davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
THE FIRST RESTAURANT.

About the time thai the gold discovery
began to be believed in here, in April. 1913,
the Californian published an advertisement
by William Conway of the Colonnade House
on Kearny street, "new and genteel estab-
lishment. As restaurant it Will be open
at all hours"
This is the first reference to restaurant,
readily found, after the alleged one run by
John Fuller in 1874.
The first preteutous hotel, run like an
Eastern hotelin American style. was the Par
ker House, which was built on the present
site of the old City Hail. with a vacant lot
between it and the corner of Washington
street. where the famous FL Dorado canvas
gambling-hOuse was established soon after
The Parker House was built aud run by
Robert A. Parker, with w. F. Swasey, then
engaged with Parker in merchandising as
silent partner.
The influx of god-seekers had not fairly
begun before the winter of 1848-49, but Just
before and during this winter the rapid era
Of plenty had come and gambling assumed
great proportions here. The Parker House
was the first grand center of gambling until
the Ell Dorado was opened next to it, and
many fortunes changed hands in its rooms.
A single small room in the Parker House
was rented for gambling for six months for
$4,000, and at one time the income of the
house from gambling was at the rate Of
100000 year.
In the winter of 1S49 30 the Ward House.
on the south side Of Clay street, opposite the
Plaza, was opened. This for some time was
the Palace Hotel Of San Francisco. 1t was
the "high-toned' place Of the town. Other
hotels, famous in their day, followed, flour
ished and were in turn swept into oblivion.
II is getting too close to recent history to
say much about the grand Globe Hotel,
now foul Chinatown hive. and the What
Cheer House, which is still hotel, though
sadly degenerated.
And the old City Hotel is linked by the
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
THE FIRST HoRsECARS.

In the rapid march of nineteenth century
events the horsecar system seems already to
have grown rusty with age and become
relic of tie past, but 1t is, in fact, not so
very long since it was first introduced. and
before 1862 the residents Of San Francisco
had only stage service at their disposal,
and very limited at that.
When the first horsecar line was started,
Edward f. Drum OF 135 Ivy avenue claims
that he was the first conductor employed
on it. and he has many anecdotes. both
thrilling and ludirrous, to tell of the stirring
times of those early days.
lie came from Lancaster, Ohio, across the
plains with others of those hardy pioneers
who helped to swell the activities of the
rapidly growing young city, and besides
being connected with the horsecar service,
first as conductor for year, then as assis-
tant superintendent for thirteen years, has
also distinguished himself as a State Sem
ator.
He Is getting old now and complication
of maladies has made Inn prisoner, but
when asked about his horsecar experiences
of those early times his eye frightened as
he said:
"Ahl / did have something exciting once
in awhile then 1 can tell you.
81 was young man then with plenty of
muscle and had to use it too, occasionally,
pretty freely.
"a man could not get a policeman so
easily then TO look after troublesome char
acter.
THE town was full of tough people who
were always ready TO jump a gun when
there was an opportunity.
Every man had TO look out for himself.
and he either had to give licking or take IL
and put up with it.
before horsecars were started / used to
drive a stage on the only route there was
then along Third street 10 North Beach and
South Park.
''Old Abe Warmers saloon was the stop
ping-Dlace at North Beach. 1t was near
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
A QUEER OLD MAN.
Sings Impromptu Hymns
to Oaklanders.
His Songs Lack Rhyme and re,ody
Somewhat, but They Amuse
the Crowd.
Oh, ye sinners. do not die.
Oh. ye sinners, come be saved.
Time is lOng. sinners,

