Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-12-20

San Francisco steadily improves. She
boasts Of over 100000 inhabitants. Her
borders are widening. Real estate COM
mandS an active market. Substantial bus-
iness blocks, and comfortable dwellings are
constantly in process of erection. Land
lords have heretofore been eIOrbitant IN
their rents, driving many into suburban
towns, empty tenements have caused these
to tumble. Gas and water rings have been
bOlStering up these articles so high that
legislation has stepped between these com
panieS and the people and forced q redue-
ton. The mania Of her citizens is stock
gambling, so many have made sudden for
tunes, and so absorbed are they in this ex-
citing business that they are a very unso-
ciable people: equally as many have been
ruined. Every tub stands on its own bot
tom. There is no friendship in the mat
ter. Huge buildlngS-monument OF beauty
rise throughout the city. Towers OF
speculative wealth, beacon lights to lure
sthers on. Within their shadows lie strewn
the wrecks of thousands stranded in the
vain attempt to win wealth, rather than
earn il. This class are roped in By cappers
and experts, induced to take their capital
from legitimate trade and invest it in min
ing stocks in expectation of rise. They
invest their all on a buoyant market; those
in the ring freely unload their shares, the
bottom drops out and leaves the small craft
without breeze.
Much might be said of San Francisco
had the time and you the patience. l en-
JOY strolling along the whsrves smeng the
shipping. ,Sauntering through China town
among the heather. or climbing up "NOb
HIll'-the locality of the millionsires-and
taking in at a birds eye view the city, bay
and distant hills Up through those hills
in interminsble windings lies our narrow
gusge railroad. Slowly ereeps our train
along its length, through a variety OF
scenery unexcelled in the State. This road
together with Il vast tract of timber belongs
to Ex-Governor Latham, and through his
energy aud capital wild and heretofore
isolated country has been brought close to
market. At Moscow he has erected cot
tSge which be uses as q place OF resort for
himself and friends. Any notable coming
to this coast sightseeing must take in the
romance Of our road, and we are exhibited
quite often to the naughty, austers gaze Of
capitalists, army officers, members Of con-
gresS, on iunksting tour, drinking in
more champaign than beauties Of nature.
PostmasterG General Key passed over the
road in special car, entertained by its
officers. Alter lunch at the cottage he
passed back again. and We soon expect to
hear Of an increase in the postal service Of
the road.
We are having beautiful weather. A few
showers at the first of the month has turned
nature green and set the plows going. So
wet last Winter, allpredict it dry this Win
ter. A comfortably wet Winner is our only
salvation to help US out of these dull times.
To-day is Thanksgiving, have not for
gotten Ohio customs, but had turkey for
dinner, l felt with the Governor that the
past year had been one Of plenty" and
Tor one, was ready, and did feast on the
boGnties of the land. His recommendations
Of prayer was quite different thing. That
rather got me. l felt that way inwsrdly,
but it is very seldom that . Californian
utters an audible prayer. Ed.