Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 April 1882 — Rambles in the Golden State. [ARTICLE]

Rambles in the Golden State.

«aw raxacisco. W« parted company in our lo*t ns we ale; - •d from the ferry boat and pinejd our feet for the first time upon the golden shore. »i ♦he ex rente western city of the Atnerieaii Continent, Ban Francisco. The city presents quite a broken appearance owing to a portion being buiit on the hills which altkia quite an altitude. From the tops oi thrar hills, upon which stand tha most grand and phlacial residences of wliicb the city can boast, n very fair view of the eity and the adjacent bay may be obtained. B large portion of the lower part of the city is built ou laud made by filling in the bay, To protect this made lend and to prevent the anchorage from being destroyed a sea-wall has been built in front of the eity, And to-day this city of the west has the best harbor in the world, and at hot docks tbo ships of the heav lest tonage cau aide in safety. Our first evening in the eity we visited the l’alace Hotel, a magnificent building covering a whole b10ck,344 x 2«3 feet; it is T stories high (116 feet; and is an inamous<> structure indeed, yet in some respects we were disappointed, for the hotel is not as substantially built as the Palmer House ol Chicago. It has been built for show, and in the finish and, furnishing of this hotel they appear to have piled on the extravagance to the uttermost, but a great portion «>f the building itself is perishable. , Mori - ing dawned bright and clear and while we f«el fresh and vigorous after our night’s repose, we will make a visit to tha Chtt House, 8 miles west from tne harbor on the bay, across the penept < to the Pacific coast. Be board tL .‘adless chain ft earn street cars which aarry us some 6 miles to the eity limits, where we procure a hack, which for GO cents each will take us the balance of the wsy allowing us to remain two or three hours at the beach and then bring us back to Oolden Gate Park. This contract maue wo seat our selves and pass from the city over a aaccesrionaf sand hills, leaving Lone Mou>t*in to the left. From the summit of th sa hills we catch an occasional glimpse of the Big drink until the last one is reached, when there almost at our feet, stretching away farther than the eye cau penetrate, is the Pacific Oceau in ull its mysterious majesty. We alight at the Cliff House which is built immediately on the high rock forming the shore, with a long veranda in the rear almost overhanging tne waters, some 100 feet below. We pass through the house and as we come to this open porch immediately before us about 800 or 400 yards distant is Seal Rook, whose surface is almost covered with huge sea lions, some basking in the sun, while others keep up a continuous barking and Ye rambling up and down the rocka. The water seems to be perfectly alivo with them, and with our microscopes we have a sice view of these monsters ot the deep in their native element. We now take a stroll along tbo beich in saarch of sea shells, and after an hour’s sport, chasing and being chased by the waves, os they eoueand go, we return to the caniage and return to Golden Gate Park. This is a b autiful piect of ground with magnifient drives. A beautiful conservatory in which may be seen all varieties of the mo-t tropical plants and dowers. Next we visit the U. S. Mint, register our names and are conducted this mammoth structure, noting the various changes through which ths gold and silver pass before it receives t lie superscription of Uncle .Sum and becomes money. Here -each of tha four stamping omits turn out silver dollars, or gold coin as may be at the rate of 80 pieces per minute.. Woodward’s Garden is a private enterprise yet it is one of the at iructions of the asty. The most lavish expenditures is nttieable, and indeed it is a pleasant resort, where lor 2-3 cents admission more may be •ten than at any place of the kind I have aver visited. The city hall is San Francisco s elephant, but is not yet completed, but a portion of it is in use. I have never seen anlbing to equal this city of the west yet there is no such establishments in extent of variety or magnitude of buildings, either in retail of wholesale iw that of Marshall, Field & Co., of Chicago. San Franvirco is indeed a wealthy city, But vice and immorality, with its liideousneas is tarried on herewith a high hand, and in open violation to law without ever receiving a rebuke from the authorities. But I must say good bye for the present. Job.