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 54
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HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND BOARDING-HOUSES.
the great conflagrations ; but was at length partially destroyed by fire, on the morning of October 22d, 1853. On this occasion the firemen of San Francisco performed great feats of daring, and accomplished an astonishing triumph. The entire upper portion of the house was in flames when the fire was discovered, but the alarm was scarcely given before the firemen with their apparatus were on the ground. By means of ladders, and headed by their chief, Mr. Charles P. Duane, they carried their hose into the second story, and succeeded in preventing the furious flames from descending below, or communicating with the adjoining wooden structures. So rapid, however, did this fire progress in its destructive work, that several of the lodgers were forced to jump from the third story windows, while one man, Mr. J. C. Coleman, was burned to death.
The first really substantial and elegant hotel of the city was the "Union." This was a four-story brick building, with a front of twenty-nine feet on the east side of Kearny street, between Clay and Washington streets, and a depth of one hun- dred and sixty feet. It was constructed, arranged, furnished, and conducted as well as any similar establishment at that time in the United States. The cost of the building and furniture was $250,000. Messrs. John Middleton, A. A. Selover and E. V. Joice, were the enterprising projectors, builders and owners of this superb concern. The tables were supplied with every imaginable luxury, and the boarders were of the wealthiest and most re- spectable inhabitants and visitors of the city. This house, with its contents, was destroyed in the fire of May 3d, 1851, and al- though it has been rebuilt several times, after repeated conflagra- tions, it never resumed its original character. It is now occu- pied below as an extensive billiard-room and drinking-saloon, while the upper stories are divided into comfortable lodging apartments. It is a celebrated resort for all classes of politicians, and most of the schemes affecting the interests of the State and city are here concocted.
The Union was followed by several other " first-class" hotels, the principal of which were " Jones's," at the corner of Sansome and California streets, and the "Oriental," at the corner of Bush and Battery streets. The former of these had but a
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brief existence. It was soon converted into the "Tehama House," the rooms of which are rented to lodgers, who obtain their meals at "Alden's Branch" (a restaurant on the lower floor), or wherever they may prefer. The "Oriental" and
TEHAMA HOUSE
Alde Branch
The Tehama Ilouse, corner of Sansome and California streets.
" Wilson's Exchange," on Sansome street, near Sacramento, are prominent hotels of the city. The " Rassette House" was also a large and good hotel, at the corner of Bush and Sansome streets. This was destroyed by fire May 2d, 1853. It has been reconstructed of brick, and is one of the most imposing edifices of the city. Early in 1854, an elegant hotel, the "Interna- tional," was opened on Jackson street, between Montgomery and Kearny streets, under the proprietorship of Messrs. E. S. Peck and Henry Fisher. This is located in a central part of the city, and is quite convenient to the several steamboat landings. It is kept on the European plan, rooms being rented by the day or . week to the boarders, who obtain their meals at a restaurant on
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HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND BOARDING-HOUSES.
the premises. On the principal floor is a ladies' ordinary. The building is five stories in height, fire-proof, and admirably adapted in all respects to the purposes for which it has been constructed. When completed, it will contain two hundred and
INTERNATIONAL!
INTERNATIONAL HOTEL,
International Hotel, Jackson street.
fifty comfortable and well furnished rooms. A still larger hotel is about to be erected at the corner of Battery street and Broad- way, which is intended to cover an entire fifty-vara lot. Among the ordinary hotels of San Francisco at this time, are the "Ports- mouth House," the " Franklin House," the " Mansion House," the " Niantic," the " Crescent," &c. ; besides which there are very many of inferior character, where living is obtained at cheaper rates. The prices of hotel boarding have varied but lit-
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tle since 1849, having constantly ranged from about two to ten dollars per day.
Vast improvements have been made in late days to the general manner of living in San Francisco. The comfortless tents and shanties have given place to neat and pretty buildings. The cheapest lodging-houses are divided into small apartments. Men no longer huddle together by scores in a single room, but every person with moderate means can obtain an apartment to himself. There are also numerous private boarding-houses, kept mostly by respectable ladies, which have all the qualities of de- sirable homes for single gentlemen and small families ; besides which, the vast immigration of the wives of old settlers and new comers have caused the erection and occupancy of beautiful cot- tages and elegant mansions, which every where exist upon the outskirts of the town. Comfortable and delightful homes are becoming numerous, and domestic enjoyment and happiness in- crease in proportion to the arrival of respectable females and the growing prosperity of the town.
