USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The annals of San Francisco; containing a summary of the history of California, and a complete history of its great city: to which are added, biographical memoirs of some prominent citizens > Part 23
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APRIL 1st .- The first election for county officers. The principal office to be filled was that of sheriff, for which there
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
were three candidates. Col. J. Townes was the regular whig nominee-Col. J. J. Bryant the nominee of the democratic party -and the celebrated " Texan Ranger," Col. John C. Hayes, was selected by the people as an independent candidate. It was soon apparent that the contest rested between the two last named. Col. Bryant was a man of fortune, and was determined to spare no exertions or expense to secure his election. He was proprietor of the most extensive and best conducted hotel in the place, known at that time as the "Bryant House," formerly the
ARYANTS HHOTEL
FLANNER I&ICO
GR ÖCE RIE'S
HARDY
CARPENTER SHOT
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SCATTERCOVO-SOLLIN
San Francisco in April 1850, showing Clay street, opposite Portsmouth Square.
" Ward House," which was a great place of resort for politicians, and where hundreds of the colonel's pretended friends and real supporters enjoyed, in no slight degree, the advantages of his generous hospitality. A band of music was daily stationed on the balcony of the Bryant House after the nomination of its proprietor, free lunches were served up in the spacious saloon, and on this day the building was literally covered with flags, signals.
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FIRST COUNTY ELECTION.
and banners of every form and beautiful color, while the finest liquors were gratuitously dispensed at the well-stocked bar to all who chose to drink. On Saturday afternoon, March 29th, the friends of Col. Hayes held a mass meeting on the plaza, which was a large and enthusiastic assembly. After several spirited ad- dresses had been given, the meeting formed in procession, and headed by a band of music, paraded the principal streets, cheer- ing and being cheered by multitudes of spectators as they passed along. In the evening the democrats also assembled in the square, making a truly splendid display. The whole plaza was covered with men, horses and wagons, and was illuminated with flaming torches and other lights, which blazed from the speakers' stand and hundreds of vehicles admirably arranged for effect. Numerous transparencies, banners and flags added greatly to the life and splendor of the pageant. Able speakers urged the claims of the democracy in general, and of Col. Bryant in particular, to the suffrages of the people, whilst, at regular intervals, cannons were fired to give effect and increase the excitement. This meet- ing also ended in a procession, which traversed the streets to a late hour of the night. Early this morning the different parties were in force about the polls, and in due time the judges, inspec- tors and clerks were chosen and installed in their respective offices. The election was conducted with more than usual spirit. At noon it was evident that Col. Hayes was the people's favorite, which incited to increased efforts the Bryant party. Accordingly they appeared with another grand display upon the plaza. A procession of mounted men, and carriages filled with musicians, with banners and flags waving and floating above them, occupied the square, and were in a measure, producing the desired effect. But in the midst of the excitement thus produced, Col. Hayes, mounted upon a fiery black charger, suddenly appeared, exhibit- ing some of the finest specimens of horsemanship ever witnessed. The sight of the hero, as he sat bare-headed and unattended upon his noble animal, took the people by surprise, and called forth the admiration and patriotism of the vast multitude of spectators, from every one of whom shout after shout rent the air, deadening the sounds of trumpets and drums, and being heard far and wide over land and sea. Men crowded around him
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
on every hand, some seizing the bridle, others clinging to his clothing and stirrups, and each anxious to obtain a grasp of his hand. The noise and tumult terrified the spirited beast he strode, which reared and plunged among the enthusiastic crowd, though so admirably managed as to do injury to none ; when, at length, his rider giving him the rein, he dashed into and along the ad- joining street, followed and greeted by loud huzzas at every step. This settled the question. The cause of Col. Bryant was aban- doned, and a vast majority of votes were given in favor of the " Texan Ranger." The following named parties were elected :-
Sheriff .- John C. Hayes. District Attorney .- Calhoun Benham.
County Judge .- R. N. Morrison. County Clerk .- John E. Addison.
County Recorder .- J. A. McGlynn. County Assessor .- David M. Chauncey.
County Surveyor .- Wm. W. Eddy. County Coroner .- Edward Gallagher.
County Treasurer .- G. W. Endicott. County Attorney .- T. J. Smith.
