Langley's San Francisco directory for the year commencing 1880, Part 4

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: San Francisco : Francis, Valentine & Co.
Number of Pages: 1214

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The very name of California was the invention of the novelist's brain, it being first found in the ancient romance entitled "Las Sergas del Muy Esforzado Esplandian higo del excel- ente re Amadis de Gaula," by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo, published in 1510. Here it is represented as an island, saying " Know that, on the right hand of the Indies, very near the Terrestrial Paradise, there is an island called California, which is peopled with black women, without any men among them, because they are accustomed to live after the manner of the Amazons." To seek this fabled "island called California" was the object of several voyages undertaken by Cortez and his adventurous followers. Lower California was first discovered, and in 1539 its true character as a peninsula was determined by the explorations of Francisco de Ulloa. In 1542 the coast was explored as far north as Punta de los Reyes by Juan Rod- riguez Cabrillo, and on March 3d, 1543, Bartolomo Ferrelo, pilot and successor of Cabrillo, sailing down the coast, reported seeing the opening to the bay, now called the "Golden Gate, " but he did not enter. This is the earliest mention of any indications of the Bay of San Fran- cisco, although the bays of San Diego and Monterey and other landings and points had been particularly described. Sir Francis Drake anchored and refitted his ships in 1579, as he re- ports, in a "faire good day," which was " within thirty-eight degrees of latitude of the line," and a semi-circular bay is delineated on the old maps under that latitude, and called Sir Fran- cis Drake's Bay. While many contend that the bay mentioned by Drake is identical with that of San Francisco, his account of it is so meagre and incorrect that he is not entitled to the honor of being called its discoverer. This honor is now accorded to Gaspar de Portala, who, in command of a party from San Diego, proceeding by land to Monterey, missed their destin- ation, and in 1769 came upon the great bay, and upon its western shore selected the site for a Mission, now the Mission Dolores. On the 27th of June, 1776, the site was taken possession of by a party arriving by land from Monterey. [See Randolph Lecture, page 283.] The Golden

D. HICKS & CO., Bookbinders and Printers, San Francisco.

PAPER HANGINGS.

Importer of French, American and English Paper Hangings. Private residences Geo.W. Clark, 645 Market

Decorated in Artistic Style

JONAS J. MORRISON,

Redwood and Puget Sound Lumber, especially selected for Building Purposes and Foreign Shipment.

SAN FRANCISCO DIRECTORY.

Steinway Superb Pianos at GRAY'S MUSIC STORE, 117 Post St.

Gate, however, from the best information, was first entered on the 18th day of August, 1776, by an expedition led by Francisco Palou and Benito Cambon, two monks of the order of St. Francis de Assissi, who founded the Mission on the site previously selected by Portala. On the following day a party of soldiers under command of Don Jose Moraga established them- selves at the Presidio, and this was the beginning of permanent residence by civilized people on the peninsula now occupied by the great City of San Francisco. The old Mission Church, erected shortly after the occupation, still stands a revered monument of the past, and proof against the destructive elements of time and of the earthquakes to which the country is sub- ject, and which have so unnecessarily frightened away many timid people. After the secular- ization of the Missions in 1833 the Pueblo of Yerba Buena was created, and in 1835 the first business house was established by William A. Richardson, an Englishman, who had previ- ously been located at Saucelito, and in whose honor Richardson's Bay is so called. The first mercantile house was erected on what is now called Dupont Street, between Clay and Wash- ington. In 1839 Captain John Vioget, by order of Governor Alvarado, surveyed the town into streets and squares, though without giving. them names. This was the nucleus of the present city. Then its boundaries were the bay, flowing to Montgomery street on the east, the base of Telegraph Hill, or Broadway, on the north, California street on the south, and Powell street on the west. The surroundings were rugged hills and sand dunes covered with dense chapparal of live oak shrubs, holly and lupin, and so it continued until the occupation by the Americans in 1846. On the 8th of July, 1846, Commander Montgomery of the sloop of war Portsmouth, then lying in the harbor, took possession of the place in the name of the United States, and raised the flag of his country upon the Plaza, since called Portsmouth Square, in honor of the ship he commanded. In January following, 1847, under the direction of the same officer, the site was resurveyed, a large city was laid out, the names of prominent actors upon the scene, officers of the army and navy, and citizens of the little village, were given to its streets, and the name changed to SAN FRANCISCO.

