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 40
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
in California at large, than to chronicle the particular doings of the adventurers. Our people are mostly in the prime of life, their passions are of the strongest, they have an acute intellect, absolute will and physical strength, but they are not distinguished by high moral and political principle. They are sanguine in whatever things they undertake, and are more inclined to des- perate deeds, than to the peaceful business of ordinary life. Had Walker's party succeeded in reaching Sonora and been able to stand their own for a time or perhaps signally to defeat the Mexicans in a pitched battle, ten thousand of our mixed Califor- nians would have hastened to their triple-striped two-star stand- ard. Against such a force not all the power of Mexico would have been sufficient to dislodge the invaders from Sonora. Other tens of thousands would have flocked into the country, and per- force it would have been thoroughly Americanized. Undoubtedly this will happen some day. Is it not " manifest destiny ? " People here certainly look upon it as such, and hence very little fault has been found, in general, with the proceedings of the filibusters. The principles of action now existing in California, in so far at least as regards neighboring countries, are something like those of Wordsworth's hero, who acted upon
"The good old rule, the simple plan- That they should take who have the power, And they should keep who can."
Rob Roy was a great man in his day ; and in our own times the Californians are the greatest of a great people. That is a fact.
To finish the story of Walker's exploits. The Anita safely bore her contingent to "Head Quarters " at Ensenada, and by other opportunities a considerable number of volunteers went thither. They were generally well armed with revolvers, rifles and knives. On their departure, the recorder's court at San Francisco had much less daily business, and the city was hap- pily purged of many of the old squad of rowdies and loafers. Strengthened by such an accession to his forces, opposed to which no body of Mexicans in that part of Lower California could ap- pear in the field, Walker now, with a stroke of his pen, for he is said to be even abler as a writer than as a warrior, abolished the
481
THE SONORA FILIBUSTERS.
Republic of "Lower California," and proclaimed in its stead that of "Sonora," which comprised the province of that name and the peninsula itself. Most of the great prizes in the lottery had already been distributed. However, Col. H. P. Watkins, of the Anita contingent, had the honor of being appointed the " Vice- President." This gentleman and some of his fellow-dignitaries subsequently underwent a trial at San Francisco for their filibus- tering practices, the result of which will be noticed under the proper date. In Lower California, various " decrees," proclama- tions and addresses to the natives and to his own soldiers were made by the "President." They dwelt upon the " holiness " of the invaders' cause, and were very grandiloquent. The march was being formed for Sonora, straight.
Meanwhile, dissensions were breaking out among the men. The rank and file, the tag, rag and bobtail of the expedition, had considerable difficulty in digesting the stolen or scrip-bought beef, always beef, and Indian corn, always corn, that formed their rations. They fancied that their officers "fared sumptuously every day," which very likely was not the case. Any thing will serve as an excuse for behavior that has been predetermined. So these epicures and haters of beef and corn, to the number of fifty or sixty, gave up, without a sigh, Walker, Sonora and their frugal meals. Other desertions subsequently took place, and the staunch filibusters were gradually reduced to a very few. To improve the moral tone of his army, Walker caused two of his people to be shot and other two to be flogged and expelled, partly for pilfering and partly for desertion. The San Franciscan jour- nals had now little mercy on the expedition and all connected with it. It was a farce, they said ; and its end was just what they had expected. For a while there remained a remnant of the filibusters loafing about Ensenada, or Santo Tomas-or God knows where-looking, like the immortal Micawber, for " some- thing to turn up." Subsequently, however, as will hereafter be seen, they surrendered themselves as prisoners to the United States authorities.
DECEMBER 24th .- Opening of the " Metropolitan Theatre." Theatricals, and especially that class of them in which music bears a considerable share, have always been largely patronized
31
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
by the San Franciscans. It was thought proper to have a more magnificent temple for dramatic and operatic entertainments than any hitherto erected in the city, and the " Metropolitan " accord- ingly was built and opened. This is one of the finest theatres in America, and is distinguished by the beautiful and chaste appearance of the interior. The house is built of brick. The management of the theatre was under the care of Mrs. Catherine N. Sinclair. She opened the splendid structure with an excel- lent stock company, among whom there immediately began to appear "stars" of the first magnitude, which have since con- tinued in rapid succession. The prices of admission were-for the orchestra and private boxes, $3, for the dress circle and par- quette, $2, and for the second and third circles, $1. The School for Scandal, in which Mr. James E. Murdock played the part of " Charles Surface," and Mrs. Sinclair, the manageress, that of "Lady Teazle," and the farce of Little Toddlekins, were the per- formances of the evening.
