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TTffi  ■  ^t    A    '  1t.ii.M-  ttir 


.  Ulf  %•  HXf^  IMO 


(VOL.  III> 


■SAir  7BAKCISC0*S  TEOQUCXTaHFAKSS" 

Idward  A,  Morpfay 
Mbllfb*d  la  th»  San  Traaelteo  Chronlel* 
ttom 
jMn*i7»  1919  to  Jnl7.  1920 


(TOL.  Ill) 


RErCRCNCE    DEPARTMENT 
TAH    J- RAN' CI  SCO 
PUBLIC   LIBRARY 


REF  917.9461  M8295  1920 

V.3 

Morphv.  Edward  A. 

San  Francisco's 
thorouahf ares  / 
647*      192-^3 


(III  .107) 


rr  St. 

Si. 


niu  «i. 


Masi(»t  M. 


Hfcfi— ft"w  St, 


I'M 

91  -  •** 


lat  - 

:is 

13 

iW- 

au7 

•3.- 

5<a  «>  S50 


Vol.   I 

Bartary  Coast  

0»rarr«ll  St.  

ftuslaa  Hill  

Honard  St.  

Stodctom  St.  

MontgOBMty  St.  

Xaamy  St.  

Baeohiaa  Way       

nils  St.  

■Dapont  St.  and  ttrant  a4  -  235 

At.  


Telagraph  HUl 
Third  St. 
Vorth  Baaoh 

Taa  Hat*  At. 

California  St. 
Marlcot  St. 

ZSlul 
Povall  St. 
DlTiaadaro  St. 
Paelflc  St. 
Laidaadorff  St. 


1  - 

26 

26  - 

48 

49  - 

72 

72  - 

99 

100  - 

119 

120  - 

.  165 

165  -  195 

196  • 

.  207 

207  • 

-  213  A 

236-248 
849-293 
393  -  321  A 

322  -  335 
336-373 
372  -  439  A 

440-471 
471-487 
487-542 
543-550 


/" 


ai4 


<M9m  KcvijftaMM  ie 

•toVAi  I-  - ^^M»^- 

cnliMTB  and  %dmta:- 
•fYMi. 


iAAi  u^;  ^'i-^  t-i- 

af  til*  ^i»?.   ♦h<i^• 


214 


DOPONT  S!IBEET  AND  OHAHT  AVEHDE 

I  pray  you.  let  us  satisfy  oar  ey^a 
With  th«  BCBorlals  and  tha  things 

of  faat 
That  do  renown  this  olty. 

—"Twelfth  Nl^t." 

IXipont  street  was  named  after  a  hr&Te  and  per- 
fectly respectahle  Admiral  of  the  American  Na-vy, 
idxo  helped  to  pat  San  Prtmolsco  on  the  map  at  a 
time  idian  It  aaamad  to  require  some  assistance  In 
that  direction. 

It  Is  more  than  possible  that  Dapont  Clxvla, 
In  the  heart  of  the  most  aristocratic  rasldenea 
qoarter  of  tha  national  capital  was  named  after 
tha  same  distinguished  offloar«  or  some  mamher 
of  his  faailly  In  an  earlier  generation. 

This  Is  no  guide  to  history,  or  to  Washington, 
for  that  matter,  and  one  mentions  the  fact  In 
respect  of  Dapont  street— now  Grant  aTatna--merely 
heoause  some  knowledgaahle  persons,  whan  Dapont 
street  Is  mentioned,  are  prone  to  shrug  their  sh- 
oulders and  ejaculate,  "Oo— h:  or  words  to  that 
effect. 

CATHKERAl  LIFTS  TOWERIHa  SPIBB 
TOWARD  SEXES 

Historic  accuracy  compels  admission  of  the 
fact  that  from  the  pioneer  days  until  the  tine 
of  the  fire,  there  were  scarlet  patches  In  tha* 


MB 


^•oif0t,ttae;  fhm  mm  hU^  MMt  «f  Aslar 
iowiiiim  •!  0  iddLe 

tlM. 

nf^  tat   ♦'Le  tart  Btllt  tSrib^t 


^    _.    .  .^.l^'-.Mfi  ^^■5r,■s  tr*r.*  tn*.-^  n 

aft#cl  iMd 

jtNs  oroc  oi  Mr  bias 


« 


li^t  WUll  Ui^  yt)tf-ii.v,»<U^3^a:u 


215 


faaxms  thoroo^ifar**  The  same  high  sense  of  duty 
also  Justifies  the  assertion  that—like  the  cur- 
ate's egff—Dupont  street  was  always  good  In  parts. 

Old  St.  Mary's  Cathedral  still  stands  on  the 
corner  of  Dopont  and  California  streets,  ^diere 
Bishop  Alenany  of  holy  memory  first  lifted  Its 
toverlng  SDlre  toward  the  skies  In  the  early  fif- 
ties. 

The  good  Blehop~or  i^xoerer  else  was  respon- 
slhle  therefor,  doubtless  well  recoi^lsed  the 
perils  of  the  situation  when  he  hlasoned  the 
admonition  that  still  shines  In  letters  of  gold 
beneath  the  great  olook  on  Its  facade) 

SON,  CBSESCTE  TEE,   TIME  AND  ?LT  ITRCM  ETILv 

SCOL.   ZV.  23. 

Bat  the  sons  that  came  thither  on  erll  hent 
In  those  early  days  had  no  wings;  and  It  was  not 
certain  that  all  profited  hy  the  advice. 

No  Testlge  remains  of  those  green-shuttered 
tevptatlons  that  were  the  disgrace  of  a  remoter 
•ra,  but  the  text  still  shines  golden,  so  that 
all  \iiio   ran  may  read  It. 

When  lower  Dupont  street,  from  Sutter  street 
to  Market,  was  widened  in  the  early  eighties,  some 
differences  of  opinion  arose  as  to  whether  the  old 
aHM  should  stand  or  that  the  escpanded  highway 
■hoald  be  renaaed. 

for  reasons  that  need  not  be  labored  It  was 
finally  deeoMd  adrisable  to  rechrlsten  the  new  see- 
tlon.  In  the  Justifiable  hope  that  such  a  ceremony 
mi^t  lead  to  a  certain  measure  of  moral  reform 
there  and  thereabouts. 

POLITICIANS  KNOCK  AMBITION  ON  H2SAD 

Thus  It  Tsry  nearly  achieved  the  historic  app- 
ellation of  lleet  street— not  after  the  famous 
London  thorou^^are,  but  after  Fleet  F.  Strother, 
then  Auditor  of  the  city,  who  sou^t  immortality 
In  conjunction  with  the  original  Fleet  street,  his 
own  hl|^  personality,  and  the  regeneration  of  lower 
Dapont  street. 


316 


ant  jttft:  «MMkl  lbs  plmn  •» 

lAtar  v^wi  i-:^  x»^3  wip»4  Qwl  ^  %>>•  •!«.  'v.."- 

/«HM  of  Oopae*  ■'- 
MMS  AWnt  tlMl,  «i«li  tte  ' 

cteM%t  .itawll/,  tk«r  »»•  »iin«s 

otlwr  UbimtH»^-"'Mm  <if  Mm*  «f  w 

tefliB  mA  I¥q>Mrt  «tVMi»,  wA  it  wft 

$%f9%  Xtmi  ht  ««{%  into  pMtwmklp  wi 


«i4  0*C«M«r  v»t«  alM  «ik 
TMdU»»  %»uam^  tMixUy  na  c^ 


Lwat  BfDtabl*  MK  of  it 
1.  y«lt«i  aaollmrt  0«mx«1  MuTIm*  Arfr 


316 


9MM6    I  ■i-»w«'(^y.  aji,;  liJCa  oa    !i)!   n"  -    •"*0  t««» 

of  t)M  vorl/).  ^.  lA  lo««l  l»t«>^  ^«C« 

Mirfl    i«ttl»at  4(f  MOMd  tht  pl«0«  dnNlt   MfWRM. 

Lftior  «lMa  t:^  x^e*  «lp«d  ouft  aU  «>>•  ttU  KwKtt 

^•%#d  tb*  OHM  of  Oapoixt  ttnct 

oxMcei.  ^I«d  it  axnii  mfwu  «U  Ite  i%r 


.3«i  AlMMit  «lMi4,  vltli  a«  •xMTytiaai 
ox  I-  •?•*  •%.t«wfy't#  yfiMttoallj  BO 


IW  «atoilOIM4  MtlTltlM  of  «]M  olA  ttvtoi 
««r»  «iunrlod  im  •pofftdioallr  2^»  Cli^  to  ll»>^»t 
•teooii  Vat,  ii»tn»oll7,  tlwgr  i«ro  aUi^ttA  v; 
ot1-.«r  latettiloo— ao«o  of  tb«i  of  TO  :s»t7. 

5o*th  of  ClUj  itroot  not  o«oo  a  v— ,  -.         ft'^*'- 
{.>v9r<ri<v[t  and  T»«ifloneo  diotriftt. 

imA  VOUI,  lAoa  bo  flrot  ooM  IWfo  la  ]^80«, 
Htm  «« T>i.«f%4  Sa  Oftsmo.'vaK'o  toy  «ooA«  ot*»*  ^^  ^*«*>- 
ti^lOBMid  fl^poKl  otyooio.  ond  it  «a«  07 
■tvoot  tlk»t  ho  vovl  Into  pMrtaorAiy  vltl^  J.  v. 
OoTidooB  ^foro  thojr  ■jptwod  tho  •♦" "»  ^*  ^^  SaawB* 
OtttO  otioot. 


VCVABUI  MB  lOB  9W" 


9  nr 


o«d  O*eoa»ov  voTO  aXoo  «k 

Kol«llov»  Soollior  mi  Co.* v....  ..^^ — ^ 

f"PRyto  n?tt  "»9y>  m  Cl«jr  otroot  ioot  MLov 

iJBtry;    Bfisaai?  ••'''*   tB^IOTtOT*    IWtfcO^  Of 

Monio  iMMlIo,  «  -naar  oad  plo7«rS^bl«  ^te 

aov  fooidoo  U  low  iow,  ond  of  Loolo  t.  IommIo, 
tho  tool  ootaio  MM^  iMd  hio  oyl«ia«l  fism  m  tbo 
e^ntinsool  ooffwr  «f  ftqpiiit  Md  WoifcUgtoa  otMott. 
leoTM  ^  Mm  mw  mm  Mmhv  noooeat'o 

..^aX  Vootu^^s.o    >o»*dl»«  bo«J»-    •■*'"-o  dnr  of 
laoot  aotaklo  «0B  of  tht  plow  >  U&  thoir 

fowrtoM.  OoTMtaoy   oftotwojido  ^lilodl  J^loUo  ••■•tor- 
lovKm  Bootk  «M  OM  of  kor  Voodorct  8ii»*ftf  ^aim 
B.  roltoB  Mothort  OommI  loi(l«««  'Mso  0. 


3U 


InlBical  politicians  knocked  thle  nol)l«  ambit- 
ion on  the  h«ad.  General  Grant  had  then  recently 
passed  throng  San  Francisco  on  his  historic  tour 
of  the  world.  So,  to  arold  local  heart-burnings 
and  Jealousies,  they  named  the  place  Grant  avenue. 
Later  ^en  the  fire  wiped  out  all  the  old  hannts 
of  Shane,  and  a  new  city  was  "bttllt  the  civic  auth- 
orities ohliterated  the  name  of  Itapont  street 
altogether,  and  called  it  Grant  avenue  all  the  wa/ 
from  Market  street  to  North  Beach. 

Thus  it  comes  about  that,  with  the  exception 
of  the  reconstructed  St. Mary's,  practically  no 
vestige  of  the  old  Dupont  street  now  remains. 

The  unhallowed  activities  of  the  old  street 
were  carried  on  sporsidically  from  Clay  to  Market 
street;  but,  naturally,  they  were  mingled  with 
other  industries — some  of  them  of  very  happy  memory. 

Horth  of  Clay  street  was  once  a  very  fashionable 
shopnlog  and  residence  district* 

Baphael  Weill,  lAen  he  first  came  here  In  1854, 
was  employed  in  Cannavan's  dry  goods  store  at  Wash- 
ington and  Dupont  streets,  and  it  was  on  IXxpont 

street  that  he  went  Into  partnership  with  J.  W.  

Davidson  before  they  opened  the  store  at  609  Saore*- 
•ato  street. 

HOTABLI  MEN  HATE  qUAHTEHS  IN  LOCALITY 

K«aae  and  O'Connor  were  also  on  IXxpont  street; 
▼erdler,  Kalndler,  Sealller  and  Co. -the  original 
City  of  Paris  fim—were  on  Clay  street  Just  below 
Dvpont. 

David  Samuels,  the  lace  importer,  father  of 
Morris  Samels,  the  attorney  and  playwright,  ^o 
now  resides  in  New  York,  and  of  Louis  T.  Samuels, 
the  real  estate  man,  had  his  original  firm  on  the 
southwest  comer  of  Dapont  and  Washington  streets. 

Catacomer  across  the  way  was  Mamay  Pleasant  •• 
original  bachelors'  boarding  house,  where  many  of 
our  most  notable  men  of  the  pioneer  days  had  their 
qoarters.  Govsmor—aftsrwards  United  States  Senator- 
levton  Booth  was  one  of  her  boarders:  Senator  John 
B.  Telton  another;  General  Naglee,  Judge  0.  C.  Pratt, 


nr 


TOSS  ^•iT.    HT*C   IS!;.A!>'   SHttOtT.^?  T?rtCflTtR   "'i •  POCJBH*  ilf y 


I  i  .^A  .«>.   r  *  *  V 


%k«  fMMi  vtn  m  UilJi  Una  «v 
ajii  itawl  •ffdd  htay  «-»->  ihisn  . 
la  ite  «txi*  iAi*><*f9  it  n«4i 

BMwncr  anAxno}  as  oa«z«  o? 

BCMramBILIlT 


In  later  4«y«»  teiUMtftf  oywiaa  tiM  Urn- 

^^  :«•»»•%•,  but  it  vkfl  n»i  (RMdii  r 

■^  •«  WMi  the  i*.yy"(«-^.*. 


