USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > Men and memories of San Francisco in the "spring of '50" > Part 3
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Their repertoire contained the popular waltzes and dances of the time, and many weird, cu- rious airs of old Spain, sad refrains and amor- ous Lieder ohne worte; the listener knew, intui- tively, though he heard the music without the words, that the same sounds had, with words,
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centuries ago, floated on the moonlit night in old Seville, beneath the iron-latticed balconies where lovely señoritas listened with bated breath, and thrilled with sympathetic recogni- tion.
In the Bella Union at that time might have been seen a man about fifty years of age, rather above the medium height, with a refined, intel- lectual and rather sad face; forehead, high, broad and white; gray, neatly combed and ra- ther long hair; white cravat and black suit. This individual presided with quiet and unruffled dignity at the very interesting but baffling enig- ma known as " Faro"-genus felis tigris.
The courteous gravity with which he witnessed the fluctuations of the game and the undisturbed serenity of his benign features, through heavy loss or high success, was always a study for the physiognomist and observer of human nature.
One afternoon, a grave looking man, and clerical in appearance, stopped in his stroll through the crowded saloon-all the games were very busy that afternoon-in front of the closely surrounded table, where sat, dealing the cards, he, so long our study. So much absorbed was he in the complication of the stakes, piled up so heavily, on, and between, and at the cor- ners of every card on the green cloth, that he
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never once raised his eyes higher than the hands that placed the stacks of coin, or "chips" in their respective places.
Now, the deal being out, and a fresh shuffle and cut finished, and the pack slid within the little silver box, (bigger with fate than ever was Pandora's), our urbane friend leaned back for a moment in his chair, awaiting the movements of the players.
Happening to raise his eyes, he looked upon the clerical-looking man, whose earnest gaze had, from the moment of his halt at the table, been fixed upon the face of the all-unconscious dealer. A keen observer might have detected a slight start, and sudden but faint flush upon the face of the grave arbiter of chance; but it was scarcely discernable, and the next moment the face was placid and self-possessed as usual. When the deal was finished, the dealer rang a bell which stood always at his hand, and spoke quietly to the attendant servant, who quickly disappeared, and soon returned with a pale, impassible-faced man, of slight, delicate figure, and hands thin, small, blue-veined and white, as those of a lady. Without any com- munication save a direct glance into the eyes of the retiring dealer, he sat down, took from a drawer in the table a new pack of cards, di-
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vested them of their cover, then for a moment his facile fingers slid them in and out, without a single ruffle or catch; smooth, sure, and with regular exactness, slapped the well-shuffled pack upon the table, in front of his nearest right- hand neighbor, who cut them, and the game proceeded as usual. Meantime, he who had left the chair walked leisurely out of the room to the open plaza, first giving a glance to the cleri- cal-looking man, and an indication of the head towards the door. In a moment the two were engaged in close and earnest conversation, which lasted some considerable time. The purport of that conference was never known; but many of the "Sports" from Alabama and Mississippi surmised its nature, as they had known both gentlemen as eloquent preachers in the Meth- odist Church South.
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CHAPTER V.
MANY of our readers will remember H-n, a member of the Pioneer Association. He was an enigma to everybody during the last years of his life. In the early days, from '49 to '53, he was, like the majority of Californians, en- gaged in any kind of business or speculation offering a profit-whether real estate or com- mission, brokerage or what not. As those days for sudden and richly remunerative operations passed away, and business settled itself into the grooves and confines of ordinary times and places, H-n also conformed to the changed condition of circumstances in business, by a corresponding formality in his attire. Always scrupulously neat in dress, and, even in the most careless, red-shirt, unkempt period of pioneer days, he was never to be seen without a certain jaunty style, becoming in its very neg- ligence. But, when the city assumed the ways of older cities, when it was blessed by the com- ing of wives, mothers, sisters, and little ones,
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and social relations were established, then H -- n donned the formal suit of black-the black, high-crowned hat, the dainty dress-boots, and faultless gloves of mode color. His clothes were always the perfection of fit and style,- would have passed at Poole's in London, or Wyman & Derby's in New York; his hair and beard were ever trimmed and dressed with the utmost care; his figure was tall, erect and ele- gant; his waist slender, and his shoulders well proportioned. At a certain hour in the after- noon he appeared on Montgomery street, prom- enading its length for an hour or so, noticeable for his gait, dress, and old-beau, courtier de- portment. Those who did not know him sup- posed him to be a stranger, taking a look at San Francisco. Citizens to whom his form was familiar, and who knew him only by sight, smiled, perhaps a little contemptuously, as his well-known figure passed. No one really knew him with sufficient intimacy to tell of his man- ner of life, his means of subsistence, his dwel- ling place, or where or how he passed the time, when not seen taking his regular afternoon promenade. He never failed to be present at all stated meetings of the Pioneer Association, at the parades, celebrations and funerals.
