The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
THE FIR ST HOTEL.

THE FIRST HOTEL.
The Grst real hotel was the City Hotel on
the southwest corner OF Clay and Kearny
streets. This, too. was a product Of this
second era. At first it was the residence of
William A. LeidesdOlff, in whose honor a
street was named aud who was one of the
earliest of the early pioneers aud prOmi-
nent man of Monterey and Yerba Buena.
In September, 1916, the Californian, while
published at Monterey, gave the following
mention OF a high old time in this building:
BALL AT THE YERBA BUENA.-A grand ball
was given at tile large saloon at the residence of
William a. LedeSdor1. ESQ.,, by The United
STATES officers and citizens OF that place on HE
9Th inst. Upwards Of 100 Californian and Ameri-
can ladies wsfe present. with large number of
gentlemen. The utmost hIlarlty and unapimity
Of sentiment prevailed. Til dancing was very
spirited and kept up TIL the rising sun rendered
eandle-light useless. This was The first general
gathering OF ladies and geuu men since line
hoisting of the American flag.
j. II. Brown opened Browns Hotel" in
this building in the winter of 1864! after
giving up the Portsmouth. the building
was erected By Leidesdorff, and was ownad
by him during its early history as hotel.
Hittell describes it as a long. low. story aud
half adobe building. and Captain Swasey
says it was built in the Mexican style with
long pazzas. 1t could lodge but a few
people, but became the principal resort an
loafng place. Thers was a big bar and
gambling-room in the center, and when the
gold excitem ent first enliveRed things here
it was the main gambling resort. where
crowds could nightly DE seen about the
mt frr foG,l IT,
gave way to other bigger resorts. The build
ing was enlarged about 1871. A lithograph
Of San Francisco in 1S47 shows it TO be two
and a half story building with long 'front.'
age on Kearny street and a wing running
back from each end. In the west end of the
Clay-street wing W as the Alcalde's office.
Brown seems to have done pretty well ac-
eOrding TO the following advertisement in
the Californian:
BROWNS HOTEL.
The subscriber returns his most sincere
thanks for the liberal patronage be has received
and hopes TO merit continuance OF The public
fayors By an assiduOus attention TO business.
His bar IS furnished 0llh the lest Of liquors
and his table is furnished With the best The mar
ket can afford. His rooms are as well furnished
as The cllcums ances of Tue country viii admit.
No pains shall be spared TO make his visitors
comfortable. J. II. BROWN.
San Francisco May %, 1s47.
The advertising colum ms Of the little CAL
ilornian afford the following additional BIT
Of hotel history:
The hotel Of this place, formerly known as
Browns Ho:el," will hereafter be called Tie
City Hotel and conducted from Monday next by
Mr.. and Mrs Skinner. Boarding at The former
prices and The table as good as Tile market can
afford.
n. B.-A careful person will be In att tendance
to receive hoJ ses and baggage from gentlemen
arriving from any part OF the country.
San Francisco, October %, 1s47.
The editor Of the Californian. which had
been moved TO San Francisco. probably got
board at the City Hotel at reduced rates
about October q, 1897, Tor on that date he
said in bis paper, I'VE can assure the pub
lie from personal experience that the City
Hotel, formerly Browns, is we'll worthy OF
their patronage"
This pioneer hosiery was at that time
the most conspicuous building in San Fran
cisco. a low frame building on the corner
of Clay and Kearny streets would not arrest
attention from the bay now, for it could not
even be seen. but in 1861 there were but
four or five buildings of any kind on both
sides of Clay street, on the slope down to
the shore at Montgomery street, and the
City Hotel lOomed up in a striking way on
the side hill with sandy stretches IF vacant
spare around it, and brush and stuuted
trees growing all over the untouched region
beginning half block to the south and
north. and extending over hills and raviues
clear out to the far away and lonely looking
Mission Dolores.
The hotel had a conspicuous sign appa-
rently, for new arrival in a letter to the
East published at the time. in 1S47. said Of
the appearance Of the town from the ship
as anchor was dropped in the bay one even
ing:
Some Of the houses are quite large, one at the
left Of The square seemed to extend almost to
the next street, upon examining 1t with the
glass we found 1t to be the 'Ciiy Hotel"
Having seen this inviting sign. the pas
sengers decided to 20 ashore at once, aud
they probably celebrated their arrival at
the bar that night.
The City Hotel continued the leading
and practically the only hotel and the lead
ing drinking and gambling resort as well
until the gold excitement reduced its rush,
ITS boom and its spirit of enterprise, reck-
lessness and lavish expenditure.
The hosielry was n result Of that first
boom for San Francisco, the American
occupation. but it quickly fell to the rear Of
the procession when gold dust began 10 roll
in by the barrel.
When the gold excitement broke out San
Francisco, with its FIVE or six hundred
people. was at first depopulated. but quickly
pulled itself together and began to bound
forward as the metropolis of the coast.