The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-08-03

| u. W. 4.
BREEzEs FROM THE PACIFIC.
Like De soin Our Correspondent Looks
Upon the Pacific aud SmoIc smile. "
~ San FRANCISCO, CAL, July q, 1852.
Special Correspondence Of the lntcliIgencer.
BY almost red hot ride Of 3,297 miles
OF dust and SCOT and smoke and sand, your
correspondent is at last in the great Bay
City OF the West. / wrote you yesterday
from here, but confined myself mainly to
the country from Los Angeles to San Fran.
cisco. In this article will discus this
great city and its environs.
The first house was built here in 1885.
The place was then called "Yuba Buena,"
changed to San Francisco in 1877, before
the discovery OF gold. 1t has population
OF little less than $4,000, and is growing
rapidly. As New York is to the East, San
Francisco is TO the West. II is, and ALWAYS
will, the metropolis OF the Western coast.
The harbor, is simply immense, and is said
to be the best in America. It is about
fifty miles in length, with an average width
Of five miles. The depth is sufficient to
admit the largest vessels that run between
this coast and China and Japan. The
Golden Gate" is the narrow neck, or pas.
sage, which connects the bay with the Pac.
itic ocean. This channel is one mile wide
and thirty feet deep, and is dis.
tant from the principal city wharf
about seven miles. 1t affords the
finest national fortifcation in the world.
On the top OF one OF the hills, which Dor.
der the "Gate,"is fertilization strongly
manned, and is considered impresnable,
even by the great navy OF Great Britain
On Alcatras Island, which is about the
size OF Governors Island in New York
bay, and which is situated about one mile
inland from the inner end OF the Golden
Gate, is also strongly fortified. Goat
Island, which is high and rough, stands
about the center Of the bay. Upon it is
Government light house, and the residence
OF its keeper.
From Oakland across the bay to the city,
is six miles, and the distance is made by
massive steamer, in fifteen minutes. Oak
land has population OF 10000, and is to
San Francisco what Brooklyn is to New
iork-a residence for the rich merchants
who carry on business in the Bay City.
Up the bay little ways is Alameda, with
population OF about 1000; also San
Rafael in the same neighborhooJ, which is
about the same size; and just across the bay
from Oakland is Berkeley, which claims
5000 more. So, if you take San Francisco
and its environs you will have city o!
upwards Of 100000.
Baltimore is the hilliest city I ever saw
in the East, but San Francisco is much
more 50. There are, perhaps, not so many
hills or bluffs as are found in Baltimore,
but they are much higher and sleeper.
They are too steep for horse cars to run
over, but there is splendid substitute in
what are called the "Cable Cars" These
cars are drawn by wire cable running
under the ground and connected with the
car by n clamp, operated by lever, in the
hands OF the engineer OF the cur. The
rope. OF course, is pulled in either direc-
ton by an engine which rolls the wire
cord around cylinder, and all the engi-
neer has to do is 10 catch hold or let 90 the
rope as he pleases, to manage his car.
They run much faster than q horse car,
and can stop about Is quick. Its a delight
full substitute for the old.style street car,
and ought to be introduced in every city
in the country.
The business houses Of the city are built
OF brick and iron, but all, or nearly all, the
residences are frame. 1t is, therefore, a
vast city OF wood and finder. The damp.
ness in winter and the heavy fogs in sum.
mer lender brick orstone houses unhealthy,
hence the necessity OF resorting TO wood.
Governor Stanford and Mark Hopkins have
immense wooden residences which cost
them. with their furnishings, over mil
lion dollars each. They are vast structures,
and are all wood. noticed great many
other fine residences, all frame. The costly
dwellings generally occupy the tops OF the
highest hills, and are therefore quite impos-
ing in their appearance, and commanding
in their views.
The churches OF the city are fine and
costly. One OF thenl-a Roman Catholic
cost $50, 600; the next finest is the Jewish
Synagogue, which cost nearly as much. In
the yard OF the Unitarian Church, which
is fine ediflce, beneath granite sarco.
phagus, lie the remains OF the late Rev.
Thomas Starr King, who was noted
patriot and philanthropist during the late
war. He WAS the Henry Ward Beecher OF
the West, ana ut one time had wonder
full following in California.
For magnificent hotels San Francisco
overshadows all the balance OF the Union,
except in Chicago. There are no hotels in
the United States that are at all compare.
BILE with the Palace and Baldwin. Each OF
them cost about three and half million
dollars, and to pass through them, you
will frankly admit that even that vast sum
OF money was judiciously expended. Tile
Palace, which is the larger, and in my
opinion, the finer, is seven stories high,
and occupies full square. l. is OF French
architecture, with court inside, surround.
ed with balconies on every floor. Car.
riages drive into the cour: aud turn round
without difficulty. The roof over the court
is glass, and the darkest days it is bright
and cheerful. The columns are Corinthian
and Doric, and every window, even to the
topmost story, has bay attachment. From
ground to roof outside, are rows beside
rows Of bay window columns, which add
to the comfort, but detract from the beauty
Of the building Every room has bath
room and closet attachment. The iurni.
ture is fine, and as a whole, it is simply too
grand to think about, much less in reality
TO look upon. The Baldwin is not quite 50
large, but is, in all its appointments, equal
" grand and expensive. 5ss.-- =,
One OF the Great attractions OF Bay City
is Golden Gate Park. 1t contains l 100
acres and extends over to the ocean beach.
In only one respect is it comparable with
Central Park, New York, and that is in its
horticultural and floral displays never
saw the like OF beautiful flowers before; and
then they arc SO extensive. AS you stand
upon the grand stand and look to the
southwark, upon the conservatory, 4 the
scene is one OF the most beautiful that my
eyes ever fell upon. 1t was not field but
|. a park OF flowers Of almost every kind and
description, and the effect was really daz.
zlipg. All OF our party declared that it was
by far the most delightful scene that they
had ever beheld. The park is covered over,
except in the flower beds, and the drivesan
walks, with thick growth Of shrubbery
which cannot properly be classed as trees
or timber I. hut within the last fau rea =