---N ." S'iS's
There is not much rhyme nor meter to
these lines, but the tail old man who sings
them in deep bass voice that is not I'M
pleasant. though a trifle thin. seems to
think they are rare poetry.
lie wanders around the broad gauge
stations in Oakland and is harmless. but
very much of a crank.
Yesterday afternoon he performed for
the &c ifcation OF big crowd of passengers
waiting for the down train at the Broadway
station.
He got out in the street and walked back
and forth the length Of tile station, singing
"Oh, ye sinners" with yigor quite aston
ishiBg in one so aged, and in tune pecu-
larry his own.
Though very poorly dressed, he is quite
neat and clean in appearance. His cout is
very old and sadly faded. but neatly
patched and whole. He wears a clean
white collar and ihreadbar black crayat
His hat and shoes are not much to speak of,
but they are we'll brushed, and his beard,
though long, is not shaggy.
lie dues not preach, only sings, but his
song is always an lmpromptu eXhortation
for the sinners to come in cut of the cold
and escape an impending fate that is terri
bic.
When night comes he goes away, no one
appears TO know where. by Ocl0ck In the
morning he is on hand again. When ne has
sung for TWO or three crowds at one station
he moves down TO the next. All day he is
on the tramp.
He must be over 20 years old, but he
walks as straight as a young man and his
lungs are still lusty.
He never passes the hat around at the
end OF his exhOrtaiions, never turns his
attention 10 any one particular member of
the crowd, but just sings right along like
nlckel-in-the-siot singing phnnograph.
Yesterday afternoon at broadway the
crowd was very large, and the old man was
in his glory. He kept singing till the shril
whistle Of M. Huntiugton's locomotive
drowned his voice. THEN he stopped and
walked down the street toward the next
station.
He is an odd old man. and his history is
as odd as himself.
He was soldier in the rebellion, say
those WHO know something of him. When
the war was over he became a saloGn-keep per
in New York City. He amassed good deal
of money in the liquor business. and was in
fair way of becoming a New York Alder
man.
But one day. all of sudden, he left liquor
and took To religion. He had been q hard
drinker. He became an enthusiastic con-
vert to the street missionaries.
lie lost his mental balance q little, and
with 1t lost his money, and his chances of
becoming a Tammany brave.
lie draws small pension and srends all
his time now in musical eXnortation.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09

in San francisco. William Fowler wished
TO JUN me in this. lie had seven saddle
horses, two workhorses and a wagon, l
had three horses and bought five more. /
judged that fifteen horses would be enough
TO start on. They were all saddle-horses,
and had never been in harness, but in those
days every one rode On horseback. So 10
San Francisco we went and commenced
business.
Engaging in the liyery-stab,e business in
San Francisco at the end OF 1917 vas not
very sure speculation. but we determined TO
try it. On arriving there The first thing to
do was to find proper location, and chance
directed me to one"
rude stable was erected on the corner
of Union and Dupont streets. In the har-
Dor at the time were eight whalers, ten
merchantmen and the man-uf- war Ohio.
''Oa the first day." Harlan's account
continues, There was a general rush for
horses. The sailors ali wanted to ride, and
] let out all the horses for the halliday al
50 each. On mounting they all started for
the Preside at full galop, running races
and displaying some Of the most astonlsh-
ing horsemanship had ever seen.
Before noon my riders came back. and
| was ready to hire TIE horses TO a new
batch of mariners for the afternoon, who
also paid me 60 each for their halliday. To
be sure, the horses suffered some, but they
were California horses, and could stand it.
They made great sensation in tie little
town, and were Il frst-rate advertisement
for our stable. On the first day l took in
500 At hard labor | could not have earned
that sum in less than Two months, and
saw at once that had struck the keynote
in The money-making way. At the end OF
three weeks l bought Fowler out, and man
aged the stable alone from that time till
March. 1SiS.'
The stable suddenly closed and Harlan
was soon running a store at COloma with a
few goods aud fabulous prices.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09

