Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-04
A GLANCE At SAN FRANCISCO.
tCALIFoRNIA CoRREspoNpENcEl

bay to san Francisco. just seven had been
spent i'm railroading. and those who have ex-
perienced the dscomforts of that mode of
travel may think that we were thoroughly
way-worn and weary. Not so, however, for Of
the two ear loads of passengers who had come
most OF the way together, embracing all ages
from two years TO seventy, and including at
least one whose sad story was told by the hec-
tic flush. not one was greatly fatigued-ail de-
claTed themselves fresh enough for another
trip. So comfortable are the ears so smooth
the road, so interesting the continuous sue
ceS>ion of new views, that every day drew To
Its close before il seemed half gone and the
week passed SO quickly that it appeared scarce
half as long.
But the steamer has started. and through the
mist that Uses from the bay. the smoke that
settles upon the city and the dimness of early
evening, the metropolis of the Pacific comes
into view as its high hills hold it up for inspec-
ton, as we wonder how man or beast can
climb To the houses that appear to be perched
on almost inaccessible cliffs, up which the
roads look To be nearly perpendicular. the boat
strikes the pier. and we join the throng that
SwarmS from her, and Saluted by the vOcifer-
Gus welcome OF lackmen and baggage agents.
far exceeding in confused volume the shouts
of their brethren in any other city that / ever
visited We enter a coach and soon find our
selves looking up along the sides of what in
the dusk appears in height and length like the
towering palisades along whose sides we had
passed, but turning and driving through an
d1tHNdN WHICH opens III It's size, we ma our
selves in lofty, glass-covered court. and sur
rounded by palms. bananas. and other tropical
plants. and are told we are in the Palace hotel
ON going to our rooms we find that kind
friends had provided for us a specimen of Cal
ifOrnia productions, and we for the first time
see fresh and luscious pears and clusters of
grapes. such as We had read of. The White
Muscat and Flaming Tokay in punches, ca ch
of which would weigh three pounds. and
whose quality is worthy of their size are but
fair samples oi the grapes that tomorrow we
hall tf.ln nsla.,
fruit stand. In other dishes are Strawberries
ready To melt in the mouth, and raspberries
that vie with the grapes in size. On the same
table is bouquet composed of flowers that in
Washington could be induced to bloom only
within the warm shelter of a conservatory
but which here. in the middle of October have
grown i'll the open air, as have all the fruits
that we see with them. What a strange
climate this is that so cOnfounds the seasons
that we see in the market green peas and corn
lettuce and cabbage. Strawberries and
peaches: in fact all the vegetables and fruits
of early spring. midsummer and autumn. all
growing side by side, while in the same field
the farmer is gathering one crop and sowing
another OF the same kind OH the same day.
SHARON'S BIG HOTEL.
But before we go out to view the city, we
must spend while i'm looking about this
Palace Hotel. perhaps the greatest wonder of
the place. Everybody has read of its size and
magnlncence, but none who have not visited
it can appreciate its convenience and comfort
l had expected to he struck with the gorgeous
ness and warned not to touch by the splendor
instead of SaISy I Gsna Was SHrPrised TO nnd
ness OF IT'S decoration, and the most Inviting
comfort of the furniture. Everything is made
for use and convenience from the broad We
randaS, that surround the court, when by day
or night one may roam at will or lounge at
ease, to the closets and bathrooms that are
found III every room. Nothing that modern
invention has cOntrived to annihlate space
and time to save trouble and minister to con
veniences has been omitted. In a moment
after letter or package has been left for
you at the Office, ii has reached your room, If
on the seventh story, conveyed by the pneu-
matte dispatch tube in half a minute You can
be carried the same distance i'm any of the five
elevators, ascending SO smoothly that the mo-
ton Is scarcely perceptible. Every room has
its yentilator, all so numerous that where we
ascend to the roof to take a bird'seye view of
the city, We seem to be i'm the midst of forest
Of them Steam engines and the water from
four artesian wells to the top of the house to
anord every room an unfailing supply, or
should fire break out, which is practily i'm
possible, TO eXtinguish it in moment. Even
earthquakes are deied by net work of
wrought iron braces that run in every direc-
ton through the thick walls.
ABOUT TOWN
The day after our arrival we employ in look
ing about the city, the general appearance of
the business parts OF which is not unlike that
of Chicago. the stores, &c. being about the
same color except that there are more
buildings build OF one or two stories There is the
pearance of Astounding business life, eSpe-
cially on California street, the resort of bro
kers and bankers. The principal buildings are
the new mint and that of the board of trade
The MasOns and Odd Fellows each have a fine
structure, erected and owned by themselves.
and indicating the fiOurishing condition of
these orders. The bOOtblacks, instead Of as
in Washington, impOrtuning the pasSer from
every street corner i'm the intervals of leisure
from their customary occupation of trying the
strength of their boxes on each other and
ODSfrpnprOnSly have with
WideOpen doors, where, in a comfortable chair,
one can read the morning papers while his
boots are polished: Those engaged in this
branch OF decorative art pride themselves
npsn their skill, and one who styles himself
The Champion of the United States" dis
plays in front of his studio challenge to the
members OF the profession throughout the
country, inviting them to compete with him
Tor the honor of this proud title, the stake to
be five hundred or a thousand dollars, he to
pay the travelling expenses of any aspirants
whose towering ambition should lead them to
cross the Rocky Mountains i'm search of fame
Another peculiar feature of the city is the
great number of money brokers' Offices-one
on almost every square-which are required
by the variety OF currencieS in use.
FRISCO HOUSES.
That part of the city devoted to residences
lies west OF the business portion, and much of
IL is on those hills that We noticed while on the
ferry boat We now ascertain how IL is
reached. Tor We see, climbing the precipitOuS
street, ears, each preceded and drawn not by
at the track, We notice what looks like third
rail laid between and parallel with the two
that usually suffice. In this rail is a groove.
through which runs an endless chain, Kept i'm
motion by stationary steam engine near the
end Of the track, and i'm which catch cOgs on a
wheel in the middle of the platform car which
by single mechanical cOntrivance imparts
motion To this car and draws the other at
.ached to il.
With few exceptions, the dwellings are of
wood, painted a color not unlike that of Ohio
freeStOne, or a little lighter. Almost every
house has its bay window. The uniformity OF
color and style is decidedly mOnOtonOus. while
the strata Of dirt, composed of the all-per-
yading dust and smoke, and washed down
from the roofs and ornamental projections by
the rain, do not tend to improve the appear
ance. TOwering-like castles on one of the
highest hills are the palatial mansions of the
railroad magnateS of the Pacific coast Hunt
ingtOn, Hopkins and others; but these too.
grand in extent and architectural design as
they are, are of wood. The rOadwayS too. are,
except in the business portions, covered with
the same material, not in blocks, but i'm planks
laid across the streets. When fire once shall
get fairly under way, not even the excellent
fire department, in which the citizens are
justly proud, can prevent the spead of a vast
cOnfiagratiOn.
THE CHINESE QUARTERS.
But the great curiosity of San Francisco is
its Chinese DODuatiOn. We have seen Sneci