•ert*  ^i^.  ■  .- .    '-^  — ''■■•  '■"•  '•••*«-• 

Wktl«»  that  o>p— *wl  -.  ..Mta  iriUi  piMfeMUai  yi«f* 


217 


Ton  Bell,  and  many  another  famoas  personality 
enjoyed  old  Mavny  Pleasant 's  hospitality  and 
wonderful  Southern  cooking  long  years  "before 
she  becaaie  identified  with  the  esuse  celeljre 
vhieh  made  her  a  factor  in  California  history. 

A  block  south,  on  the  southwest  comer  of 
Dapont  and  Clay  streets,  was  the  original 
St.Trancis  Hotel — the  first  "fashionable"  hotel 
in  the  city. 

Architecturally  and  otherwise,  this  estab- 
lishment differed  materially  from  its  ntMneseVe 
of  today*  but  it  was  the  abode  or  rendesvous  of 
all  the  elite  of  the  city  from  1850  to  1853, 
«hen  it  was  partially  destroyed  by  fire. 

It  was  a  primiti-ve  sort  of  resort,  Judged 
by  modem  standards,  and  the  partitions  between 
the  rooms  were  so  thin  that  eyexybody  in  one 
apartment  could  hear  ererything  that  was  said 
in  the  next.  14herefore,  it  is  needless  to  explain, 
the  piece  simply  reeked  with  scandal. 

BRIWKRT  5S0ARDED  AS  OASIS  OT 
HESPSCTABILITT 

In  later  days,  Oailhard  opened  the  Commercial 
Hotel,  on  the  southesist  comer  of  Commercial  and 
IXq>ont  streets,  but  it  was  not  such  a  place  in 
its  day  as  was  the  St.?raneis. 

Taken  "by  and  large,"  as  the  sailors  used  to 
say,  old  Dapont  street  from  Clay  to  Sutter  did 
not  present  any  features,  nor  contain  any  chroni- 
cles, quite  suitable  for  general  reading-barring 
of  coarse  the  sainted  fane  of  old  St.Mary'e.  In 
fact  the  Swiss  Brewery  on  the  east  side  of  the 
way,  between  Bush  and  Pine  streets,  may  be  regard- 
ed as  harlng  an  oasis  of  respectability. 

The  brewery  was  in  the  rear  premises,  abutting 
on  the  alley,  lAereas  the  front  was  a  beer  hall  of 
sorts  wherein  the  products  of  the  industry  behind 
were  retailed  to  all  and  sundry,  in  gray  stone 
bottles  that  opened  with  a  loud  and  pleasant  pop. 


318 


•bi^PT<  •.to^  rraisMidklLMUM  «f  tlM  •HflMRMft 
t«  «i  4i<tln«  ho«%«lfr— «p«plQr*A  HA  mU9T  othMr 

m               '^mAiMf,  >•«•  •f  *''Ws«^2AUi^i«*i'' 

■J,..  'to'lt- .^Uaj  with  ito* -MTsiS:^.-' 

-tlnrtvt  ttorMv 


srr-rr  or  xi:*2.tq»  MWTf  {«• 


tOjeft  to  &nkf^ 

di»d  la  laoMtku:^  -.      .  -. 

Ita* 

%)M  «iM  «hM  it 

Of  MMMlM   IMU  «M^ 


f. 


.vit  ITS  >r4>wi. 


A  patent  reed  organ  emitted  free  and  perpet- 
ual mas let  and  the  management— a till  farther  to 
enhance  the  vraleeemhlance  of  the  establishment 
to  an  Alpine  hostelry — employed  no  waiter  other 
than  Tyrolean  yodel  ers. 

These  gifted  Oanymedes  lilted  In  falsetto 
keys  the  plaintive  airs  of  their  natly*  land, 
and  their  haantlng  choruses  of  "tra-lala^lee:" 
and  "tra^lalla-loo:"  mingling  with  the  popping 
of  corks  and  the  splutter  of  surcharged  hottles. 
Bade  wondrous  melodies  on  nl^ts  moonlit  and 
otherwise. 

Below,  on  the  northwest  comer  of  Bush  and 
Dapont  streets,  waS  the  old  Baltiaore  House,  tdiere- 
according  to  the  hyperholloal  slaag  of  the  period- 
they  "serred  a  corpse  for  hreakfast  every  morning. 

SHBIia:  OF  MILLIOH  EAPFT  MIMOBISS 
RECALLED 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Baltimore  House  wa* 
the  resort  of  all  sorts  of  poor  devils,  who  were 
•laves  to  drags,  and  \ib.o   therefore  frequently 
died  In  unnatural  ways,  and  had  to  have  Inquests. 
Some,  to  he  sure,  committed  suicide,  and  some 
killed  each  other.  Anyhow,  It  was  for  many  years 
the  happy  hontli^g  ground  of  a  long  and  Illustrious 
line  of  Coroners.  Now  It  "belongs  to  the  llmho  of 
forgotten  things. 

Diagonally  across  the  street  was  that  shrine 
of  a  million  hapny  memories— the  old  Poodle  Dog 
restaurant. 

Oh,  glad  days  were  they,  and  gladder  nl^ts, 
when  the  old  Poodle  Dog  was  new. 

That  was  idiere  Bohemia  gathered  and  qaaffed 
the  wine  lAien  It  was  red  and  and  kissed  the  lips 
of  comrades  fair  and  \dio  deigned  to  touch  the 
glasses. 

Poets,  painters,  joTimallsts,  physicians, 
politicians  and  luminaries  of  the  law,  all  afore- 
tlJM  gathered  there  ^ad  bandied  wit  and  pleasant- 
ries in  a  Bohssda  soeh  as  these  modem  worshipers 
of  terplschore  and  Henri  Morger,  down  In  Little 
Italy,  may  never  hope  to  see  or  understand. 


819 
tbMi>  1U«A  «lth  Ito  rraMibMos 


I  ft.  *Hu..^»*.>>^rr^>  ««r4. 


TJ?  :^^ 


.?     .P   ■» 


r  -r  >/•-.*■. 


■Ml  asA  4»fl«s  of  ite  dyr 


tot*  «nM«, 


HM 
flun  t*«*«  ^rp*  B.*ti5«(  ?aA  *b»«^«f  «*«««•»•  «ML 


219 


The  Poodle  Dog  was  no  toy  Bohemia.  It  was  the 
gexxolne  goods  of  the  first  olaa8«  and  the  patrons 
did  not  have  to  label  thenselTSS,  nor  to  nlshehave, 
in  the  hellef  that  "by  so  doing  they  were  proving 
themselres  filled  with  the  Promethean  fire.  It  Mas 
also  the  haont  of  the  jexaiesee  doree  of  aperiod 
i^ien  there  was  a  gilded  youth  lAerein  the  li^t 
heart  was  ever  uppermost,  and  the  "bon  vlvants  of 
the  day— appreciating  alike  the  cnisine,  the  ataos- 
■ohere  and  the  pretty  ladies  *dio  found  their  way 
thither,  lent  a  tone  and  distinction  alike  to  the 
salon  and  the  carte  da  Jotur  such  as  would  now  he 
inconceivable. 

One  can  picture  it  in  dreams  across  a  shadoiQr 
spirit  cloud'  of  frogs'  legs,  ooelette  souffles  and 
escargots  bordelaise,  with  scalloped  edges  of 
pOTipanon  au  gratin  and  pate  de  foies  gras  au  troffes 
do  Perigttsaux.  General  Barnes,  embodiment  of  the 
very  haute  noblesse,  Dan  O'Connell,  huhhling  with 
poetry,  hon  mots  and  eahonpolnt:  Petey  Bigelow,  the 
a^theosis  of  irresponslhle  deli^tfolness:  Robert 
Duncan  Milne  at  the  table  of  some  friend,  yearning 
for  more  potent  lihations  than  the  oustoaary  red 
vine,  and  hewailing  'Aat  he  termed  "the  oonteapt- 
ihle  Tjatujity  of  pence";  George  Barnes,  courtliest 
■en  and  dosen  of  the  dramatic  critics;  Joe  Ward, 
Dave  Wlllianeon,  Jeremiah  Lynch,  the  Egyptian  Manny 
oolleotor  and  Boheialan,  Bryan  Clinch,  the  gifted 
and  pious  Irish  architect,  ^o  bo  frilly  a-roreciated 
the  viands  while  derjlorin^  tha  frivolity  of  the 
surroundlngsj  Arpad  Hansthy,  like  John  the  Baptist 
in  the  wilderness,  preaching  the  then  unappreciated 
gospel  of  Calif oml»-Bade  dhsnipagne;  Armadee  Joullln, 
Dr.  Jeroae  Bnghes,  pupil  of  the  great  Jerome- 
artist,  Coroner  and  physician— Joe  Sheldon,  Harry 
Bissell,  Walter  Kaoltaann,  Basil  Ricketts  and  scores 
of  other  li^thearted  hoys  about  town. 

VISIT  HESDl/PS  IK  LiaHT  HEABT  AHD 
HEAVT  STCMAOB 

Then  there  were  actors  and  theater  managers  and 
tourists  from  the  conventional  East,  and  the  purple 


Sm%  uA  «11  tbt  MmtrlM  n«votn  th»  mm.  T1* 
''P94I*  SOi  «M  ft  plAM  t«  CO  aad  «  pUM  U  tm 

atxd  a  jTftOT  t«  rw^tr-  ^ ft-  it  «m  rr  <»-r^«->r 

■PmUmU.  Qm  l*t%  its  klB«l/  poffial*  v^ 
kMvr  ttOttMh,  tet  ft  114^  bftsyt,  MiA  ft  vIjm 
fUlM  Willi  llii«»Tla«  ■■■w^-  '  '  ■^  '»lM»»r'  ''^'-•^•^ 
MiA  wyry  ^iM«t  Xlpt  ikftt  «4  cad 

that  «Bll«4  ^Ift^MsUr  •«M&  w»U.  /«»,  i*s.Uv«r 

ftlM  MJ  W  MBf^MA  1»  OM**  ftinA  ««9MM>r^*«' 

tlM  iii«ffaUt  IvMt  of  tte  PooCU  Dtff  az^ 

«tklt  ttm  mm  '1^%*'. 

UUm« 

■JZiSl    si. 


dftSC. 


t«  slM#ftv  ttftt  frvri...^ 

ifMt  «  «}M  IdlltUft  «t 
MM  •%"  «fa«i  UMgr  M«kM> 

Om  Miniac  tlw  iMMST.  m  «>  ^ 

iM««  «li»«  hftd  UlMli  M  ft  C«AA« 

%tm  f  '  %b»  Mi' A  J  tmtimwt  «M%  ou-  -^  '-^  ^zsitisf^ 

of  iU 


220 


East  and  all  the  eoontrl^s  across  th«  ssas.  The 
Poodle  Dog  vas  a  place  to  go  and  a  place  to  see 
#Ti^  a  place  to  renember— hecause  It  was  no  empty 
spectacle.  One  left  its  kindly  portals  with  a 
hea-vy  stoiBadh«  trxt   a  light  heart,  and  a  mind 
filled  with  lingering  memories  of  pleasant  wines 
and  aerry  roioes:  lips  that  were  red  and  eyes 
that  smiled  pleasantly  and  well.  For,  nhaterer 
else  may  he  confased  in  one's  mind  concemias 
the  ineffahle  lures  of  the  Poodle  Dog  and  its 
people  in  those  dear,  departed  days,  one  fact  \#ill 
stand  <m\  forerer,  rosseate  and  immortal,  ineradi- 
osible  froa  MiMry's  hrii^test  pages—those  were 
ladies. 

One  of  the  most  heautifal  and  pious  traditions 
entertained  "by  the  topers  of  other  days  waS  that 
concerning  the  three  trees  outside  the  Swiss  Breir* 
exy  on  Donont  street.  Between  Bush  and  Pine. 

Firstly,  they  formed  the  guide  and  landmark 
wherehy  the  locality  of  the  oasis  could  hest  "be 
described  to  the  stranger;  hut  secondly — and 
principally —  they  stood  without  the  Brewery 
portals  as  friendly  and  helpful  monitors  to  the 
rereler  awakening  amid  the  gray  corpuscles  of  the 
dawn,  mercifully  informing  him  as  to  his  here- 
about s. 

Thus  it  becaae  an  article  of  belief  aaont  those 
casual  patrons  of  the  establishment  ^o  customarily 
remained  with  their  potations  until  they  succumbed, 
to  alua^r  that  Providence  had  placed  those  three 
trees  on  the  hillside  "to  let  them  know  ^Aere  they 
were  at"  \riien  they  awoke. 

One  morning  the  Brewery,  as  well  as  the  three 
trees  that  had  blooned  as  a  guide  and  a  lantern  to 
the  feet  of  the  merry-maker,  went  out  on  the  wings 
of  the  fire. 


AS  HtfBMVf 


V.T. 


MMV  til   tiM  ox:::!-!'  a»X}.s-7^i  *^-:. 

Md  pffuwMi  «one«atiB«Bk  tf)  tiM  s*^^ 
yiaMU  M  did  B«ns'  orlidnol  Sawtatt  • 

IAmi  Mhttt  ««r«i  ^M^f,   *.hiR7  ^mJt*  ^imm  ^r 

t«  tbt  Mnntr  <  '«»  *bt 

•f  BnpOOl  HMvba  vi^i'  < 

»M«M»  Mr'-     - '  *  tart •  thir  <  "^  **rt« 

Ml  lMy*M»  b ;.  »*4  %Qr  r  attA^ 

•«■  OMMMt    MNH^  VMrifUl   fdlAO*    . 

lifiMMi  Wft  ttM  te«At!boM  of  «h* 

to  T«o<Mn»  •»  to  tmtB  A»«**  To  %hi 
•OVMO,  x»oUaM  of  Um  o«U)»^U^ 

M«o  iac- '  -xo  im  MM  roaftlR*  ^f  4fe«lr 

%o  Ibo  Vmrvi'Mal  «b»  had  tosr 

^ogro  of  OovMi*  olMoi  r  ,  lu;^  us^.  <^  ^ 

«n  «lM  wfU«  tte  rooli .^poo  oai  <r  \  tp. 