Clerk of the Supreme Court .- E. H. Tharp.
APRIL 15th .- The City Charter passed by the State Legisla- ture. The limits of the city are now declared to be as follows : -" The southern boundary shall be a line two miles distant in a southerly direction from the centre of Portsmouth Square, and which line shall be a parallel to the street known as Clay street. The western boundary shall be a line one mile and a half distant in a westerly direction from the centre of Portsmouth Square, and which line shall be parallel to the street known as Kearny street. The northern and eastern boundaries shall be the same as the County of San Francisco." The city was to be divided into eight wards by the first council appointed by the charter ; and for its government were to be elected a Mayor, and Record- er, a Board of Aldermen and a Board of Assistant Aldermen, which two boards should be styled the "Common Council," each consisting of one member from each ward. There was also to be elected by the city a Treasurer, Comptroller, Street Commission- er, Collector of City Taxes, City Marshal and City Attorney, and by each ward two Assessors. As at the time of the first election under the charter there were only four wards, it was provided that two chief and as many assistant Aldermen should be elected from each, while the same number of Assessors should be chosen. The municipal officers were to hold office only one year, and new
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FIRST ELECTION UNDER THE CITY CHARTER.
elections to be made on the fourth Monday of April annually. The powers and duties of the Common Council and municipal officers are minutely laid down in the charter.
MAY 1st .- This day the City Charter was submitted to the inhabitants for approval, when it was adopted ; and the first election under its provisions took place. The following candi- dates were returned as elected :-
Mayor .- John W. Geary. Treasurer .- Charles G. Scott. Recorder .- Frank Tilford. Comptroller .- Benj. L. Berry.
Marshall .- Malachi Fallon.
Tax Collector .- Wm. M. Irwin.
City Attorney .- Thos. H. Holt.
Street Commissioner .- Dennis McCarthy.
Aldermen.
Charles Minturn, F. W. Macondray, D. Gillespie,
A. A. Selover,
C. W. Stuart,
Wm. Greene,
Wm. M. Burgoyne, M. L. Mott.
Assistant Aldermen.
A. Bartol, C. T. Botts,
John Maynard,
L. T. Wilson,
John P. Van Ness,
A. Morris, Wm. Corbett.
Wm. Sharron,
Assessors.
Robert B. Hampton,
John II. Gihon,
John P. Haff,
Halsey Brower, John Garvey,
Francis C. Bennett,
Beverly Miller, Lewis B. Coffin.
Before the term of election expired, several changes occurred in the Common Council. Mr. Burgoyne having made a visit to the Atlantic States immediately after the election, was never qualified, and his place was declared vacant ; and Mr. Macon- dray resigned shortly afterwards. Their places were filled on the 27th June by the election of Moses G. Leonard and John Mid- dleton. Mr. Maynard resigned June 24th, and soon afterwards the resignation of Mr. Botts was accepted ; and a new election to fill the vacancies thus occasioned, on the 27th July, resulted in the choice of George W. Green and James Grant. Subse- quently Messrs. Gillespie and Leonard retired from the Board of Aldermen, and Mr. Morris from the Board of Assistants. Their places were also supplied by election on the 20th January, 1851, by W. H. V. Cronise and D. G. Robinson to the first, and George W. Gibbs to the second Board. We are somewhat particular in mentioning these changes in the Boards of Aldermen, since the
18
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
affairs of their salaries, and the famous medals, hereafter noticed, directed much attention to the individual members.
MAY 4th .- The second great fire in San Francisco, when property to the value of nearly four millions of dollars was sup- posed to be destroyed. It began about four o'clock in the morn- ing, in the building on the east side of the place called the
Fire of May 4th, 1850.