On the 31st of July, shortly after the raising of the flag, the ship Brooklyn, from New York, arrived in the harbor, having on board 238 immigrants, of whom all but twelve were Mormons, under the leadership of Samuel Brannan, coming to found a new colony on the wild western shore of the continent. Great was their surprise, not to say dismay, when they be- held the Stars and Stripes waving over the town, and the Americans in possession, where they had expected to find a strange people, and where they had hoped to found their colony and church undisturbed and untrammeled by the customs and laws of the country they had left. This was an important and opportune accession to the English speaking population, and assisted materially in establishing institutions of law. order and progress in the new community. Mr. Brannan being a printer, and having brought with him the material for an office, set it up, and on the 9th of January, 1847, published the first number of the California Weekly Star, the pioneer paper of the new city. The name was afterwards changed to Alta Cali- fornia.

The next important arrival was on the 6th of March, when the bark Thomas H. Perkins came in with the first detachment of a regiment of volunteers from New York, under com- mand of Colonel Jonathan D. Stevenson. The other detachments on the barks Susan Drew and Loo Choo soon after arrived, and the young men of whom the regiment was composed were distributed throughout the country. With these the new city assumed a full American aspect, and looked hopefully forward when the whaling fleets of the "Northwest Coast " should rendezvous in its harbor, and the sturdy American farmer succeeding the unenterpris- ing ranchero should make it the center of trade. But a fate was in store far brighter than the most vivid imagination had dared to picture. The treaty of Guadalupe Hildago, whereby Mexico conceded to the United States the right of possession to California, had hardly been agreed upon when, on the 19th of January, 1848, James W. Marshall made the discovery of gold at Coloma, the news of which soon spread over the world, opening a new era in com- merce, and attracting all eyes to the young metropolis of the Pacific. A few months previ- ously a census had been taken by Lieutenant Edward Gilbert, of Stevenson's regiment, show- ing a population of four hundred and fifty-nine, and one hundred and fifty-seven houses, of which one-fourth were adobes, the remainder being mere shantics. From this date San Francisco may be regarded as having its start. An alcalde, Mr. Washington A. Bartlett, had been elected, and the government was organized in a mixed Spanish and American fashion.

With the acquisition of the country it became necessary to establish mail communication with the Atlantic States and the Pacific Mail Steamship Company was organized, aided by a liberal contract from Congress. The route was from New York to Portland, Oregon, via Pan- ama, with San Francisco as a wayport, but the gold discoveries following changed the plan, and this became the principal Pacific port of the line. In March, 1849, the California, the first steamer of the line, arrived, and since then the commerce of the city has advanced with gigantic strides. A State government was organized by the adoption of a Constitution and the election of officers under it. These assembled at San Jose in December, 1849. The State was divided into counties, that of San Francisco comprising the peninsula south of the Golden Gate, extending to Santa Clara County. A charter was granted the City, and in May, 1850,

SAN FRANCISCO LAUNDRY

The Largest Laundry Establishment on the Pacific Coast OFFICE, 33 GEARY ST.

JONAS J. MORRISON,

N. E. cor. Mission and Spear Sts. Choice Sugar Pine, Cedar, Shelving, Stepping, Redwood & Oregon Lumber.

PROGRESS OF THE CITY.

a municipal government went into power. Events of importance now followed each other in rapid succession. The marvellous growth of the City, the great fires of 1850 and 1851, the violent deeds and rigid reforms of the Vigilance Committee of 1856, the mining excitements and other catastrophes, scenes and incidents of a most interesting period must be passed with- out further notice. In April, 1856, the Consolidation Act," prepared by Horace Hawes, was passed, giving the City a new charter, consolidating the City and County Governments in one. The greater portion of the territory was formed into the County of San Mateo, the dividing line being the U. S. land survey of the line separating townships two and three south of Mount Diablo base and Meridian. The Farallone, Angel, Alcatraz and Goat Islands are included in San Francisco City and County. The boundaries are the Golden Gate on the north, the Bay of San Francisco on the east, San Mateo County on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The land area is 42 square miles, or 26,880 acres. Under the well guarded provisions of the Consolidation Act the City has been well governed and protected from contracting in- debtedness, so that its public finances are in a condition unsurpassed by any city in the Union. The discovery of silver-bearing ores on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada in 1859-60 enlarged the area of business and gave new life to the place. In 1869, one hundred years from the discovery of the Bay by Portala, the great Pacific Railroad was completed and a new era begun. For many years prior to the acquisition of California by the United States the turning of the India trade, as all the South Sea and Pacific commerce was called, across the American continent had been a favorite theme with prominent statesmen, and with such a harbor as that of San Francisco in our possession the consummation of this grand idea seemed at hand. For this the trans-continental railroad was necessary, and to it have been added lines of mammoth steamers concentrating at this port, and the hoped for channel of commerce has become a fixed fact. Railroads have been constructed in every direction throughout the State, there being an aggregate of 2,250 miles, centering the traffic in this city.

