As We Proceeded We Came Upon The Succession Of Placer Gold Diggings,
Known As The Hydraulic Mines, Which Were Then For The Most Part
Abandoned, And These Brought To My Remembrance Many Similar Spots I Had
Seen In Australia.
The debris of the mines had stopped up, or
diverted, or otherwise interfered with the Sacramento River, the Bear
River, and other rivers, to the great detriment of agriculture,
horticulture, stock rearing, etc., whereupon the State Legislature of
California passed an Act to prohibit all interference with the water,
for without water the miners could not wash their dirt, and so had to
abandon the diggings. All around this part, ravine followed ravine, with
beautiful vistas between, affording a continuous luxury of scenic
gratification. Presently we reached what is called by many the grandest
scenery on the American Continent, known as Cape Horn; it is where the
train winds round a mountain side, on a narrow ledge, and at such a
height, that to hold one's hand out of the window would be to hold it
over a sheer precipice of 2,500 feet. The train runs along the ledge or
narrow roadway cut in the face of the mountain rock, and all around is
presented a spectacle of the majesty of Nature, which only such a range
of mountains as the Sierra Nevada could produce.
About 14 miles from Truckee, we reach a station called "Summit," which
lies at an elevation of 7,017 feet, and is the highest point on the
Sierra Nevada Mountains reached by railroads, but the granite peaks rise
up to an altitude of over 10,000 feet. Grizzly bears, and other wild
creatures, find their homes in the recesses of these fastnesses. On
leaving these mountains we make a rapid descent, and in an hour feel
that we are in another country. At Colfax I bought fruit; at Arlington
the temperature was like summer. At Rockling Station I saw some very
fine orange trees, full of splendid fruit. Now we have entered the
fertile plains of North California, and run through cultivated lands,
till we reach Sacramento, the capital of the State. It is a great
change: from desert, alkaline plains, miles of snow sheds, snow-covered
mountains, a semi-civilization, and a freezing atmosphere, we find
ourselves in a warm, genial climate, cultivated farms, vineyards,
gardens, and orchards of nectarines, pears, apples, and the rest.
Arriving at Oakland, we crossed the Bay in the great ferry-ship, or
floating wharf, "Piedmont." The weather was charming - the bay dotted
about with islands and surrounded by hills. The temperature was the more
enjoyable from the fact that only a few hours before we were surrounded
by deep snow.
On arriving at San Francisco (on Saturday, December 6th), I went
straight to the Palace Hotel, and my first effort was to get a bath, for
a continuous day and night run from New York of 3,367 miles, makes one
who is accustomed to the use of plenty of water to look for a good
ablution as the first refresher. The Palace Hotel claims to be the
"model hotel of the world." Its architect visited the leading hotels of
Europe so as to produce a hotel superior to any. As to size, it occupies
a complete block - that is, it has a street traversing each side of it.
It rises to a height of 120 feet, and covers an area 350 feet by 275
feet - that is, 96,250 square feet, or nearly 2-3/4 acres, and, with
sub-sidewalk extensions, exceeds three acres. The lower story is 27 feet
high, the uppermost one 16 feet high. The foundation wall is 12 feet
thick, and the principal materials are stone, iron, brick, and marble.
Every partition wall throughout is stone and brick. It is fire and
earthquake proof, the walls being additionally tied by iron bands. It
has four artesian wells, yielding 28,000 gallons of water an hour, a
630,000 gallon reservoir, and tanks holding 130,000 gallons more. The
water is served by three large steam fire pumps, which throw the water
above the roof. There are five patent safety-catch hydraulic elevators
(or lifts). Immense precautions have been taken against fire. The
dining-rooms are 150 feet by 55 feet, and 100 feet by 50 feet. The
public rooms are very numerous, and are of immense size. The rooms for
guests are principally 20 feet by 20 feet; none are less than 16 feet by
16 feet; all are well furnished. The corridors are like streets - space,
elegance, solidity, and comfort are apparent everywhere; the whole being
lighted by gas and electricity. Each bedroom has a bath-room, with hot
and cold water services; w.c., coat-closet, and lavatory closet, with
hot and cold water services to itself, and which can only be used by the
occupant of the bed-room. The hotel, of course, has a barber's shop, and
as I expected my client to call I was anxious to get through my toilet
quickly; so I rang for one of the barber's assistants to come to my
bed-room to cut my hair preparatory to the bath. This did not take long,
and I asked the price, when, to my surprise, a dollar and a-half,
i.e., 6s. 3d., was required. I thought it was barbarism indeed!
I left San Francisco on Monday, December 8th, and during my short stay I
saw something of the town; but it was not the same place as I remembered
it from my two visits to it in 1862. It is full of life and activity,
has many wealthy men, 50 of whom, it is said, are millionaires. It has a
large number of grand buildings, fine shops, extensive markets,
beautiful private residences, and an immense development of electricity
for motion, light, sound, etc. The tram-cars run in constant succession
everywhere; but the most remarkable cars are those worked by an endless
cable.
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