United States Exchange ; and before eleven of the forenoon, three immense blocks of buildings, with a few trifling exceptions, were totally destroyed. These were the blocks lying between Kearny, Clay, Montgomery and Washington streets ; and the two blocks between Dupont, Montgomery, Washington and Jackson streets. A great many buildings were torn down or blown up by gunpowder to stay the progress of the flames ; and, among others, nearly the whole erections in Dupont street were voluntarily destroyed to prevent the conflagration spreading on that side. While some of the populace readily and untiredly assisted in extinguishing the flames, others would lend no hand at the work without being first well paid for it. The police force
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FIRST MEETINGS OF THE ALDERMEN. 275
was very efficient in preventing pillage, and preserving order among the real workers and the idlers at the fire. Circumstances occurred which led to the strong suspicion, if not moral certainty, that the fire arose through the agency of incendiaries, and a re- ward of five thousand dollars was offered by the mayor for their detection. Several parties were apprehended on suspicion, but no formal trial took place, and they were shortly afterwards lib- erated. As in the case of the former great fire, on the 24th December JACKSON ST. last, new buildings were begun to be erected while still the sites of WASHINGTON PL the old were hot with WASHINGTON ST. smoking ashes. While PORTSMOUTH DUPONT ST. SQUARE KEARNEYO ST. even one extremity of MONTGOMERY ST. the old tenement was CLAY ST still blazing, people were planning the nature of the new erection, and Diagram of the burnt district, May 4th, 1850. clearing away the embers and rubbish from the other scarcely extinguished end, to lay the foundation of the intended new pile. In a wonderfully short time the whole burned space was covered with new buildings, and looked as if no fire had ever been there ; although it was generally remarked that these were even more unsubstantial and inflammable than those which had just been destroyed.
MAY 9th .- The two boards of aldermen severally held meet- ings for the first time at the new City Hall, at the corner of Kearny and Pacific streets. The principal business of the meet- ings was to organize, appoint committees, and receive and read a message from the mayor. This latter was an able and interest- ing document, containing many truly excellent suggestions in regard to the interests of the corporation. Its great length pre- cludes the propriety of its insertion. As the following extract, however, gives a correct statement of the financial condition of the city at this important period of its history, its omission would be inexcusable :-
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
" The Reports of the Treasurer and Comptroller are herewith submitted. The financial condition of the city is as follows :-
Amount on second instalment, of sales of water lots, due April 3d, 1850,. $23,049 00
Amount on third instalment, due July 3d, 1850. 107,602 00
Amount on fourth instalment, due October 3d, 1850. 107,602 00
$238,253 00
, The Report of the Comptroller, up to May 8, 1850, shows the present liabilities of the city, including the purchase of the City Hall, to be. $199,174 19
Excess over liabilities. $ 39,078 81 "
In the course of this month, several stringent and useful or- dinances were passed by the common council, which endeavored to provide means for the better extinguishing of future fires. One of these ordinances declared that if any person, during a conflagration, should refuse to assist in extinguishing the flames, or in removing goods endangered by the fire to a place of safety, he should be fined in a sum not less than five, and not exceeding one hundred dollars. Another ordinance authorized the mayor to enter into contracts for the digging of Artesian wells, and for the immediate construction of water reservoirs in various parts of the city. Another ordained every householder to furnish six water buckets, to be kept always in readiness for use during the occurrence of future fires. Such ordinances were all excellent in their way, though unfortunately they were somewhat late in being adopted.
CHAPTER XI.
1850.
Third great fire .- Aldermen's salaries .- Indignation meetings .- Veto message of the mayor .- Ship- ping in San Francisco Bay .- Celebration of the Fourth of July .- The Oregon Liberty Pole .- Custom-house at the corner of California and Montgomery streets. - Departure from California of General Riley .- Society of California Pioneers .- Squatter riots at Sacramento .- Suffering immi- grants .- Presentation of Chinese Books .- Funeral ceremonies on occasion of the death of Presi- dent Taylor .- A Chinese document.
