San Francisco, California, USA
1854 - San Francisco

San Francisco, the commercial metropolis of California, and the queen city of the "far West," is situated on the western shore of the magnificent bay from which it derives its name. It stands in a plain about half a mile wide, gently inclined towards the bay, with numerous hills behind it. The soil on which this city is built is very sandy ; and in the vicinity, more particularly toward the north, are a number of sandhills. It is regularly laid out, the streets crossing each other at right angles. The houses till recently were mostly frame, but since the destructive fires that have occurred several times, laying the greater part of the town in ruins, brick and iron are becoming more extensively used. The city now contains many well-built fire proof stores and banking houses. The better class of frame houses are painted white, with green blinds, presenting the appearance of the houses in New England...

Population. — The inhabitants of San Francisco have been variously estimated from 60,000 to 60,000; but there is so large a mass of floating population that it would be impossible, even by taking a census, to state the number with any exactness. The vote polled September 7, 1853, was 10,113, being an in crease of 2127 on that of November 2, 1852. In the Atlantic states, the votes polled do not generally exceed one-sixth or seventh of the entire population ; but in California, where a much greater number of the inhabitants are adult males, it may be estimated that the votes will generally amount to one-fifth or one-fourth of the whole population. And although at first sight this may seem a very small proportion, it will scarcely appear too small when we take into consideration the immense number of those who are newly arrived, and are thereby excluded from the right of suffrage, (the law requiring a residence of six months in the state,) and the other vast multitudes who, having come to California for the sole object of accumulating gold, are unwilling that any political considerations, in which they expect to have at best but a temporary interest, should divert them from the great object of their desires. That the above estimate is not very far from the truth, is shown by the fact that it nearly corresponds with other estimates founded on different data, and made, in fact, previous to the recent election. All the estimates which we have seen, give the present population of San Francisco at near 60,000, and some above that number — that is, about six times the entire number of votes...

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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