derbilt, in Miscel. Stat., 1, 32-3; Wheaton's Stat., MS., 2-3; Charton, Tour du Monde, iv. 160; Barnes' Or. and Cal., MS., 19, 26; Weik, Cal. wie es ist, 2951; Du Hailly, in Rev. des deux Mondes, Feb. 15, 1849; Barrow's Twelve Nights, 165-268; Vallejo Recorder, March 14, 1868; Oct. 12, 1869; Woods' Sixteen Months, passim; Dunbar's Romance, 48, 55-89, 102-6; Ware's Emig. Guide, 1-55; Alameda Co. Hist. Atlas, 14; Valle, Doc., 58; Cal. Past and Present, 77, 146-7; Castroville Argus, June 12, 19, 1875; Robinson's Stat., MS., 23-4; Willey's Pers. Mem., MS., 25, 58-75, 111-18; Ross' Stat., MS., 1-12; Ryan's Pers. Adv., ii. 273-5; Id., Judges and Crim., 72-9; Pion. Mag., iv. 380; Olympia Transcript, June 17, 1876; Dept. St. P. (Ang.), viii. 6, 16; Dean's Stat., MS., 1-2; Kane, in Miscel. Stat., 7-11; Humboldt Times, March 7, 1874; Schlagentweit, Cal., 216; Winans' Stat., MS., 1-5, 23-4; Lake Co. Bee, March 8, 1873; Napa Reg., Aug. 1, 1874; McClellan's Golden State, 11946; Barry's Up and Down, 93-7; Schmiedell's Stat., MS., 6; Walton's Facts from Gold Regions, 8, 19–32; Crosby's Events in Cal., MS., 13–26; Santa Cruz Times, Feb. 19, 26, 1870; S. F. Times, July 20, 1867; Shearer's Journal, MS., 1-3, 11; Warren's Dust and Foam, 12-14, 133, 153-6; West Coast Signal, Apr. 15, 1874; Nev. Co. Hist., 41, 45; Merrill's Stat., MS., 1-3; Alameda Co. Gaz., March 8, 1873; March 14, 1874; Jan. 9, May 29, 1875; Barstow's Stat., MS., 1-4, 14; St Louis Union, May 25, 1849; Cassin's A Few Facts, 1-5, 17-18; Doolittle's Stat., 1-22; Morgan's Trip across the Plains, 1-21; Carver's Travels, 122; Cal. Pioneers, Docs, passim; Wilmington Enterprise, Jan. 21, 1875; Sayward's Pers. Rem., MS., 2; San José Argus, Oct. 16, 1875; Stockton Indep., Nov. 1, 1873; Apr. 4, 1874; Jan. 30, Oct. 19, 1875; Low's Stat., MS., 1-5; Massett's Exper. of a '49er, 1-10; Sand. Islands News, ii. 134, 147, 158, 186; Hawley's Observ., MS., 1-3; Sta Cruz Sentinel, July, 15, 1875; Vandyke's Stat., MS., 1-2, etc.; Soule's Stat., MS., 1-2; Vallejo D. Indep., June 1-8, 1872; Staples' Stat., MS.; Neall's Vig. Com., MS., 3, 22-4; Coleman's Vig. Com., MS., 175-83; Matthewson's Stat., MS., 1; Swan's Trip, 1-3, 13; Lord's B. Col. Naturalist, 271; Cent. Amer. Miscel. Docs, 44; Delano's Life on the Plains, passim; Home Miss., xxii. 44, 185-6; Sonora Book, iv. 174, in Pinart, Coll.; Sherwood's Pocket Guide to Cal., 27, 47-64; Sac. Union, Jan. 23, 26, Feb. 13, Dec. 30, 1856, etc.; Solano Repub., Sept. 29, 1870; S. F. Ev'g Post, July 14, 1877; Nev. D. Gaz., June 9, 1866; Jan. 20, 22, 1868; Leavitt's Scrap Book; Little's Stat., MS., 1-4; Cerruti's Ramblings, 46; Holinski, La Cal., 144; Vallejo Chron., July 25, Oct. 10, 1874; San José Mercury, Apr. 28, 1876; Cronise's Nat. Wealth, 57; Id., Stat., MS., 1; Sutton's Early Exper., MS., 1; South. Quart. Rev., xv. 224; Melbourne Mg Herald, Feb. 6, 7, 10, 1849; Stockton D. Herald, May 18, 1871; Nevada City and Grass Valley Dir., 1856, 43; L. Ang. Repub., Feb. 28, March 14, May 18, 1878; Cal., Adv. Capt. Wife, 18, 20, 41-2; Sac. Transcript, Oct. 15, 1850; Feb. 1, 1851; Overland Monthly, ix. 12-13; xii. 343; xv. 241-8; S. F. Cal. Star, Oct. 1847 to June 1848, passim; S. F. Ev'g Post, Aug. 8, 1883; Mayer's Mex. Azt., ii. 393; Slater's Mormonism, 5-12, 87; Pfeiffer's Sec. Journ., 290; Soc. Mex. Geog., xi. 127-34; San Diego Union, July 22, 1874; S. F. Evening Picayune, Aug. 30, Sept. 4, 12, Oct. 5, Nov. 27, Dec. 18, 1850; Scherzer's Narr., iii. 425-30; Oakland Alam. Co. Gaz., May 29, 1875; Oakland Transcript, Aug. 7, 1872; March 1, 1873; June 16, 1876; S. F. Pac. News, Nov. 1849 to Dec. 1850, passim; S. F. Bulletin, Apr. 9, May 12, 31, July 29, Dec. 2, 1858; Jan. 31, Feb. 12, Apr. 29, 30, May 25, June 2, 3, Aug. 15, Sept. 18, 30, Oct. 29, 1859; March 1, 29, 1860; Aug. 21, 1862, etc.; Pion. Arch., passim; Pearson's Recoll., MS., 1-2; Preble's Hist. Steam Navig., 321-4; S. F. Daily Herald, June 1850 to Feb. 1851, passim; Solano Co. Hist., 65-6, 154, 368-9, 451; San José Pioneer, Jan. 27, Feb. 24, Aug. 4, Dec. 8, 29, 1877; Oct. 9, 1880; Pio Pico, Times, MS., 141-6; Hunt's Merch. Mag., xviii. 467-76; xx. 55-64; xxi. 585-6; xxxii. 354-5; Parson's Life of Marshall, passim; Californian, 1847-8, passim; McCollum's Cal. as I Saw It, 17, 25-6; Perry's Travels, 14-69; First Steamship Pioneers, passim; Polynesian, v. and vi., passim; vii. 18, 62, 131; Shuck's Scrap Book, 83-4; Moore's Pion. Exper., MS., 1; Id., Recoll. of Early Days, MS., 2; Shasta Courier, Nov. 18, 1865; March 16, 1867; Placer Times, Apr. 28, May 19, 26,