JUNE 14th .- Scarcely had the citizens time to breathe after their recent exertions at the fire of the 4th of May, and the labors which followed in erecting new buildings in room of those de- stroyed, when again the terrible cry of fire rang in their ears. This was the third conflagration to which the city had been sub- jected, and its ravages exceeded even those of the two previous great fires united, being estimated at nearly five millions' worth of property. These successive losses would surely have broken the spirit of any people but Americans, and for a time indeed sank even theirs. But in proportion to the unusual depression was the almost immediate reaction, and the ruined citizens began forthwith to lay the foundations of new fortunes instead of those so cruelly destroyed. The fire, which arose from some defect in the chimney of the house where it broke out, began about eight o'clock in the morning, in a bakery, which was in a small wooden back building, between Sacramento and Clay streets, and in the rear of the Merchants' Hotel. The wind was high at the time, and the flames soon spread on all sides. In a few hours, the whole space situated between Clay, California and Kearny streets, down to the edge of the water, was one mass of flame ; and, with few exceptions, all the buildings and goods lying within these extensive bounds, were totally consumed. The individual losses were very severe ; and these occurring so shortly after the two
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
preceding great fires, had the effect of reducing many citizens, previously wealthy, to poverty. But as the spider, whose web is again and again destroyed, will continue to spin new ones while an atom of material or a spark of life remains in its body, so did the inhabitants set themselves industriously to work to rear new houses and a new town. In the space of a few weeks the burned districts were covered over with other buildings, many of which were erected of far more substantial materials than before. Sad experience had taught the people that although the cost of fire-proof, brick structures was much greater at first than the old wooden ones, yet in the end, they were cheaper and better. From this time forward, we therefore begin to notice, that the street architecture gradually assumed a new and grander appear- ance. This was one good consequence of the repeated fires ; while another was the immediate formation and organization of numerous hook and ladder, engine and hose companies. Many municipal ordinances regarding these companies and the estab- lishment and completion of wells and reservoirs in various parts of the city, were likewise the result of these successive disasters.
During all this month, the community was kept in a state of excessive excitement, arising from certain extraordinary proceed- ings on the part of the Common Council. The members had not been long in office, when they nearly unanimously passed an ordi- nance providing for the payment of certain salaries to themselves and the chief municipal officers. The mayor, recorder, and some others, were to be paid annually the sum of ten thousand dollars, while the sixteen principal and assistant aldermen were each to receive six thousand. The salaries of the municipal officials were perhaps not more than were necessary at the period, since these gentlemen had really much work to do, while all their time was supposed to be passed in the service of the city ; but it was con- sidered by the citizens generally, that to bestow six thousand dol- lars a year upon sixteen private persons, for only two evening meetings in each week, was extravagant and ridiculous. As one of the speakers at a subsequent public meeting said, people in foreign countries, when they heard of such a thing, would be apt to call it " a California lie." More especially the proposed alder- manic allowance seemed monstrous and unjust, from the fact that
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INDIGNATION MEETINGS.
the city was then much embarrassed in pecuniary affairs, and that certain most obnoxious and heavy taxes were proposed to be laid upon the inhabitants.
Many public meetings of the citizens were held on the sub- ject, at which resolutions strongly condemnatory of the council's proceedings were passed. One of these meetings took place on the plaza on the evening of the 5th of June, and was the largest that had ever assembled in San Francisco for any purpose. From three to four thousand people attended. General John Wilson was appointed president. After some introductory discussion, several resolutions were adopted by acclamation, the essence of which was this,-that we "instruct our mayor and common council to abandon the scheme of high salaries, and to remodel the schedule of oppressive taxation, as shadowed forth by their recent action ; and unless they are willing to do so, to resign and give place to more patriotic and efficient men." A committee of twenty-five were then appointed to wait on the council and . present a copy of the resolutions, and to request an answer to the same. The gentlemen composing the committee were Messrs. Wilson, Folsom, Crane, Post, Stoutenburg, Howard, Cooke, Kelly, Yale, Syme, Retan, Robinson, Courson, Robertson, Dunbar, Leonard, Minor, Parcells, Osborne, Wells, Duff, Parlon, Wake- man and Meacham.
The committee named, accordingly, through their chairman, Captain J. L. Folsom, presented the resolutions to the council. These the aldermen, who appeared determined to carry matters through with a high hand, received very coldly, and ordered them to lie indefinitely on the table. This not being deemed a suffi- cient answer by the committee, another "mass" and "indignation meeting " was called by them for the evening of 12th June ; which was held on the plaza and was very numerously attended. Again General Wilson filled the chair. The report of the com- mittee having been read, and the supposed "insolence of office " duly animadverted upon, the meeting, considering the " disrespect and insult " which their former representatives had met with, unanimously reappointed them as a committee, with power to increase their number to five hundred, and instructed them again to present the old resolutions to the council in such form as they
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
should think fit. The committee thus fortified, afterwards chose the additional members, and fixed the evening of the 14th, when they should all march in procession to the place of meeting of the common council, and there again submit the " sovereign will " of the people to the aldermen, and require their prompt obedience to the same. On that day the great conflagration just noticed took place ; and farther action on the subject of the high salaries and obnoxious taxation ordinances was indefinitely postponed. Popular excitement took a new direction in consequence of the fire ; and, excepting in the columns of the Herald newspaper, and among a few testy individuals, little more was said on the matter till some months afterwards, when the question was revived. The previous meetings, however, had the effect of causing the obnoxious license ordinance to be withdrawn for a time. In the end, the salaries of both the municipal officers and the common council were reduced, the latter being ultimately fixed at four thousand dollars.
