Bancroft's Tourist's Guide Yosemite Part 14

MERCHANT'S EXCHANGE.--This building, the commercial headquarters of the mercantile army of the Pacific, stands on the south side of California street, between Montgomery and Sansome. It ranks among the largest and finest architectural ornaments of the city.

BANK OF CALIFORNIA.--Northwest corner of California and Sansome. This elegant stone structure is not remarkable for size; but for broad and deep foundations, slow and strong construction, harmonious proportions, convenient arrangements and admirable finish within and without, it ranks among the finest and most costly business buildings in the Union. President, D. O. Mills. Cas.h.i.+er, William C. Ralston.

MERCANTILE LIBRARY BUILDING.--North side of Bush street, between Montgomery and Sansome. This is the building for which the great lottery paid. It presents a n.o.ble front, a finely finished interior, with library room containing over 30,000 volumes, reading room, magazine room, reference room, chess room, with a large ladies' room of remarkably costly and tasteful furnis.h.i.+ng. The hall in the bas.e.m.e.nt, has already been noticed. Ogden Hoffman, President; Alfred Stebbins, Librarian.

MECHANICS' INSt.i.tUTE BUILDING.--South side of Post street, just below Kearny. A well-proportioned, substantially built, sensible-looking building, and so far truthfully indicative of the healthful prosperity of the excellent organization which owns and occupies it. A library of nearly 20,000 volumes, including many rare and costly scientific works, a large and well-stocked reading room, a sort of museum, including mineralogical cabinets, mechanical models, scientific apparatus and works of art, with a popular business college, occupy this valuable building. The commodious hall upon the lower floor, has been previously described.

MECHANICS' PAVILION.--Union Square, between Geary and Post streets on the south and north, and Stockton and Powell streets on the east and west. One of the largest, if not the largest, wooden buildings now standing in America, covering two and one half acres of ground; originally erected by the Mechanics' Inst.i.tute a.s.sociation, for the accommodation of their biennial fairs, and found almost indispensably convenient for all grander gatherings; it has since been retained, and successively occupied by fairs, grand masquerade b.a.l.l.s, velocipede schools and skating rinks. The most notable event occurring under its mammoth roof was the Grand Musical Festival or Gift Concert, in aid of the Mercantile Library a.s.sociation, given under the lead of Madame Camilla Urso. After the approaching Mechanics' Fair, to be held this summer, the building is to be removed.

MASONIC TEMPLE.--Upon the west side of Montgomery, at the corner of Post; of peculiar and attractive architecture, imposing proportions and elegant finish, it justly ranks among the most prominent buildings of the city.

ODD FELLOWS' HALL.--Montgomery street, between Pine and California.

Not particularly imposing from without, but attractive from the unity, strength and benificence of the Order which it represents. Within are a library of nearly 20,000 standard and popular volumes, a well-supplied reading-room, and a well-managed savings' bank.

Y. M. C. A.--This quartette of initials has now become so well known throughout the larger cities of the Union, that the visitor in any large city is disappointed if he does not find the local habitation of this fast-spreading bond of unity among all good men. Here, upon Sutter street, just above Kearny, he will be agreeably disappointed to discover a large, new, stone-front building, unique in design, and most pleasing in its general effect. Within are library, reading-rooms, hall, gymnasium, and several convenient lodging-rooms.

Chas. Goodall, President; H. L. Chamberlain, Librarian.

Business Buildings and Blocks.

ALTA CALIFORNIA BUILDING--On the south side of California street, between Montgomery and Kearny. Its comparatively great height, as related to its width, give it a somewhat monumental appearance, not inappropriate, however, when we remember that the whole tasteful structure stands as the monument of the enterprise, energy, perseverance and success of the oldest and largest paper published in the State. Fred. MacCrellish & Co., proprietors.

BANCROFT'S--South side of Market street, between Third and Fourth. Few business buildings upon the continent combine the colossal proportions with the graceful details of this mammoth house of the oldest and largest publis.h.i.+ng firm upon the coast.

DONOHOE, KELLY & CO.'S BUILDING--Upon the southeast corner of Montgomery and Sacramento streets, deserves mention among the finest business buildings.

HARPENDING'S BLOCK--On the south side of Market street, between First and Second; the longest and loftiest business front presented by any single business block in the city.

MURPHY, GRANT & CO'S. BUILDING--Northeast corner of Bush and Sansome.

A large and handsome building, as strong as iron, stone and brick can make it.

TOBIN, DIXON & DAVISSON'S BUILDING--Northwest corner of Sansome and Sutter, can hardly be omitted from the inspection of our finest business houses.

TREADWELL'S AGRICULTURAL WAREHOUSE--South side of Market street, opposite Front. Not lofty, but broad; not imposing, but extensive.

TUCKER'S--Northwest corner of Montgomery and Sutter. Lofty, finely-proportioned, monumental, and substantial; surmounted by a clock-tower, which has become one of the landmarks of the city. The main salesroom within is beautifully frescoed and fitted throughout with extreme elegance and at great cost.

THE WHITE HOUSE--Corner of Kearny and Post streets. An elegant new iron and brick structure, light, airy and ornamental in its general effect. Receives its name from its color, which has. .h.i.therto been an uncommon one in this city, but is daily becoming less so. Occupied chiefly by the leading dry goods firm of J. W. Davidson & Co.