June 2, Aug. 11, Sept. 15, Oct. 13, Dec. 1, 1849; May 22, 1850; S. F. Directory, 1852 (Parker), 10; Id., 1852-3, 10-14; Sac. Bee, Dec. 7, 1869; Nov. 21, 1871; March 28, Aug. 27, 1874; July 7, 1875; Nov. 26, 1878; S. F. Cal. Courier, 1850-1, passim; S. F. Alta Cal., 1849-75, passim; Hittell's Cal., 124–5; Id., Mining, 17; Id., S. F., 125-56, etc.; Id., Hand Book, 12–18; El Sonorense, Feb. 21, March 21, 30, Apr. 18, 26, May 11, 1849; Vallejo, Col. Doc. Hist. Cal., xii. 344; xxxv. 47, 148, 192; xxxvi. 287; Niles' Reg., lxxiv. 257, 336-7; lxxv. 69–70, 113, 127, 288, 320, 348, 383.

CHAPTER X.

SAN FRANCISCO.

1848-1850.

SITE AND SURROUNDINGS-RIVALS-EFFECT OF THE MINES-SHIPPING-INFLUX OF POPULATION-PHYSICAL AND COMMERCIAL ASPECTS-BUSINESS FIRMS-PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS-NATIONAL LOCALITIES— HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS-PRICES CURRENT-PROPERTY VALUES-AUCTION SALES-WHARVES AND STREETS-EARLY ERRORS-HISTORIC FIRES-ENGINES AND COMPANIES IMMIGRATION AND SPECULATIONPOLITICS THE HOUNDS-CITY GOVERNMENT.

MANY cities owe their origin to accident; some to design. In the latter category may be placed most of those that sprang up upon this western earth's end, and notably San Francisco. When the Englishman Richardson moved over from Sauzalito to Yerba Buena Cove in the summer of 1835, and cleared a place in the chaparral for his trading-tent; when the American Jacob P. Leese came up from Los Angeles, and in connection with his friends of Monterey, William Hinckley and Nathan Spear, erected a substantial frame building and established a commercial house there in the summer of 1836—it would appear that these representatives of the two foremost nations of the world, after mature deliberation, had set out to lay the foundation of a west-coast metropolis. The opening of the Hudson's Bay Company branch establishment in 1841 added importance to the hamlet. Although founded on the soil and under the colors of Anáhuac, it never was a Mexican settlement, for the United States element ever predominated, until the

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spirit of '76 took formal possession under symbol of the American flag, wafted hither over subdued domains.

