The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-03-11
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
SAN FRANCISCO wIrn THE ESNUI.

SAN Francisco, Feb. 22d.
Editor Democrat:
This is the birthday of Washington,
and it hangs over the city like a sum
mer Sunday. The storm has blown
over and once more the warm sunlight
streams through tho streets Of San
Francisco. There is mud underfoot
and the crosswalks aro bad, but sigh
of relief goes up from the community.
4 thousand pent up forces seem once
more to have burst into life and action.
The small street urehin is more vigor-
Gus and aggressive, tho carts aud coaches
60 past with spin and snap, and
the long bsnished ladies agaia troop
alsng the sunsy side of Kearny street.
How sweet and fresh the air is, aud
how Intoxicating the sunlight F! The
very dogs and horses seem to knew
that something is tho matter and to
have found new pleasure in simply
existing. All day long your CORES
pondent has been idling away his time
at sunny east window overlooking the
city aud the bay. The blue Alameda
hills are inviting in the distance, and
somehow the Bohemian lines Of our
friend Miles O'Riley seem to he the ex-
act expression of his mood, and for
want of other companionship, he has
repeatedly addressed them to his cat.
Here are part of them:
"Ey friend, my ehum. my tTusty eEouy,
We are desisnod. 1t seems 10 ire,
To be swo lazy Iarzsroni.
On sunshine fed aud macaTon
Beside far Cicilian
Frsm dawn ts eve in the happy land
Nc duty Us sut 10 lie
Straw hAtteS en- the shining saad
VITA brsnzins ehss; and arn asa hasd
Beneath the blue Italian sky"
We are aware, hswever, that this is
not practicable 1t is not the Cal.for-
nian style. 1t is not active enough.
He admits that ne is lazy on occasions,
and rather glories in the foregoing lines.
But your correspondent lays 80 claim
to the virtue Of being industrious. All,
however. are enjoying the present warm
st,,l, ,Hd althonsh - few old croakets
ltr.li tnore rain aud cloudy weather,
they cltuot mar The satisfaction of the
great ,hrons which hus,i,a alo,g the
streets ia tae h,.r.y beli,.f that the
worst i over
For the pas: shres months San Fran
cisco has leen suffering with e'uut.
Day after day the sun comes up and
the suu goes down and 40 event trans
pics worthy of the good cid times aud
the p.,lstsS of an excifemeat-loving peo-
pic. LIS true Moody and Saakey are
IN our midst, and ''slickens" is on every
ones TONGUE, aud Wheeler, the stran-
sler. las been sentenced to be hanged
b. ;he ueci, uutil dead, Lut these things
DO ror altogether satisfy San Fran
cisco wants riot or an earthquake
The average citizen is not happy unless
be can have the privilege, at least once
a week of breathlessly seizing his neigh
Dor by the button hole and asking for
the latest news from the front. The
Sacramento valley foods were some
satisfaction tc us but just as the peo-
pie had reached the apex of expectation
and were momentarily waiting to hear
that the levees had given away and
that Sacramento and Marysvile had
been washed from off the face of the
earth, the wires brought the news that
the water was falling, and we all de-
serted the bulletin boards and went
home In disgust. This thing will
be remembered against the cities Of the
plain when the day Of reckoning comes.
We are in favor of Eepealing the debris
act down here since these events.
Speaking Of the debris act, by the way,
reminds as that the people of San Fran
cisco are daily growing more indignant
on account of the attitude of their rep
rcsentatiyes in the Legislature on this
question, and unless they soon expert
ence what Moody would term "change
of heart" they will find themselves
shern of their little brief authority and
retired to back seats when the next &C.
casion comes around for tho people to
speak. 'Their action is criminal" said
a good citizen to me this morning, 'aHd
the effort to saddle this thing on the
State for two years longer amounts to
highway robbery" And this seems to
be the general sentiment.
The eyes of tho community arc turn
sd at present upon the proceedings in
Department No. II of the Superior
Court, where the trial of young Kal-
ioch, for the murder of Charles De
Young, is proceeding. The defense is
resorting to all the suhtleties and tech
oicrl;ties of the law tn oain time and