The history Of the first San Francisco
newspaper has naturally often been told
and only the very earliest of the history of
the San Francisco press need be recalled
here.
The Star was the pioneer. Samuel Bran
nan, as heretofore noted, arrived in July,
1876. with large party OF Mormons and a
printing outfit. The outfit was the one he
had used in publishing The Prophet in New
York. The Mormons nearly all remained
IN 1eIba Buena and went to work building,
establishing occupations and seeking en-
plOyment.
Brannan set up his printing outfit and got
ready for job work in September, 1916 In
October ne got out an advance extra of the
California STAR and the first regular number
was issued January O. 1917, under the editor
slip of E. 2. Jones. The Star was dimin-
utive sheet for some time
The Californian was The pioneer of the
State. but not Of San Francisco. It was
established in Monterey as Il weekly in
august, 1916. by r. r. Buckelew, a watch
maker by trade and a general rustlcr Of
those early days. He got hold of a small
lot of old Mexican type ana press from
some Mission monastery, bought some
PACED sheet of antique style. The Spanish
alphabet has no " in IT. so the Californian
used Two capital VS. instead. II spoke of
William Leidesdorff ct al until the editor
could get few VS. from tho Sandwich
Islands, where missionary paper and
printing establishment fiourished
The editor could find very little news
until the Mexican War yielded brief repor IS
occasionally, and its few advertisements
were mainly official proclamations. often
in both English and Spanish. and n few
business cards of Monterey and Yerba
Buena
In Nav, 1917, Yerba Buena had not as
large population as Monterey. but i: was
a more Important business center and the
Californian was moved hither.
Tie Californian suspended publication
Tor time III 1S4S. but resumed when the
editor got back from the mines in August of
that year
Tie Star and Californian were consoli-
dated in November, 1S4S, and January !,
1919, appeared as the Alta California. L.
became tri-weekly December 10. 1s49. and
daily after January 90 1850
r. r. Buckelew, the founder of the Cali
fornian. was the first matchmaker here
Not long after his paper appeared in Yerba
Buena it contained this announcement:
r. r.. Buck ew respectfully informs the citl-
zens OF California that he has located perma-
nently In tie town OF San Francisco for the
purpose OF pursuing his profession. Watches
clocks, iewehy and other fine metallic work
repaired in the best manner Cash invariably
required except Otherwise previously under.
stood.
Soon after this the Californian contained
an item saying:
Here Is what certain somebody in this town
said OF US, at Is unaccounlable 10 me that a
good matchmaker should stoop 10 be Il rl,Sera-
bic editor"
Then the editor proceeds to rather care
fully speak lis mind
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
No Demand for VioIins.

zone of the hardest things to realize on"
said pawnbroker to Chicago Tribune
reporter, us violin. never make much
of an advance on such an Instrument. Net
long ago man brought in one and asked
what l would give him on 1t. | told him
SIS. lie turned white. He asked me if
knew what that violin was worth. told
him I did; | knew it was worth
about $500. l told him that it did
not look any better than n violin That
was worth $40. No one but a musician
would ever know the difference. told him
l never could make any one but an old
musician believe it was worth any more
than a poor violin. had rather advance a
man $40 OH So overcoat than IS on 500
violin, unless | happened to know where
could get purchaser for the violin.
might sell the oyeTcoat for what advanced
on il, but never could get the money or
anything near ION the violin. A violin in
a pawnbroker's shop is hoodoc."
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
THE FIRST PRINTING PRESS.

In July. 1876, the American flag was
raised in the plaza by. the captain of the
United States man-ot-war Portsmouth, and
three weeks later the ship Brooklyn arrived
from New York with 23S Mormons under
the leadership Of Samuel Brsnnan, who
brought to San Francisco its first printing
press and type. Soon after this the name
Of the town was changed TO San Francisco.
The Mormons went to work and their
coming created a boom, which continued
and received another impetus by the arrival
Of the Thomas II. Perkins, with Steven
sons regiment. in March. 1877.
During this period appeared the first
hotel. newspaper. llvery-stable, physicians,
lawyers and tradesmen Of various kinds
a restaurant, or something like it, was
naturally one of the earliest establishments
in Yerba Buena. Before the Americans
came to ruin the old Mexican spirit of hos
pitality. which made every stranger a well
come guest without price, hotels were not
wanted.
Naturally the earliest style of public
accommodation was the little fonda" or
Mexican road house, where bad liquors
we're sold and Mexican fare and floor to
sleep one were provided. People Travelled
on horseback in those days and a saddle
ana pair oil blankets would always afford
bed. FullePs restaurant" Of 1874 in
Yerba Buena was probably that sort Of a
place.
The Portsmouth house" was the next
one and was opened about :s46. 1t was q little
onc-sttr5 irlme building. standing on the
south side of Clay street, Just below Kearny.
II was first kept by the Kettlemans, accord
ing TO w. F. Swasey, and then 1t passed
into the hands of j. Ii. Brown. The earli-
est record OF the Portsmouth House appears
to be the advertisement which Brown put
into the Californian soon after that pioneer
sheet was started at Monterey. 1t read as
follows:
PORTSMOUTH HOUSEHOLD Buena-The un
designed has opened a public house under the
above title where lie Is prepared 10 entertain all
those who may please to call on him. His table
Will be furnished With the best the market az
iOrds and his bar With the best liquors.
j. BROWN.
UREA BUENA October 16. 1886. 1Olf
1t did not take Brown long to get n bigger
ard better establishment. and the squatty
and father primitive Portsmouth passed
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09