Trade and Commerce.

The annual review of the commerce of this port shows a general increase of business, not- withstanding the universal complaint of hard times. Our report for 1878 showed the exports of merchandise by sea amounted to $34,155,400, and by rail $22,329,671, and of treasure, $34,287,293.

From Custom House reports and compilations by the Commercial Herald we find that during 1879 the merchandise exports by sea amounted to $36,564,328, and of treasure $26,- 218,172. The exports by rail have been very large, but the value is not ascertainable. In the exports of merchandise we have an increase of $2,408,928, and a decrease of treasure exported of $8,069,121. The freight movement by the Central Pacific Railroad was 3,030,- 317,000 pounds, and by the Southern Pacific, 367,812,845 pounds. The number of vessels entering the Golden Gate during the year 1879 was 3,600, with 1,609,530 tons of tonnage ; being a decrease of 103 vessels and 69,935 tons from 1878. From domestic, Atlantic and foreign ports there arrived 500 ships with an aggregate of 612,615 tons. The amount of freight money paid to said vessels for imports was $2,461,266, against $3,510,782 in 1878, and $4,422,937 in 1877. The value of imports in 1879 was $34, 124,417. The amount paid at the Custom House for duties on imports in 1879 was $5,528,548. The amount collected in the First District of the Internal Revenue, 1879, was $2,115,024. Total, $7,643,572.

The imports of coffee during the year aggregated 13,694,860 pounds. On hand at the beginning of the year, 2,999,840 pounds ; on hand at the end of the year, 2,313,374 pounds ; shipped east by rail, 2,831,755 pounds ; consumption for the year, 11,549,571 pounds. The imports of tea during 1879 were 19,977,672 pounds, of the value of $6,324,982.

The large proportions which the industry of sugar refining has assumed on this Coast is best shown by the following, which exhibits the total imports received at the port of San Francisco during the last ten years closing with 1879. The table also exhibits the amount brought from the various ports which, in the matter of Raw Sugars, have been tributary to this Coast. Manila, which represents the Phillipine Islands, ranks highest in the total, and the Sandwich Islands next, with but a slight difference between them. But the relative im- portance of the Sandwich Islands is constantly increasing, and that group has filled the leading place among our sources of supply for several years past. The large import from the Philli- pine Islands was mainly in the early years of the refining business. Last year, the importa- tions from the Sandwich Islands were more than twenty times as great as those from Manila. Mexican and Central American Sugars will in all probability make a much larger display within a few years, as American planters are turning their attention towards those regions. With the proper energy on the part of our business men, the bulk of the Raw Sugars of the Pacific Islands of Mexico and Central America should, and doubtless will, find their way to this Coast for refining

The imports of Raw Sugars from 1870 to 1879, inclusive, were : Manila, 205, 775, 814 Ibs ; Hawaiian, 204, 187,706 Ibs; China, 75,929, 343 1bs; Batavian, 61,050,605 1bs; Peruvian, 30,446, 733 Ibs ; Central American, 24,362,928 Ibs ; East Indies, 4,402,605 fbs ; Mexican, 2,079,146 Ibs ; Tahitian, 294,428 1bs. Total 608,529,308 fts.

GEO: W. CLARK.

645 MARKET, wholesale and retail dealer in PAPER HANGINGS Interior Decorator. and all kinds of Window Shade Material and Fixtures.

D. HICKS & CO., Practical Bookbinders and Paper-rulers, San Francisco.

JAMES E, GORDON & CO., WHOLESALE HARDWARE, Corner Market and Front Streets.

SAN FRANCISCO DIRECTORY.

At the average price of 9 cents per pound, this shows a valuation of nearly $55,000,000 for a period of only ten years. There has been a steady upward growth and healthy development of this industry.

The treasure receipts through Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express was $56,256,017, being $49,- 033,911 from the interior mines; $1,607,778 coastwise, north and south; and $5,614,328 foreign. Of the receipts from the interior mines, $18, 150,479 was in silver bullion, $15,047,085 gold bars, etc., and $15,836,350 in coin. The gold product of the Pacific Coast since 1848 is $1,622,040,000, and the silver $446,625,000, a total of $2,068,665,000. The mining stock sales (San Francisco Stock and Exchange Board) aggregated $70,119,700. Real estate sales, $10,350,000. The value of manufactures, $40,000,000. Dividends from mines paid here, $6,778,750; and in the East and London, $4,527,300.

