Dupont. In age, cost and rank this building is entitled to the first
place. It is a noble structure of Gothic architecture, which has been
carried out in every detail. The front extends seventy-five feet on
California street, from which the cathedral runs back one hundred and
thirty-one feet on Dupont. The tower is at present one hundred and
thirty-five feet high, and is to be surmounted by a spire rising
sixty-five feet further. The Most Rev. Joseph S. Alemany is the
Archbishop.
Old Mission Church, on the southwest corner of Sixteenth and Dolores
streets. This was dedicated Oct. 9, 1776, by Father Junipero Serra,
the father of the California missions. Aside from its age and
associations, the building is of little note. It is built of the old
adobes, which were simply unburnt bricks dried in the sun, and formed
a favorite building material with the early Spanish and Mexican
inhabitants. The old custom-house, on Portsmouth square, was built of
this material. The roof was covered with semi-cylindrical tiles of
burnt clay, laid in alternate rows, the first one having the concave
side up, and the next its convex side up. The outside, generally, is
very plain, though the front shows some old-fashioned round columns,
and a few small bells suspended in square apertures under the
projecting roof. The interior is dark, cold and comfortless. Rev.
Thos. Cushing, Pastor.
Besides the three churches already named, the Catholics have nine
others in the city, in addition to five or six chapels and asylums.
SWEDENBORGIAN.--First New Jerusalem Church. This is a very neat Gothic
building, on the north side of O'Farrell, between Mason and Taylor
streets. Rev. John Doughty, Pastor.
A second New Jerusalem Church, of which Rev. Joseph Worcester is
pastor, having yet erected no building, meets in the Druids' Hall, No.
413 Sutter street.
UNITARIAN.--First Unitarian Church. This most beautiful church edifice
stands upon the south side of Geary street, just below Stockton. Its
front presents, unquestionably, the finest specimen of church
architecture in the State, and can hardly be surpassed in America. The
interior is tastefully decorated with a colored fresco of extreme
beauty, and most artistic harmony of tint. The organ, baptismal font,
and the pulpit, perpetuate the unique taste of the lamented pastor,
whose loved name the public mind cannot dissociate from the beautiful
building, which, always known as "Starr King's" church, has become his
fitting monument.
This is the only church building of this denomination in the city or
the State.
CHINESE MISSION HOUSE.--This is a combination church and school-house,
new, neat and commodious, fifty-six feet by seventy feet, and three
stories high. Adjoining school-rooms, readily thrown into one, rooms
for the Superintendent, Rev. Mr. Gibson and family, and for his
assistant, Rev. Hu Sing Me, the native preacher, and his family,
occupy the various floors. School "keeps" every evening in the week,
except Saturday and Sunday. Bible class at half-past ten every Sunday
morning, and Sunday school at seven P.M.
The entire property belongs to the Methodist Church, who maintain it
as a most efficient home mission.
The Mariner's Church, northeast corner of Sacramento and Drumm
streets. It is a neat and commodious wooden building, erected in 1867,
by contributions from merchants and other citizens of San Francisco.
Rev. J. Rowell, Pastor.
Hospitals and Asylums.
CITY AND COUNTY HOSPITAL.--Stands upon the southwest corner of
Stockton and Francisco streets.
FRENCH BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.--Has one of the finest hospitals of the
State, a large and handsome brick building, surrounded with pleasant
gardens and ornamented grounds, occupying the whole block on the south
side of Bryant, between Fifth and Sixth, making a most agreeable and
healthful home for the invalid. Others besides French may receive its
benefits, by assuming membership and paying its moderate dues.
GERMAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.--Admits only Germans. It has over
eighteen hundred members. On Brannan street, near Third, this society
has a very large two-story brick building with basement--furnished
with every form of bath, and looking out upon fine gardens and
shrubbery.
PROTESTANT ORPHAN ASYLUM.--On the West side of Laguna street, between
Haight and Waller. A large and elegant building of brick and
stone--one of the ornamental landmarks of that part of the city. It
accommodates two hundred and fifty little ones. Mrs. Ira P. Rankin,
President; Mrs. Lucy Stewart, Matron.
ROMAN CATHOLIC ORPHAN ASYLUM.--Market street, south side, between New
Montgomery and Third. A noble and capacious brick building
accommodating three hundred and twenty children, and having a school
of five hundred and fifty day scholars attached. The Asylum is under
the sole management of Archbishop Alemany and the Sisters of Charity.