Various phases of the beginnings Of San
facts and as pictures which present strlk-
irg contrast to the present.
For most of these beginnings we must
already search historical records. The
eray-bearded pioneers who could once have
told about them are about all gone. There
are plenty of the Argouauts of 20 and
number who came here in 1913. but while
they saw San Francisco as little village
Of few hundred people they came some
time after the ordinary occupations of life
had been established here.
They saw the tide come up to Montgomery
street. and perhaps strolled out of town
across the ravne and climbed the sandhill
where the Palace Hotel stands. but the first
hotels already needed new COATS of paints;
there were two newspapers with Vol. IL on
their first pages; the man who used to
keep" a livery-stable had gone to Co!oma,
and they found already establised good
SEED, progressive community.
The pioneers who could tell about many
Of the first things" are those who came
Lere before gold was thought of, moved by
a spirit of adventure or attracted by the
fame of Upper California as new country
of Tici lands, fine climate and a great
future. which fame had reached the East
even before the Mexican War.
There are only two or three of these
pioneers left in this city. One of them is
W. F. Swasey, who came here in 1916. and
another is Colonel Stevenson. who brought
his regiment Of volunteers here from the
war in Mexico in 1877.
Memories are sometimes uncertain.
histories do not agree, and many first
things" are recorded only incidentally, il at
ALL so that search for those who began
various occupations here in some cases takes
one into misty past where the traces are
few and uncertain.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09

into the hands of Z. P. Jones. Jones had
married one of the ketleman girls. was
character" here then. and in 1850 left for
the East a rich man. He appears to have
taken hold of it when it was left by Brown
in the owners hands, and early in 1877 lie
announced in The Star that ''this establish
ment has recently been enlarged to double
its former size. reprinted and fitted and is
now prepared for the reception of boarders
and transient persons"
But the Portsmouth'S days of prosperity
and prestige were soon numb ered. The
following advertisement appears in the
Californian:
For sale-The well-kuown establishments
called the Portsmouth House." and let at ad-
vanlageous terms. Apply to JOHN YIoGEr.
San Francisco, Nov 3. 1917.
In few months the gold excitement was
on, hotels of greater size and fame multi
piled and the Portsmouth went into OBJ
SeuriiV
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
THE FIRST PHYSICIAN.