The receipts of coal were : From Mount Diablo mines, 134,400 tons ; Coos Bay, 45,900 tons ; Seattle, 135,000 tons ; Atlantic States, 23,500 tons ; Vancouvers Island, 160,000 tons ; Australia, 80,200 tons ; Europe, 36,600 tons ; a total of 618,500 tons, being 8,000 tons less than the amount received the preceding year. The wheat product of 1879 was 22,400, 000 centals ; and barley 6,000,000 centals. The wool clip was 46,900,000 pounds ; the wine product esti- mated at from 5,500,000 to 8,000,000 gallons ; the lumber receipts, 225,000,000 feet ; and the quicksilver, 73,684 flasks. Wheat and flour exported in 1879, 12,074,997 centals. The value of all domestic products exported by sea in 1879, excepting treasure, was $29,521,893.

The passenger arrivals in San Francisco in 1879 by ocean routes and through passengers arriving overland aggregate 49,153, while the departures were 39,676 ; showing a net gain of 9,477, being the smallest net gain in many years. The arrivals by land numbered 36,389 ; de- partures, 25,010. The arrivals by sea numbered 12,764; departures, 14,666. Of the passen- gers by sea, 2,150 came by the Panama steamers, and 1,500 took their departure by the same route. The Chinese steamers, and ships from Hong Kong brought us 6,545, and took away 6,906. The other arrivals were from Australia, New Zealand, British Columbia, Mexico, and the South Sea Islands. Since the completion of the trans-continental railroad, 472,811 passengers have arrived by that route, and 280,863 have departed, giving us an increase of 191,948 to our population from that source.

City and County Finances.

Few cities of the world show a better financial condition than does San Francisco. By direction of the Board of Supervisors the following statement was prepared for the State Controller, giving an exhibit of financial affairs on the 6th of October, 1879:

VALUATION OF PROPERTY.

Real estate -

Improvements - Personal property -

$123,114,905 00 43,314,940 00 50,959,491 00

Total

$217,389,336 00

Amount of Taxes

$4,336,917 25

City and County

$1 37

State

623

Total

$1 993

FUNDED DEBT.

Funded debt, at 6 and 7 per cent. interest, June 30th, 1879 - $4,018,500 00 Less Sinking Fund 1,016,433 99

Net Funded Debt - $3,002,066 01

Floating debt at 6 per cent. interest $36,875 00 -

Cash on hand County Treasurer, City and County, and State, October 6th, 1879 $548,619 92 DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY.

Fire Department lots and improvements $ 550,000 00

Park Reservations and Publie Squares 5,500,000 00

City Halls, County Jails, Hospitals, Almshouse, House of Correction, Industrial School, lots and improvements

6,000,000 00

Cemetery Reservations 175,000 00

School lots and improvements 2,000,000 00

Sundry other lots 175,000 00

Total

$14,400,000 00

THE TAX COLLECTOR'S REPORT shows the total collections for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879, $5,513,536 08.

SAN FRANCISCO LAUNDRY Prompt Attention to Orders for Washing Office, 33 Geary St.

Steinway Hall, GRAY'S MUSIC STORE, 117 Post St.

RATE OF TAXATION.

J. MACDONOUGH,

IMPORTER OF AND DEALER IN COAL AND PIG IRON, 41 Market Street, corner Spear.

PROGRESS OF THE CITY.

The assessed valuation of property was: Real estate and improvements, $190,389,410; personal property, $54,246,350; total $244,635,760. The rate of taxation for State, City and County was $2 24 on the $100. The amount of taxes collected from real estate and improve- ments was $4,203.423 35, and from personal property $795,456 02, and from penalties, back taxes, Montgomery Avenne and Dupont Street taxes, $454, 656 71.

THE TREASURER'S REPORT gives the transactions during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879, and the state of the finances at the latter mentioned date: Balance at credit of City and County of San Francisco, $475,771 24 ; Receipts during the year, $6,775,518 OS-Total, $7,251,289 32. Demands paid during the year, $5,528,352 71 ; Balance, $1,722, 936 61, accredited to the various Funds. Balance at credit of State of California June 30, 1878, $8,940 89; Receipts to credit of the State during the year, $1,287,842 55-Total, $1,296,- 783 44. Settlement with Controller of State during the year, $1,296,140 12. Balance, $643 32.