SAN FRANCISCO FEMALE HOSPITAL.--Corner of Clay street and Prospect
Place. Any woman who is sick and poor, has a right to its benefits. It
is a genuine charity, regarding neither nativity, religion nor social
rank. Mrs. M. R. Roberts, President; Dr. C. T. Deane, Physician.
LADIES' PROTECTION AND RELIEF SOCIETY.--Franklin street, between Post
and Geary. The main object of the society is to furnish a real _Home_
for friendless or destitute girls, between three and fourteen years
old. Boys, under ten and over three, may be received and provided for
until furnished with a permanent home in a christian family. It has
over two hundred inmates, nearly all girls. Miss C. A. Harmon, Matron.
Nearly a hundred other public and private benevolent societies attempt
to make up, as well as possible, the lack of friends and homes, always
so severely felt by strangers or temporary residents in any large
city, and especially so in one of as cosmopolitan a character as ours.
Colleges.
Besides the larger public schools, which are really the peoples'
colleges--the city has sixty-five colleges and private schools. The
number of pupils attending them in 1870 was 4,582, against 21,000 in
the public schools.
CITY COLLEGE.--Southeast corner of Stockton and Geary streets. This
institution has built and furnished an elegant French Gothic building
at University Mound, some three miles southwest of the city, which it
will occupy early in '72. Besides the usual studies, this college
especially provides the best facilities for obtaining a thorough
practical knowledge of Chemistry, in all its applications to assaying,
mining, medical manufactures and mechanics. Rev. Dr. Veeder,
President.
HEALD'S BUSINESS COLLEGE.--College Building, Post street, between
Montgomery and Kearny. Its design is to educate boys and young men,
with a special view to practical business. It is one of the famous
thirty-six Bryant and Stratton Business Colleges, located in the
leading cities of the United States and Canada. Students, two hundred
and fifty. E. P. Heald, President.
ST. IGNATIUS' COLLEGE.--Occupies the noble brick building on the south
side of Market street, between Fourth and Fifth. It is largely
attended, and is successfully conducted by the Jesuit Fathers.
ST. MARY'S COLLEGE.--On the old county road to San Jose, four and a
half miles southwest of the city. Building, two hundred and eighty
feet front, by fifty feet deep--of excellent proportion and fine
appearance. Conducted by the Christian Brothers. B. Justin, President.
TOLAND MEDICAL COLLEGE.--East side of Stockton street, between
Chestnut and Francisco. The building is of brick, capacious,
commodious, finely located and admirably adapted to the purpose of its
construction. H. H. Toland, M. D., President.
Public School Buildings.
LINCOLN.--Fifth street--south side, near Market. Brick structure, four
stories high, 141-1/2 feet long, 63-1/2 feet wide; 20 class-rooms 129x34
feet, besides eight wardrobes and teachers' rooms--wide halls, and
four broad stairways the whole height, with a large hall in the upper
story. It accommodates twelve hundred grammar grade pupils, all boys.
In front stands a finely modeled statue of Abraham Lincoln for whom
the building was named. Cost, $100,000, gold coin. B. Marks,
Principal.
DENMAN.--Bush street, north side, corner of Taylor. Brick stuccoed;
length, 98-1/4 feet; width, 68 feet; height, four stories, including
attic rooms. Fourteen class-rooms, each 28x34, accommodating eight
hundred pupils, all girls. Cost, $78,000, gold. This building was
named in honor of James Denman, one of the pioneer public school
teachers of the city--the founder of this school and for many years,
as at present, its principal. Few cities in the Union can show school
buildings as elegant, convenient, substantial and costly as these two
noble monuments of public appreciation of, and liberality towards, the
system which must underlie and sustain our free government if it is to
stand at all.
TEHAMA.--Tehama street, near First. Brick, undisguised; 111 feet long,
75 feet deep, three stories high, besides spacious basement
play-rooms--has sixteen class-rooms, each 24x31, hall, 41x49, with
ample stairings, and convenient teacher's-rooms and ample yards. Cost,
$28,300, gold. It accommodates one thousand primary pupils of both
sexes. Mrs. E. A. Wood, Principal.