%kt  TMklob  ^«k  wM  llM  owMUot  thiac 
ttio  oUii«r«* 

nnpsunankL  nmMm  noroiD 


Ovwmi  olvoei  mm  tAdMoA  iafto 
tho  cordon  t  of  Uio  te«b  «oo  iwi3  '>t 

tkOlMl^M-,     ...   tbO  imidilV  MOJdMd,  1 

■tioiHOU  on  tho  ottioldo  U    dnfOfOMO  to  ooao 

«Bt430l  Wllof  tlMlt  tkO  fOltCO  iMCfO  tetlMMUM  tlwt  ^« 

_i> <..«../  ^*' "%  ^HT    and  oo  jtl^'^*^*''   ''"  #v>iV  ^  %Ti^ 
of  tkO  -pOOt. 


281 


LATTICE  BRIHOS  VISIONS  OF  DAISIES 
AHD  BUTTERCUF3 

Tastes  differ;  and,  in  the  conception  of  idiat 
constitutes  real  pleasure,  they  Tary  so  tremend- 
ously that  comparisons  are  more  Imposslhle  than 
odious.  Nevertheless  It  seems  safe  to  opine  that, 
fWB  an  average  point  of  view,  there  was  nothing 
among  all  the  other  delights  and  allurements  of 
old  Dapont  street  that  proffered  such  lasting 
and  profound  contentment  to  the  seeker  after  hap- 
piness as  did  Bums'  original  Haamam  "baths. 

When  these  were  new,  they  were  down  next  door 
to  the  comer  of  Market  street  on  the  west  side 
of  Dunont  street,  with  a  nice  little  garden  In 
front  that  "brou^t  to  the  Jaded  mind  of  the  worn- 
out  reveler  sweet  visions  of  "buttercups  and  daisies. 

Doctors  sent  patients  there,  weary  students 
and  lawyers,  hralnrfagged  hy  pondering  over  stubh- 
om  cases,  sou^t  restfiil  solace  In  Its  steaalad«n 
Nirvana;  "but  the  "backbone  of  the  clientele  were  the 
■regular  roundere''~the  old  sports  and  the  young 
would-"be  houlevardlers,  "knights  of  the  gr»en  cjoth," 
athletes,  jockeys  and  prise-fighters— nAo  cnme  there 
to  recoup  or  to  train  down.  To  these  latter,  of 
course,  the  attractions  of  the  estah),is!aBent  wer« 
mere  Incidentals  in  the  routine  of  their  lives.  Bat 
to  the  hon-vlvant  ^dio  had  tarried  too  long  amid  the 
joys  of  Dapont  street  generally,  and  was  wwuri«d  of 
all  the  world,  the  restfol  shaapoo  and  qaiet  eot  in 
the  Turkish  hath  was  the  sweetest  thing  on  earth  in 
the  old  dajf. 

nrflPiBArioRAX  bsveraoss  phspahbd 

VCfR  PATROVS 

When  Dapont  street  wfts  widened  into  Orant  avenue, 
the  garden  in  front  of  the  "bath  was  swallowed  hy  the 
thoroo^ifare,  "but  the  "bulldlag  remained,  colored 
■traagely  on  the  outside  in  deference  to  some  rth- 
antom  "belief  that  the  Tuxtai  have  hathhouses  that  are 
painted  tVat  way,  and  as  alluring  as  ever  to  the 
raatoqusres  of  the  past. 


HSR 


Sfcxt  4#MPt  "^  ^^  !."J1'IW'V  ^  li*jiW%  >lM#%t 


««M  mm  ««M  t 

nktf«l9  ifRVvli^  |iiMi<ii»»  «bi%lMV^  Miqr  A  tSM 
«r  UM  teth  patrwi  h&d  ^  aMd  his  wWh 

to  .*ft^'    ' "■     ' ';tb«l  *-"  ■"-•'-^y  Ite 

^fr%a  %k*  MM  &•  «Mn«  ttf  B«i 

Tariff*  cf  ri  furz  ooeMstlt  tlMfWse  *»A  %h««  <M(Vt 
4  bos  MAMiMqr  'oo-  ''  » 

%K|  :  >afliMd  M  a  v«l«  W 

V 

jnu/*'*-'  *  *  jaa  wusmb  caop-ffisi 

A»or  thfti  1«4  *0v«^  %h»  Bao/*,  aad  «.  >rt«iilT 

f«r  •  T«»y  tp#«f"  1*1  y 


222 


Next  door,  on  the  oomer  of  Market  street, 

Caley  and  Rodar's  saloon  (fomerly  John 
Orlffln*s},  a  popular  hostelry,  >dienee  gin 
flBies  and  other  soothing  and  inspirational 
heTsrages  were  sent  in  to  the  thirstier  pat- 
rons of  the  Boms  baths.  On  the  other  side  was 
"Ifaole  Harris"  pawnshop,  lAither—  many  a  time 
and  oft— the  hath  patron  had  to  send  his  watch 
to  pledge  for  the  idxerevithal  to  defray  the 
cost  of  refreshments  or  other  expenses  incurred 
"before  the  dread  process  of  "soaking  out"  had 
properly  begun. 

"Uncle  Harris"  tms  the  nom  de  guerre  of  Ben 
Lichtenstein«  w  ho  also  condacted  a  Jewslxy  bus- 
iness in  the  same  establishment. 

Occasionally  a  sportive  patron  of  the  baths 
would  send  down  his  entire  clothing  outfit  to 
Thiele  Harris,  beseeching  him  to  advance  the 
price  of  a  fev  cocktails  thereon  and  thus  save 
the  life  of  a  suffering  customer.  It  is  possible 
that  on  occasion  the  fidticiaxy  uncle  obliged  a 
steady  patron  in  response  to  a  wail  of  this  kind; 
but  his  transactions  were  confined  as  a  rule  to 
the  Jewelry  end  of  the  business. 

Before  the  Caley  and  Roder's  era,  it  should 
be  explained,  Mme.  Blanche  Oulif 's  millinery  es- 
tablishment—one of  the  most  fashionable  of  its 
day— was  on  that  comer.  Her  sons  still  reside 
here,  and  her  granddati^ter  is  one  of  the  most 
attractive  and  dlstingoished  members  of  the 
Players*  Club. 

PRA0TICAL  JOKS  PLATBD  OHUP-STATI 
TISITQRS 

The  next  establishment  was  Trend's  Corset 
House,  ^Aiich  ran  through  to  Market  street,  as  the 
Saviiigs  Union  Bank  building  on  the  saas  site  does 
today.  Beside  the  entrance  to  7rerad*B  was  the 
door  that  led  "Over  the  Hoof",  and  gave  opportunity 
for  a  very  precious  "spoof"  that  was  played  on  many 
an  inquisitive  sportsman  fron  up-state  or  elscwber* 
beyond  the  pale,  in  the  days  of  long  ago. 


;.^. :  jlrvim^  ImiMIMI  MBA  pMWlVl*  te". 

of  «k- 

f ■  -'--HI  tc    •   '"*-'  ' 


■J  .»r  «L . 


.nrJ 


,1  ......^ 


:^i>i.  snxj  "iTaasMR* 


■r«r  3«A*t  i«)B»»  a0 
hi*  idMM  aM  9<iaklaf 


• 


u.  


333 


Tlx«  spoof  consisted  in  allowlne  the  rlctlm  to 
OTsthear  a  coopls  of  his  plotting  friends  arguing 
as  to  the  propriety  of  letting  him  visit  a  pecul- 
iarly wicked  and  secret  establishment,  to  which 
proposal  the  closer  friend  kept  raising  grave  oh- 
Jections  because  of  the  danger  of  the  trip  and 
the  obvious  innocence  and  possible  talkativeness 
of  the  victim. 

The  victim,  aroused  to  a  frantic  pitch  of 
curiosity,  thereafter  devoted  all  his  energies  to 
getting  an  invitation  for  the  projected  ezp^dit- 
lon,  and  ¥&s  for  long  and  by  all  dissuaded  beeanse 
of  the  grave  risk  of  apprehension  and  the  hl^ 
expense.  Eventually  and  invariably— after  having 
set  up  many  roonls  of  drinks,  and  otherwise  done 
all  in  reason  to  prove  himself  an  absolutely  re- 
liable and  "no  end  of  a  regular  fellow"— -he  was 
permitted  to  Join  the  party,  which  immediately 
repaired  to  the  door  in  the  shadow  beside  Freud's. 

There,  having  been  made  to  take  off  his  boots 
to  avoid  making  a  noise,  he  was  led  up  many  flints 
of  dark  stairs  and  out  on  the  roof,  over  which  he 
stalked — mostly  on  his  hands  and  knees,  or  lying 
flat  on  his  face  to  avoid  observation—for  any 
period  up  to  half  an  hour  ^Aen  the  party  reached 
another  door  in  the  roof  which  the  leader  knocked 
on  three  tines.  The  signal  given,  the  door  was 
opened,  and  revealed  another  fll^.t  of  stadrs  with 
another  closed  door  below— a  bright  showing  throu^ 
the  grlagr  transon. 

BU8BSS  VICTIM  ODT  OS  BROOK 


•Tor  Ood's  sak»»  not  a  sormds"  wQfuld  lAleper 
the  mentor,  Down  they  crept;  the  newcomer  hogglag 
hit  shoes  and  guaklBg  at  every  cre^k  of  the  stair- 
case. 

A  couple  of  moments  later,  the  door  behind  the« 
would  open  again,  and  the  lookout  man  would  gasp 
down  in  an  agonised  \Ai8per: 

■Rush  it  boys!  knock  in  the  door  belowt  Here 
come  the  eopsi" 

In  an  instant  the  leader  and  victim  h^d  T>ounced 
throu^  the  darlmess  to  the  door  below.  It  burst 


SM 


•3 

> 

. .  ffiftja  ite  kti; 

»« 

HI  M  'J. 

fft 


^ ...a 


224 


open  at  their  Impact,  and  xtp  rose  a  ghastly  peal 
of  laughter. 

The  door  opened  on  Brook  street—the  little 
alley  that  ran  through  from  Market  to  &eary  str- 
eet,  about  midway  "between  Kearny  and  Dapont—and 
there,  next  to  I^one'  "champion  shoe  hlack"  stand, 
were  all  the  pals  and  acquaintances  of  the  unhappy 
Tletlms'  friends,  lustily  cheering  the  latest  of 
the  shoeless  ones  lAu)  had  heen  Inducted  over  the 
roof. 

It  WaS  not  uncommon  to  Insist  ttpon  the  victim 
depositing  a  hundred  or  even  five  hundred  dollars, 
"hall  money",  in  case  of  arrest,  with  some  respon- 
slhle  mutual  friend  before  allowing  him  to  start 
on  this  mysterious  hut  perfectly  Innocuous  expedi- 
tion. A  list  of  a  few  of  the  leading  names  of 
eminent  statesmen  and  others  idio  eagerly  put  up 
such  hail  money  would  set  eyes  argoggle  even  today. 

PROPEHTT  SOLD  AT  REASONABLE  PI50HB 

That  roof  trip  w*is  all  over  the  Blythe  prop- 
erty in  the  earlier  days.  Tom  Blythe  owned  pra- 
ctically the  whole  block  from  I>ipont  to  Kearny 
street,  and  from  Market  to  Oeaiy,  at  one  period. 

Blythe  was  very  fond  of  sitting  In  the  Saloon 
and  grocery  owned  by  a  Oeroan,  named  Buck,  ^^lo 
was  his  tenant  on  the  southeast  comer  of  I>xpont 
and  Geary  streets.  One  Jovial  evening.  Buck  br- 
ou^t  up  the  subject  of  his  yearning  desire  for  a 
home — to  make  this  beautiful  grocer;^ saloon  his 
hot!  for  aye  and  ever.  Blythe  was  touched  in  every 
sense  of  the  word,  and  allowed  Buck  to  have  the 
property  at  a  reasonable  figure.  And  in  doe  time 
Buck  3>assed  It  on  to  Verier  and  the  City  of  Paris. 

A  similar  Incident  happened  in  the  case  of 
the  property  on  the  point  of  the  gore  that  after- 
ward became  the  Richelieu  saloon.  Adam  and  Klbbee, 
of  the  Old  0  omer  at  Montgomezy  and  Coimnerelal 
streets,  and  the  then  Hew  Comer  of  Market  and 
Montgomery  streets,  were  good  friends  of  Tom  Blythe. 
Thay  were  cheery  conpaay,  talked  well  and  kept 
good  liquor.  So,  ^Aen  they  opened  the  Newest  comer, 
To«  Blythe  again  did  business  out  of  business  hours 


Mn  WMW^W  * 


ft 


..^»-  d«  u^ii.. 


.-•• 


3»t  wf" 


■•«»• 


225 


and  parted  vrlth  that  l)it  of  the  "block  as  he  had 
parted  with  the  City  of  Parle  site. 

Aoross  the  way  fr<»  Book**,  at  the  northeast 
comer  of  Geary  and  Dapont  streets,  was  a  hoase 
of  rare  epicurean  memory — the  Naieon  Riehe — one 
of  the  most  exclusire,  most  expenei-re  and  most 
li^t-hearted  restanrants  of  the  town,  dnring 
the  late  decades  of  the  last  century. 

Unlike  the  Poodle  Dog,  "before  mentioned  in 
these  articles,  the  Maieon  Ridie  did  not  cater  so 
nooh  to  the  general  publlc—eren  the  elite  section 
of  it—as  to  prlTate  parties,  and  especially  par- 
ties a  denz. 

The  cuisine  was  unsurpaesable.  So  were  the 
wines.  A  nan  with  money  enoo^  and  a  c<mr«de  to 
his  liking,  could  -orohably  have  a  "better  time  of 
it  In  the  Maison  Rlche  than  anywhere  else  in  the 
world,  so  far  ae  eating  and  drinking  and  pleasant 
unohtrusive  serrlce  were  concerned.  He  might  go 
to  sleep  on  the  -oiano  or  "bathe  in  the  "best  chan- 
pagne,  and  erery  effort  would  he  made  to  make  him 
feel  quite  at  hone  while  so  doing. 

