terminus; it
takes q soutberly, zig-zag course, winding
among the hills, through tunnels and over
trestls work; then, for miles along the
shores of Tomales Bay; again it lodges
among the hill, and ereeps down and over
steep grades, and finally, after enjoying
ride ofabout seventy-fve miles in the midst
of rich California scenery, you alight at
the wharf of San Quenten, and take a
steamer the remaining fifteen miles TO the
city.
No matter how often one goes to San
Francisco, he can always see great i'm
in its internal appearance
Formerly, tie city was one mass of low,
wooden buildings, in which all business
was done. Now, these old landmarks are
nearly all gone, and their places supplied
by substantial blocks. Here one can see
as tasty and convenient business houses as
the eastern cities afford; they do not go so
high, seldom being over four stories; which
ever way you turn, buildings are being
erected. The limits of the city are extend
ing, and they now boast of 280, 900 as their
with an export trade IN 1876
of fifty millions, an import one Jf eighty
and value on their manufactur-
ing interests of sixty-one millions. As
their size increases, the channels of trade
are taking different directions, though the
wholesale trade is still almost exclusively
confined to Sansome, Trout and Battery
streets; Montgomery and Kearney have
been the fashionable retail avenues, where
the wealth and beauty were wont to do
their shopping. Montgomery is fast losing
its prestige for retail trade, and is rapidly
becoming converted into the brokers' use;
Kearney still waves the palm as d fashion
able promenade, and on any afternoon the
walks are crowded with a variety of souls
the high, from "Knob Hill,
the low, from ''Tan Flat" with an inter
mediate sprinkling, which makes the vari
ETY. complete. Market street is the widest
of the CITY, and extends to an indefinite
length; it is fast taking the laurels from
Kearney. As the population increased, the
retail trade gradually worked on to this
street, and to-day its prosperity is in ad-
vance of any other in the city. On this
thoroughfare the finest structures in San
Francisco are located; here we find Bald
wins Hotel, Just finished, and model of
architectural beauty, unsurpassed by any
thing in the State. Its inside finish is in
keeping with the outside, and no money or
labor has been spared to place it in the
front rank with the hotels of the world.
Baldwin's Theatre is located in this block,
and is said to be the finest one in America.
This hotel is built more especially as ri
val to the "Palace, which is situated on
Market street, nearer the Bay.
One on gazing at the Palace Hotel, as its
solid block of seven stories looms up before
him, can only exclaim, 'Immensel' The
inside is conducted on a magnificent SCALE;
nearly every employe is of African descent,
and when all together, would make quite
a force. They are generated by one of the
famous Lelands, and each one knows his
particular duty and place. The hotel has
hardly paid expenses since being opened
it is now very well filed with boarders,
and is increasing its transient trade, 1t is
high-toned in all its parts-more especially
in its rates. One of its boarders, who has
Travelled the known world over and taken
in all Its principal hotels, remarked in my
presence, ''that the Palace, with all It's adj
vantages, was the best he ever saw"
1t was misfortune to it when Ralston
died. He did not live to see his pet scheme
completed. 1t then fell into the hands of
Senator Sharon, who is rather more miser-
ly in his Disbursements he completed the
hotel as soon as possible, leaving the out
side unpainted, the large and principal
rooms neither papered or frescoed. This
ill compares with the splendor which the
originator at first contaminated T. is said