Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-03-11

sengers that had started ahead of me
from Gorgona.
Approaching the city of Panama ]
met the editor of the Panama Star, &C.
panied by another gentleman, riding
on mules, and astonished them by pre-.
senting them with copies of the New
York Herald and Tribune. Two hours
later Colonel Johnson was more than
astonished when, as he came galloping
into town, he heard the news boys
crying: Here's your extra Panama
Star, arrival of the steamer Illinois
and list of passengers"
My first experience regarding ex'
penses of living on the Pacific coast
was obtained at my first meal in the
Lafayette Cafe, at Panama, the even
ing that 1 arrived there. My dinner
consisted of o slice of ham, q stale
French roll, some butter suitable for
axle grease, accompanied with cup
of wretched coffee. laid fve-dollar
gold piece on the counter. The land
lord said that was right, swept it into
drawer and gave me no change.
Very politely proffered him cigar,
he reached for it, but didn't get it.
The next day l engaged board and
lodging at q hacienda in the suburbs.
The fare there consisted principally OF
fried plantains, tortillas, frijoles and
chocolate.
There was no steamship at Panama
ready for US to embark on for San
Francisco. The Illinois passengers
and baggage came struggling across
the Isthmus about week later, and q
large portion Of the baggage was
packed from Gorgona and Cruces to
Panama on the backs of the natives
one native packed q small cooking
stove from Cruces to Panama.
The city of Panama at that time
consisted of lot of dilapidated one.
story adobe buildings with tile roofs.
Tho city was surrounded on three
sides with Q low adobe wall, the wall
on the bay or water side having mostly
crumbled away. Population about
5000, mostly Spanish, Portuguese, q
few French and Germans; balance
natives and Indian.
II was several weeks before q steam
ship bound for San Francisco made
her appearance in the bay OF Panama.
On the same day one arrived from
New York and one also from San
San Francisco. / went aboard the
original Pacific Mail side-wheeler Cal
ifornis, Captain Budd. Both steamers
we're uncomfortably crowded with pas
sengers. Here, 1 will state, the Cali
fornia WAS the first steamship that
ever entered the harbor Of San Fran.
cisco. Her destination at that time,
on starting from New York in the fall
Of 1848, was Astoria. The San Fran
cisco population at that time was
1900. The California was one Of 4
line Of three steamships built by How
land & Aspinwall, of New York, carry
the U. 8. mails from Panama to'Asto-
ria. The other two vessels of the line
were the Panama and the Oregon.
The Panama started from New York
first, but put back disabled. The Ore.
gon sailed next. She was commanded,
- far as Panama, by Captain Forbes,
. brother of A. B. Forbes, later agent
Of the Pacific Mail s. 8. Co.
On our way up the coast from Pana-
ma, We touched at several Spanish.
American ports, making the ssoppage
at Acapulco. The steamer remained
there the entire day, and many passen.
gers, myself included, availed them.
selves Of the opportunity to 60 ashore.
While strolling through the town with
some comrades, We stopped to look on
at q street gambling game. The pro-
prietor was dealing Spanish, or three.
card, monte. He tripped the ace,
king and queen of clubs, face down,
and called for bets on the queen. ]
laid twenty-dollar piece on the mid
die card and dropped my open pen.
knife point down. pinning the middle
card to the table. Turning the card
over, with the knife. blade still adher.
ing, the dealer tossed his twenty dol
lars to me, and informed me that
could not play there any more. 1 had
no desire to do so either then or since
There, several beef cattle were EVAN
out to the steamer from the beach. A
purchase rigged with lines was passed
around their horns and thus they
we're lifted up and swung aboard.
After leaving Acapulco, the Panams
or coast fever became prevalent on
board and rapidly increased, causing
An average OF sixteen deaths daily, and
during that time, every afternoon the
steamer was hove TO, to bury the pas
sengers by the usual mode of service oil
sea burial.
On our arrival at San francisco
there was great excitement and gen
eral rejoicing to meet friends and &C
quaintances and to obtain letters and
the latest news. Flags were run up
salutes fred. and newspapers and let
ters were in great demand. My broth
er, E. H. Parker, came aboard to vel
come me. He had left New York ir
lS49, come around the Horn in q sail
ing vessel. and was importing mer
chandise from New York and Europe
Among the pioneer names of nrom;,