On Sunday morning he was at some one of the
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churches, an attentive and devout worshiper. He was a man considerably past middle age, but remarkably youthful in appearance, man- ners and movement, making all due allowance for any artificial aid in producing or maintaining this impression, to which one might suspect he resorted. We remember once, during a chatty conversation in the Pioneer rooms, one of our party said, in reply to some remark, "That is the year and month when I was born-thirty- seven years ago !'' " Ah, ha !" said H-n, in his quiet, unobtrusive and pleasant way. " You are a mere boy ; a mere boy, sir! Why, in that month, and that year, I was at Niagara Falls on my wedding tour! Yes sir! on my wedding tour with my beautiful bride." Here he had leaned back in his chair, raised his eyes to the ceiling, and brought the tips of his fingers and thumbs together in the most gentle manner, like one forgetful of all around, musing over the long, dim years of the past. " Yes sir! yes, there are many members here who were born after my dear wife and children died; after the time when we were all living so happily to- gether, just as so many are to-day, and as I supposed we were to live on together, happily and comfortably to old age. What a dream it seems-so long ago! Well, well! 'Life's but
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a dream! " Suddenly recalled to his surround- ings, he glanced uneasily about for a moment; arose, rubbed his gloved hands gently over the lappels of his neat coat; arranged his hat with exactness upon his carefully dressed hair; bowed with an air worthy of Sir Charles Grandison, and saying in his soft, courteous voice, "Good morning, gentlemen!" walked daintily away.
We believe H -- n was an Englishman by birth, and came to the United States in infancy. We also believe that we once heard him state that he graduated at West Point, but chose a commercial life, in which for many years he was very successful. Certainly, his carriage and address had much in it to justify the belief that he might have been one of the cadets of West Point; for, with all due respect to the army officers of the past ten years, there was and is to-day, among all the remaining officers of the old regime, a distinguishing and unmis- takable ton, a something which made the " but- ton " a passport to all good society, an en- dorsement with all business men in pecuniary transactions; and we never yet knew one of them to abuse these privileges, or to be guilty of unbecoming conduct, in all the many years during which we have had constant and pecu- liar opportunities to know them.
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To say that the object of our sketch had much in his deportment like an army officer of twenty years ago, is as high a compliment as we need pay his memory.
The vigor and elasticity apparent in H-n's carriage and movements was not assumed. We were one day in Thibault's office on Montgomery street, near Clay, and H-n was sitting near the desk, transacting some business. When it was concluded, he arose to go, and put his hand upon the hand-rail which ran down each side of the room, enclosing the different offices and desks. "Here's the gate!" said Mr. Thibault, politely rising to open it. "Thanks ! don't trouble yourself," said H-, vaulting over the rail, before Mr. Thibault could carry out his his intention. "Well done!" said the astonish- ed notary. "School-boy! eh?" H-n smiled, saying, as he walked away, "I don't feel any- thing of old age as yet, though 'tis many years since my school-boy days."