DECEMBER 26th .- Great sale of one hundred and twenty water lots belonging to the city, when the gross sum realized was $1,193,550. These lots formed in all four small sized blocks of land, covered with water, lying upon each side of Commercial street wharf. They extended between Sacramento and Clay streets, and from Davis street eastward two blocks. Most of the lots measured twenty-five feet in front to a street, and fifty- nine feet nine inches in depth. These brought on an average between $8,000 and $9,000 a lot. The corner lots, which faced two streets, brought from $15,000 to $16,000. A few larger lots brought from $20,000 to $27,000. 'There was an average depth of about eight feet of water, at low tide, upon these blocks of land ; and to make them fit to receive buildings would require the expenditure of large sums of money. The enormous prices obtained for such small lots of ground, " covered with water," show the confidence which capitalists had in the future prosperity of the city. The sale was only for ninety-nine years, after March, 1851, being the period for which the State had conveyed the property to the city. In terms of the original grant, the city was obliged to pay over to the State twenty-five per cent. of the proceeds of the sale. The sum of $185,000 was likewise
483
SALES OF WATER LOTS.
appropriated to satisfy any claims which several of the wharf companies adjoining the lots disposed of had pretended to the slips, now sold. After these deductions were made, a very handsome sum was left to replenish the municipal exchequer, and relieve it from many pressing obligations which had been gradually accumulating.
Rowell
SHOWYDS Se
Montgomery Block.
DECEMBER 28th .- Great sale of the State's interest in water property, when lots to the value of $350,000 were sold. This property was situated between Broadway and Pacific streets. It was partly covered with water, and partly dry land, although covered with water in 1849, and is a portion of the property called the " Government Reserve" on the ordinary maps of the city.
The magnificent structure known as "Montgomery Block" was completed toward the close of this year. This is the largest, most elegant, and imposing edifice in California, and would at- tract especial attention in any city, though it occupies a site that was partially covered by the waters of the bay as late as 1849. It has a front of 122 feet on the west side of Montgom- ery street, from Washington to Merchant street, along which streets it extends 138 feet, presenting an unbroken façade on these three streets of nearly 400 feet. It is owned by the law firm of Halleck, Peachy, Billings & Parke.
CHAPTER XXVII.
1853.
Numbers and description of the population of the State .- Amount of gold produced from California mines .- San Francisco as related to California .- Population of San Francisco .- City improve- ments .- Commercial statistics
THE year 1853 was not remarkable for any great increase in the permanent population of California. A vast immigration cer- tainly took place, but the emigration was also very great. Before noticing the estimated increase in the number of inhabitants in San Francisco, we take this opportunity of making a few remarks on the progress of population in the country at large.
The Government census, taken at the close of 1852, returned the population of California at 264,435 ; but this number was considered by those best able to judge to be considerably under- stated. In his message communicating the census returns to the Legislature, the governor of the State, commenting upon them, expressed his belief that the population of the country, at the close of 1852, might properly be estimated at 308,000 per- sons of both sexes, and of all races and ages. In 1853, it was supposed that the immigration by land from the United States and Mexico amounted to about 15,000 persons, while the number of those leaving California by land was too inconsiderable to affect materially any calculations on the subject. The number of im- migrants by sea, who landed at San Francisco, was about 34,000, while the departures were about 31,000. There were, therefore, probably about 18,000 persons, on the whole, added to the population of the country. If this number be added to the estimated number at the close of 1852, it will appear that at the close of the following year the total population of California was
485
POPULATION OF CALIFORNIA.
