Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1881-11-12

10 directory. which will appear every
Sunday morning.
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
kasksl Bssinsss Rsvlval-Big Houses Club
Life II Ban Ffsnclsee Personal Notes.
DEAR HERALD: Having had an
opportunity to gauge San Fran
cisco several times during the cur
rent season, beginning with the
Spring, am prepared to say, with
out reserve, that the city lie getting
on her feet again, and In very
blithe and lively way, at that.
Wholesale merchants say that not
for some years have they done such
. business ae during the past
Spring, Summer and Fall. The
great activity In building is as
good an indication Of the drift Of
things o. could be desired. Houses
and warehouses, dwellings and Of
6css, are going up on all hands.
In the very center Of the business
quarter of the city Senator Fair is
putting up pretentious business
block, while, on the opposite cor
ner Of Pine and Sansome streets, a
rather serviceable looking building
10 being pulled down to admit of
the erection OF . better. Phelan's
large block, which cannot have
cost less than $150. 900, is nearly
completed; while, everywhere,
though on q diminished scale,
mason and carpenter are blithely
plying their trades. OF course,
real estate has not regained, and
may not for years regain, its old
time high prices, but 1t Is an in
dnitsly more satisfactory posses
slon to its owner than it was o
year ago. Values are steadily TAX
ing on nrmness; and this fact, In
connection with the increased
commercial activity, indicates q
very healthy state of things. A
visit to the water front shows ship
ping endless, almost, and made
galore BY the flags of all nations.
Grain 10 piled under the extensive
roof mountains high, and the. con-
stantly hardening figures for the
cereals must carry Joy to the heart
Of the Granger.
Having noted the improved con-
dition Of matters in San Francisco
I cannot do better than to add q
fact which was told by director
OF several Of the leading banks
herd He said that his business
BID caused him to note the cir.
Aumstance that while, last year,
most Of the interior banks were
straining their credit with the San
Francisco banks, this year, with
scarcely an exception, they all
stand well and many Of them have
heavy balances to the credit side
Of their accounts. Nothing could
show more fully than this state.
mont the plethora of money which
II now noted all over California.
OF all sections OF the State Los An.
gels county 10 regarded the most
fayorably in quarters where an
Intelligent judgment might be
looked for.
BIG CASTLES.
There IL . feature Of the social
life Of San Francisco which is wor-
thy Of = passing note. The large
fortunes which have been created
- II BY magic In California have
led to expenditures on a most
prodigal scale In planning
homes, with the result of creating
mammoth edihces in which there
10 very little suggestion Of home.
The Hopkins mansion is an in.
stance In point, q great structure,
Of questionable taste 10 design and
execution, which must have cost
~ least . million dollars. This
enormous ediGce, as to which 1t
may be said that 1t Is a tinder-b box
cot upon granite, and which would
burn down to its base In half an
hour In good stiff gale, 10 now
owned BY an old lady who has
neither chick nor child, and who
probably spent the happlest years
Of her California life with her hus-
band In dwelling In Sacramento
which did not cost over three or
four thousand dollars. This is one
instance out Of many that might
b cited. But the folly is by no
means confined to the city. The
adjoining counties are full of these
CASTLE Folliss. Floods enormous
mansicn at Menlo Park is an In
stance In point. Here IL q baronial
edides, which cast probably
million and . half Of dollars, in a
single story Of which there are
quite forty guest cham bsrs. Those
who know Flood we'll say that his
enjoyments are next to nothing.