As the years rolled on, working their visi- ble change in everybody and everything, they seemed to have granted immunity to our old friend. He came and went at the regular hour for his daily promenade, dressed with the same fastidious care, in clothes above reproach-hat, gloves and boots, hair and beard, a marvel of
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neatness. One afternoon, some one said, "I haven't seen H-n to-day,-didn't see him yesterday, either!" "Well, I hadn't noticed," said another. "He's always along the street, punctual as clock-work. I wonder where he is? -sick, perhaps!" and they walked on, forgetting all about the matter. On the third day of his absence from the street, the morning papers contained a notice of H-n's death. He had occupied a portion of the loft in a warehouse near the junction of Davis and California streets, where, known only to the immediate neighbors, he had been living and engaged in stuffing cush- ions for pews, coaches and carriages, making and renovating the coverings for hassocks and footstools. Here he had toiled and earned his daily bread, gaining by honorable industry the food and raiment for which his self-respect and a just pride would never let him beg, while life remained. Here he had lived alone, so many dreary days and years-no relative, friend, or companion-not even the cheering hopefulness of youth to encourage him with thoughts of brighter days, and the belief of prosperous times to come. There is something pathetically touch- ing in the thought of this kind, brave old man working on so pluckily, even unto death, in the laudable struggle to be independent and respect-
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able-to win the pittance that should enable him to come among his fellow-men in gentle- men's attire-equally presentable at any time, with any of them-to retain the position and outward semblance which had all through life been his; and with that praiseworthy ambition, fighting poverty and growing infirmity to the very last-a truer picture of the Argonaut of '49 than has often been presented, as the ex- perience of many men can testify.
Those who were the first to enter the room where lay the remains of poor old H -- n, saw upon one side of the room that which was so like him, so many years familiar to them-the neat and shapely coat, arranged upon some con- trivance to keep its comely smoothness, just as if H-n himself, without his head, were in it. On a table, what seemed to be his head,-a wig, with every lock and parting so smooth and pre- cise, so life-like and familiar, that it seemed as though one, looking at the front, must see the well-remembered face of H -- n, instead of the wooden block they found. Across a chair his shirt was carefully laid, its neat bosom cov- ered with a spread handkerchief; his other clothing carefully disposed-his gloves lying to- gether, his boots standing with their heels in soldier fashion-everything like H-n; but
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when they turned to the bed, their eyes looked upon something they had never seen or known, -a white and hollow face, with sunken lips; the forehead high and pale, without one vestige of hair ; but, strange incongruity! against the ghastly whiteness of its cheeks, and covering the fallen chin, a coal-black beard, precisely cut and trimmed, as if Death had, by one icy touch, made still more mysterious the man whose life was always an enigma.
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CHAPTER VI.
IN 1850, and for some time previous, Liedes- dorff street was only half a street, a narrow levee, piled and capped, as a boundary for the tide-waters along the beach, where now the western line of the street runs from Clay to Sacramento, at which point the beach took a turn-a little rincon down to the corner of Cali- fornia and Sansome streets, thence sweeping to the corner, diagonally opposite, where stood Dewey & Heiser's store, built upon piles. The sidewalk in front of this store was reached at the corner, by steps, and under the store the tide ebbed and flowed. From the rear of this and all the stores between California and Pine streets, lighters could be loaded or discharged at tide-serving.
In June, 1850, we saw the surveyors, who were defining the boundaries for the founda- tions of the Tehama House, compelled to move tripods, theodolites and chains, or get wet feet in the advancing tide. Col. Folsom built the Tehama, or Jones' Hotel, the rendezvous of the
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army-Gen. Clark, Col. Ben. Beall, Lieut. Derby ("John Phoenix"), Cols. Andrews, Lendrum, Jones, Hamilton, Underhill, Capts. Hunt, Bon- nycastle, Gibson, Whiting, Blake, Chandler, Ihric, Gen. Allen, and in short, all the army officers of that day. Native Californians, and old resi- dentes from the interior, always "put up" at the Tehama, because it was a wooden structure, spread out broad upon the ground, with spa- cious balconies on all sides, giving one a sense of security in case of Mother Earth being seized with a shiver. Apropos of earthquakes, we know people who have lived in San Francisco since 1829, and never yet knew a shock of suffi- cient severity to damage any well built house. The stores and warehouses which have been in- jured have either stood on made land, or have been constructed by incompetent builders.
The "Tehama" was noted for the cleanliness of its sleeping rooms and bedding. The single rooms were not, to be sure, large enough to swing cats in; but, as some wag said in answer to that, "Who wants to swing cats in his sleep- ing apartment?" It opened with table d'hote in good style; but subsequently that feature of the institution was changed, and Raphael opened a restaurant in the house, with public tables, and private rooms for families living in the hotel.