Russ's Garden.
PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS.
EVER since all Greece gathered to witness the quadrennial contests of the Olympic sports, and the maidens of Rome wafted kisses to victorious gladiators ; or rather, since Thespis, thus made im- mortal, drove about his cart-load of histrionic pioneers to the delight of gazing Athens, mankind have refused to imitate their primeval ancestors, who, tending their flocks by day, and their families by night, suffered neither from ennui nor atrabilis-but require what they call amusements, to make life tolerable. The theatre, and its derivatives, the opera, ballet, circus and hippo- drome, have been called the great instruments of social progress. Whether they deserve this high claim or not, it is at least certain that their advance has been co-ordinate with that of civilization, and that such exhibitions have become essential in the present
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day. The mind, like the body, refuses to return to its original nakedness after it has been adorned with the laced trappings of ingenious art. The homespun, the broadcloth, the silk and satin, and the royal purple, have supplanted the fig-leaf and the bear-skin, and their wearers have the same increase of mental foppery. The bloody rantings of the melo-dramatic hero, the absurdities of the pantomimic display, the far-fetched witticisms of the low farce, and the vulgar jibes of a drunken clown furnish laughter and diversion, and excite the envy and emulation of the gawk of the plough and the soap-locked rowdy of the city sub- urbs. The screechings, yellings, howlings of operatic automatons in sibilant Italian, guttural German, or nasal French, elicit muf- fled taps from gloved hands of popinjays, counter-jumpers and aristrocrats ; while the sublime thoughts and moral teachings of great dramatic historians, are palatable and healthful food for men of genius, talent, and education. For the affected pious, and would-be godly-minded, who shun the evil associations of the theatre, and are disgusted with the necessarily public and hence indecent exposure of female artistes, there are lectures, exhibitions, panoramas, and the like-rational amusements- fairs, where the ladies of a church, publicly stationed, brazenly (not indecently) extort unreasonable prices for worthless goods by sale ; where stately Pecksniffs playfully, by lottery (not gam- bling), amuse themselves by gathering money for a pastor's gift. There are museums, too, where quiet, demure quakeresses may unblushingly gaze at the " Dream of Taglioni," christened " Temperance Dance," or the " Pas de Quatre Nations," styled a " Missionary Jubilec."
San Francisco was, and yet is, the very antipode of patriarchal simplicity. Its flocks wore "golden fleece," and dwelt among the mountain streams of the Nevada ; its tents had neither wives nor children,-only rough, rugged, savage men. But that guardian angel " self," who follows every one through life, and who had given each of this new race his worldly wealth, had endowed him with the desire, necessity, and means of unlimited enjoyment. At first each sought gayety and pleasure for himself, in wine, women, and the green cloth ; but the mind that does not degen- erate soon satiates with solitary enjoyments. Public amusements
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PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS.
become necessary, if for no other reason than that people like to go where they can see and be seen ; and hence, long before the corporated history of this place, rude efforts were made to revive the dramatic exhibitions of other countries. Early in 1849 and in 1850 respectively, two circuses were established as the pio- neers of popular amusements. One of these was on Kearny street above Clay, under the control of a Mr. Rowe, who subse- quently converted it into a theatre. The other, of a few months' later date, was owned by Mr. Foley, and was located on Mont- gomery street below California. A short time subsequent to these, another was opened on the western side of Portsmouth Square. These were mere tent structures, where, on rude benches, congregated crowds of easily satisfied and deeply inter- ested spectators, and where spring-boards bounced men of various sizes successively over one, two, and three horses ; and daring riders, on broad wooden saddles, jumped through hoops and over ropes, most fearfully to look at. Nowhere else were to be had the materials for more legitimate displays, and the little-exacting populace were forced to content themselves with what they could get-paying without a murmur, their $3 for pit seats, $5 for box places, and $55 for the princely luxury of a private stall.
On Monday evening, June 22d, 1849, a concert of vocal music was performed at the old school-room on the south-west corner of the plaza, and this may properly be regarded as first among the regular amusements of San Francisco. It was given, entirely unassisted, by Mr. Stephen C. Massett, at the suggestion of many of his New York friends. The little room was crowded to suffo- cation, the proceeds yielding the vocalist over five hundred dol- lars. The following is the programme, a curiosity well worthy of preservation, printed at the office of the " Alta California," then the only paper in the city. "Front seats," it will be observed, were reserved for ladies, of whom there were but four present. The piano used (we believe there was only one in the country) upon the occasion, was loaned by Mr. E. Harrison, the collector of the port, and sixteen dollars were paid for removing it from the custom-house to the school-room, situated on opposite sides of Portsmouth Square.