But  he  could  not  go  outside  his  own  door  and 
call  in  some  of  the  other  guests  to  Join  him  in 
his  "bath,  unless  he  first  duly  sent  in  his  card. 
It  was  no  place  for  comaonity  singing,  except  lAien 
a  special  little  party  made  a  special  little  cobb- 
unity  "eing"  of  its  own.  Ko"bocly  that  patronised 
the  old  Rlche — unless  he  had  a  lisp—  would  ever 
have  dreamed  of  calling  a  vocal  concert  of  any  kind 
a  "sing,"  and  had  he  ventured  to  call  the  things 
on  the  menu  "eats"  he  wotild  have  "been  hurled  from 
an  upper  window. 

A  block  above  the  Hlche,  on  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  Post  street,  the  Bohenlan  01u"b  prospered 
for  ii»ny  a  long  year,  after  It  had  outgrown  its 
hoaw  over  the  California  Maxket.  Half  a  block  above, 
on  the  northeast  comer  of  the  alley  that  runs  "be- 
hind the  White  House,  was  Harry  Maynard»s  saloon, 
an  erst^*lle  faaous  sportsmen's  rendesvous,  lAere 
Ioaa«  Mitchell  (John  Eerget)  and  Charlie  Mitchell, 
the  English  champion,  and  scores  of  other  pragillsti 
of  world  renown  used  to  foregather  and  show  their 


1» 


«i3 


•a 


226 


prt«i«««  before  mall  "but  select  aodlenoes  that 
knew  Jtttt  as  noch  about  the  gaae  a«  the  ^Axole 
50,000  ^o  "broiled  In  the  sun  at  Toledo  to  see 
Jets  Willard  hashed  ahout  hy  Jack  Dempsey  for 
MX*  Boney  than  Harry  Magmard  erer  saw. 

BEPOHMERS  KEEP  THEIR  EYES  OUT 
FOR  POLICE 

Jtist  ahout  this  section  of  Dopont  street, 
"but  on  the  west  side  of  the  way,  were  three  the- 
aters or  masie  halls  of  sorts,  vAiere  the  can-can, 
performed  "by  ladies  of  remote  allurement  and 
nature  chanM,  was  the  chief  attraction. 

The  Odeon,  on  the  southwest  comer  of  Morion, 
was  prohahly  the  hreezieat  of  these  estahlistaients, 
so  far  as  dancing  v«as  concerned,  while  in  the 
Palace  of  Varieties,  ^ich  flourished  in  the  hase- 
nent  on  the  southwest  comer  of  Post  street,  the 
performers—without  attempting  such  situations  and 
allusions  as  distinguish  the  modem  society  drama- 
went  as  far  as  the  Police  would  allow  them  to  go. 
Ned  Westell  was  manager  and  star  performer  and  was 
a  faaous  figare  in  his  day. 

The  hest  known  of  these  places,  howersr,  was 
the  Elite,  owned  axxd  managed  "by  a  man  named  Rice, 
vho  was  shot  and  killed  on  the  steps  of  the  theater 
by  Policeman  Joe  Wallace  one  night  in  the  middle 
ei^tiee.  Wallace  was  afterward  tried  for  the  shoot- 
ing and  receiTed  some  minor  punishment  therefor. 

On  the  northwest  comer  of  Dupont  and  Post  str- 
eets, opposite  the  Palace  of  Varieties,  was  the  old 
Temple  Bar  saloon,  kept  hy  ah  Englishman  naned 
Harris,  lAo  speolali««d  in  purreying  Xn^ish  ales. 
Thither,  in  their  heyday,  came  Peter  Jackson,  Jimmy 
Carroll  and  all  their  pugilist  contenrporaries,  as 
well  as  countless  drinking  men,  for  Harris  mixed 
ales,  served  in  the  English  fashion. 

Anim.t  3.  1919. 

William  A.  Richardson,  the  first  American  sett- 
ler in  San  Tranoisco,  pitched  his  tent  on  a  spot 


fir 

•tot 


,.v 


%•  1ft 

•VMt 


VXIUU.: 


wi«^ 


227 


that  would  now  be  deacrlbsd  as  the  eAst  side  of 
Grant  aTsnae,  south  of  Olay  street. 

Bat  thoui^  Richardson's  name  is  flnnly  es- 
tablished in  history  throo^  his  right  of  prior- 
ity and  association  with  the  Calls  de  la  Fonda- 
eion,  his  original  abode  was  a  flimsy  affair 
not  worthy  of  the  name  of  a  hoose. 

The  first  real  American  house  in  the  city 
was  that  erected  by  Jacob  Primer  Leese  in  1836, 
on  what  was  later  known  as  the  southeast  comer 
of  Clay  and  IXxpont  streetft,  in  the  first  fifties 
was  the  site  of  the  crlginal  St.  Francis  Hotel- 
the  first  hostelry  on  the  Coast  that  was  really 
worthy  of  the  name  of  a  hotel. 

This  establishment  has  already  been  referred 
to  in  connection  with  Ditpont  street*  In  the  int- 
erest of  history  it  may  be  well  to  say  a  little 
more  about  the  original  house  of  Jacob  Leese-the 
pioneer  hoiM  and  store  of  this  Western  metropolis- 
ta  lAose  historic  site  now  flourishes  ir  its  calm 
Oriental  way  the  business  of  some  Chinese  fish- 
monger. 

Leese  came  up  here  from  Los  Angeles  in  April, 
1836,  with  the  object  of  becoming  Captain  of  the 
Port.  He  loolced  over  the  place,  saw  it  was  good, 
went  back  and  sold  oat  his  LosAngeles  business, 
then  got  Governor  Chioo  at  Monterey  to  grant  hia 
an  order  for  100  Taras  in  any  part  of  Yerba  Buena 
he  chose  to  select,  as  long  as  the  place  was  not 
within  300  Taras  of  the  shore  line. 

IH7ITATI0NS  SEOT  OOT  FOR  FODBTH 
0?  JUL!  OPKUIHO 

Leese  selected  the  Clay  and  l>xpont  streets 
site,  secured  men  and  lumber  and  rushed  up  a  freae 
building  sixty  by  twenty^fire  feet,  ^ich  was 
completed  before  the  fourth  of  July  of  the  saas 
year.  Then  be  sent  out  invitations  far  and  wide 
for  a  Grand  fourth  of  July  opening  festival.  Every- 
body from  as  far  afield  as  Soncoa  respondsd,  the 
Y!>ll«Jo8,  the  Castros,  the  Kartiasses  and  all  the 
other  done— and  there  they  danced  and  fed  axid 
flirted  and  sang  all  July  the  Fourth  and  July  the 


238 


Fifth— with  no  cessation  to  thair  festivities.  And 
on  July  6  Leese  got  up  in  the  morning  and  cooled 
his  fevered  brov  at  the  pomp  and  settled  doun  to  a 
business  that  throve  from  the  first  hour. 

Next  spring— romantic  aftexnath  of  the  royal 
opening  fandango,  he  karried  the  sister  of  General 
Yallejo.  And,  on  April  15,  1838,  at  the  Comer  of 
Olay  and  I>xpont  streets,  i«as  hozn  the  first  American 
Native  Dau^ter  of  the  Gk>lden  West,  Rosalie  I^ese. 

With  Leese  was  then  living  a  Swiss  engineer, 
Jean  J.  Tioget*  It  was  Leese  agd  Vloget  ^o,  when 
(rovemor  Alvarado  ordered  the^refect  of  SanPranclsco, 
Jose  Castro,  to  have  a  survey  made  of  the  "Little 
▼alley  of  Texte  Buena"  in  1839,  mapped  out  the 
village  from  ^diat  would  now  he  Broadway  to  California 
street  axxd  Montgomery  to  Powell.  No  names  were  given 
to  the  streets  it  included,  Imt  in  Tloget's  survey 
they  are  practically  the  save  as  the  streets  of  today. 

Wherefore,  it  may  he  said  that  the  comer  of  Clay 
•treet  a&d  Grant  avemie  today  is  the  spot  that  wa> 
the  nucleus  of  the  modem  city  of  San  Fnuaoisoo. 

HODSON  BAT  COMPABT  BOTS  EABLT  STOHX 
BUILDIHO 

Subsequently  Leese  secured  a  lot  on  yJb&t   was  then 
the  beach,  but  is  now  the  northwest  comer  of  Mont- 
gomery and  Commercial  streets,  and  erected  there  a 
great  two  and  a  half  story  house  and  store— -which 
was  the  first  really  substantial  business  building 
in  the  city.  This  he  sold  out  to  the  Budson  Bay  C( 
peagr  in  1641^   and  then  he  moved  to  Sonoma.  There 
were  thea  al>oat  thirty  white  families  settled  in 
Texte  Buena. 

The  Hudson  Bay  Cosqieny  disposed  of  the  Leese 
store  when  the  gold  rush  came  in  1849,  gjaA   it  beoa 
the  first  of  the  big  gambling  saloons  in  the  new 
Saa  Trsaeisoo.  The  Dupont  and  Clay  streets  property 
now  ^longs  to  Attorney  Robert  P.  Troy. 

Tkclng  old  St.Mary's  Church  on  the  north  east 
comer  of  Oalifomia  and  Sc^Mmt  streets  stood  a 
house  that  was  the  scene  of  many  lively  affairs 


sum 


1%  mm 

m  •!&  '^I^^P' 

•xmmA  it. 

MM  *■■ -^^^ 

vbUjti  tummiM 

9*^(^^^Hl 

ittia  <»'^  iiM  i»i.iiNi»Vh' 

^HHC 

^    mil    »«^  '^^     ^-ur.*;     a 

Xttflhjr**^ 

»,  iJmc 

laca  crc 

•dr  itim  w^ibt-. 

«w  tf  -. 

-•^»tMI   U  t»i* 

9lmA  m» 

(ili>iOM»: 

^-/rts'rmr  aii    .L"j>i.ff«ft  tc:  .79*  rsc^   5rf  ^' 


"w  r»- 


ta  g>aae"i"H^  'w**^ 


iBB^y&  v*^^^^^^^^^^    ^—^^    T^^*" 


U  Ml 


339 


and  on«  sensational  murder. 

It  vas  an  old  resldenee,  with  a  stone  wall 
arofond  It,  once  the  ahode  of  a  wealthy  pioneer, 
iriileh  In  course  of  time  heeame  one  of  the  typical 
estahllshnents  of  the  nel^horhood. 

Thither  one  night  went  a  gambler  known  as 
Lucky  Bayes,  i<ho  llred  principally  on  the  earn- 
ings of  women  of  the  town.  He  demanded  money  frtn 
one  of  his  victims  In  the  house*  and  when  suffi- 
cient was  not  forthcoming  he  strangled  her  with  a 
towel. 

Somehow  he  managed  to  get  out  of  the  house, 
as  he  had  entered  It,  unnotleedt  and  for  quite  a 
while  thereafter  the  crime  remained  a  mystexy. 
Eventually,  however.  Lucky  Baywa  was  arrested  and 
brought  to  justice. 

yXBSE  TAESa?  FBOM  FOOBSE  CBAPa!E:a 
OF  ECCLESIA3TES 

In  connection  with  this  crime  It  was  flippant- 
ly observed  at  the  time  that  the  murderer  had 
endeavored  carefully  to  ciboy  the  admonition  on 
St.Mary's  Church,  "Son,  observe  the  time  and  fly 
from  evil."  And  for  long.  It  was  noted,  he  was 
suoeessful  In  hla  flight. 

That  text,  which  is  still  emblazoned  on  the 
ehuroh  front.  Is  from  the  36th  verse  of  the  fourth 
chapter  of  Soclesiastes. 

In  this  cozmeotlon  some  worthy  lady  has  written 
demanding  an  explanation,  and  contending  that  there 
is  no  such  text,  and  no  etich  verse  in  the  Scriptures. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  writer  of 
these  articlee  claims  to  be  neither  a  Baedeeker  nor 
A  Baaeroft.  It  may  be  added  that  neither  does  he 
cIaIb  to  pose  as  an  exponent  of  matters  pertaining 
to  modem  compilations  of  the  Old  or  New  Testament. 
As  pertaining  to  the  comer  of  Dtroont  and  Califor- 
nia streets,  however,  it  may  be  repeated  that 
St  (Mary's  is  a  Catholic  church,  and,  as  such,  its 
elergy  are  apt  to  use  the  Doual  Bible  so-called, 
as  distinguished  from  the  Revised  Version  commonly 
used  by  Christian  churches  of  other  denominations. 


■■■•■■  «M  kMi  to  tki  flniftii^Ufc  « 

Tbo«9  doacnata  had  pagMd  cmkI  cf  oal>ttMWi  dh«i 

•aaA«BM  «&:  alf  la  tte  tNil«Kto,  mbA  t.-. 

Ttd^U  taVL  loM,  MMb  that  ^fpmn  U  th* 


ycuoattv  vov  gv  crfrr  axoAzi.^? 
nufflcc 


T«  mtwm  to  tho  m^>«t  tt  DvtitK^At   itw^« 
MUKten*  howivwrt  MKBttott  ihoald  V 
po«  (l7  g«MM«l  tw^Hr  ^)^  «««' 

the  '  Af  MntoB  irlfMt  «rf  aKt4%v 

fiMLt^  tJittei  oad  lisrror  m%  ti 

'olioOHMI  000X101  WwtfoOt  MV  ft£   iiU  J%«dl 

Itfoot  ?olUo  Statioii«  «ot  OB  p»tfol  ot  ttwl 
ooxnor  ono  aoniiw  U  t)io  oi^loo  «lMa  ho  tm 
a  Mtt  la  his  ototMifot  foot  ooatac  o«l  of  oao 
«f  tbo  *oyib«'  "^«  oaMkliv  taurrio^'*^  -^  ---i 
Ihqpoat  otvo*  .  SoQ^lao  bailod  v  bo 

•tertod  to  nai  ymmtmpm  Hoaiffoa  Mudo  «  daob 
oad  wnrofltod  tko  folio*. 

