The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-04-19
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SAN FRANCISCO WAS
MOST COSMOPOLITAN
OF AMERICAN CITIES

San Francisco has long been permeated
with an air OF romance and adventure.
The names OF the streets and Of the bust
ness blocks, such as Kearney, Sutter,
Montgomery. Dupont, Flood. Crocker and
SrHrOn, IT1ng % The mind long forgotten
stories OF riot or adventure and OF for
tunes whose vastness once excited wonder
The site OF the city wss first visited by
Europeans In 1863, and I'm 175 Bucareli
ordered fort preside and mission found
ed on the bay One year later. the year
of the Declaration OF Independence, the
Spanish settlers began the work. and
when Vancouver visited the place I'm 1872
the preside represented the military au-
thorty, while the pueblo and mission
stood for the civil and religious factors
respectively. The mission was secularized
in 1884 and town laid out the year fol-
lowing.
In 1876 an American man-of-war. under
command OF Commodore John r. Mont
gomery, entered the harbor and hoisted
the stars and Stripes over the town. Mexl-
co. which succeeded Spain as the owner
OF California was then At war with the
United States. and the act OF Commodore
Montgomery ended her dominion over San
Francisco.
with the coming OF Americans and the
discovery OF gold in 1SiS there came an era
OF growth and hustle.
The town was incorporated I'm April
-1&0, and the same year the state was adj
rntted TO the Union. The town had about
10000 inhabitants and when the people
were Informed that California was a
sovereign state OF tho United States Of
Amerfr1 "a universal shout arose from
600 voices on the wharfs. in the streets
upon tho hills. housetops and the world
OF shipping In tho bay"
In its early history the city suffered
from several disastrous fires Between
December. lSi9 and June 1851. six conha-
srations played havoc with the growing
young town.
The mefficiency and corruption Of the
city government led a large number Of
citizens 20 organize the famous vigilance
committee which ruled in 1851. A number
Of crooks were lynched by the committee
others were driven out and the city went
through q purhcaton process that was
OF great benefit
San Francisco az this time was stra-
cling medley OF low. dingy adobes. frail
wooden shantles born IN An afternoon.
with a sprinking of more respectable
frame houses and mass OF canvas and
rubber habitations
After the vigilance committee dishandcd
the criminal element became boldcr. and
In 1856 crime and corruption I'm the city
had become intolerable
when Editor King OF the Bulletin. who
had denounced the thugs was murdered
by James +. Casey. a new vigilance or.
ganization was created. and I'm n few
days Casey and another murderer named
Cora were executed in front of the com
mittees headquarters Many lawbreakers
were later put 10 death. and the regime OF
the California bad man" came to an end
San Francisco Is the most cosmopolitan
city In the world. Not long ago the rec
ords indicated that i3 per cent Of the peo-
pie were born In foreign lands. not in two
or three different countries. but In prac-
tically every land under tho sun.
According 90 tho national cen.us reports
far isaa5 s--.--4-rancisc had n total popu-
latlpu ~ 2aS eo5 OF these iI2 iSs were ma.
two born and i26Su were born outside of
tho I uitcd states.
Fully half Tho grown persons in tn
community removed 10 California from
allen lands while a large percentage o.