The San Francisco call., 1895-12-01


Wilson G. Hunt, Confidence, Antelope and
]. Bragdon. The New World had rather a
romantic start in life, being attached at
New York Just as she was starting on her
trial trip. The deputy sheriff being put on
board, the trial trip proceeded, and con-
tinued ''round the Horn" all the way to
San Francisco.
Over the ruins of the historic hulk
"Niantic" was a hotel conducted by
Colonel T. G.. Johnson. Some frag-
ments of the ships timbers were un-
earthed during the excavations made for
the present building occupying the site
at the corner of Clay and Sansome streets.
The present firm of Redington g. Co.,
wholesale druggists, was formerly Story
& Redington and was located in the stone
building at Sansome and Merchant streets.
John c. Winans, commission merchant,
still with us, was then located at the foot
of Jackson street.
w. K. Van Allen, still brisk and well-to-
do, started in those early days as a whole
sale grocer and commission merchant. OF
the firm of E. W. and w. l.. Torrey, build
ers, ship and steamboat jo1ners, the former
is now hale and hearty. Mr.. Dewitt, later
of Dewitt, Kittle & Co., was then ship
ping and commission merchant. J. w.
Britain, subsequently of Britain & Hol-
brook, continued in the extensive hard
ware business he established till his death,
leaving large fortune.
]. &. Duncan, who became notorious
wears later as bank-wrecker, had Chi
nese salesrooms on Sacramento street. j..
?. Treadwell, though later a lawyer,
started a successful hardware business
with his brother L. L. The handsome
fortune left by the former has been the
subject OF various legal complications, and
with its accompanying by-play forms so
called interesting reading. II. A. Cobb,
for so long familiar figure on our streets,
was then an auctioneer, associated with u.
w. Tichenor, and advertised his business
in English, French and Spanish. Garrett
& Co., now on Fremont street, were To-
Gated on Halleck, near the American The
ater, which was the first brick building
erected on the artificial foundation. and on
its opening night settled badly, two or
three inches, but afterward remained
steady.
The firm OF William T. Coleman e. Co.
was then located corner Front and Cali
fornia streets, where was employed the
same modest sign which was with them to
the last. Castle Brothers were then in
business at 43 Commercial street. The
What Cheer House, still in existence, was
completed July 5, 1852 and was advertised
by its then landlord, r. 3. Woodward. as
furnishing board at So per week.
Isaac Hillman, 1.-The raZor-strop man, !"
was a familiar figure in those DAYS and
kept the California Temperance House.
The Noisy Carriers Publishing Halp' on
Long wharf, now Commercial street, was
conducted by Charles P. Kimball, after
ward bookbinder.
In Winn's advertisement of the "Foun-
tain Head" otherwise known as a restau-
rant and confectionery-st store, he advises
''all gents to fill their pockets with Winn s
delicious sweets to insure fond welcome"
This same parsonage, If | mistake not, was
he who founded the fourishing order OF
Native Sons of the Golden West.
Self-sealing envelopes were then a nov
city, and progressive dressmaker adver-
tised Paris and New York fashions as be-
ing received by the latest clipper ships and
steamers. What a weary wait between
styles!
The leading daguerreotypists were Will
liam w-Clark, ''over the Blue Wing"
and H. W. Bradley, subsequently of Brad
ley & Rulofson.
Middleton & Smiley had an auction
mart; Timothy Guy Phelps was with
Dows & Co., So California; Theodore
Payne, auctioneer, lived at the swell
then commission merchants on Sansome;
J. D. Oliver, many years later knighted by
the Pope, was in the paint and oil busi
ness; Squire 2. Dewey was,then a notary
public; Joseph G. Eastland was in the
Brooklyn Iron Foundry; J. S. Hittell,
author OF the Resources of California"
and other works, was phrenologist.
Todd's Daily Express, operated "to and
from Stockton, Sonora, Columbia, NJ okel-
umne Hill, Quartzburgh, Aqua Frio, Mari
posa ard all parts of the southern mines.
Gold dust and specie forwarded to all
points,"
The Oakland ferry-boat Red Jacket made
three trips daily each way, and among the
names OF the old line pilots are those of
Captains Babbage, Jolliffe and Shelly.
Our late Superintendent of Schools, A. J.
Moulder, was formerly assistant editor of
the San Francisco Herald Washington
Bartlett, at one time Mayor, published the
Evening Journal. f. Marriott, founder of
the News Letter, was then notary public
and general conveyancer. E. Conner and
E. c. Kemble were editors and proprietors
of the Alta California. George K. Fitch
and Loring Pickering were both editors on
the Placer Times and Transcript, while
Frank NJ. Pixley was editor OF the San
Francisco Daily Wing. So might the list
be continued, but the days are shorter than
they were and space forbids.
MARY WOODWARD EDWARDS