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This house became, at last, one of the familiar sights, even to those who came long after its construction, standing as it did from 1850 to the time of its removal to make way for the Bank of California. The good-looking counte- nance of Geo. Washington Frink, the landlord, and the figure of John Durkin at the office desk, were almost as firm fixtures as the house itself. If you were hunting a visitor to the city, or an army or navy officer, you naturally went to the Tehama, and if John Durkin told you he was out, you immediately turned your steps to Barry & Patten's, on Montgomery street, where, if you did not find him, you sat down for five minutes, when he was sure to come in.
Looking among the old-time reminiscences upon Barry & Patten's walls, we find a small lithograph-a view of California street from the corner of Sansome, in 1849. Turning the little frame, we read upon its back, in the Hon. John W. Dwinelle's handwriting, "Photographed and retouched by Nahl, in 1868, from a drawing made in 1849, by William Cogswell, for John W. Dwinelle. Presented to Messrs. Barry & Pat- ten, October, 1868, by John W. Dwinelle." The little sketch represents a boatman hauling his dory up the beach. Just above the water's edge, a man is sitting on some baggage, waiting
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the boatman's operations. Close by, another man is unloading a heavily laden mule-an every-day group along the beach in '49 and '50. On the right, in this little sketch, is a little one-story wooden building, upon the roof of which is the sign-board of S. H. Williams & Co., and over the door-way the sign "G. B. Post."
A rough board fence, with gate, extends from the outer end of this structure down the sloping beach into the water. On the south- west corner is a larger building, with the sign "Starkey, Janoin & Co." The perspective of the street shows irregular wooden buildings piles of lumber, and tents, which, above Mont- gomery, are standing in the middle of the street, promiscuously, as it rises the hill to Kearny street. Another lithograph upon the wall, close by, represents the stores and offices on the east side of Montgomery, south of Jack- son; the first occupied by S. P. Dewey, real estate; Samuel Fleischacker, wholesale clothing; Pratt & Cole, attorneys and notaries, and Brooks, Sheppard & McCracken, attorneys; the next building, by H. Schroeder & Van Der Meden & Co., merchants; the next by J. B. Bidleman, shipping and commission merchant; the fourth by Theodore Payne & Co., auction
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and commission merchants. It was on the Jackson street corner of this block that pack- ages of tobacco were used to make a sidewalk, it having been discovered one morning, that, in the mutability of California affairs, whole boxes of fine Virginia tobacco were cheaper than State of Maine pine boards. Theodore Payne was a warm-hearted, generous man, ever ready to aid the needy, a true friend and worthy citizen; and it pleases us here to say that his sons in- herit the virtues of their father.
C. C. Richmond had his wholesale drug store just around the corner on Jackson, south side, below Montgomery. This store was on piles, and the sidewalk was raised several feet above the middle of the street, which was a shelving beach, covered with the tide "twice in twenty- four hours," if we may be allowed a "square" quotation. Sansome street was occupied with stores from the cliff at Broadway to the corner of Jackson, where it ended in the curve of the water line which swept up towards Washing- ton, a little below Montgomery street, and approaching still nearer to Montgomery as it came to Clay street.
Beck & Elam were on Jackson street, south side, below Montgomery. Mr. Beck came to San Francisco as purser of the propeller Columbus.
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He did not leave Panama as purser, but was elected to the office by the passengers, who found themselves-five hundred and twenty- four in number-at sea, aboard of a six hun- dred ton steamship, with no particular stem or stern to the discipline, whatever might be said of those portions of the ship's hull. Captain Peck was the ostensible commander-a very amiable man, who passed much of his time playing checkers, or draughts, with unconven- tional steerage passengers. Captain Peck was "as mild a mannered man" as you would wish to meet, but not one to be compared with Cap- tain Bob Waterman, for having things in "ship- shape and Bristol fashion." Mr. Beck was made to accept the office nolens volens, and he managed things very well. The five hundred and twenty-four passengers were five hundred and twenty-five when the steamer arrived in San Francisco, owing to an arrival among the lady passengers while at sea.
The clipper ship Eclipse, Captain Hamilton, came consigned to Beck & Elam; and we re- member a gentleman, at a convivial entertain- ment, given in honor of her arrival, attempting to offer a sentiment, rather late in the dessert. "Gentlemen ! I give you the shipper-clips-the clippy-sh-the-Gentlemen !! I give you the-
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the slipper"-here he paused, steadied himself by the table-edge, bowed with great gravity, and said very slowly: "Gentlemen-I-give- you-the-ship-E-clipse, and her gallant cap'nhamilton.'' The last three words, "gal- lantcap'nhamilton," were too much for him, and he subsided.