Bo  bf<9«ekl  hla  teok  to  Urn  "o«(k«  «Immo  9m 
1m4  oooaltfa  mnnpso,  oad  kaooleod  at  tte  «o«r^ 

flbOYO  IMUI  DO  aufwov* 

Bo  xmohod  la  tho  Aao».  Cbt  Iho  >  la  lor 

oa  vtfMrtanto  gui  —    dooA,  UpmjIiI 

TiaufimA  «|Bft  t«  tlM  M«»  09fl— lllT  OoIloA 
th:  <0>-flMM  koaoOO  liMM  thooo  MMOa 

li?»C  "arx&o'  *-    aad  iMMl^A* 

Vnlit  Bc  ■aawor,   Kiu^tm  1»  TQt«h«l  1x  thA  After? 
^>  ta  opo" 

oAo  ^^ruic  JA»A  la  tea  n\{[n  iji  imi:  w»at9  suoagr* 

ia  Imo  tooa  otaloA  Wflwo.  t*s»TO  an  a 
of  taqpAoaooat  iwtohoo  la  ife« 
olMO%t  «!  fioa  wo  aasa  ex  tjc. 

olSMft  mt.  TiA  o^^Wia»ad.  ttto 

tte  aoao  oaloto  ao 


230 


Th«  Sooal  Bl^le  vas  ooBplled  from  the  Latin 
Ta3^at«t  and,  in  the  oonpilation  of  that  wozk, 
access  was  had  to  the  Septnaglnt  and  other  his- 
toric documents  fron  the  Alexandrine  Li1)raz7-. 
Those  doctnnents  had  passed  oat  of  existence  tAien 
the  HeTised  Version  vas  heing  nad«|  and  as  their 
contents  survlTed  only  in  the  TcQ^tSt  and  the 
Vtilgate  saTored  of  Roae*  snioh  that  e^rpears  in  the 
Sofoa^  Bihle— Incltiding  most  of  the  Book  of  Ec- 
clesiasticas—does  not  figure  in  the  Hevised 
Version. 

POLZCEKAK  NOW  ON  WH  BSOALLS 
OBXWSOKBST  TRAaSDT 

To  return  to  the  subject  of  Dupont  street 
Burderst  howerer;  mention  should  he  made  of  a 
partictilarly  grvvsome  tragedy  that  occured  on 
the  comer  of  Morton  street  and  excited  maeh 
public  indignation  and  horror  at  the  time. 

Policeman  George  Douglas,  now  of  the  Bush 
Street  Police  Station,  va-  on  patrol  at  that 
comer  one  morning  in  the  ei^ties  when  he  sav 
a  man  in  his  stooldnged  feet  coming  out  of  one 
Of  the  "crihs"  and  sneaking  hurriedly  down 
IXxDont  street*  When  Douglas  hailed  the  man  he 
started  to  rtm:  hereupon  Dou^as  made  a  dash 
and  arrested  the  fellow. 

Be  hrought  him  hsudc  to  the  "crih"  lAience  he 
had  seen  him  emerge,  and  knocked  at  the  door* 

There  vets  no  answer. 

He  pfushed  in  the  door.  On  the  hed  within  lay 
an  unfortunate  girl  ~  dead,  strangled. 

Douglas  went  to  the  next  crih—they  called 
the  little  two-room  houses  vhere  these  women 
liTed  "cribs"  —  and  knocked. 

Again  no  answer*  Again  he  poshed  in  the  door; 
■gain  the  grim  spectacle  of  a  strangled  unfortun- 
ate lying  dead  in  the  midst  of  her  tawdxy  finery. 

As  has  heen  stated  before,  there  are  a  number 
of  unpleasant  patches  in  the  history  of  Dupont 
street!  and  for  a  long  period  the  name  of  Morton 
street  meant  -rice  plain  and  adulterated*  Wherefore 
the  name  exists  no  more* 


ma%mrkmty,  ftni  •!«»%•&  hit  &iTt  kuAw»«»  «tt 
tba  MTthftftCt  MSMfMr  tf  SkqwKl  aai  ll*9%«  aty 
•«%•  ia  M  manay  tetiwHM  tnm  «kt  wayijrltt- 
on*  i«inl»%iaii  tf  tbt  loaalltj^—Mv  ttw 
rtMAM«t  ■■■li—  of  lh«  MUll  Ajy*  «Mda  4i»- 
t9teft« 

'^-'Mawr  "  ^-  *-^  llimtixiwt  *v  aagr  W  •«»*- 
»  B««t«y  of  tbm  dtp*. 

fl«i  of  »tw^ 

act  %1m  m  DttpoR' 

a»2  fftffAiaiii, 

the  at  (HM  m  tiM  •■■•  «ite« 

:-'    •-^-.'..'.j   -^u  '.»  ..jo  •%*••%•.  QvMrriMir 
.i  9f  fsMlhaMKr,  VlUlMi  tfiA  C«,  atv  SotlMft, 
VilIi4iM  aaA  '^-  -/ad  m  Um  tMt  tii*  «r  DicvMnt 

n«fur  Olk»iiia!i«.     «<>  JM0i»  iriSt  a»v  Itirat  In  •>»• 

2^0«l.    Is  ISM   MM  Untit  VMiAtd  B«Rgr  ldMM«A« 

-«•  Mt  '  ttMl  tear  %9  him  It^iM 

. 1^«tW.       -    .OV  laiMMlMll  ciVM^  MM  • 

)>rMiip4M  LnlMbiiad  ^  ao«l»  wti  aviftUMiit  tmk 


Mp.  m  <fc»  !•**  t-^^ 


331 


The  fact  that  Pete  Dorsey,  vdiose  Stockton 
street  dlTe  sabseqnently  achieved  world-wide 
notoriety,  first  started  his  dive  basinets  on 
the  northeast  comer  of  IXxpont  and  Morton  str- 
eets in  no  manner  detracted  froa  the  unYirtu- 
otis  reputation  of  the  locality^-now  the 
choicest  section  of  the  retail  dry  goods  dis- 
trict. 

FR£CIPICS  ISHABITED  BT  SCfPATTEBS 
AND  GOATS 

Policeman  George  Douglas,  it  may  he  men- 
tioned, is  a  son  of  the  late  Captain  Douglas, 
yiio  was  for  yean  a  Bestor  of  the  department*  His 
hosM  was  on  the  soathwest  comer  of  IXxpont  street 
and  Sdith  place,  hetvven  Greenwich  and  Lomhard 
streets,  then  a  popular  residence  district. 

Captain  Bing^iam  of  the  ori&in-^  steredoring 
fixta  of  BinghsB  and  Menzies  lived  across  the  way 
on  the  east  side  of  Dupont  street  near  Lombard. 
Stuart  Menzies  lived  bat  a  couple  of  blocks  away 
on  Francisco  street  between  Dupont  and  Eearoy. 
Sdward  Tlanagan,  agent  of  the  Coos  Bay  Coal 
Mines,  lived  on  the  east  side  of  Dapont  Just 
north  of  Greenwich.  J.  M,  and  D.  F.  Verdinal, 
the  attorneys,  had  their  hone  on  the  saiM  side, 
between  Broadway  and  Tallejo  streets.  Grosvenor 
7rancis  of  Taallaier,  William  and  Co,  now  Cotton, 
Villiaa  and  Co.,  lived  on  the  east  side  of  Duoont 
near  Chestnut.  His  son,  Eric,  now  lives  in  San- 
Bafael.  In  the  saae  block  resided  Harry  Edwards, 
the  old-tiaw  actor,  and  next  door  to  him  lived 
Stephen  X.  Potter.  Belov  Chestnut  street  was  a 
precipice  inhabited  by  goats  and  squatters,  and 
it  USUI  the  joyous  and  self-liQMsed  task  of  the 
TQfoager  Potters  and  Trtnaois  and  other  boys  of  the 
neig))3K)rhood  to  repel  with  rocks  and  sticks  the 
frequently  attested  invasion  by  goats  of  the 
tipper  regions  to  the  south  of  the  precipice.  Thus, 
alas  too  often:  were  the  seeds  of  enmity  sown  be- 
tween the  AaerioAns  on  the  plains  above  and  the 
squatters  on  the  goat-ridden  precipice. 


.-?«; 


I,  m.  Miltt  of  %1m  miAT 


Paeif  itt  sirMt  miA  lyoaiiw 
thii  Nltaiflaii  «tavl«A  ttm 
..„ .^.jxi%  vtSMis.  ?lut  «M  U  «k« 

•Ite  •f  29llpM%  •%>••»»  JM« 
t'^  MM  BUI  Oni«*a  «M»iikUt 

%im  of  u -     Ja»  9lA  madoax.  hwiae  irltfe 

th«  li3>Q«4  ▼•WftAa  thai  tiaoA  qa  tfc 

•«Mty  of  ttMBl  ««i  ▼aillajo  atrMtfi,  vmm  oa 

1  aaa«  oy  iMaMdlailaa  ^ 
«:surd&  o£  ;.;«2r«n«ta»  tluraa  Aaota  -  ^±*jo 

§%!•«%,  attlra)  in  thfliT  TUltiVt  00'.  .    with 

tteir  br  ^  M«ti  inMB  oafiwtiahXj 

•var  %hatir  :^aa£b«  aai  sAoujioara. 

Oi9.rtrvtlly  aat«Bt  tka  wv  on  tha  lanttiaaal 
aatM.  4*  taloaB  aad  gsraoarjr  itaia  af  IWHi- 

laaaA  .^Kd^xa. 

OBOBOH  OXflDRRnSBll}  ST  ?Af  AI 
OnUDASS*!  TXfIt 

-«  Bivatti  atxaat  to  Talagsafh  h  'a 

■:r.r^^i%  «aa  a  tantral  aaA  laadh  iaariaaA  '3?Atji>^. 
wyd  oTon  taSx!-  s-crrwia  *bo  lln««»a  alMut  aagr  •*  **• 
baaia  »taWj  Jiaa»  aanravaat^ 

iona  et^-xiMi.  oa  xa  aaaily  araxT  )«a<in€»  vMtor  tlM 


BatvaM  nibart  aa4  9Taa»«iali  atvaata,  «  tte 
•aH  tUa  af  lXtQ>a«l.  ttiU  ataaia  «Im  Xtaliaa 

O^Miii  fit  nn\tAc  ?fftiiY  «tt  PmAi  viMira  Oaviiaal. 
•c'  acata  ta  teariaa,  prtntUmi 


232 


E.  Williams,  an  artist  of  the  early  days, 
lired  on  the  southvest  comer  of  IXxpont  str- 
eet and  Broadway* 

Meyer  Ihief's  dzy  goods  store  v&s  at  1122 
Dapont,  hetvoMi  Pacific  street  and  Broadway. 

The  old  road  to  the  Mission  started  from 
Washington  and  Sapont  streets.  That  was  In  the 
days  ^en  the  area  ^ere  Itapont,  OTarrell  and 
Martcet  streets  converged  was  a  pond,  \diere 
ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  period  did  their 
Imndsrlng,  and  yegetable  gardens  flotirlahed. 

On  the  west  side  of  Dimont  street,  just 
north  of  Washington  was  Bill  Craig's  erstwhile 
famons  iriiolesale  and  retail  liquor  estahllah- 
ment,  w  hither  everybody  went  for  hot  Scotches 
at  a  time  \ikMn  prohihltlon  was  not  even  a 
Bietitmare* 

One  of  the  landiutrks  of  the  city  up  to  the 
time  of  the  fire  was  the  old  Mexican  house  with 
the  hroad  reranda  that  stood  on  the  northwest 
comer  of  IXzpont  and  Vallejo  streets,  i^enoe  on 
Sundays  and  holidays  the  Senoras  and  Senorltas 
sallied  forth  to  mass  or  benediction  in  the 
Church  of  St. Francis,  three  doors  below  Vallejo 
street,  attired  in  their  native  costumes,  with 
their  bewitching  mantillas  thrown  coq[uetlshly 
OTer  their  beads  and  shoulders. 

Diagonally  across  the  way  on  the  southeast 
comer  wsia  the  saloon  and  grocery  store  of  Ferd- 
inand Eggers. 

OHDBCH  DisrnraniSHEi}  by  papal 

I2ELS0ATEIS  VISIT 

from  Dapont  street  to  Telegraph  hill,  Vallejo 
street  was  a  Oentral  and  South  American  coloiiy, 
and  eren  today  anyone  who  lingers  about  any  of  the 
business  blocks  thereabouts  will  hear  conversat- 
ions carried  on  in  nearly  every  language  under  the 
son. 

