The San Francisco call., 1895-10-07

ner OF Clay street and Brennan place was
the old uncovered building erected after
the May fire of 80 and known as the
Portsmouth House at the time left here.
l noticed that that old landmark has dis
appeared, that brick structure has taken
its place, and that it is occupied exclu-
sively by Chinese; in fact, so is the entire
length of Brenham place except the hall
of the Exempts, which l knew as the hall
of the Monumentals. There were no Chi
nese in that section of the City at the time
that picture was drawn, but you have them
now. In that building Joe Atwill, the pio-
neer dealer in music and musical instru-
ments, had his place of business. He after
ward went on Stockton street, between
Washington and Jackson, and opened a
store next to that of Kohler & Chase, when
that firm dealt principally in toys and
their store was known as Santa Claus
Headquarters He afterward moved down
on Washington street, next to the Wash
ington baths, and was there up to the time
! went from here. By the way, l read an
account of the old gentleman's death not
long ago. So they go, the founders OF
great city, and the truth of the expression
strikes me forcibly when l hear There are
onlv few of US left
son the upper floor of that building was
the plant of Butler, the engraver and Iitho-
grapher, the one who made the picture
you are looking at. In days that followed
craving in wood for he theatrical and
other three-sheet posters that adorned the
deadwalls of the City. In the same build
ing was the Postoffice. which previously
was in an adobe building near the same
site, and before that was at the corner of
Clay and Pike streets, afterward called
Waverly place. That is also now given
over to Chinese, but at the time speak of
it was a lively thoroughfare, and 1 suppose
there are but few left who can recall
the time that they took their meals in
RapheeTs, which then was to the new CITY
what the Nelson Richie is to the present
San Francisco. Jacob Moore was the Post
master when the Postoffice was in the zinc
house, and Captain John Short, the hale,
hearty man of so who was recently retired
by your Police Commissioners on a
pension. was a clerk under him. Cap
tain Short was one of the brave men
who filled the ranks of the Volun-
teer Fire Department in those days and he
was member of Vigilant Noe. Before he
came here he was a member of the volun-
teer department of New York City, so in
the days OF the great fires here his knowl-
edge OF fire extinguishment was of service
But there were times, as results proved
that the knowledge and science was of no
avail against the element that swept over
the face of the City. While Moore was in
this building handling Uncle Sans mails
he conceived plan by which he would
increase the Moore revenue. He, at great
cost, had brick building erected on the
south side of Clay street, opposite and
below the center of the plaza, and when it
was finished induced the Government to
rent 1t Tor the purposes OF Postoffice at a
monthly rental of $4,000. The house.
which soon paid for itself, is still standing,
but occupied by Chinese. At one time it
was occupied by Prosper May, prominent
French dealer in liquors.
In those postoffice days the facilities for
4 - IL
but the people did not do as much growl-
ing as they do now. The mail for Santa
Cruz and Monterey left but once week.
Wednesdays at in the morning by stage
which carried passengers and charged S25
for each passenger. There were tr-weeklv
mails for Santa Clara, San Jose and the
Mission San Jose; also tri-weekly mails for
Benicia, Sonoma, Napa and Stockton
Postage on a letter to any part of the
United States or Oregon was 40 cents while
TO any part of California it was 1216 cents,
and cents was the postage on a news
paper. That was the rate up to the latter
part of '52, when the rate on letters was
reduced to cents on prepaid and cents
on unpaid letters to any part of California
6 cents on prepaid and 10 cents on unpaid
letters sent east of the Rockies, while it
was optional with the sender if he put %
cents in stamps Oh letter sent to either
England, Ireland or Scotland, or not, if
not the fellow at the other end had to
pay it, but that was not the rule with the
old-timers. Why, I recall an instance
where a miner who had lust come down
received a letter from home, and
as it was bulky one it had
required triple postage. The stamps
made a formidable display on the envelope.
After the miner had read his correspond
ence, he stepped up TO the window and
asked how much it cost to send letter to
New York in the States,' and when he was
told 40 cents, he went away, but in an hour
or so returned with letter which he had