CHAPTER XXV.

Natural advantages-Regularity of climate-Perpetual summerAdvantages for manufacturing-Interest on money-Manufactories-Railroads first in California-Great overland railroad: building and completion of-Government aid in bonds and lands to railroads "The last tie"-Rejoicings at the completion of the great national highway-Ocean, bay, and river navigation-Shipbuilding-Telegraphs, postage, and post-offices-United States branch mint-Circulating medium-Mints on the Pacific coastNavy-yard-Commerce-Exports of gold and merchandise-Agricultural and mechanical products-Decline in gold-miningShipping of San Francisco-Imports and exports-Effects of the overland railroad.

CALIFORNIA possesses many natural advantages beyond most other States in the Union, which must ultimately be productive of great benefits. The waterpower of the dashing streams of the Sierras alone is greater than the whole water-power of New England; the Coast Range, too, particularly north of San Francisco, as well as many other parts of the State, has vast water-power, only waiting the hand of skilled labor to call it into turning the wheels of an active manufacture which must at some day not far distant form an important branch of the industry of the State; nor are these magnificent water-powers subjected to the pinching frosts of winter, which for so many months in the year bind up the forces of the streams, clog the wheels, and hold in icy embrace the industry of large sections of the Atlantic coast.

The room of the operative need not be heated with air-consuming stoves and ranges, nor the apartments filled with foul air, caused by closed doors and windows, nor the operative himself imprisoned in dark cells or

steam closets to keep the animal forces active. The climate of the entire State is so mild and the temperature so even that the severe colds and diseases engendered by the sudden changes of the weather in the Atlantic States are entirely unknown in California.

Neither chilling northern blasts nor drifting snows drive over bleak and barren fields, pinching animal life into trembling and contracted contortions, nor frosting the windows and whitening the forests. Winter's gray locks are not shaken with terrible menace in the face of the poor, nor is the approach of the new year looked forward to with contemplations of dreaded cold. California at this season asserts her eternal summer by new robes of green, and the window of the cotter, instead of the ice-crystallizations and snow-bank adornments of the Atlantic slope, are festooned and adorned with running vines, ivy, and delicate flowers.

Throughout the State, wherever mechanical skill is exercised and manufactures are carried on, the beneficial effects of a genial climate and rich soil are manifest by the ease, comfort, and increasing prosperity of the mechanic. With all the natural advantages of California for manufacturing, but little advance has been made, except in the actual necessities for every-day consumption and of the commonest articles of domestic use. The cause of this has been the high rates of wages, the sparse population, and the high rates of interest, want of cheap transportation, and many other causes incident to a new country.

The crushing of quartz, cabinet work, sawing of lumber, casting of iron, and making of flour form the chief

mechanical industry of the State; and, although most of the raw material necessary in a varied manufacturing industry is produced in great abundance in Californiametals, wood, leather, wool, and other articles—yet the State cannot compete in manufactures with the old, settled portions of America, Europe, and Asia; where cheap labor, low interest, and systematized skill offset the natural advantages of the Golden State. In many parts of Europe and Asia, capital for mechanical industry can be obtained at from three to seven per cent. per annum; while in California, short loans, secured by good collateral, payable in sixty and ninety days, bear interest at from one to three per cent. per month. Still, notwithstanding all these drawbacks, California is battling bravely in the field of mechanical industry; and, although her manufactures are confined to a few articles, and within small limits, the efforts in producing woollen goods, cordage, powder, glass, paper, machinery, pottery, castings, shot, lead pipe, refined sugar, furniture, wood-ware, rolling stock, files, salt, fuse, soap, candles, glue, oil, matches, lime, cement, chemicals, boots and shoes, carriages, agricultural implements, saddlery, matting, billiard tables, pianos, brooms, pails, books, clothing, cigars, spirits, ale, and wine form no inconsiderable feature of the prosperity of the State. San Francisco is daily growing into importance in manufacture, and, by degrees, as the price of labor becomes lower, and the one and a-half and two per cent. per month bankers relax their grip, and money can be obtained at reduced rates of interest, many branches of mechanical industry now struggling for recognition will become extensive and profitable.

RAILROADS.

In 1841, there were in the whole United States but 3,535 miles of railroad in operation; in 1850, but 8,876. In 1870, there were fifty thousand miles, of which the six New England States had 4,494, against 589 in 1841; the six Middle States, 10,991, against 1,837 in 1841; the ten Western States, 23,769, against 196 in 1841; and the twelve Southern States, 12,468, against 913 in 1841; and the Pacific coast, which as late as 1854 had not a foot and in 1855 but eight miles of railroad, had, in 1870, 1,677, as follows: California, 925; Oregon, 159; and Nevada, 593; all of which have since largely increased, there now being thousands of miles of railroad projected through California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington Territory, Idaho, Arizona, and the entire coast, connecting all the principal towns, valleys, and harbors in the country.

The first railroad built in California was the line of twenty-two miles from Sacramento City to Folsom, completed on the 1st of January, 1856. The building of other roads soon followed, until the present, when a lively competition has projected and has in active course of construction lines of road running in all directions from the great commercial centres of the State, until the rich agricultural valleys lying between the Coast Range and the Sierras, parallel with the ocean and these chains, are completely dotted with projected lines of rail running in all directions, all having connection by land or water with San Francisco.

South of the Golden Gate are lines running to San José and all sections along the southern coast of the State, eventually to reach San Diego, while lines tra

verse the rich agricultural valleys of the San Joaquin and Tulare, destined to reach the Colorado and the Southern Pacific roads, sending their laterals in all directions to the towns, valleys, and mines on either side; while the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, having its starting point on the west side of the Mississippi at St. Louis, Missouri, follows the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude, passing through Missouri, Indian Territory, New Mexico, and Arizona, crossing the Colorado, enters California, and, passing northwestward through the southern half of the State, reaches San Francisco. Farther south is the Southern Pacific railroad, following from Memphis on the Mississippi a little west of the thirty-second parallel of north latitude westward through Arkansas, Texas, and the southern section of New Mexico and Arizona, crossing the Colorado river close to the Mexican line; thence west to the city of San Diego near the southern line of the State of California, where it proceeds northwestward until, like all the others, it finally reaches San Francisco.

These two international roads, connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic, are being vigorously pushed to completion; and will, in their course, develop and settle the vast semi-tropical regions of Southern California and the rich mineral, agricultural, and grazing region between the Colorado and the Mississippi through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and the Indian Territory, affording direct and certain communication, at all seasons of the year, between the Pacific and Atlantic; and, finally sending their branches into tropical Mexico, will open up new and rich avenues of exploration, commerce, and settlement, and eventually plant the flag of republican America over the area of the semi-republic of Mexico.