The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-06-09
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
Roy Hudson Gives Some, Information Re.
garding San Francisco.

Oan rdnClScO, Cdl., . uH0 ISL, 1893.
EDITOR FREE PRESS And this is
Rome that sat on her:seven hills and
from her throne Of glory ruled the
W orld..' Thus spake Rienzi as he de-
livered to the tickle Roman mob his ia
nous philippe againstypartisan domi-
nation. And, in a similar way, but
without the same motive1to actuate the
words, might one ekclaim, land this is
San Francisco, that sits on her many
hills and from her throne of glory will
she :. rule the world" 1t needs but a
a change of tense. She, has been most
aptly called the paris of America"
She Is true cosmopolis She sits
crowned upon her lofty, eminence, the
regnant queen of the Pacific. She levys
her tribute upon the nations and it
comes pouring in from Asia, from
Europe and from the islands of the sea,
To the north the rugged Sierias yield up
their gold and silver treasures; and
away to the south where Ramona loved
and where are cast the shadows of the
golden cross of Monterey, the fields are
white with the mimic SHOWS of orange
blossoms. Dazzling in her youth, in
her years of ripper womanhood she will
shine forth with a splendor eclipsing
that of the city that stood by the froth-
ing Tiber, the eternal city But found
ed and fostered by Christian civiliza-
ton, she will never yield to those enner-
waiting influences which humbled the
mighty city on the Palatine. San Fran
cisco must be seen to be appreciated.
The pen can but lily convey the magni-
tude, Importance, opportunities and
the sphere it is destined to fill " -,
The tourist from the east gets his
first view of Frisco" from one of the
great ferry boats that bears him from
Oakland Mole to the great ferry depot
at the foot of Market street This lat
ter is magnificent gray stone structure
600 feet long. 1t was built under the
supervision of the state harbor com
missioners and is leased to the railroad
company by the state.
San Francisco has it's own system of
climate. No winter SHOWS or summer
showers. No extremes of heat or cold.
From my window can see the green
lawns every month of the year From
such climate what glorious fruits are
produced, berries, cherries. peaches,
pears, grapes, necterines, melons, figs
and apples.
But do not think thatSanFrancisco has
no other clailcs to respect and admira-
ton. She is worthy of attention from
an artistic and an architectural stand
point San Francisco has suffered from
six great fires entailingi an aggregate
loss of $4,000, 900, Bat, phoenix-like,
she has risen from them larger and a
more beautiful city. -1oJ
will not burden you with. descrip-
ton of the Cliff House and the Seal
Rocks as all have read of and doubt
less are familiar with, these interesting
places. There is now movement on
foot which will doubtless result in the
determination of the seals. They are
killing the valuable fish and conse-
quently running the occupation Of the
fishermen. So they must go
Golden Gate park, which has passed
through state of transition fsom wild
land to cultivated paradise, presents
many charming views. From Inspira-
tion point one gets the best view of the
famous Golden Gate and the Pacific
ocean. Just inside the Gate and guard
ing it with it's great thirteen inch
rifles is the Preside, the government
military post. Here is located the
largest garrison on this coast.
The bay of San Francisco ranks
a mong the few great seaports of the
world. A handbook sheet of water some
fifty miles long and of varying width.
T he government owns the three largest
islands in the bay. At Alcatraz and
Angel islands it maintains garrisons
and extensive Notifications, At Mare
Island is located the U. S. navy yard
and naval training station.
To those tourists who are interested
in the cemeteries Of great city, brief
mention of San Francisco's may be in
teresting. These great 'cities of the
dead" are nearly all located at the foot
of Lone mountain, a lofty eminence
surmounted by a mighty cross. visible
for miles, and which seems to point to-
ward heaven as if indicating the way
whence have gone the spirits of the
countless dead who slunber meath it's
outstretched arms. Laurel hill con-
tains some beautiful examples of
mausoleum architecture. Cypress