The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-11-23
Aaa RFaae1see5a5 xenss Ago-

Aaa EsFAReEsee ~ Xe1ss Age
BY JESSE BENTON VERMONT.
We found . bleak and meagre
fronlispIece to our Book Of Fefe. A
few low houses, and many tents,
such az they were, covered the base
of some of the Wind-swept treeiees
hille, over which the Juae fcg rolled
its chilling mist. Deserted ships Of
all SORTS were swinging with the
tide. A crowd of men sWarmed
about what is now Montgomery
str, e., then the mud shore of the
bay. 1t was Aladdin's old lamp,
however, homeIy a. il seemed, aud
fortune was there for those who had
what my father used 10 call - stom-
ach for q fight or for those who,
born lucky, succeeded BY virtue of
the unknown force to which we con-
cede that term.
The mere landing of the passen-
gsrs was 8 problem. The crews
who took boats 10 shore were pref
ty sure not to come back. The
Ohio, Captain Ap Cetesby Jones
commanding, wac there. Captain
Jones very kindly invited me on
board to remain until Mr.. Fremont
should arrive, for /. had the disap.
pointment of finding he WAS not yet
here. Mr. Howard, Q wealthy mer-
chaOt, had brought out his boat,
and l accepted mis- invitation, as af-
Ter so much sea travel the land was
best for me.
There were then some three or
four regularly built houses in San
Francisco, representing the Hudson
Bay and the Russian hide business /;
the rest were canvas and blanket
tents. Ofcourse there was no lum-
Der there for building, and there
were not even trees to be cut down (;
uor would any man have diverted
his attention from the mines to 60
to house building. A little later,
when they found the hardships of
mining life too great and the return
too uncertain, the tide turned, and
many men came back to make for
tunes at steady work in building up
he town. Sixteen dollars e 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 onthe Wilkes
surveying expedition, and made
really q great sum Of money by pi-
IOting in the thick incoming fleet of
vessels of all sorts.
was taken to one of these hou-
SEES, which had been the residence
o f LiedesdoI Il, the Russian consul,
who had recently died there. It
was g time of wonderful contrasts.
This was well built adobe house
one story high, with good veran.
da about it, and q beautiful garden
kept in old-world order by q Scotch
gardener. Luxuries of every kind
were to be had, but there were
wanting some nscessariee. Fine
carpe's, fine furniture and q fine
BroadWOod piano, and no house.
maid. The one room with q fire.
place had been prepared for my
sleeping room, and had French fur
niture and no end of mirrors, but
lacked a fire.
The June winds were blowing,
and felt them the more from re-
lungs, however, sensitive. There
was no fuel proper; and little fag-
OTIS of brush wood, broken mp goods
boxes, and sodden ends of old ship
timber were all that could be had.
The club of wealthy merchants
who had this house together had
excellent Chinese servants, but to
make everything comfortable 10 me
they added the only woman that
could be procured, who accepted q
temporary place of chamber maid
at tW o hundred and forty dollars 3
Month and pIequisites. One of the
prequisites was the housing of her
hus band and children as well as
herself. She had been washer.wo-
man to 8 New York regiment. and
was already the laundress of these
gentlemen. She was kind enough
to tell me that she liked my cloIhce,
and would take the pattern of GER
tain dresses, and seemed to think il
q matter of course that would let
her CORY off gowns and wraps to be
copied By her dressmaker, q China
man. declined this as civilly &c !
could, but the result was that she
threw up the situation.
The only really private house
was one belonging to q young New
Yorker. who had it shipped from
home. house and furniture complete
"a double two-s.Ory frame house,
which, when in place, was said to
have cost ninety thousand dollars.
At this price, with the absence OF
timber and the absence of labor, il
will be seen that it was dif1calt to
have any other shelter than q tent.
The bride for whose reception this
house was intended arrived Just be-
fore me, but lived only few weeks,
the sudden and great changes Of cli-
mate from our Northern weather In.
to the tropics, and from tho tropics
again into the raw, harsh winds of
that season at San Francisco, were
TOO much for her, even with all the
comforts OF her own beautiful
home. AT party given to vel.
come herthe whole force of San
Francisco society came out, the la
dies sixteen in number.
Visits in the day time were held
as a marked attention. I was told
that ''time was worth fifty dollars |
q minute" and that must hold as
8 great compliment the brief Visits |!
which were made to me constantly |
through the day by busy men. |
There was not only gold to be
bad at the mines, but 9 golden
shower was falling for whoever had |
wit to catch it. 1 heard of many |
marvellous strokes of fortune,
which caused elevated eyebrbWs |
when l repeated them on my re-
turn-IIarper's Magazine for De-
cember.
Wise and O1herwIre.