326,000 persons. As while we write, in the spring of 1854, the ordinary immigration of the year has not fairly commenced, which, however, promises to be very large, the last-mentioned number may be taken as a fair approximation to the present number of inhabitants. Estimates have been made, at different times, of the various races forming the total number, but none of these can be confidently relied upon. The French and Ger- man peoples generally claim a greater number of their country- men in California than the Americans are willing to allow. The following may be taken as a rough calculation on this subject. Under the term " Americans" are included the natives of Great Britain and Ireland, who are less easily distinguishable from na- tive Americans than are other foreigners. Many, however, of the British-born, are American by adoption and naturalization. Since the common language of the Americans and British is English, and their customs and habits of thought are generally the same, there seems no impropriety in calling them all in Cali- fornia simply Americans. At the same time, it may be observed that the vast majority of those so called are really natives of the United States :-
Americans, 204,000 ; Germans, 30,000 ; French, 28,000 ; Hispano-Americans, 20,000 ; all other foreigners of white ex- traction, 5,000 ; Chinese, 17,000 ; Indians (estimated by the census agents at 33,000, which number is considered much too high), 20,000 ; Negroes, 2,000 ; total, 326,000.
Of this number, about 100,000 are believed to be working miners, the remainder forming the population of the different towns and the pastoral and agricultural districts of the country. It is estimated that there are about 65,000 women in the country and perhaps 30,000 children. In the mining regions the females are much fewer relatively to the local population than in the towns. As among the Indians and the native Californians the sexes may be supposed to be nearly equal, it will be seen that among the other races, the number of females must be very small in propor- tion to the number of male inhabitants. The class of small farmers and generally the agricultural population increased con- siderably during 1853. They produced a large portion of the provisions which supplied the wants of the people ; and it is pro-
486
ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
bable that in a few years the State will be altogether independent of foreign supplies in the great staples which support life.
The quantity of gold produced from the Californian mines cannot be correctly ascertained, though reasonable approximations on the subject may be made. The custom-house returns at San Francisco do not show the great amount of gold carried off by private parties, and not manifested, nor the quantity retained in the country, where the circulation of local gold pieces is very large. Perhaps the quantity of gold dust deposited and coined at the different mints of the United States, with a fair allowance for what may be shipped directly or transhipped to foreign coun- tries, and used in manufactures throughout the Union, and as coin in California itself, and what may be still in the hands of miners and others, may make a sufficiently exact statement on the subject. This allowance, after a careful consideration of many circumstances, we would put, for the last five or six years, at $44,000,000, which we think moderate. The total production of the different years may therefore be estimated, and given as follows :
Deposits at the various mints of Californian gold.
Total estimated produce.
1848.
$45,301
$3,000,000
1849
6,151,360
25,000,000
1850
36,273,097
40,000,000
1851.
55,938,232
60,000,000
1852
53,452,567
63,000,000
1853.
55,113,487
65,000,000
Add, the manifested shipments of gold dust from San Fran-
cisco in the month of De-
cember, 1853, but which
would not be deposited at the mints until January fol- lowing.
4,846,743
$211,820,787
$256,000,000
As manifested in the custom-house, the export of gold from San Francisco, during 1853, was $54,906,956 74. Of this amount, the sum of $47,914,448 was for New York ; $4,795,662 for London ; $926,134 for China ; $445,778 for Valparaiso ; $390,781 for New Orleans ; $191,000 for the Sandwich Islands,-and the remainder for New South Wales and various ports on the Pacific.
487
SAN FRANCISCO AND CALIFORNIA.
It will be observed that between six and seven millions were shipped, during the last year, directly to foreign countries, and would not therefore appear in the returns of the United States mints.
It seems unnecessary, in the " Annals of San Francisco," to enter more largely into the mere statistics of gold. The yearly production has steadily continued to increase, and the manifested semi-monthly shipments of specie regularly range from two to three millions. These shipments, as we have explained, do not show the total production, since large quantities of dust are car- ried off by private parties, which do not appear in the custom- house records. In the beginning of 1854 the mines are unusu- ally productive ; and so far as can be estimated, the total produc- tion of the year named may be expected to show a considerable increase on the production of 1853.
