The San Francisco call., 1895-12-01
It Was the First Ever Published
in the City of San Fran
cisco.
WAS ISSUED IN THE FIFTIES
Manv Forty-Nine Incidents Brought
to Mind in Turning the
Pages.


Gently unearthed in one of those-to the
ordinary yman-horrifying occurrences COM
monty called housecleanlng. Still, there is
bright side to everything, as, turning
the pages, names and incidents are
brought to the mind of the '49er," giving
in some cases an unwonted glow to that
almost ossifed member, the heart.
Following natures plan the majority of
those whose names are recorded are no
more on the rollcall of to-day, but after all
their struggles and successive failures or
successes have passed into that state
which, though undesired, is none the less
sure. In those days men turned their
hands to whatever chances or work was
opened to them, and the humble stepping
stones of fortune then mounted are often
ungratefully forgotten.
John Bigler was then Governor, with
Samuel Purdy Lieutenant-Governor and
S. c. Hastings Attorney-General. Judge
Hastings founded the Hastings Law Col
lege, while the large estate he left has
suffered much litigation.
Stephen R. Harris occupied the Mayors
chair; Nathaniel Holland was President
of the Assistant Aldermen, one of whom
was Henry Meiggs, who built Meiggs
wharf and after unvise investments of
others cash left for South America and
there built the railroad over the Andes.
Ogden Hoffman Jr. was at that time Judge
of the United States District Court, and
was a delightfully."- dignItied old beau to
the end of his days. Solomon Heyden-
feldt was one of the Supreme Court
Judges, while Delos Lake was Judge of
the Fourth District Court.
In the Custom-house T. Butler King
was Collector, while Marcus D. Boruck
figured as one of the clerks and Dear Old
Uncle" George Bromley was one of the
watchmen, as we'll as Superintendent of
Laborers. Jacob B. Moore was Postmaster,
with ten clerks and one MESSENGER to
watch over. 1.-The great mails" for
Panama, the Atlantic States ana Europe
left at A. NJ. on the 1st and 10th Of each
month.
1t was then that George Aiken-combIn-
ing the office of British Consul with that
OF merchant-held forth at la Front street.
Monroe Ashbury. later Mayor, had his Of
flee at Bush and Montgomery, and by his
will left substantial mementoes, by giving
to charity large sums from his fortune ac-
quired in early days.
On the 1st of June, 1852, there were 702
pupils attending the public schools, of
which there were seven, situated in their
various districts, James Denman, still in
public life, being the principal of that one
in Happy Valley District, while Alfred
Rix-who was later Judge and father of
our artist Julian Rix-taught the Mission
District School.
The various religious denominations
were we'll represented at this early date.
and the then Trinity Church was an iron
building on Pine street, near Kearny,
where now stands the California Market.
/ IL T
street, between Dupont and Stockton, SER
vices were held in the morning in English,
French and Spanish.
On Filbert street, near Stockton, was
located the State Hospital, sheltering 200
patients. with Drs. Bowie and Mcmillan
as consulting surgeons. DR.. Nuttall then
had his drugstore and Office at 107 Mont
gomery street.
In those days, when fires we're fought
entirely by volunteers, George H. Hosse-
fross was Chief Engineer of the Fire De-
partment, Charles f. Barnes, James DON
ahue (who later built the OccidentaD,
Dave Scannell (afterward Chief for many
years., and Charley Duane (then keeping
the saloon on Kearny street known as
National HalD were members OF the En-
pire Engine Company, David G. Broder-
lex, afterward killed in a duel by Judge
David S. Terry, being an honorary
member.
Eugene L. Sullivan, Warren Dutton
(who served on the Durrant lury) and NJ.
de Ia Montanya lone of the brothers who
established store and hardware business
in this City, were among the members OF
the Lady Washington No. 2. Franklin
Whitney (atterward Chief Engineer and
founder OF the Dashaway Temperance
Society was foreman of Howard Engine
Company No. 8. T. J. L. Smiley ("Tom"
for SHORTY and ]. Seligman Qater banker)
were two Of the trustees; while Alec Aus
tin (then in dry goods), George Laidly
and Harvey Garcelon were among the
members. Among the honoraries of this
company were w. D. NJ. Howard, ALI
Ellis and Sam Brannan. The latter, arriv-
ing here with a Mormon colony, subse-
quently acquired wealth through invest
ments in real estate.
On the list of California Engine Com
pany are the names of NJ. D. Boruck, the
lately deceased journalist; Peter Donahue,
then in the Union Foundry and later
Pacific Railroad; John Nightingale land
lord of the Union House; II. J. Van
Winkle, Moses Heller, and John S. Ellis,
now merchant in New York.
The combined "Monumentals" had
among their members Henry Hugg, J. S.
Durkee; J. ?. Van Ness, later Mayor, and
after whom the avenue is named; Sam
Harding, constable; NJ. Hellman; Frank
NJ. Pixley. who so recently died, and Dick
Sinton, who was then broker Among
the honorary members is the name of
James King of William, then a banker,
and later proprietor and editor of the Bull
letin. his cruel assassination, due to his
fearless denunciation of wrongdoers, is
among the historic tragedies of early DAYS.
Vigilant Engine Company No. 8, with
NJ r. Roberts as foreman, held among is
members A. Kohler, who then had Santa
Claus Headquarters, and William H.
Boyee, proprietor of spice and coffee mills,
and later of the auctioneer firm of Bovee,
Toy & Co. George w. Gibbs, who recently
joined the great majority, was secretary OF
st. Francis Hook and Ladder Company,
and among the Sansome hook and ladder
ties appear the names OF l.. II. Bonestell,
then as now in the stationery business,
G. E. Gibbs, Henry H. Haight, William NJ.
Lent a. II. Lissak Jr., Robert C. Page.
Martin ShultZ, and G. w. Shook. whose
stove and tinware business, then started.
is still in evidence. 1t is difficult to imagine
that any of these grave and reverend
seigneurs," and in some cases very stout
ones, ever ran ''wid de machine" and
shouted Work her down, boys, work her
down."
The military companies were: First
California Guards, F. J. Lippitt captain
Marion Rifles. organized May Ia. 1852, F.
b. Schaeffer captain, with Henry Bar