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"ON MONDAY EVENING NEXT,
A CONCERT
Will be given at the Court-house, Portsmouth Square,
BY MR. STEPHEN C. MASSETT, Composer of ' When the Moon on the Lake is Beaming,' and other popular ballads.
PROGRAMME.
PART I.
1. SONG .- ' When the Moon on the Lake.' Words and Music by S. C. Massett.
2. RECITATION .- Mr. Massett : The Frenchman, the Exquisite, and the Yankee in Richard III
3. SONG .- Mr. Massett: 'My Boyhood's Ifome,' from Opera of Amilie.
4. AN IMITATION of Madame Anna Bishop, in her Song of ' The Banks of Guadalquiver.'
5. SONG .- ' When a child I roamed.' Words and Music by S. C. Massett.
6. AN IMITATION of an elderly lady and German girl, who applied for the situation of soprano and alto singers in one of the churches in Massachusetts. S. C. Massett.
PART 11.
1. SONG .- Mr Massett: 'When time hath bereft thee,' from Gustavns III.
2. Mr. Massett : 'Loss of the Steamship President,' by Epes Sargent.
3. Mr. Massett: 'I'm sitting on the stile, Mary,' by W. R. Dempster.
4. AN IMITATION of the N. Y. Razor Strop Man, John Smith.
5. BALLAD .- ' She woro a Wreath of Roses.' (Mr. Massett.) J. P. Knight.
6. BALLAD .- " List while I sing." Composed by Stephen C. Massett.
7. YANKEE IMITATION .- ' Deacon Jones and Seth Slope.' S. C. Massett.
8. To conclude with the celebrated
'YANKEE TOWN MEETING ; '
In which Mr. Massett will give imitations of seven different persons, who had assembled for the purpose of 'suppressing the press.'
Tickets $3 each, to be had at Dr. Robinson's, Chemist and Druggist, on the plaza; at the 'Parker House,' of Mr. Massett; at the office of Col J. D. Stevenson, and at the door on the night of the performance.
N. B. Front seats reserved for ladies ! "
The first theatrical performance in San Francisco was a representation of "The Wife" and "Charles the 2d," by a small company, under the control of Messrs. Atwater & Madison, who had been some time organizing a theatre, in January, 1850, in the second story of a building at the rear of the old "Alta California" office (then located on Washington street, about midway of the plaza), known as Washington Hall. The most that can be said of the exhibition is, that the performance was poor and the room well filled. The genuine good taste of the people, however, could not long remain satisfied with such im- positions. San Francisco was leaving its embryo existence. Its population of talent and education ceased their menial occupa- tions, emerged from their filthy lodgings, and doffed their coarse red shirts for Chesterfieldian apparel. All their wants now had to be of the same luxuriant kind. The circuses no longer drew
Engraved by HH Hall from a. Crystalotype by Mc Clee & Lermon. Philadelphia
Alesina J. Baker
N.
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their crowds, and hence Rowe fitted his establishment on Kearny street, between Clay and Sacramento streets, for stage perform- ances. A company of English actors of undoubted merit, opened the theatre, including Mr. and Mrs. Hambleton, Mr. and Mrs. Batters, Mr. and Mrs. McCron and others. Mrs. Stark, then Mrs. Kirby, soon after arrived, and appeared at this place.
In Sacramento the stage had taken the lead. Shortly after the Washington Hall was opened at San Francisco, the "Eagle Theatre " on Front street, was erected and continued for several months. It was speedily surpassed, however, by the "Tehama Theatre," under the management of Mrs. J. H. Kirby, an accom- plished and talented actress, whose early exertions have done much to advance the profession to its present stand in the country. Mesdames Bingham, Hambleton, Kirby and Mestayer ; and Messrs. Atwater, Bingham, Byers, Downie, McClosky, Stark, Vinson and Zabriskie have successively appeared upon its boards. The "Tehama " drew large houses until the following winter, when the "Pacific " and " American" divided with it the patronage of the people of Sacramento.