Between  Filbert  and  Oreenwioh  streets,  on  the 
east  aide  of  Dapont,  atill  stands  the  Italian 
Church  of  Saints  Peter  and  Paol,  where  Cardinal 
Satolli,  the  Papal  delegate  to  America,  preached 


WMhiaftM  RtMti*  ia  th«  bar;  OOBtMntltar  %0 

>U1  OratcU  S«o««}  -  aaUbiiilaMat.  U  1« 

Alt%ar,  of  th*  i^'va-  .«  -riip-  nf  ai%i«r  «ii  ©••« 

had  his  bow  MitiMaa  IwtAi 

•oA  ?taa«  i»  k.  aia&iafi.  v.  JL«  t«arl«r»  iiM 

Q%*$a  BMrttor  ^t  "■.«¥  .v^.  ^sruP.  of  tS?  sM.'*i|»lac 

aa&  AMai  f*tlA» 

a4  fov  yaax4  d»  iju  iJajxiu^  aiir&<s^, 
Miw.  ^t  tnnwMTWjrtlT  wtto^  tic  to  "5 

^  0J7  aa^ai4.t  e-(^rac'i,  upvosxta 


74  %ha  «1i>mt«d 

"rniiOyaoaia"  nwm  flourxo^i*  «  sovUwMt  sor- 

Mr  of  ?ixM  iPA  9cmor>t  vtr^*  loiitfallMdla  iia* 

a  Wrtrax*  «mA'  ^J>C  aac^ 

»%M  \t%ta«.  iA  S.S*  apo^naom  it  mm  a  xwv 

4?  It5:  tha  rcVn  trntow^san  It*:©  s  r!lon«  of 


If •  M^  t«  ^  f«ii^iAwvi  la  d&»  CU9*  J^  UM 
or  cunia  murlatj  ttf  tntlz^nfttatn  fftia  a^r  «m 
«rt>ii1jati  ia  a  i^Uas  of  1»»  mtuMhF^ 

IM. 

ruMwiaa,  wtM  ftr«imaa*a  Mia  ^kiac 

1  tiap  \tA  ■aaiwu'iliitiadt 

dCrUlA  aaottM  tka  o«<a'lt  oX  a  ZWct  fftjr  rttrt 

Ailaiilwjy  la  tUtc 
.    V  jaa:r:4  <i«lkM«  ItioaMi  aahlavac  roeti  r»- 

•othwaai  Mmar  af  Svj^oal  and  laili  atr- 
.^^  »aa  iUkaqm  Boaat,  itev*  a^qr  paliaa  tar* 
•     ;«  «^  attevaUMl*  anivMa  «•  boaoNl  ia  tba  eld 


333 


lAat  tine  he  -visited  Golden  Oate.  The  building  is 
now  used  as  a  ohoreh  school,  the  new  church  heing 
on  Filbert  street. 

John  Robbins,  the  stage  carpenter  of  the  old 
Metropolitan  Theater,  and  qxiite  a  personality 
among  theatrical  folk  and  playgoers  of  the  early 
days,  lived  on  the  southwest  comer  of  IXipont  and 
Washington  streets  in  the  happiest  contiguity  to 
Bill  Craig's  Scotch  i^iisky  establishment.  L.  £• 
Bitter,  of  the  real  estate  finn  of  Hitter  and  Co., 
had  his  home  at  417  Dupont  street,  between  Bush 
and  Fine,  in  the  later  sixties.  C.  L.  Taylor,  the 
State  Harbor  Coomissioner  and  head  of  the  shipping 
and  sommission  firm  of  C.  L.  Taylor  and  Co.,  resid- 
ed for  years  at  513  Dupont  street.  Just  north  of 
Fine,  but  subtequently  mored  up  to  the  south  side 
of  Bush  street  above  Powell.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Rich's 
boardin^house  w&s  at  507  Dapont  street,  opposite 
the  old  Taylor  residence. 

In  later  days  the  more  or  lees  celebrated 
"Eniekebein"  house  flourished  on  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  Pine  and  Sopont  streets.  The  knlckebein  was 
a  beverage  credited  with  great  nourishing  and 
soothing  qualities.  In  its  apotheosis  it  was  a  raw 
•eg  dropped  with  the  yolk  unbroken  into  a  glass  of 
■arasohino,  \Aieh,  in  order  fully  to  profit  the 

r,  had  to  be  swallowed  in  one  gain.   In  the 
or  garden  variety  of  knlckebein  the  egg  waa 
•mbalaed  in  a  glass  of  beer,  instead  of  in  marasch- 
ino. 

Contemporary  with  the  knlckebein,  but  more  widely 
renowned,  were  Brennan's  Misfit  Clothing  Parlors  on 
the  northeast  comer  of  Bupont  .-md  Sutter  streets ,  to 
enter  which  the  customer  had  to  climb  a  noble  fli^t 
of  granite  steps.  Bat,  the  climb  accomplished,  one 
could  secure  the  outfit  of  a  Duke  for  about  seven 
dollars. 

Apart  from  his  phllantropy  in  finding  fite  for 
allegedly  misfit  clothes,  Brennan  achieved  hl^  re- 
nown as  a  dog  fancier. 

On  the  southwest  comer  of  Bopont  and  Bush  str- 
eets was  the  Ahlbom  House,  where  many  police  ser- 
geant ■  KoA   other  single  men  used  to  board  in  the  old 
days. 


234 


Beneath  It  was  the  saloon  knoim  as  the  Sulssesse, 
'becaase  It  specialised  in  abalnthe  served  in  the 
fozn  knovn  as  a  suissesse. 

On  the  northeast  comer  of  Sopont  and  Batter 
streett  was  Wolff  •  erockerjr  store.  Oyer  the 
store  hang  a  sign  depicting  a  volf  of  ohrious  fer- 
ocity and  the  legend  "Hungry  for  Trade."  Tears 
later  one  of  the  sons  went  to  Portland  and  opened 
a  totally  different  line  of  hasiness,  "bat  found 
the  same  idea  in  signs  to  wox4c  Jast  as  well  there 
as  it  did  for  crockery  on  I]iipont  street;  and  pro- 
hal>ly  to  this  day  that  cadet  sign  of  the  house  of 
Volff  hangs  out  there,  and  the  family  legend  pro- 
olalns  him  to  he  hungering  for  trade. 

SHiD  DOCTOR  ESEPS  UP  ZOOLOGICAL 
TRADITZOHS 

In  later  days.  Dr.  Gustave  Leipnltx-"the  Snake 
Doctor" ,  with  his  drug  store  window  full  of  snakes 
and  other  allurements  occupied  the  Wolf's  comer, 
and  thus  kept  alive  the  zoological  traditions  of 
the  locality. 

Across  the  way,  on  the  southeast  comer,  was 
the  Center  Maxket  with  Joe  Marshall's  oyster  and 
chop  grill  in  the  hasement. 

Also  under  the  market,  Just  south  of  Joe 
Marshall's,  was  Eohler  and  Frohling's  wine  cellar 
with  Its  weird  sine  dogs  as  guardians  of  the  steps, 
and  its  harrele  and  rats  of  now  illegal  comforts 
helow.  It  was  at  Kohler  and  Frohling's  that  the 
honazisa  first  achieved  fame  as  a  drink  that  q[ulckly 
cheered.  It  was  a  potent  ooabination  of  brandy, 
white  wine  and  angelica,  already  described  in  thes* 
columns,  the  effect  of  idiioh,  were  sometimes  as 
speedy  as  they  were  ameizing. 

Ages  and  ages  ago,  on  the  northwest  comer  of 
Dopont  and  Bush,  stood  Jaooh  Heizis'  hotel,  \diere 
Jake  and  his  patrons  flourished  and  fattened  to- 
gether in  a  manner  now  comMroia'bly  inpossihle. 


>•!•»  fUki,  V 

iL  vmI^"'-'-'  "niyppAY'  w^*  A»  good  it*  tto 
Atj*n  wapp9r  wkM  ihm  jof  9f  %h»  toim  ad  %hm 

Jfti/IHtm 

amif  or  vxanoi  LDBJoa  xi 


tc^jo^sv,  with  »  Ombmi  lMmM)B»  »M  tUt 
«nila4  »  •««••  4  «»U«i  lar 


day.  Wbo. ,  wui  ft* 

WMWirt  %•  "^  iMiB  son  tea  '  '-  ~  ^  < 

ui  Am  tlM  J^iMb  Brills*  yati  M«r*  "^  ^^ 

who  kM  fftH««4  «teM«  aMa^ 

IhA  «h«  iptxit  of  Iplinyiiui  ttid  im«  Am  «iM 
•pa*,-  i«fl»a4,  tm*'bIM«  •thwfr.''^— ••  -  v.^.^,.,.:  ^„'*- 
li  ItaiiMt  for  Mdqr  a  dtMa*  Ic 

fluffy  aad  •* •  "^*  ^  —  -   --"  - ' '  - 
f  AlTjr  aaaaat'- 

OiUa  War*--  ♦.-v  ...    ..-.,j«  llMi  «<♦>■  ->>^ 


awdl  bat  MM. 

0»«to  w»ya  ••'p«)>p^^  ;i^  vi^  al<  n*A 

%ha  •MPH&tv*  *•"  '  *'^*^  "s '»»>■• 

ill*  bagra  •*aaaa" 

bar  %b«  *|«MI     *i  Kiiff.l1  inii'-»t  imm  -jf^  ^HS^% 


235 


Supper  a  quarter;  9uxida7t  CMcken  dinner— with 
■oup,  oysters,  flah,  wine  and  all  the  comforts  of 
a  hoae— —35  cents. 

A  veel^day  supper  was  as  good  as  the  Sunday 
dinner,  barring  the  oysters  and  the  chicken.  But 
Friday's  supper  uas  the  Joy  of  the  town  at  the 
price. 

SPIRIT  Of  BPICUHUS  LUIGERS  IK 
OLD  HOUSE 

Friday  was  pancake  day.  Each  patron  was  serred, 
as  a  special  course,  with  a  Qerman  pancake  as  hig 
as  a  Victoria  Hegia  lily  hlosson,  and  similEirly 
curled  tip  around  the  edges.  Jelly  hy  the  gallon  lay 
arofund  loose  to  pour  over  it,  powdered  sugar  hy  the 
2>e<dc.  If  a  eustoBMr  could  eat  two  or  even  three 
pancakes  he  was  welcome  so  to  do— the  more  the  mer- 
rier was  the  motto  of  house  and  guest  on  pancake 
day,  Hohody  e-rer  hlew  up.  Everybody  wa6  radiant. 
And,  if  on  going  out  of  the  door,  one  turned  for  a 
Boment  to  the  radiant  chef  and  — clasping  him  warmly 
hy  the  hand—ejaculated  "Aaht"  or  "Oh  that  jjancaket" 
the  worthy  cordon  hleu  returned  the  clasp  with  a 
great  "but  oily  grip,  and  gave  one  a  pancake  twice  as 
thick  on  the  following  Friday. 

In  due  time  Jacoh  Heinz*  passed  away,  nnd  the 
worthy  workers  from  the  shoe  factories  and  elsevdiere, 
\iho  had  fattened  there,  sou^t  jsastures  new. 

But  the  spirit  of  Epicurius  did  not  flee  the 
spot,-  refined,  ennobled,  etheralized  a  hundred  fold- 
it  lingered  for  many  a  decade  longer. 

V-Tiere  Helns*  pancakes  aforetlne  "battened,  the 
fluffy  and  wei^tless  omelette  soufle,  whispered  its 
fairy  ■•••ai^  to  sweet  souls;  small  California 
oysters  on  the  half  shell  snng^ed  in  their  ley  beds 
while  beauty  toyed  among  them  with  little  three 
pronged  foxks  of  silver,  the  four  o'clock  Sunday 
fthlfll'^tr  dinner  was  reincarnated  into  a  midni^t  oa&- 
Tasbaok,  teal  or  widgeon— a  nice  cold  bottle  and  a 
laall  hot  bird. 

Corks  were  ^-popping  there  all  the  ni^t  long  and 
the  corridors  rang  with  laughter. 

Ah,  boys  and  girls  of  the  old  days,  can  you  vmum 
ber  the  dinners  at  Marohand'sT  Can  you  ever  forget 

thSBt 


236 

Aaggst  10.  1919. 

TELEGRAPH  TTTTJ. 

"I  prajT  70U  let  us  satisfy  our  eyes  with  th« 
■•■orials  emd  th«  thin^  of  fame  that  do  r** 
nova  this  oity. 

"TWEL3TH  NIGHT." 

Tslsgratih  Hill  is  one  of  the  inexplieahls 
■TSteries  of  San  Trenciseo^ 

Its  position  is  TiniqtLS,  heautlfal  and  supefb. 
Its  vista  is  nnrivaled  in  a  city  where  the  views 
are  as  plentiftd  as  they  are  enchanting. 

Anyone  that  has  ever  lived  there  has  loved  it 
forever  thereafter.  Yet  nothing  has  ever  thriven 
there  bat  the  xmlettered  Italian  immigrant,  the 
•  Shanty  Irishmaa"  and  the  goat. 

Tiae  was  ^en  every  eye  in  the  thriving  city 
was  directed  faongrily  toward  the  hill  at  every 
hour  of  the  day.  It  was  there  that  the  signal 
station,  with  its  lofty  mast,  perched,  ever  vigil- 
ant, waiting  and  watching  for  the  ships  that  hr- 
<ra^X   tha  stalls  and  friends— parents— 'sweethearts, 
wives  and  children — froa  "iMudc  East*  or  old  lands 
overseas.  7roB  its  aast  were  hong  the  signals  that 
told  >Auit  manner  of  vessel  was  in  sight—'barqua  or 
hrig,  warship,  sideidieeler  or  screw  stsaaer. 

Early  in  1849  this  signal  station  was  erected 
en  tha  ■wmnit  of  the  hill  hy  George  Sweeny,  brother 
of  Hylas  D.  Sweeny,  later  of  Hihemia  Bank  fame, 
and  Theodore  E.  Boo^.  It  was  a  queer  little  two 
story  cottage  with  a  square  "balcony  on  the  roof, 
and  from  that  balcony  rose  the  mast  and  flagpole 
i^nee  the  signals  were  flnng  as  soon  as  a  vessel 
was  sighted.  The  concern  was  stxpnorted  entirely  by 
Toltintary  contributions  from  the  merchants  and 
other  residents  of  the  city  and  was,  by  long  odds, 
the  Bost  popolar  institution  of  the  earlier  decades 
of  tha  pioneer  days. 