Besides these, the city has several large and fine wooden
school-houses of modern structure. Of these the most sightly, is the
Girls' High School, south side of Bush street, near Stockton--57x92,
three stories, ten class-rooms, 27x34, with an assembly hall, 54x55;
whose length can be increased to 90 feet, by opening folding doors
between it and two adjoining class-rooms. It is the most conveniently
arranged, best ventilated, sunniest, most cheerful and healthful
school-house in the State. Ellis H. Holmes, Principal. To these the
Department has recently added, and is now adding, four or five 18
class-room buildings, of wood, each accommodating one thousand pupils,
now occupying the old and small school-rooms of early days or hived in
unsuitable rented rooms.
Bancroft's Book and Stationery Establishment.
It may appear like exaggeration to say that San Francisco contains the
largest and most complete general Book and Stationery, mercantile and
manufacturing business in the world. Yet, such is the fact. Not that
the business, by any means, equals that of Harpers' and Appletons', of
New York, Hachette of Paris, or the stationers of London. But, between
these houses and Bancroft's, there is no comparison. The character of
their trade is totally different. One publishes books, another
manufactures paper, and so each is large in one thing, whereas the
Bancrofts, collecting from the manufacturers of all the world, and
manufacturing according to the requirements of their trade, cover
under one management the ground occupied by all others combined. In
older and larger cities, one house deals in law books alone; another,
school books, etc., while this San Francisco house--besides a full
stock of books in every department of literature, and stationery from
the manufacturers of Europe and America, paper from the mills of New
England, pencils from Germany, pen-holders from Paris--unite Printing,
Book-binding, Lithography, Blank-Book Making, Engraving, &c., every
thing, in short, comprised in all the business of all the others.
The detail is necessarily very great. They buy from a thousand
sellers, and sell to many thousand buyers. Over one hundred employes,
divided into nine departments, each under an experienced manager, ply
their vocation like bees in a hive of six rooms, each 37 by 170 feet.
To the latest improvements of the finest machinery, driven by steam,
apply the highest order of skilled labor, and San Francisco can do
anything as well and as cheaply as New York, London or Paris.
The retail department, occupying the first floor, has the most
magnificent salesroom on the Pacific coast. Visitors are warmly
welcomed, and strangers politely shown through the premises.
Private Residences.
For the convenience of the tourist, who may want to see the homes of
our city as well as her public buildings and business blocks, we
mention the locality of the following, which are among the finest of
our private dwellings: Erwin Davis, southwest corner of California and
Powell streets; Milton S. Latham, Folsom street, opposite Hawthorne,
on Rincon Hill; D. J. Tallant, corner of Bush and Jones street;
Richard Tobin, corner of California and Taylor streets; John Parrott,
620 Folsom street. By making two trips--first, over California street,
and returning by Sutter or Bush street; second, over Rincon Hill on
Folsom street, and returning by Harrison, the visitor may see the
finest of our private residences.
Points of Observation.
TELEGRAPH HILL.--This notable natural landmark stands at the head,
that is, at the north end of Montgomery street. The early settlement,
the pioneer hamlet from which the present city has grown, was made in
the hollow near the southwest foot. Civilization has encircled it on
the land side, and crept two thirds the way up, while commerce has
claimed the water front along its opposite base--but the summit still
stands as free as when the priestly fathers first looked thence upon
the glorious inland sea, which flashes between it and the sunrise. Let
us climb it--this way, straight up the Montgomery street sidewalk,
Slowly, please; we have the day before us; exhausted lungs impair
one's sight. Stop at the corner of each intersecting street, and
glance either way, but especially eastward--that is, downward toward
the Bay. Now, "Excelsior," again; up these stairs; now along this
natural surface--no asphaltum walks or Stow foundation pavements up
here yet, you see--on, by these houses; turn to the left here; now to
the right, follow this winding way; patiently please--that's it; only
two or three minutes more--ah! here it is--this is the highest point,
where the old observatory stood. Sit and breathe a moment; slip on
your overcoat, or put that extra shawl about you; it's easy to take
cold here, far easier than to rid yourself of it in the city below.
For the sake of method in our survey, we may as well begin at the
northwest; thence "swing round the circle," through north, east, south
and west, and return to the point of starting. Looking northwesterly,
then, we have first the elevated, undulating plateau, which stretches
along the flattened summits of the northernmost spur of the broad
peninsular hills, and terminates in the precipitous bluff known as
Fort Point--the southern gate-post of the far-famed Golden Gate.