It is admitted by all who bestow a moment's attention upon the subject, that hitherto it has been gold, almost alone, which has given such an impetus to the progress of California at large, and particularly to San Francisco. The latter is the one great port through which the enormous foreign supplies of provisions and all other kinds of goods pass to the interior, and from whence the payments in gold dust are shipped abroad. Most of the miners reach California by way of San Francisco, and all who leave the country depart from the same city. Many years hence the fertile and genial California will be a rich and populous coun- try, irrespective entirely of her mineral wealth ; and as farming, and, by and by, manufacturing immigrants pour in, that time will be hastened. San Francisco will then, as now, be the great port of the State, and the emporium of a vast commerce. The Atlantic and Pacific Railway, which has been discussed for so many years, and which must soon be really set agoing, will in- crease to an incalculable extent the population and prosperity both of California and San Francisco. By whatever route the proposed railroad communication is made, our city must be the chief terminus on the Pacific. Meanwhile, she is closely dependent for prosperity upon the success of the miners and the increasing production of gold. If these grow fewer, or the production be seriously reduced, San Francisco must suffer most severely for
488
ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
a time. From the figures given above, it appears that the an- nual production of gold has been steadily increasing ; while, from what is known of the character of the mining regions, there seems no reason to fear a serious falling off in the amount for many years to come. Scientific apparatus and superior methods of working are every year being applied to the auriferous earth and rocks, which readily yield richer returns than ever. Long before the mining districts can be worked out, for profitable labor, San Francisco will have the millions of California for supporters of her commerce and patrons of her magnificence. Hitherto she has been, and from her unequalled maritime position, her wealth, population and enterprise, must always be, the financial and political, the vital centre of the State.
During 1853, the population of San Francisco was consider- ably increased. At the close of the year, the city was estimated to contain nearly fifty thousand inhabitants, or more than a seventh part of the whole population of California. It is true that many of these were only temporary residents, but as they gradually left the city, their places were supplied by an equally large number of occasional visitors or fresh immigrants. The population, permanent and fluctuating, was composed of all kindreds and peoples, and may be divided thus :
Americans (including British and Irish born-who probably amounted to one-sixth of the number), 32,000 ; Germans, 5,500 ; French, 5,000 ; Hispano-Americans, 3,000 ; other races of white extraction, and negroes, 1,500 ; Chinese, 3,000 ; total 50,000.
About 8,000 of this population are females, and 3,000 chil- dren ; while the great majority of the remainder are men between the ages of twenty and forty years. The greatest number of votes given at any one election have, however, been only 11,000. This is partly explained by the fact that a large portion of the adult males are neither native nor naturalized citizens.
San Francisco, during 1853, was particularly improved by the erection of a large number of elegant and substantial fire- proof brick and stone buildings. Some of these would be remark- able in any country for their great size, strength and beauty. The principal portion of them are situated on the east side of the plaza, in Montgomery, Battery, Sansome and Front streets,
489
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
and in those parts of the cross thoroughfares, from Jackson to California streets, inclusive, that touch or lie between those first named. There are also many fine brick buildings in Stockton street. " Montgomery Block " has upwards of one hundred and fifty rooms, and the " New Rassette House," nearly two hundred and fifty. Such great structures, the piles called the " Armory Hall," the " Express building," the "Custom-House Block," and many others of nearly as grand a character, have cost enormous sums of money to build. At North Beach, Mission Bay and Pleasant and Happy Valleys, many elegant private dwellings and manufacturing establishments have been reared, and on Rincon Point towers the splendid United States Marine Hospital, sur- rounded on the land sides by numerous elegant structures. Some of the more finely finished edifices have either the whole front or the lower story formed of polished Chinese granite ; while the fronts of nearly all the larger buildings, constructed of brick, are covered with a fine gray-colored mastic which gives them all the appearance of being made of stone. The distant reader can scarcely have any proper conception of the magnificence of some of these edifices, so different from the character of buildings which were constructed in the early years of the great cities on the Atlantic border. It was the repeated recurrence in former days of conflagrations, which occasionally destroyed half the city, and the perpetual liability, from local position, to similar disasters, that induced capitalists to endeavor to make the best and most valuable portion of the city thoroughly fire-proof. To accomplish that, a peculiarly massive and imposing style of archi- tecture has been adopted, the character of which has been more particularly noticed in a previous page. The later fire-proof buildings, like the earlier ones, are all provided with exterior window-shutters and doors of thick wrought-iron. This circum- stance gives the best street architecture of San Francisco an appearance which is peculiar to itself. Engraved illustrations can scarcely represent the general effect, arising from the cause, and which the actual spectator feels.
