The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-10-31
From thu Pacific SLOPE.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, Oct. II, 1889.
UesSrs. EditorS;
When most persons think of the Pa
cific coast of the United States, their
minds involuntarily associate San Fran
cisco, gold excitement and ''49' with it.
So it may be proper for me at this june
ture to give your readers short history
of California, as they might have posi-
of of 40 and the sos
Cabrillo was the first to discover what
is known as the Golden State'' of the
American Union in the year 1862.
Sir Francis Drake visited the shore of
California in 1899.
The first Jesuit mission was estab-
lished in Lower California in the latter
part of the seventeenth century Sew
eral expeditions were sent to San Diago
in the year 1869, after which in the
same year the Golden Gate was dis
covered The mission of San Francisco
was founded the same year the Declara-
tion of Independence was decided upon
by the American colonies. Nothing was
until many years afterwards when the
force of circumstances developed the
city of the Golden Gate. Capt. John c..
Fremont at the head of scientific and
exploring party came in the region on
the 4th July, 1916, and issued a procla-
nation of independence and declared
war against Mexico.
The first newspaper published in San
Francisco, Yea'ba Buena, as it was then
called, was January 18th, 1S47. The
name was changed to san Francisco on
the 30th of the same month. The popu-
lation at this time was 4G9 inhabitants.
Being occupied by the Americans was
a stimulus to the growth of the new
town, but he greatest life was to be de-
veloped in a different direction
January 10th, 104S, gold was discovered
on the American river, 40 miles east of
Sacramento James w. Marshall was
engaged with some men cutting and
widening tale race of mill at the end
of which he was moving some rubbish
! when his attention was directed to a
bright substance in the water When
this was tested it proved to be real gold,
The discovery of gold was like magic
for in short time thousand were in
search of the bright metal.
/ Over the trackless deserts many hun
dreds of brave men We're journeyine
with the hope of obtaining that which
has always excited mankind. Many
came by water around Cape Horn
There sailed through the Golden Gate
into the San Francisco harbor ships
from all parts of the world, and Sar
Francisco was the commercial centre fol-
the gold hunters.
Everything went with "a spasmodi,
movement. The State Constitution was
adopted in 40, a mail line of steamers tx
New York; Sacramento was connected
/ by river steamers, while valuable mines
were being discovered.
IN July ,of the same year San Fran
cisco had a million dollar fire. but tn,
damage was soon made better than be
fore. The boarding houses were intol
erably dirty, While the lodging house
were simply hunks on the ground unde
canvass.
The vice which characterizes the so
ciety of all new towns was practice'
here to the limit. Money was no object
as the amount in circulation was s.
great that it seemed to the men tina
there was no limit to it's production
One dollar an hour was the usual pric
of labor. The general price asked fo
good board was 30 day.
Ordinary lumber cost $500 per thous
and. Forty thousand dollars was tn