Through this we gaze seaward along the further margin of the strait,
where it sends in a surging cove upon the rocky beach, between Point
Diablo and Point Bonita. The projection of the latter point shuts off
the vision, which else might range up the northwesterly trend of the
coast, along the ocean-shore of Marin county to Punta de los Reyes,
(King's Point) which projects southward between Bolinas bay and the
ocean. Between Point Diablo and Lime Point, a slight northerly curve,
in the shore line makes a shallow cove, from whose edge the vision
climbs the successive hills or ridges which fill the ascending space
as it roughly rises toward the crowning point of Marin county, Mount
Tamalpais, two thousand six hundred and four feet nearer heaven than
the beach line whence we set forth. Still following round, we look up
into Richardson's Bay; next the southwestern end of Raccoon Strait,
and then Angel Island. We are now looking north. Alcatraz, the rocky
island which nature set just there to support a commanding fortress;
then, an eye-sweep up over the northern part of San Francisco Bay to
that narrow strait which joins it with San Pablo Bay; northeast the
San Pablo shore of Contra Costa county, and the hills which terminate
the Mount Diablo peninsular range. Nearer east, the strangely
monotonous hills, whose ridges and gullies look as if plowed out by
heavy rains, and rounded by sweeping winds. Grassy or earthy, they
look, according to the time of year and kind of season. Now, almost
east, the vision falls. This large island, off in the midst of the
bay, is Yerba Buena, or Goat Island. It rises three hundred and forty
feet above low water mark. Nearly in a line over the island appears
Berkeley, the site of the University of California, of which one large
building, already two thirds raised, you may possibly discern. A
little further south--that is, to the right, you can plainly see the
State Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind. This noble building
crowns a gently-sloping eminence just at the margin between the broad
and nearly level plain which stretches between it and the bay, and the
foothills back of which the Contra Costa mountains bring up the rear.
Almost due east lies Oakland, the tree-city of the beautiful
grove-dotted plain. Then Clinton, San Antonio, Brooklyn and Alameda,
snuggled in together so closely that one can't tell "which is which;"
and, as far as the beauty of the view is concerned, it doesn't matter
either, for they are all fair to look upon and lovely to behold. The
clustering trees shut out by far the larger portion of the houses, so
that we might hardly suspect the size and population of the towns,
whose scattered roofs show here and there among the trees.
We are looking southeasterly now. That creek, whose mouth you see just
beyond Alameda, leads into San Leandro bay; and right over it, nearly
hidden by intervening trees, lies the town of the same name. A little
further south, and too distant to be plainly seen, is Hayward's. That
depression in the mountain summits beyond, marks the opening of
Livermore pass, through which the Western Pacific Railroad finds its
way.
Beyond Hayward's, further south, and thence sweeping around to the
right, toward the extreme end of the bay, we dimly discern the
northern end of the beautiful Santa Clara Valley, where it widens out
and flattens down to the bay. We are now looking almost due south.
Only four miles down, Hunter's Point shuts off our further view, and
compels us to look nearer home. A trifle west of that, and half as far
away, the Potrero presents its transverse ridge, fast disappearing
under the rapidly-growing city, and showing a gap of daylight where
the deep cut of the Bay View horse railroad was relentlessly dug and
blasted through, in its stubborn pursuit of a practicable grade.
Between the cut and ourselves, the Long Bridge shuts off the Mission
bay, and shows where the fast-filling mud-flats will soon crowd back
the bay, and make a new water front. Still nearer, we have the western
slope or ridge of Rincon Hill, rising gradually to the left, and
packed all over with the huddled and mostly wooden houses of the new
and hurriedly-built city. Along the inner base of the hill, and
stretching out westward, lies the old "Happy Valley." That's just this
side of where you see the shot-tower, and runs thence four or five
blocks to the right. Between that and ourselves, coming over this side
of Market street, we have the oldest and most densely-built part of
the city, relieved here and there--by the Occidental Hotel, Tucker's
tower, the Merchants' Exchange, Murphy, Grant & Co.'s building, and
half a dozen others. Now let the vision range away southwest, again
beginning at the hills and coming in. The bounding hills are Bernal
Heights, west of which Fairmount and the adjacent hills merge into the
peninsular range, and form a rude amphitheatre, within which nestles
the fast-growing southwestern precinct. Coming up toward the west, the
twin summits of the Mission peaks slant the vision up against the sky,
or plunge it into the fleecy billows of in-rolling ocean fog, which
seldom survives the warmer air of the inner basin long enough to roll
far down their western slope. Between them and us lies the Mission
Dolores, grouped around its century-old church. Northward of the
twin-peaks the hills rise in "promiscuous prominence." A little south
of west, that irregularly conical hill, surmounted by a gigantic
solitary cross, is the famous "Lone Mountain," about whose lower
slopes, and around whose base are grouped so many "cities of the
dead." Thence northerly, to the point whence our survey began, little
of note arrests the sight, more than the broad reach of lower hills
and sandy dunes, which patiently wait the coming occupation of the
westward-growing city.
