The National tribune., 1906-04-26
SAN FRANCISCO.
The Cny's Location Natural Advantages,
Resources, Character, History and
tOp


San Francisco2 the. commercial me-
tropolis of California, is situated on the
west shore of the magnificent bay from
which it derives! its name, about six
miles from the ocean. 1t stands on a.
plain about half a mile wide, gently in
clined toward the bay with numerous
hills behind 1t. The soil on which the
city Is built Is very sandy; and in the
vicinity, particularly toward the north,
are q number of sand-hills. 1t is regu-
iarly laid out the streets crossing one
another at right angles. The houses
We're mostly built of wood, which was
preferred because 1t is less liable to
injury by earthquakes; but since the
destructive fires that have several tim. =
laid the greater part Of the city in ruins,
brick and iron were more extensively
used. The better class of frame houses
were painted white, with green blinds,
presenting the appearance of the houses
in New England. The climate is mild,
healthy and peculiar. The mean tenn
perature Of january is 40 degrees
Fahrenheit, OF July 81 degrees and of
the year about 56 degrees The Sum
mer is so cool that people come to the
city from the interior 10 escape the
heat.
The city was originally built around
n semi-circular bay having Rincon
Point on the south and Clark's Point
on the north, these two points being
about mile apart All the space be-
tween was built up, the warehouses and
wharves being supported by piles driven
into the water. Clark's Point is the
termination of Telegraph Hill, from the
summit of which a very extensive view
may be had of the surrounding country.
Directly in front of the city, but distant
five or six miles, is Goat Island, which
Is nearly a mile in length. 1t is bar
rem, rocky place, except on the east side,
where there is some cultivation among
the valleys. The wholesale business part
of San Francisco is toward the city
front Market street, d broad thorough
fare running southwest from the bay,
may be said TO divide the older from
the newer portions of the city.
San Francisco possesses the only
large, deep and secure harbor on the
Pacific coast between Victoria and Ma
Zatlan, a distance of 1000 miles, except
that of San Diego. In consequence of
this advantage. and of its rea y COM
munication with the interior, it has en-
joyed monopoly of the CONNER of
the Pacific Slope. and is distinguished
by its immense accumulation of capital.
its large financial operations, and its
speculation in mining stocks. bout so
ocean steamers run In regular lines to
China, Australia, Japan. Panama, Mex
lto. IuStl SOuild d.-u vi tOTla. Inc
harbor has an eniiflnce 80 feet deep at
low tide, and disbrrn ected with he
ocean by q strait 20 allied the Golden
Gate. The chiaf fariicles of export are
the precious metais,f wheat, flour, wine,
quicksilver. wodl. harley. 'r,r"- u
hides. The totais value of the articles
exported from thei port in "a year. in
Guiding god and sdver, is about $751;
000, 900. ,neu
N af ma nf
as it was calleddprevious to 1S47, was
a cove extending onn-half mile into the
land and one mile, wide between the
projecting pointslof land known as
Clark's Point and Rtncon Point. Along
the front line OF this cove the water
was 40 feet deep, and around it's edges
there We're mud fats which were bare
at low tide. The sand ridges have been
cut away. the gHllies and hollows filed
up. the hills cat down, and the cove
filed in. and where large ships rode at
anchor in 1S49 are now paved streets.
The country around the city is bare
with no trees and little fertile land
within 20 miles. The greater part of
the peninsula is hilly and unfit for cuI-
tivation. There is but one road leading
out of the city. The business streets
were built up densely. but beyond that
the houses are scattered at considerable
and the settled part of the
city may be said to cover an area of
nine square miles. In the northeast
corner is Telegraph Hill. 294 feet high; |
in the southeast corner Rincon Hill, |
120 feet. and on the west side Russian
Hill, $50. feet. The densely-settled |
streets are in the amphitheater formed |
by the three hills. On account OF the |
hills, some of which have been entirely |
cut down, the city has been laid off in |
different surveys net uniform with each /