Surgeons Of United States meu-of-war
which occasionally anchored in the bay
mainly supplied the important medical and
surgical attendance needed by the people of
Yerba Buena before it became large
enough to support a resident physician.
The first physician TO appear was a DR..
Townsend. a Western man of fair medical
skin, who came to California in 1874 and
was in YerDa Buena perhaps before any
OTHER physician.
The pioneer resident physician was M
undoubtedly DR.. Victor FourgeRud, who
was naval surgeon and finely educated
man. DR.. w. c. Parker, surgeon of Stev-
enson's regiment, came here with that
regiment in 1871. In 1877 or 1913 Doctors
Parker and Fourgeaud performed here n
remarkable operation, which attracted
worldwide attention and was reported in
London medical Journal. A sailor had been
severely cut in the side, and during the
operation DR.. FolrEeaud put his hand
through an opening which had laid bare
that organ, took the heart in his hand and
settled the long disputed question OF
whether the sound ri the hearts beating
was caused by the action of the organ itself
OF its beating against the walls OF its cavity.
The sailor recovered.
The first physicians card published here
was DR.. Fourgeaud's, in the Californian,
November II, 1917, rs follows:
MEDICAL NOTICE.
DR.. Fourgeaud has tie honor 10 offer his nro-
fessional services TO the CITIZENS Of san Fan
cisco and Its vicinity. ONCE at Jones' Hotel.
During the latter part of 1877 and the fol-
lowing winter the town of a few hundred
people had, as before stated. taken on quite
a spirit of LIE under the new American rule
and occupation. The residents were then
as enthusiastic, hopeful and cent lent Of the
future of the place as tile people of new
Western towns have often b en- since, and.
with Characteristic American push, went to
work 10 boom the town all they could. The
newcomers became enthusiastic Califor-
mans, talked enterprisingly at home, and
scattered letters among Eastern friends and
newspapers in praise of the town and coun-
try, their climate, riches and future
The Star and the Californian, with pro-
phetic vision, constantly pulled their home
as the future metropolis Of the coast, which
was its sure destiny as any body could see
To further boom the town and region the
community resorted to the newspapers as
communities do to-tay. DR.. FOurgeaud
agreed 10 write an extensive exposition of
the advantages ami glories of this part of
the world and the first OF two sections of 1t
filled six columns in the star. Two thou
sand copies were sent East. Before the rest
of it could be published the sold excitement
had flied the world. San Francisco had no
further need for advertising and DR.. Four
geaud's second boom chapter was forgotten
and unread
DR.. j. NJ. Leavenworth, the last Alcalde
Of San Francisco, was an early physician,
but appears never 10 have actively practced
here
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09

This week we invite attention to number of quotations
that illustrate the powerful INDUCEMENTS offered
GREAT CLOAK DEPARTMENT.
This stock embraces all the fashionable designs
shapes and materials in Ladies' Misses and Children's
Outer Garments each of which is characterized by the
SUPERIOR ELEGANCE, STYLISHNESS and WORK
MANSHIP that distinguish all garments handled by us
and all greatly enhanced in attractiveness bv the
remarkably low prices prevailing
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
A Terrible Warninr-

The possibility of the hoop-skirt coming
again in vogue causes the Electrical Review
TO sound forth the following terrible warm
ing: 1T is n we'll known fact that any
metallic wire If brought near another wire
carrying a current of electricity will have a
current induced In it. In crinoline there
Is considerable amount of wire, and it
naturally follows that if the wearer comes
near an electric-light circuit a charge will
be induced around her and the hOop-skirt
will become a living, seething mass OF
wrgglmg, sparkling electricity, and no one
dare imagine what might become Of the
sangfroid to cone in the neighborhood of an
electric light there is no telling the awful
consequences that might arise. The reason
why the ancient danes who d6nned the
crinoines were not ruthlessly slaughtered
BY the thousands is because there was no
electIicity living around loose in those daYs. >,
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
"This Is the State of Man. y


There are few things in real life more
pathetic than the speech Of Mr. Munro. who
three years ago was worth 95000O0 and
was Prime Minister of Victoria. AT a
temperance meeting in Victoria lie is re-
ported to have said: 81 came to Melbourne
over thirty years ago with hardly a penny
in my pocket. 1 worked hard as work
ingmaD, and received every honor which a
free state could confer on any OF its citi-
zens, until at last | held the highest position
in the land. Now / stand before you, 81
years of age, without a shilling in my
pocket For the first time in my life,
through liabilities which undertook, never
expecting to be called upon to meet them,
am unable to pay 90 shillings In the pound -
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-09
EIocution Lessons in Chicago School.


The teacher-"IIeads back" All the
pupils here stretched their heads az far back
as they would 20 latitude of pride), and
said slowly and impressively. II am proud
because / know what am. THE Teacher
Heads on left shoulders" The pupils
with their heads poised on their left
shoulders glanced sideways and upward
latitude OF admiralion) saying. How
beautiful that looksp The teacher
Heads ON right shoulders" With their
heads on their right shoulders and their
eyes CHANGING sideways latitude of cnnning).
the pupils said, "D0 you think you can fnol
me?" The teacher-"Heads down" The
pupils with heads on their chests attitude
of grief said mournfully. %All my money is
gone" The teacher-'HeadS erect" With
their heads erect latitude of ohslinacy) the
pupils in strongly accentusted tones, slightly
uodding their heads while uttering each
word. said, 81 won't do it,"