It is due to Col. Geary, mayor of the city, to observe, that from the beginning he opposed the payment of salaries to the members of the Boards of Aldermen, and at last vetoed the bill allowing them four thousand dollars each. His message, on returning the ordinance, unapproved, was a highly creditable document. After declaring that the ordinance in question was in direct opposition to the wishes of the people, whose will had been made known to the aldermen in the most emphatic manner, which he averred it was the duty of the latter to obey, he uses the following language :-
" Another view which presents itself with great force to my mind, in in- terpreting the executive right to arrest the ordinance in question, is that of expediency. With great unanimity a financial measure has been adopted to provide for the immediate payment of the city's indebtedness, by means of a loan of half a million of dollars. It is of the greatest importance to the interests of the city, that that measure should be made to succeed at the earliest possible moment. In my deliberate judgment its success would be injuriously impeded, if not entirely defeated, by associating with the propo- sition for a loan, an ordinance to appropriate so large a proportion of the amount demanded as sixty-four thousand dollars, to the payment of a class of officers whose services are usually rendered without any other remunera- tion than the honor conferred by their fellow-citizens, and their participation in the general good which it is their province and duty to promote. It could
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THE OREGON LIBERTY-POLE.
not fail to weaken our public credit to show a purpose to use it for the pay- ment of salaries never contemplated by the people, especially in view of the admitted necessity for the practice of the most rigid economy, in order to complete by means of all the resources and credit we possess the public works in progress or in contemplation. With scarcely a dollar in the pub- lic treasury-without the means of discharging even the interest falling due for the scrip already issued-the city credit impaired, and general bankruptcy staring us in the face, retrenchment should be the order of the day, rather than the opening up of new modes of making enormous and heretofore un- known expenditures."
This act of the mayor was universally and heartily applauded by the people, and received the highest commendation of the en- tire press ; while, on the other hand, it received the severest cen- sures of the aldermen themselves, who not only passed the ordi- nance by a legal number of votes despite the mayor's veto, but for a long time refused to grant a salary to his honor. The sudden and angry burst of popular feeling on this subject led, the following year, to a provision in the new charter, then granted by the Legislature to the city, which declared that henceforward the members of the Common Council should not be entitled to any compensation for their services.
JULY 1st .- From the shipping lists published in the daily newspapers, it appears that about this time there were five hun- dred and twenty-six vessels lying in the port, the greater number of which were ships and barques, the remainder being brigs and schooners. Besides these, there were at least one hundred large square-rigged vessels lying at Benicia, Sacramento, and Stockton. Long before this time many of the old seamen who had deserted their ships had returned from the mines, and there was no diffi- culty in procuring crews for departing vessels, upon paying them the ordinary high wages of the time.
JULY 4th .- Another grand celebration of independence-day. This was particularly distinguished by the erection on the plaza of a magnificent flagstaff, or liberty-pole, which Messrs. S. Coffin and W. W. Chapman, on behalf of the citizens of Portland, Oregon, had presented to the citizens of San Francisco, and which was received by the mayor, Col. J. W. Geary. The length of this pole is one hundred and eleven feet. It is one foot in diameter at the bottom, tapering regularly to about
,
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
three inches at the other end, and is as straight as an arrow. This is perhaps the longest and most faultlessly straight pole that is known, although the presenters apologized that no longer one had been sent, on account of the inconvenience of shipping a stick of larger dimensions. The old pole which used to stand on the plaza from Mexican days, and upon which the first Amer- ican flag was hoisted, had been removed on the 7th of June pre- ceding, and was erected in front of the custom-house, at the corner of Montgomery and California streets.
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