Although the point beneath our feet is but three hundred feet high,
the panoramic view is wider and freer than from any other, even the
highest hilltop of the city.
RUSSIAN HILL.--About one mile west-southwest from Telegraph Hill, on
Vallejo street, between Taylor and Jones street, Russian Hill rises
nearly sixty feet higher, but offers little additional prospect. It
was formerly surmounted by a sort of cork-screw observatory, a
skeleton structure of open frame-work, surrounded by a spiral
stairway, whose summit afforded the loftiest lookout within the city
limits. West-northwest of this hill, and about three-quarters of a
mile from its summit, lies the small lagoon, near which the founders
of the early mission first located.
CLAY STREET HILL.--Nearly south of Russian Hill, and about three
furlongs from it, rises this hill, the highest within the city
limits. It is named from the street which runs just south of its
summit, or will do so when cut through. The hill is 376 feet high, and
is a little over a mile southwest of Telegraph Hill. The view from its
summit differs only in having moved the point of sight a mile
southwest, and raised it about 80 feet.
CALIFORNIA STREET HILL.--This, too, takes its name from that of the
neighboring street. It is hardly proper to call it a separate hill as
it is but two blocks south of Clay Street Hill, from which only a
slight hollow originally separated it.
RINCON HILL.--Three quarters of a mile southwest of the City Hall. Its
highest point reaches hardly a hundred feet above the bay level. The
whole hill originally offered such sightly locations for building that
it is covered on nearly all sides, and crowded upon its very height,
by some of the most comfortable and home-like residences in the entire
city. This fact makes it almost impossible to get an unobstructed
view, in all directions, from any part of it. It was a favorite, and
almost an aristocratic site for residences, until the heartless greed
for gain procured legal authority to excavate the famous "Second
Street Cut;" 75 feet deep, which needlessly ruined the beauty of the
hill.
LONE MOUNTAIN.--This singularly symmetrical hill stands two and
one-half miles west of the City Hall, at the head of Bush street. It
is 284-1/2 feet high. From its summit rises a solitary cross which,
especially near sunset, stands forth against the western sky with
peculiar, beautiful effect. The view hence is full of inspiration and
suggestion. None have caught more of these, or embodied them in finer
words than Bret Harte, in his favorite lines:
As I stand by the cross on the lone mountain crest,
Looking over the ultimate sea,
In the gloom of the mountain a ship lies at rest,
And one sails away from the lea;
One spreads its white wings on a far-reaching track,
With pennant and sheet flowing free,
One hides in the shadow with sails laid aback--
The ship that is waiting for me!
But lo, in the distance the clouds break away,
The Gate's glowing portal I see,
And I hear, from the out-going ship in the bay,
The song of the sailors in glee;
So I think of the luminous foot-prints that bore
The comfort o'er dark Galilee,
And wait for the signal to go to the shore;
To the ship that is waiting for me.
MISSION PEAKS.--The double peaks already mentioned in our panoramic
eye-sweep from Telegraph Hill, lying three miles southwest of it,
sometimes called the Twin Peaks. They are five hundred and ten feet
high, and stand four miles southwest of the City Hall. They are the
loftiest points in the county; either summit commands a view which
well repays the time and labor expended in gaining it.
BERNAL HEIGHTS.--This name designates a short range of hills nearly
five miles west-southwest of the City Hall. Starting near the bay,
they run transversely, that is, westerly, for about one mile across
the peninsula. Their highest point is two hundred and ninety-five feet
above the bay.