SHIPS  7AR  AVAT  MAT  BE  SIGHTED  BY 
nv  STATION 

In  1851  the  service  was  inmroved  by  the  estab- 
listeant  of  the  Outer  Telegraph  Station,  so'called. 


vsr 


mk  Fll»t  l>»1»tft«  '^^tiBJi*^  mk  *  tilwar  A«7.  sfhi^n  anA 


qSMSllf  f 

«or 

.     :::.-':.il 

^^m.ju:!  uxia  ixao  -^ei 

B^rt^n  uea-r 

¥ift  it  vmmlmA  a  t 

tiki  «M 


•«4 


237 


on  Point  lolJOB,  ^mioe,  on  a  clear  day,  ships  can 
"be  sighted  when  still  many  miles  away.  This  e^eat- 
ly  inproved  the  service,  "because  the  Point  Lo"bos 
station  signals  were  easily  dlscemlhle  throru^ 
the  telescope  at  Telegraph  Hill, 

Unfortunately,  however,  there  were  fogs  In 
those  days,  even  as  there  are  today,  and  these  fre- 
(laently  and  entirely  o"bscured  Point  ^©"bos  statlAa 
frorj  that  on  Telegraph  Hill.  On  S«p»e«ber  23,  1853, 
however,  the  opening  of  the  first  electric  telegr- 
aph In  California— the  el^t-mlle  wire  constrocted 
"by  Sweeny  and  Bao^  from  Point  Lohos  to  Telegraph 
Hill— was  celebrated  ^^th  fitting  cerew)ny,  and  the 
difficulty  of  the  foge  was  overcome. 

It  was  In  connection  with  thle  Telegraph  Hill 
proposition  that  Sweeny  and  Ban^  establlthed  the 
first  Merchants'  Sxehange,  which  was  on  Sacramento 
street  near  Montgoaery,  and  lAere  were  to  he  found 
nevapspers  and  Bagasines  from  all  over  the  world. 

Vrrm  time  to  time  this  exchange  outgrew  Its 
(juarters,  and  ne^  hulldlngs  were  erected  for  It  J 
"but  It  remained  a  private  concern,  and  Theodore 
Bau^  continued  to'  "be  listed  In  the  directories  as 
■proprietor.  Merchants  Exchange,"  until  the  latest 

•Ixtles. 

Meanwhile,  Montgomery  Hill,  as  Its  early  resi- 
dents called  it,  was  regarded  "by  many  as  en  Ideal 
locality  for  homes.  It  was  close  to  the  center  of 
the  city  and  as  easy  to  cllm"b  to  as  any  of  the 
other  hills  available  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  Mastlcks,  the  Grannlssea,  the  Shellards, 
the  Robinsons,  the  S,  P.  Taylors,  the  Oeorge  C. 
Wallers,  the  Rosses  (afterwards  of  Marin  county), 
the  ntehee.who  lived  had  bosMt  on  the  hill. 

Then  also  were  the  theatrical  folk  who  found 
It  convenient  to  have  their  dwellings  as  near  as 
possible  to  Magolre's  Opera  House,  and  later,  tha 
Hexropolltan  Theater. 

The  Booths  lived  on  the  west  side  of  Calhoun 
street,  between  Oreen  and  Union,  In  a  small  housa 
that  has  now  disappeared. 


dsa 

QffftexAU  fXK&zxr  oLntB  vo  iooai*8 
BOKI  ov  ull 

aaiXtsK  «p  *  mi%aM«  lOMgm  MMMllat  ^  •^^^ 
pilcriJM  %h»t  "Svm  dm  ilkt  loM  of  <^aSiM  lf«A«s 
mk  BirtA  Bootiu*  Tb«  fltoir  KM«  ttet  flMllr* 

iMft  »»  itat  antvikl  bM»  «f  Ibknr  >«>»* 

i0»y  t>  l97llU  taMVUIt  Mrt  *  ^>«^«^ 

ttf  Ue  ,  «Ath  xOwpM,  wmiln  mA 

\  QBM  it  KM  a  pab»M«Kl  1mhi»  xwpliite  v^^ 
i^^T^rtc  VMdaiWMMM.  Owre  ^*'""»  la  »»«^-^'  f^.Ai.v. 
Jvtitts  3Ta^»,  ^wlu  Bfvlw  ^«1«  K 

Bo  «r»w  Bp  ifcay  »««'*l»*  «>•  ^^t«# 

g»v  Jid  Tti  ^y>  T^  *^_ 

teUi  Mi  tIdllMir  ott  MMilwii  MiiS  axt  •* 

Mw  vlfaKr  w^  'Vh«  fMlly  woca«  «n<  In  * 

l«Ater  tfm  %im  ^aira.  mA  cXIi*  ^  !»«•  «»  ^M  to 

qiOMl  «f  MM  VMVd  «P  MM  AUU,   MA  WT  flllCVM. 

•took  pr  ttMrtda  tnoi^^  '•»  «»  «3»m  **•  «*•••• 

It  «M  ft  Mflidbl*  PMAMaU  W«  of  •  iw»^- 
hale  r«mmit%;<9Ji  %r  *  f*ir  ??.«-tiMW  %V»*  -^t^ 

JigsA  IX.    -  *— tM 

B«t«r  r>«  itt  Mw  ^  «i«ar 


OinCIALS  FIHALLT  CLIMB  TO  BOOTH'S 
HOMB  as  HILL 

Tlae  and  again  our  city  father*  have  pondered 
over  the  propriety  of  ollniblng  trp  the  perlloue 
■tape  to  »(here  the  great  aetor  had  hie  home  and 
nailing  up  a  ouitahle  plaqoe  annotinoing  to  other 
pllgrime  that  "Here  m&b   the  Home  of  Jtmiua  Bnitui 
and  Edwin  Booth."  The  story  goes  that  finally, 
yhBn.  the  sltun'bering  dramatic  and  oommeaoratire 
instlnets  of  those  %*io  «atoh  oTer  such  matters 
had  been  aroused  hy  the  arrlTal  here  of  Harry  Lau- 
der, the  Scotch  vaudeville  humorist,  and  a  "batch 
of  high  civic  officials,  with  plaiiue,  nails  and 
haimner,  complete,  eventually  did  climb  the  step* 
with  the  intention  of  immortallBlng  the  cottage, 
they  could  find  no  stick  or  stone  of  it.  Even  the 
place  \diere  it  used  to  he  had  fallsn  down  the 
hillside. 

Whether  this  account  he  imrely  hen  trovato  or 
otherwise,  the  fact  remains  that  the  cottage  doesn't; 
and  there  you  are. 

let  once  it  was  a  pleasant  home,  replete  with 
hietoric  reminiscences.  There  lived  in  homely  fashion 
Junius  Brutus,  Junius  Brutus  Jr. ,  Edwin  and  Wilkes 
Booth,  and  there  grew  up  Mary  Booth,  the  daughter 
of  Junius  Brutus. 

It  was  an  old-fashioned  cottage,  even  for  Tele- 
graph Hill,  and  very  unpretentious.  There  was  a 
square  hole  in  the  ceiling  of  the  little  entrance 
hall;  and  thither  on  occasion,  Edwin,  or  Mary  or 
some  other  members  of  the  family  would  drag  in  a 
ladder  fro*  the  yard,  and  climb  up  Into  the  hole  la 
quest  of  sosM  sword  or  some  shield,  mask  or  filigree, 
stock  or  buskin  required  for  use  upon  the  stage. 

It  wsis  a  veritable  Pandora's  box  of  a  hole,  a 
hole  remeiibsrnri  by  a  few  oldrtlmers  that  were  child- 
ren then  as  a  repository  of  incalculable  wonders. 

And  it  is  all  gone — house,  hole  and  actors — the 
glory  that  was  Edwin's,  the  tragedy  of  Wilkes,  the 
wall  that  never  got  its  memorial  plate  from  our  city 
fathers. 


cm 

MMftia  »r< 

«f  ^t^  t^u  MalAMKia  of 


?S»i:      n»i.i  1' 


pl*^ 


339 

MRS.  STACKEOaSE  WAS  REAl  FRIEND  TO 
ORE  ASD  AIL 

VT9,   Thayer Sarah  Thayer lived  at  415 

Oreen  street,  Just  helow  Kearny,  the  StacKhouse* 
lived  opposite. 

John  Stackii<m«e  was  one  of  the  "best-knowi 
•oenlc  artists  of  the  early  days,  and  Mrs.  Stacks 
hoase  was  one  of  the  most  cheurming  vomen— heloved 
of  all  the  residents  of  Telegraph  Hill,  and  a 
model  of  all  the  proprieties. 

Also  had  she  "broader  charities  than  some  of 
the  aore  pronouncedly  Christian  residents  of  th« 
Hill,  and  opened  her  aras  ajid  pretended  she  knev 
nothing  of  yib&t   the  world  was  saying  mHomo.  a  friend 
^o  had  "been  kind  to  then  in  their  earlier  days 
cone  to  visit  them  in  their  little  Green  street 


The  good  women— who  conld  not  toiderstand  Mrs. 
Staokhouse's  point  of  vleir— are  hapnlly  now  all 
dead  and  playirg  on  harps  where  no  such  social 
afflictions  may  ever  again  harrow  them.  But  lAen 
Mrs.  Stacldiouse  oisened  her  doors  to  Ada  Isaacs 
Nsoken,  in  the  day*  of  Ada's  Moewluit  too  gllttex^ 
iBg  glory.  Telegraph  Hill  gapped  ln«me  sections 
and  tittered  in  others.  Of  course  that  was  vtry 

long  ago. 

Bat  neatly  all  the  stars  that  visited  the 
Coast  in  the  early  days,  as  well  as  the  great 
•took  actors,  and  actresses,  yAio  also  fonzid  Calif- 
ornia an  21  Dorado,  found  (jaarters,  permanent  or 
transient,  90me^^4lere  on  or  near  Telegraph  Hill— 
ni«i— n.  Samel  and  Jsaes  Mordock,  I^oOowan, 
M««tay«r,  the  Levis  Balcers,  Ellsa  Blsoaooianti, 
Catherine  Hayes,  Lola  Montes,  Laura  Eeane  and  all 
the  rest  of  the  great  ones.  And  it  was  only  natural 
that  It  should  have  heen  so,  hecau.se,  as  stated. 
Telegraph  Hill  \m»  convenient,  had  "the  atnosphere," 
and  is  always  healthful  and  heantifol. 

The  Mastidcs'  house  stood  on  the  southwest 
comer  of  Calhoun  and  Union  streets,  and  was  a 
place  of  great  repute  and  comparstive  splendor.  It 
was  hroue^t  around  the  Horn  f  ran  Hev  Orleans  and 
was  made  of  mahogany. 


2«0 


TS  fJKVMff  BKUDn  C9f 


a  X*l  <*«^  ^*  t*^ 

:T14U 


sxott  ox  uajLc^  '«««  ^. 


•Sid  Oal]M»«»i^   v'T  AeV.       ' 


240 


Nahoigaiiy  houses  were  as  rare  then  as  they  are 
today*  <uxd  therefore,  the  Mastlok  mansion  ^las  es- 
pecially famous.  Subsequently,  hoverer,  the 
Mastieks  vere  teopted  to  leaTe  the  hill,  and  fin- 
ally they  did  do  so.  The  first  temptation,  hoverrer, 
failed  signally,  and  that  to  the  suhsequent  re^r^t 
of  the  Mastiok  family. 

NASIIGK  BXJIOTS  FROPERTT  BECACTSE  (XT 

A  man  vent  to  Mastiok  and  vented  to  trade  off 
a  lot  for  the  mahogany  house,  throving  in  a  few 
thousand  dollars  "to  hoot." 

When  Mastiok  and  his  wife  took  Sunday  after- 
noon off  to  Tisit  the  place  they  saw  a  man  putting 
T^  a  hog  fenoe  around  the  lot  across  the  street; 
and,  naturally,  Mrs.  Mastiok  would  not  hove  any- 
thing to  do  with  a  lot  adjoining  a  hog  pen. 

The  property  thus  rejected  "by  Mastiek  was  on 
the  southwest  comer  of  Market  and  Third  streets 
and  included  the  site  of  the  Spreckels  building. 
The  hog  pen  was  where  now  stands  the  Hearst 
buildlag*  The  story  is  feelingly  told  today  "by 
Oeonge  Mastidk,  the  attorney. 

Across  the  way  from  the  Mastieks,  on  the  east 
side  of  Calhoun  street,  lived  the  Overends. 

John  A.  T.  Orerend  owned  the  printing  presses 
on  Clay  street,  i^ere  the  Bulletin  and  other  p»- 
pers  were  printed  in  the  old  days.  His  son  was  in 
tbt  aaae  Inisiness  and  his  dau^ter  was  a  school 
teacher. 

Colonel  George  W.  Grannie,  one  of  the  partners 
of  the  famous  law  firm  of  Hglleck,  Peachy,  and 
Billi]igs,  lired  on  Green  street,  between  Montgomery 
and  Calhoun;  the  Robinsons— the  home  of  C.  D. 
Bobinson,  the  artist — on  the  west  side  of  Calhoun 
street,  between  the  Mastieks  and  the  Booths.  The 
Boss  house  was  on  the  south  side  of  Green  street, 
hetween  Montgoswry  and  Kearny.  When  they  moved  to 
Marin  ootmty,  in  the  early  sixties,  they  sold  the 
place  to  the  W.  B.  Agards,  who  lived  there  until 
the  time  of  the  fire. 


Ml 


9f  tftft  •ftrtr  4«rt  la  (MLifomia* 

.  :  -  "^   u:i  niHr>'>OMM  •Oft  hn9  VMIa  9%«ia)j;p«i«. 

£wr >.c'.    V  jaijr  tad  iBtttUMtoaUr  foy  t)i«  vftJRw- 
loA  h«  had  B»nt<Mi»  aad.  viUt  hUi  o«M  Ids  wif*  aM 
imjMit,  ^M  wM  OM  of  %lM  kiaiatt  and  r--*' 
0mmdng  «f  wmiu  Misf mnoM  MU  toyn  i> 
Vbam  nM  aal  Mffl«l«l  af  »  rtMr««  Allow 

■''^^"-  %o  s«t  ••UUUtod  la  hX»  pT«f«»^  ..  > 
MipaA  la  *%  llM  viaAoirt  tel  lav*  did  a 
Hay  aat^lad  daw  %a  ImalBaaa  a»d 

to  aaMacdH"  -  .-saaa  «■ 

Vall«r  h«  ;ax'  hui: 

far- 

of  tka laaiiat 

QfpiMai  AaytoB  b4««*  tU^aj?  ««Mai  ia  mrmirt  aX«ar 


M7,  an?« 

TliA  *t«^  \^i«ii  aa  %«  vbatluDr  tha 

V  10  live  flra%  ««k  ar  %m  1 4vai 

air 

ir 

Ki- 
te tha 


AtiAV  aalnliM 


diBoalalaft  tha  advani  af 

lOUDa. 
an  %n»  ahaar  Aa 

Tha  aaoU^^.*  '  laoldaa^ 

tfttaftUR  af  fSxnab  i>Mi>-^>'^Mkr,  aa^aitllad    t>ia  aarta 


241 


Th*  R.  H,  Wallers  llred  on  th«  ©aat  side  of 
Montgooery  street,  near  Green,  and  the  stoiy  of 
their  life  there  is  one  of  the  sipeetest  roasnoef 
of  the  early  d^ys  in  California. 