Bullit & Patrick were on the corner of Jack- son and Sansome streets; Coghill & Arrington were on the opposite corner; Christal, Cornan & Co. were on Jackson, between Sansome and Montgomery. John Cowell was merchandising on the corner of Sansome and Jackson; and the Commercial Hotel was kept by J. Ford & Co., on Jackson, between Montgomery and Sansome. Louis Cohn's store was in the same block. My- rie, Crosett & Co. were on Jackson, below San- some. W. H. V. Cronise and Titus Cronise were auctioneers on the corner of Jackson and Montgomery. We would like one per cent. on all the money made by W. H. V. Cronise in San Francisco, or upon the amount he has given away in charity during the past twenty-four years. The Dalton House was on Jackson street, below Montgomery, and conducted by C. A. Smith. Dupuy, Foulkes & Co. were on the corner of Jackson and Battery; their store standing on piles, and accessible by a narrow
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sidewalk over the water of the bay. There were others on Jackson street whom we cannot recall, nor do we wish to compete with Kim- ball's Directory for 1850.
Until along into the summer of 1850, the sidewalks on Montgomery street ended a few steps south of California street, and the deep, slippery, shifting sand, checked the pedestrian's ardor very quickly after walking a block, more or less-generally less. When one had walked to Lütgen's Hotel, about half way between Pine and Bush streets, on the east side of Mont- gomery, he began to think that he would post- pone his exercise for that day. Dr. Enscoe's house stood on the corner of Bush and Mont- gomery - southeast corner. Opposite was a long, rambling, three-story, pitched-roof wooden building, called the American Hotel, kept by a German. On the northwest corner of Bush and Montgomery was a grocery kept by a Ger- man. Our German citizens have, from the ear- liest of San Francisco's days, noted the import- ance of corners-the chances of a man halting at the corner; the probabilities of a man meet- ing some friend just turning the corner, and the great odds that they will halt and chat on the corner; the great likelihood of strangers stop- ping in to inquire for some one living in the 5
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vicinity. Corner property, of course, is a kind of "corner" on pedestrians.
On the southeast corner of Montgomery and Pine streets there used to stand one of those corrugated-iron buildings, many of which were imported from Europe, in pieces all numbered, and ready for erection. Berenhart, Jacoby & Co. were its occupants. On the southwest cor- ner of the same streets was a little, unpainted wooden building, one and a half stories; a gro- cery, kept by a German, of course. This little store stood on the same corner until it was de- molished to make way for the Russ House.
Small, dilapidated and insignificant as it was, we felt a little pang of regret when witnessing its demolition. The long, dry seasons of many summers had given it the look of half a cen- tury. The boisterous, tossing winds had thrown upon its little roof the dried seeds of vegetation, which the alternating rains woke into green life; and on shelves across the sills of the little windows, just beneath the venerable-looking eaves, were humble little flowers in improvised pots, once containing McMurray's oysters and Kensett's green corn.
The present site of the Lick House was in those days, and in fact, up to '58 or '59, a sand waste, unoccupied, save by the tents of some parties
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camping there, preparatory to going up-river to the mines; or, in later years, when it boasted the dignity of an enclosure for cattle on sale, a cir- cus troupe, or industrial exhibition. The oppo- site side of the street was mostly a sand waste; the line of the street only marked by fragile structures, few and far between.
Kearny street was more populous and fre- quented, though its narrow sidewalks were fear- fully and wonderfully made,-the work of many hands, and composed of a great variety of queer materials. In front of one man's property, the walk was made of barrel-staves, nailed upon stretchers; the next one adjoining had thin, springing boards, threatening at every step to let you through; then a mosaic, made of sides and ends of packing-cases, some portions cov- ered with tin or zinc-the jagged, saw-like edges making business for the dealers in boots and shoes; now you trod upon the rusty tops of some old stoves, or heavy iron window-shut- ters, or an old ship's hatchway covering; then a dozen or two heads of kegs, set close together, imbedded in the mud of last year's rainy season ; and so on, in great and curious variety.
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