The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-29

created the demand for the later, as the
edition being exhausted, his audience
clamored for more of the same.
Mr.. Davis book is the story of his own
experiences, and is knowledge therefore at
first hand. 1t is the story of what his eyes
saw and his ears heard. Next to Alfred
Robinson, Mr.. Davis is perhaps the oldest
OF the living pioneers-that is to say his
arrival here dates further back, not that
his years are more, for, though an old man,
as his "Sixty Years in California" must
indicate, he is still man in the full yigor
of life.
Mr.. Davis arrived in California in 1881 on
the bark Louisa from Boston and has re-
manned here continuously since, except
when away on business. He was first en-
pleyed as clerk for Nathan Spear and
afterward for Petty q Mckinley. Before
1S49 he had begun business for himself.
He saw the first steamer enter the bay of
San Francisco on the 2Sth of February,
1849, bringing some 800 or 400 eager gold
hunters. Of that passenger list Mr. Davis
says not more than eight or nine survive.
Among these are DR.. A. b. Stout, ex-Sur-
| veyor-General Pratt, Henry f. Williams
and General d. w. G. Thompson, now
commandant of the Soldiers Home at
Yountville.
In the fall of 40 Mr.. Davis leased his
building at the corner of Clay and Mont
gomery streets to the firm of Blocker,
Van Dyke 81 Belden for the modest rental
of $500 a month, or $4,000 year. He
moved a little further uptown to the cor
ner of Montgomery and California streets,
where he built the first brick building in
the city of San Francisco. 1t was three
stories in height, with ample porticos
across the face of each. This building was
afterward leased to the Government as
cuStomS-houSe for a rental of $4,000 a
month, or $50, 900 year.
AS showing tnat even these big rents
were not the top figures Mr.. Davis says
that Blocker, Van Dyke and Belden, al
though using the principal storeroom in
the building they had leased of him as an
auction-house, cut the balance of it up into
offices and probably made as much more
out of it as they paid him.
| : The fire of the Sd and 4th of May, 1851,
burned the heart of the city and destroyed
Mr.. Davis buildings, as well as big and
valuable stock of merchandise. He subse-
quently went to Alameda County and en-
gagged in raisil.g cattle and horses
In the '70's he conceived the idea of writ
ing the history of California, which he I'M
dertook but did not complete until 1889.
The book was printed and published here
and attracted wide attention and such
favorable comment that the suggestion was
the public schools. The edition was soon
exhausted and then friends urged the
author to enlarge its scope. He began and
has prosecuted the work steadily through
the past five years, and now has MSS, for
TWO large volumes, comprising 200, 900
words. He is hard engaged going over the
matter revising and touching up. The
writing is partially completed.
The work is to be deliberately illustrated
with pen drawings by E. Wyttenbach.
The TACT that the author was himself
part OF all he tells about gives a living in
| tereSt W
mere historian coming after could impart.
The story OF the founding and the rise of
the city OF San Francisco, told by the man,
still an active factor in its affairs, who
built the first brick building, is very like
an Arabian Nights" tale.
Many and strange were the personal ex-
| perlences of the author, and his descrip-
lions of everyday life right here on this
| ground and throughout the State reads
much like the tale Of some foreign land
| The population of the department OF
| California about 1889 was probably from
10000 to 1900, exclusive of Indians, who
mum bered about 20, 900 christianized.
Besides indulgence in music and dancing,
the men of those days found their recrea-
ton, as they did their occupation, chiefly
on horseback. Horse-racing was one of
their fayorite amusements, which they oc-
least days, which were general holidays.
The yaqueros were then relieved from duty,
wore their best clothes. and were allowed
to mount the best horses and to have their
sport. These races were usually from 200 to
400 yards, and participated in only by two
horses at a time. Bets were made in
cattle and horses, and large numbers of
animals were lost and won on these occa-
slons. At times one hundred up to sew
eral hundred head of cattle were bet on
the result of single short race. They
generally put up their vaquillas (heifers].
They had no money to wager, but plenty
of cattle. Sometimes horses were also bet,
but not often. There was on one occasion
famous race at Los Angeles of nine
miles between the horses of two wealthy
rancheros, and an immense amount of
property changed hands on the race
cattle and horses, mostly the former. This
race attracted quite a large crowd of
people, and was considered great affair
for that day.
The bull fight was usually held on one of
the saints days. The bull was turned into
an inclosure; and the horsemen would
then come in, mounted ON their best ami
mails, and fight the bull for the entertain
ment OF the spectators, killing him finally,
| Sometimes bear and bull fight would
l take pl2ce Another amuSarnapf fhou I, oil