The inducements for selecting the site lay in its proximity to the outlet of the leading harbor1 upon the coast, a harbor to which so many huge rivers and rich valleys were tributary, and to which so many land routes must necessarily converge. A position so commanding led to the establishment here of a presidio immediately after the occupation of the country, under whose wings sprang up a flourishing mission establishment. The harbor commended itself early to passing vessels, and although finding Sauzalito on the northern shore the best station for water and wood, they were obliged to come under cognizance of the military authorities at the fort, and to seek the more substantial supplies at the mission, both establishments presenting, moreover, to trading vessels, in their not inconsiderable population, and as the abutting points for the settlements southward, an all-important attraction. These primary advantages outweighed greatly such drawbacks as poor landing-places, lack of water sources and farming land in the vicinity, and the growing inconvenience of communication with the main settlements now rising in the interior. The opportune strategy of Alcalde Bartlett in setting aside the name of Yerba Buena, which threatened to overshadow its prospects, and restoring that of Saint Francis, proved of value in checking the aspirations of Francisca, later called Benicia. And our seraphic father of Assisi remembered the honor, by directing to its shore the vast fleet of vessels which in 1849 began to empty here their myriads of passengers and cargoes of merchandise. This turned the scale, and with such start, and the possession of capital and fame, the town distanced every rival, Benicia with all her superior natural advantages falling far behind.

1Opinions upon its merits have been expressed by many prominent explorers. Gen. Smith strongly disparaged the site from a military and commercial point of view, while becoming enthusiastic over the advantages of Benicia.

3

Nevertheless, doubters became numerous with every periodic depression in business; and when the gold excitement carried off most of the population, the stanchest quailed, and the rival city at the straits, so much nearer to the mines, seemed to exult in prospective triumph. But the golden storm proved menacing only in aspect. During the autumn the inhabitants came flocking back again, in numbers daily increased by new arrivals, and rich in funds wherewith to give vitality to the town. Building operations were actively resumed, nothwithstanding the cost of labor,* and real estate, which lately could not have found buyers at any price, now rose with a bound to many times its former value. The opening of the first wharf for sea-going vessels, the Broadway, may be regarded as the beginning of a revival, marked also by the resurrection of the defunct press,' and the establishment of a school, and of regular protestant worship, propitiatory measures well needed in face of

2 As early in 1848, when several firms discontinued their advertisements in the Californian. Others thought it expedient, as we have seen, to seek a prop for the prevailing land and other speculations, by bringing the resources of the country and the importance of the town before the people of the eastern states. This was done by the pen of Fourgeaud in the Cal. Star, Mar. 18, 1848, and following numbers.

The absorbing municipal election of Oct. 3d showed only 158 votes. Annals S. F., 206. See chapter i. in this vol. on condition in Jan., and chapter iv. on exodus.

Tenfold higher than in the spring. Effects stood in proportion. Eggs $12 a dozen; Hawaiian onions and potatoes $1.50 a fb.; shovels $10 each, etc. The arrival of supplies lowered prices till flour sold at from $12 to $15 a barrel in Dec. Star and Cal., Dec. 1848; Buffum's Six Months, 23.

"For spring prices, see preceding volume, v. 652-4. A strong influence was felt by the arrival in Sept. of the brig Belfast from New York, whose cargo served to lower the price of merchandise, but whose inauguration of the Broadway wharf as a direct discharging point inspired hope among the townsfolk. Real estate rose 50 per cent near the harbor; a lot vainly offered for $5,000 one day, sold readily the next for $10,000.' S. F. Directory, 1852, 9. By Nov. the prices had advanced tenfold upon those ruling in the spring, and rents rose from $10 and $20 to $20 and $100 per month. To returning lot-holders this proved another mine, but others complained of the rise as a drawback to settlement. Gillespie, in Larkin's Doc., MS., vi. 52, 66; Earll's Stat., MS., 10.

For earlier progress of wharves, see preceding vol., v. 655, 679.

The Californian had maintained a spasmodic existence for a time till bought by the Cal. Star, which on Nov. 18th reappeared under the combined title, Star and Californian, after five months' suspension. In Jan. 1849 it appears as the Alta California, weekly.

8 Rev. T. D. Hunt, invited from Honolulu, was chosen chaplain to the