Meanwhile, in April, 1850, a neat little theatre (which was soon after destroyed by fire) had been established in San Fran- cisco, on Washington street near Montgomery, where, a portion of the time, an amusing French vaudeville company performed ; and on the 4th of July after, Messrs. Robinson & Evrard, gave the first performance at their " Dramatic Museum" on California street near Montgomery, with rather an interesting company of amateur performers. In September following, the original "Jenny Lind " was opened over Maguire's Parker House Saloon, Kearny street near Washington. These houses were well patronized and had better stock companies than are usually found in older cities. At the latter, Mr. Stark, an actor of much ability, and Mrs. Kirby, played a very deservedly successful engagement. During the fall or winter, another small theatre was opened on Clay street, near Montgomery, which, for a time, was under the management of Mr. Bingham. This never became very popular. This theatre, together with the "Jenny Lind" and "Dramatic Museum," were destroyed by the fire of May, 1851. The latter was rebuilt and again soon after burned. A wooden building
42
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
was also erected on the site of the "Jenny Lind," which was also reduced to ashes by the fire of 22d June, following.
Mr. Maguire then constructed the large stone "Jenny Lind Theatre," now the City Hall, and opened it, October 4th, 1851. Before this date the " Adelphi," a French theatre, was erected on Dupont street near Clay, and in successful operation, under the control of Messrs. Robinson & Wiesenthal. It still exists under the management of M. Paul. The building of the " American Theatre, " on Sansome street, between Sacramento and California streets, was commenced in September, 1851, and opened on the 20th October, since which time it has continued to give an uninterrupted series of dramatic representations.
On the 14th February, 1852, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Baker, who had reached San Francisco from Philadelphia the preceding week, commenced an engagement at the "Jenny Lind," ap- pearing as Master Walter and Julia, in the Hunchback, and played twenty-one nights to crowded and enthusiastic audiences. After a sojourn of three weeks at Sacramento, they again per- formed for thirty consecutive nights more, during all of which time, they, and particularly Mrs. Baker, formerly Miss Alexina Fisher, was the chief and only attraction, the company generally being poor, and inefficiently conducted. After a second engage- ment at Sacramento, Mr. Baker collected a small company, and performed at Nevada, Grass Valley and Placerville, and return- ing to San Francisco early in August, assumed the management of the "Adelphi." During nine months Mrs. Baker played every evening, except Sundays, and May, 9th, 1853, closed a season which had profited the management $30,000, being all that time the chief support of the theatre, and drawing crowded houses, notwithstanding the opposition of the other theatres and the very successful careers of Signora Elisa Biscaccianti and Miss Catharine Hayes. On the 12th May, Mr. Baker took charge of the " American," and for five months, with intervals from other stars, his interesting and talented wife regularly appeared, yet the great centre of attraction. It had been no trifling task, at this period, to restore order out of the chaotic confusion of the theatre in San Francisco. The drama drooped from the want of industry and tact in its managers and the absence of proper
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discipline among their employés, the former regarding neither reason nor interest, while the latter defied submission or control ; and the neglect of the one to provide proper accessories, was fully equalled by the imperfection of the others in the text of the plays presented. This decadence in worthy attraction was necessarily followed by a great diminution in the number and character of the audiences. With the advent of Mr. and Mrs Baker, however, commenced a new era in the California drama. The generous enthusiasm which greeted the latter upon her first appearance, increased with each successive performance. To her was confided the task of developing the rich resources from the golden mines of the old dramatists, and of enriching the Pacific stage with the brightest gems of histrionic ability.
Mr. Lewis Baker, having assumed managerial duties, labored with unceasing and praiseworthy assiduity to reform existing abuses. He introduced a strict and severe discipline, had care- ful rehearsals, and paid all needful attention to the necessary accessories of the stage. Under such auspices, the citizens were presented with entertainments of a refined character, and in a style of excellence fully equalled to those of the best theatres in New York or Philadelphia. Some idea may be formed of the managerial responsibilities assumed by Mr. Baker, from the fol- lowing statement of the expenses involved in the conducting of a San Francisco theatre :- The rent alone amounted to $30,000 a year ; the salary list, including artists, musicians, painters, car- penters, &c., varied from $3,200 to $3,600 a week, without esti- mating the large amount paid to stars, which has sometimes exceeded $6,000 for six successive performances. The additional expenses for lighting, printing, advertising, supernumeraries, dresses, &c., make up an amount sufficiently large to deter any one from entering rashly upon such an enterprise.