WELLS, FARGO & CO'S. BUILDING--Corner of California and Montgomery streets. Who does not know it? Solid granite blocks, dressed in China, brought hither in s.h.i.+ps, and piled in stern simplicity upon that central corner to outstand all earthquake shocks, and survive all business wrecks. A pioneer building which has already become far too small for its immense business, but ought never to be taken down until the whole city goes with it.

Manufactories.

KIMBALL CAR AND CARRIAGE FACTORY.--Corner of Bryant and Fourth streets. Eastern visitors call this the largest establishment of the kind in America. In immense extent, convenient arrangement, and comprehensiveness of scope, it can hardly be surpa.s.sed. Its latest triumph is the construction of a magnificent Palace Car, built wholly of California woods, undisguised by paint, carving, gilding, or varnish--the most complete and superb palace on wheels ever built.

Thirty-five different woods enter into its construction, displaying a variety of structure and a range of harmonious tints hardly imaginable by those who have seen only the poor imitations of feeble art. The car is a triumph of taste and skill, and is worth a half-day's time of any tourist simply to study and enjoy it. It has been proposed that the merchants of this city buy it, and present it to the President of the United States--to _the office_, not the _inc.u.mbent_--to be kept at Was.h.i.+ngton, and used as the official car for all Presidential tours.

A better idea could hardly be suggested. May the motion prevail!

THE PACIFIC ROLLING MILLS stand upon the point of the Potrero. They include all the ma.s.sive machinery of their ponderous business, and turn out heavy castings, forgings, and railroad iron by hundreds of tons daily.

THE MISSION WOOLEN MILLS--Folsom street, corner of Sixteenth. Here are made those wonderful blankets of such marvelous fineness and thickness, which have attracted so much attention, and received even the World's Fair premium abroad.

Foundries and Iron Works.

UNION IRON WORKS.--The oldest and largest in California, employing three hundred and thirty men, and turning out the heaviest and most perfect mining and railroad machinery, locomotives, etc. Located on the northeast corner of Mission and First streets. H. J. Booth & Co.

RISDON IRON AND LOCOMOTIVE WORKS, southeast corner of Howard and Beale streets. Has all the latest mechanical improvements of the business.

Can turn out a shaft forty-eight feet long, and weighing thirty tons.

It employs two hundred and seventy-five hands. John N. Risdon, president.

The Fulton, Miners', and Pacific Foundries, with the Etna and Vulcan Iron Works, are the other leading ones of the coast.

Shot Tower and Lead Works.

Corner of Howard and First streets. The pioneer and, thus far, the only works upon the coast. The tower is one of the most prominent and sightly objects visible in all the water approaches to the city.

Sugar Refineries.

The city has four: The San Francisco and Pacific, Bay, California, and Golden Gate, turning out twenty thousand tons of sugar annually.

s.h.i.+p Yards.

At North Beach and at the Potrero are the princ.i.p.al yards. They build mainly river steamers or ferry boats, or smaller ocean craft, rarely constructing anything above three hundred tons. For larger craft it is cheaper to go north, where immense forests of the finest s.h.i.+p-timber run clear down to the ocean beach, and stand asking to be built into s.h.i.+ps.

Gla.s.s Works.

Two: one in the city, on the south side of Townsend, between Third and Fourth; and the other, the Pacific Gla.s.s works, on the Potrero, at the corner of Iowa and Mariposa streets. These confine their works chiefly to bottles, telegraph caps, etc.

Churches.

BAPTIST.--This prominent denomination has six church buildings in the city. The First Baptist Church claims special s.p.a.ce from the fact that it was the first Protestant house of wors.h.i.+p dedicated in California.

This was in August, 1849. The present building of stuccoed brick, occupies the original site of the first small, wooden pioneer church--on the north side of Was.h.i.+ngton street, between Stockton and Dupont. Rev. A. R. Medbury, Pastor.

CONGREGATIONAL.--This denomination has the honor of having furnished the first settled Protestant chaplain in San Francisco, Rev. T. Dwight Hunt. He held the rare position of "Citizens' Chaplain," Nov. 1st, 1848, conducting Divine wors.h.i.+p every Sunday in the "Public Inst.i.tute," (the school-house) on Portsmouth Square--the Plaza. The citizens unitedly invited him from Honolulu, and paid him $2,500 a year. The denomination has four church buildings--named by their order of erection. The First Congregational Church is on the southwest corner of California and Dupont streets. The pastor is Rev. Dr. Stone, formerly of the Park street church, Boston.

EPISCOPAL.--This denomination has five church buildings, of which Grace Church, corner of California and Stockton streets, is the oldest and largest. The building is 135 feet long, 62 feet wide and 66 feet high. Its great size and sightly location make it one of the prominent buildings in any general view of the city. Rev. James S. Bush, Rector. The four other Episcopal church buildings are--Trinity, St.

John's, Church of the Advent, and St. Luke's.

HEBREW.--Synagogue of the Congregation Emanu-el, Sutter street, between Stockton and Powell. Of the five Jewish congregations, this has "The Synagogue" par excellence--the one always meant when one speaks of "The Jewish Synagogue." It is an elegant and costly structure, built of brick, not yet stuccoed, supporting two prominent towers, and finished within in most appropriate and artistic style.

Total cost, including lot, $185,000, gold coin.

METHODIST.--This popular, powerful and rapidly growing denomination has already erected eleven church buildings in San Francisco--more than any other Protestant Church, except the Presbyterians. Its newest and most elegant church is the First Methodist Episcopal Church, on the west side of Powell, between Was.h.i.+ngton and Jackson. This is one of the most elegant and really artistic churches; within and without, any where to be found. Rev. Dr. c.o.x, Pastor.