THE AUDITOR'S REPORT gives the amount of demands audited during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879, $5, 103,398 65. The total demands audited on the New City Hall Fund from date of present Commission to July Ist, 1879, $1, 152,835 10. Audited for furniture, $15,000. Among the amounts audited are: City and County Officers' salaries, $532,594 74; Police Officers' salaries, $433,848 39; Fire Department salaries, $188,080 00; other expenses of Fire Department, $112,098 06 ; City and County Hospital, $93,992 75 ; Alms House, $59,518 13; Industrial School, $51,177 68; House of Correction, $62,113 75; Training Ship "Jamestown," $29,481 66 ; Registration and Election Expenses, $56,114 19 ; Purchase of Mission and Ocean Beach Toll Road, $28,730; Purchase of San Francisco and Point Lobos Toll Road, $26,587; School Department, other than salary of Superintendent and Deputy, and interest account and sinking funds, $810,173 39 ; Lighting streets and repairs of lamp- posts and lamps, $248,322 99 ; Damages by rioters, $2,818 95 ; Street Department expenses other than salaries of Superintendent and Deputies, $471,890 91 ; Interest on Funded Debt, $283,246 66; New City Hall demands for fiscal year 1878-79, $343,907 22. Loans from Sink- ing Fund fiscal year 1878-79, $413,500 ; Bonds redeemed, fiscal year 1878-79, $116,303 15. The estimated expenditure for the year I879-80, $4,033,407 00.

D. HICKS & CO., Manufacturers Hotel Registers, San Francisco.

THE REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS says it has been the constant aim of this department to keep its expenses within the limits prescribed by law, and it is now in a condition to commence the next fiscal year free from debt, and for the first time knows posi- tively the exact condition of its finances. $260,000 of indebtedness accruing previous to the last fiscal year was paid from the Street Fund. The principal work done has been by day's labor, instead of by contract, and, while the cost is a little more, the superiority of the work proves the advantage of the system. The Superintendent recommends the disuse of cobbles for pavement on level streets, replacing the same with basalt or granite blocks. The experi- ments of the past year fully illustrates that we have on this peninsula rock that will make first-class macadam. With streets thus prepared, well watered and kept in order, no city could present better suburban driveways than San Francisco. "The construction of a drive- way along Tyler street to Golden Gate Park. when completed, will make it one of the best roadways on the continent. Taking Tyler street as a line east and west, and Van Ness avenue north and south, crossing Market street, connecting with some main street leading to the county line, and north connecting with some main street to the Presidio, would be a credit to the city, and offer inducements for people of wealth and leisure to reside among us, instead of seeking residences in neighboring towns and cities." The cost of work done in fiscal year 1878-79, as per assessment records, was $699,793 19. The amount drawn from the Street Department Fund was $398,079 76. The total length of sewers constructed from July 1856 to July 1878 was 119.6 miles, and from July 1878 to July 1879 4.8 miles, making a total of sewers of 124.4 miles.

Registration of Votes.

By an Act passed by the Legislature of 1878, the office of Registrar of Voters was created for the City and County of San Francisco, and Mr. Louis Kaplan was appointed Registrar. In his Report to the Board of Supervisors, dated October 27, 1879, he gives the number of names on the Ward Registers, and the number of votes cast for the years as follows: 1875, Registered, 33,848; votes cast, 25,653; 1876, registered, 46,671; votes, 41,646; 1877, registered, 50,004; votes, 33,663; 1878, registered, 37,915; votes, 27,098; 1879, special election, registercd, 47,740; votes, 38,034; general election, registered, 44,765; votes, 41,612. In the Registration of 1876 are contained 12,226 names of persons to whom certificates of registration were given that were not in the printed copies furnished to the public. A great many names of persons deceased, or not residents of San Francisco, were stricken from the Register of 1877 by the Election Commissioners, and, in 1879, preparatory to the special election on the New Consti- tution, the Register was thoroughly revised. In January, 1879, there were registered 37,915 names, of whom 16,809 were of natives of the United States, and 21, 106 foreign born. Of the natives 4,500 were born in New York, 2,573 in Massachusetts, 1,489 in California, 1,294 in Maine, and 1,194 in Pennsylvania. Of the foreign-born 10,000 were from Ireland, 5,630 -

J. GUNDLACH & CO.

Growers of and Dealers in FINE WINES. Corner Market and Second Streets.

Dixon & Bernstein, Show Case Manuf's, 250 Market St.

THE CONTINENTAL OIL & TRANSPORTATION CO.,

GENERAL OFFICE, 120 & 122 Front.

SAN FRANCISCO DIRECTORY.

Germany, and 1,399 England. Thirty-eight States and Territories are represented, and forty. one foreign countries. The expenditures of the office for the fiscal year IS78-79 were $36, 688- 93. The expenses of the election May 7, 1879, were $51,608.79.

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Langley's San Francisco directory for the year commencing 1880, Part 4

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: San Francisco : Francis, Valentine & Co. Number of Pages: 1214

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: San Francisco : Francis, Valentine & Co.
Number of Pages: 1214