While in the centre of the city these great buildings were rapidly rising, in the districts beyond and in the outskirts, other material improvements, in levelling the unequal ground and
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
erecting additional houses, generally of frame, and in the forma- tion of gardens, were being daily carried on. A second and a third time, new and supposed better street grades were being everywhere established. To carry out these, enormous and costly excavations had to be made at particular localities, while at others immense mounds of earth had to be thrown over deep valleys. Generally the streets in the lower part of the city were raised several feet above the former height, while on the high grounds towards the north and west, the lines of streets had to be lowered from ten to fifty feet. Although the city gen- erally may in the end be much improved by the adoption of these grades, the necessity thereby created of excavating, or of filling up the building lots along the artificial street line, and of raising or of lowering substantial buildings already erected, to suit the new level, has caused incalculable injury and loss to in- dividual citizens. Perhaps, under the existing plan of San Francisco, which, as we have elsewhere explained, is on the prin- ciple of strait lines of street crossing each other at right angles, without regard to the natural inequalities of the ground, some- thing like the existing grades of the streets was unavoidable, if a prudent regard was to be had to the future appearance of the city and convenient access to the remotest parts of it. But on viewing the sad destruction of property caused to particular per- sons by these new grades, we are only the more imbittered against the original designers of the town for their absurd math- ematical notions. If the great thoroughfares had been adapted to the natural configuration of the tract of country upon which the city stands, there might have been some apparent irregularity in the plan, and some, perhaps some little ground available for building purposes lost, yet many millions of dollars would have been saved to the community at large, which, as matters stand, have already been unprofitably expended, while millions more must still be spent in overcoming the obstacles wilfully placed in the way by the originally defective plans.
But leaving such unprofitable discussion, we may only remark that owing to the adoption of these new grades, an immense deal of labor was performed during the year, both in forming the streets themselves and in altering the buildings along the sides
491
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
of them. Many new streets were planked for the first time, and some of the old ones replanked. Planking has served well in the infancy of the city, but it is probable that so perishable a mate- rial will soon give place to cobble-stones or Macadamized paving, or even square dressed blocks of granite or whinstone. San Francisco, like Rome, cannot be built in a day. Already, por- tions of Montgomery and Washington streets are finely laid down with cobble-stones. Meanwhile, the streets in general have gradually been getting into clean and regular order, and have a pleasant appearance. They and the buildings lining them are in many respects equal, and in some respects superior to the streets and buildings of long established and populous cities in the Atlantic States. The San Franciscans are proud of their noble city that sits enthroned beside calm waters, and as Queen of the Pacific receives homage and tribute from all seas and oceans. Richly freighted ships from every land visit her harbor. Her buildings are becoming palaces, and her merchants, princes. Wealth, gayety and luxury characterize her people. She is fast approaching that peculiar and regal character which in days of old was borne by the great maritime cities of the Mediterranean, in more recent times by Venice and Genoa, and perhaps at this date by Amsterdam and St. Petersburgh. Like the great mer- cantile cities of the past, San Francisco may fall in her pride ; but centuries shall first pass. She is very young yet, and has a long age of growing grandeur before her. The commerce of the Pacific is only beginning, and with its certain increase will San Francisco certainly wax greater and more marvellous. Her spirit is GO AHEAD ! We have seen her, but a few years since, only a barren waste of sand-hills-a paltry village-a thriving little town-a budding city of canvas, then of wood, and next a great metropolis of brick. In a few years more, if she be not changed into marble, like Augustan Rome, she may be turned into as beau- tiful and enduring substance, into Chinese or rather Californian granite. After the wonders we have already seen, and part of which we have described, nothing seems impossible in the pro- gress of San Francisco. Her future will be far more glorious than even the present. As the lover expatiates rapturously upon his mistress, whose perfections, though nature may have been
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