On the 2d of January, 1854, Mr. and Mrs. Baker took fare- well of the California public, having succeeded in clevating the character of theatrical representations from the low and confused condition in which inexperienced management had kept it reduced. During the eighteen months of Mr. Baker's control of the " Adel- phi " and " American," the improvement in the style of entertain- ment was such as to secure for him the sincere thanks and hearty
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support of the public. He was a young man-almost a tyro in years-when he came to San Francisco. Very early in life he had manifested a yearning for the theatrical profession, and when his family removed to Texas, had originated a theatre at Galveston. On the breaking out of the Mexican war, he was connected with the two theatres at Corpus Christi, where Gen. Taylor's division was stationed. He subsequently performed in the northern cities, and, like his wife, had already earned a well- merited reputation. As a reward for their exertions, Mr. and Mrs. Baker acquired a competency in California, and are now living in Philadelphia, among old friends, and enjoying life amid the most pleasing associations of their youth.
In the fall of 1853, the " Metropolitan," the most magnificent temple of histrionic art in America, was built, and opened on December 24th, by Mrs. Catherine N. Sinclair. On the 26th, two evenings later, at the old " American," now eclipsed by the grandeur of its greater rival, and on the point of closing, there appeared one, who came friendless and unannounced to the shores of the Pacific, but who was destined to play an important part in theatrical affairs at this place, Miss Matilda Heron. This young lady had left Philadelphia for San Francisco in com- pany with Mr. George W. Lewis, her agent (a gentleman long and extensively known among theatrical people), who having died on the route, she accordingly landed unknowing and un- known. Several gentlemen, however, having heard of her com- ing, and being informed of her attainments, actively interested themselves in her behalf, and succeeded in filling the old theatre on the night of her appearance, despite the attraction of the "Metropolitan," with its new scenery and decorations, and the per- sonal appearance of its gifted proprietress, aided by Mr. James E. Murdock, of Philadelphia (who had obtained great popularity in California), and a very excellent stock company. Miss Heron appeared as Bianca, supported by Mr. Baker, as Fazic, and was greeted and sustained throughout the performance with an en- thusiasm almost unequalled. Her success was unrivalled, and her whole engagement, and a succeeding one at the " Metropolitan," won for her an enviable reputation as an actress. The San Franciscans claim the development of her rare talents. Two
Deron
Matilda
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years before she had appeared in Philadelphia, a pupil of Mr. Peter Richings, and had since played various satisfactory engage- ments in the Atlantic cities, but without creating the sensation her merits deserved, to which merits alone she owed her success in the far west. Performers appearing here need expect little aid from claquerism. Intelligent audiences are prepared to reward the meritorious, and as surely condemn the upstart. The press is untrammelled ; editors are men of superior literary attainment, who are not accustomed to prostitute their pens for tempting rewards. Hence, theatrical criticisms are distin- guished in San Francisco journals for their unbiassed justice, and may be relied on as the expression of opinion of those com- petent to decide. By such a test was Miss Heron tried and lauded. Her chief merit was found in her perfect naturalness of manner ; the total absence of those screamings, rantings, and gesticulations which have grown up rank and deep-rooted weeds on the dramatic field. It is this feature that causes the super- ficial looker-on to regard her efforts with indifference ; that failed to gain for her a merited éclat from the less critical people of the East ; that excited the admiration of the Californians. It is a human being that performs-not an unnatural contortion ; the characters represented appear before you-the author's ideas, in- terpreted and embellished by the artiste's genius. Miss Heron has thus been an eminent reformer of the California stage. Actors and actresses have subdued their rantings under her in- influence, and adopted a more life-like style of performing. Hence, the vast improvement in theatrical representations in this city, even in mediocre players. Audiences have something at which to listen ; attention is riveted on the play. The pea- nut eaters of the upper circles, and the gentlemanly loafers of the parquet, have been subdued into gentility ; the quiet de- corum of the parlor has supplanted the noisy bustle of the circus ; even riotous applause is regarded as inappropriate. For several months Miss Heron followed up her brilliantly successful career, and left in June on a temporary visit to her home in Philadelphia, loaded with the most substantial evidences of the sincere affec- tions of a host of admiring friends, and a discriminating and generous public. San Franciscans regard her triumph as their
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