Judge  Waller—aliiays  one  of  the  kindliest 
•ad  ablest  of  iii«n«— came  out  here  nell  equipped 
eduaatlonally  and  intellectually  for  the  profess- 
ion he  had  chosen,  and  with  him  came  his  wife  and 
heipaeet,  i4u>  was  one  of  the  kindest  and  most 
^htLfm^ng  of  vOB«n*  Misfortune  fell  upon  them. 
There  was  not  sufficient  of  a  reserve  fund  to  allow 
Vallor  to  get  established  in  his  profession.  The 
wolf  peeped  in  at  the  windowj  "but  lore  did  ivot  fly 
a^ay,  Mrs.  Waller  settled  down  to  business  and 
"baked  pies,  and  the  Judge  went  out  and  sold  them. 
Thus  they  tided  oTsr  the  erll  daysj  and  neither 
the  Judge  nor  Mrs.  Waller  erer  felt  called  upon 
to  oamouflase  the  business  enterprise  ^diereby  Mrs. 
Waller  helped  to  pave  her  husband's  T>ath  to 
fortune. 

The  Wallers,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  leaders 
of  the  movement  for  establishing  the  Protestant 
Orphan  Asylum  here.  Waller  street  is  named  after 
them. 

Aniaist  17.  1919. 

The  eternal  problem  as  to  whether  the  first 
chicken  vns  hatched  from  the  first  egg  or  the  first 
efig  was  laid  by  the  first  chicken  pales  into  insi^ 
nifieant  slupllclty  In  the  li^t  of  that  greater 
mystery?  How  did  that  first  goat  get  tDon  Telegraph 
HillT 

Zoologists,  may  in  tim«.  find  a  fitting  solution 
to  the  enigma.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  goats  came  and 
fattened  upon  the  arid  naJoedness  of  its  outer  preci- 
pices, ¥hen  San  Trancisco  was  etill  young,  and  con- 
temporaneous chroniclers  associated  the  advent  of 
these  creatures  with  that  of  a  3jeople  of  undoubted 
Milesian  origin  ^o  lived  with  the  goats,  birdlike, 
on  the  sheer  declivities  of  the  hill. 

The  ecHning  of  these  latter  was  first  incident 
upon  the  filling  in  of  the  Water  Lots  and  the  ins- 
titution of  the  Irish  Men-o-war,  so-oalled—the  carts 
^iharevith  the  spoil  was  carried  from  lower  Vallejo 


■..tJm  ttel  Mw  ftom  thi  iMMVi  of  «li*  taM%* 

fte*9  COM  fttUt  •ffAr«»*  thtdt  >m^9,  vt 
Amti  \h$  wmm  ^  RIU. 

•tlikini;  '^ooB  lo  !%•  precsjuigiui  ^'ua^b   <b  Mil 

QOIgg  JHWitKKtWnSi  IBF  WNKMOOS 

ooH'jsofflism 

M  MM  )y 

cot  «»&%£  rrcK  uut    JsyitfinfB^  s>x  \JGUKreiNir  e.^^^ 

tnmsKn  ox  ztm  jpsecipicsta  «i^  ££«  h«a»  ctvaixcn  oa 

•%M««  $»■  V  la  that 

t  '•jwpvr  artlAi««  ¥1^  aaaalt  of  Uimm  awWW 
'  ""^A  iha  ynlmmM  vtetvia  ^-^-^  -"*m$  ymf  kvpA 

^<^wA..a«  afcaronlalM  of  f^ltrngh  Bii*.^  wu»  «p  ia 
Makt  at  t>M  tSat  »f  th«  stca^  flv** 

«dU  tte  ttllff  AMlltn  wM  «i««iat 
at  I  >t  III  aaA  y»wir  «iA  %1mi  IH*  mm  •  mi  ^    •»    v.^^ 

Mtoi*!  a  CffAl  tdhMM  «M  imilTvi  f«y  p»|Ml«nsiac 
%l»  •>•*  «ii  Salccnmli  Blll«  *f«M%UM  MaMolisNl 
iQT  tk»  aMpitSiiff  (^•fermWYT  af  ttmay  mA  IwOi  miA 
tnauf  •mlac  it  tskd  »  plcMUPt  y»««n« 

Th*  IAm  «m  MUyUIiMA.  A  m|^^>i>-*  ^ 
QnmuUk  ttyaH  «m  diitgijA  miA  m^KI^'  '<!■■ 

<A^^«  Um  ipYMlAMil,  AttArvw  Iidlrd  th*  wr  AaA 

tuM  ttlA  Ob*m«.twa7  «m  MilMgaA  lal*  ^  ;  ^w  af  1k1> 
ictloai  —AA«a»al  oMtlt,  vlth  — ■■■■  «f  •%«•«  %••» 


343 


street  and  thereabouts  to  those  onoe-sobnerged 
tidal  lands  that  nov  fonn  the  heart  of  the  "busi- 
ness district. 

These  good  folk  affixed  their  huts,  or 
shanties,  to  the  sewaJd  slopes  of  Telegraph  Hill, 
sticking  them  to  Its  precipitous  walls  as  hill 
posters  stick  hills  to  a  hoarding;  and  there  pro- 
ceeded to  raise  faxd.lies. 

ftOATS  DI3TI1I0UISHBD  IN  HDMEROUS 
CONTROVERSIES 

Ho  cow  could  adhere  to  such  sheer  declivities 
as  serred  these  worthy  pioneers  for  homes:  so  they 
got  goats  from  the  Svl^^it,  or  \AereTer  else 
goats  eoBS  froB*  and  thus  planted  the  seeds  of  a 
war  that  raged  for  many  decades  "between  the  goat 
owners  of  the  precipices  and  the  home  dwellers  on 
the  heists  flibors. 

The  trespasses  and  other  derelictions  of  those 
goats,  and  the  circumstances  in  ^ich  they  were  met 
and  fought  and  hurled  from  the  helots  of  Chestnut 
street  and  elseiAere  in  that  classic  locality,  hy 
the  male  children  of  the  home-dwellers  could  not 
adequately  he  descrihed  within  the  limits  of  a 
newspaper  article.  The  annals  of  those  comhats 
fattened  the  Toluaes  %dxereln  aforetime  ^«ere  kept 
the  official  records  of  the  old  Central  Police 
Station,  which  records— with  nearly  all  the  other 
precious  chronicles  of  Telegraph  Hill,  went  up  in 
smoke  at  the  time  of  the  great  fire. 

While  the  cliff  dwellers  were  growing  in  wealth, 
strength  and  power  and  the  Irish  msnro-war,  or  dump 
carts,  were  reclaiming  acres  of  now  inraluable  real 
estate,  a  great  scheme  was  STolred  for  popularising 
the  area  on  Telegraph  Hill,  aforetime  monopolised 
hy  the  shipping  observatory  of  Sweeny  and  Bm^,  and 
transforming  it  into  a  pleasure  resort. 

The  idea  was  materialised,  A  gravity  raili«y  up 
Greenwich  street  was  designed  and  huilt.  7.  C.  Layman 
was  the  president,  Andrew  Baird  the  secretary.  And 
the  old  Obserratory  was  enlarged  into  a  sort  of  imi- 
tation mediaeval  castle,  with  oceans  of  steam  heer 


BftJA   ©tl*MP  HAtBHl^.tStS   TrtVli-Tt   t*"."  y>$^  t*  MRWk<  IWA  T?R,1.,3  : 


«ii£  ciTmi,  wui  tlk«  wUHaal  Oast* 

wilki^^  li  /tar  }»  wv  tbsit  1thts«  «m  "-- 
ttMi  rl.*^^  «^.  >^  »%aatoa»A  bin  fcM^ 

tel.  'frwKft' 


■iil    If  !>S»:«5  ft©*:.: 
••ft'  mil  0^ 


'"^/^LT 


AjMnttMf*  «M  «»r.  ia.x> 


•■■■^■^ "  ' /i*   -ii,»r.    ♦,'"■»     «    i^," 


.  ^'  ♦  J  •     •  ,*  r. 


.     J.»-'*#-  .■•--.'>  t#rtL  / 


243 


and  other  attraotlona  within  its  hattlemented  walls 
for  th»  begailement  to  th«  heists  and  subsequent 
entsrfcaioment  of  the  money  spinners  who  liyed  helov* 

SODGETT  SWORDSMAN  SUCCEEDS  TO  COITTROL 

Oustav  Walters,  subsequent  founder  of  the  WI^moi 
and  the  Orphecm,  was  the  original  Castellant  hat 
within  a  year  he  saw  that  there  was  no  real  money  in 
the  place  and  he  abandoned  his  fastnesses  for  the 
lower  Talleys. 

Thereafter,  about  1885,  Danoan  Ross,  the  doughty 
swordsman,  took  over  the  place,  vdiich  for  a  few 
halcyon  years  thereafter  was-^the  resort  of  many  of 
the  hest'known  sportsmen  of  SanFranoisco  and  visit- 
ors  from  all  oyer  the  world.  *^he  view  was  Inconpar- 
ahle,  the  hreeze  invigorating  if  persistent,  the 
heer  halngr  and  cool.  John  L*  Sullivan  climbed  there 
and  shook  the  hand  of  Danoan  Ross  on  more  than  one 
occasion.  The  place  was  the  haunt  of  Charley  Mitchell, 
Pony  Moore,  Paddy  Ryan  and  all  the  other  li^ts  of 
the  ring  during  the  Oolden  Era  of  the  middle  ei^ties. 

Even  the  newspaper  men  of  that  period—and  news- 
pcperaen  are  usually  too  hlase  a  lot  to  he  attracted 
far  from  their  husiness  "heats"  for  purposes  of  re- 
fection and  entertainment— would  "blithely  hoof  it  up 
the  hill  and  have  a  drink  and  a  hit  of  lunch  at  Duncan 
Ross*.  And  therehy  hangs  a  tale. 

The  days  vhen  such  differences  were  settled  hy 
duels  were  thirty  years  agone,  t^n  on  one  fated 
Sahhath  Tred  Klein  of  the  Call,  hrother  of  "Klein  the 
AiMrioan,"  «ko  was  mixed  up  in  the  Samoa  affair, 
"scooped"  Trank  Dtcpree  of  the  Alta  with  a  report  of 
soBie  spiritualintio  seance. 

N«zt  ni^t,  in  the  presence  of  many  colleagues, 
they  met  on  the  police  detail  in  the  old  City  Eall- 
now  the  Hall  of  Justice—wheire  Dtzpree  openly  and 
forcefully  declared  that  Klein's  "scoop"  was  unethical 
and  Klein  himself  was  no  gentleman. 

TOrther  hi^  words  on  hoth  sides  ensued,  and  for 
a  moment  it  seemed  that  hlows  would  he  exchanged 
within  the  sacred  precincts  of  the  police  detail 
reporters*  room.  But  this  calamity  was  happily  aver- 
ted. 


-MA 


"'«<«  (MUbi^t  bKT*  feMjT  uTUffMny  row  OBjm. 


)>«t9M  fe»  isanv  «ik*%  tiw  WW  wKi.i 
M  wnmo%*r  of  th»  ^be 

M«»  »Mir  to  tte  MMktiA' 

"Dim  •l«a«»  Wytt*  1m  »io«  umpsi  $r;«ir  lois   rftAtr- 
v^v^rtji-   ^.»/  'tit   r,#t  rum  ^^wr  vlffi.'tkiH* 


'il" 


•"T 


244 


Bluff  Billy  Hart,  the  famout  water-front 
reporter  was  the  interrening  angel. 

"We  cannot  have  any  unseemly  row  here, 
gentlemen,"  he  proteeted.  "If  this  matter  has 
got  to  he  settled  In  a  Christian  spirit  and 
in  a  gentlemanly  way,  ¥hy  not  come  ttp  to  Dunfiaa 
Ross'  and  fl^t  it  oat  in  a  regular  ring,  ship- 
shape and  Bristol  fashion?" 

Sreryltody  agreed  that  the  inspiration  was 
hearen-hom.  lamature  signs  of  weakening  on  the 
part  of  the  two  contestants  were  quickly  squash- 
ed hy  their  friends.  In  less  thatn  a  Jiffy  all 
preliminaries  were  arranged  for  a  contest — 
Walter  J.  Thostpson  was  appointed  Klein's  second 
hefore  he  knew  lAat  the  row  wets  about.  Ji«  \ftiitty 
of  hA-pxij  memory  was  chosen  for  Dopree.  Billy  Eart, 
as  -oroaoter  of  the  liiole  affair,  w^s  mrxde  referee, 
Mike  Oeaury  was  to  hare  been  tlmekeer)er,  "but  he  had 
secpwatrated  his  watoh  the  previous  day*  so  Al 
Movphy  assoMd  the  duties  of  that  offieial. 

The  telephones  -^re  imt  to  woric,  and  the  news 
was  spread  to  erery  office  and  haunt  of  the  press. 
All  the  lir^s  of  Paoific  Coast  Journalism  came 
harrying  to  Boncan  Ross*. 

Donean  had  haen  notified  at  the  outset,  and 
rose  nohly  to  the  oooasion. 

"Come  along,  "boys:"  he  "bade  them  over  the  tele- 
phone, "and  I'll  set  up  the  drlaksx" 

Up  they  went.  Joe  Ward,  Wallace  Diss,  "Jaokf 
Bonnet,  Billy  Record,  Sackett  Cornell,  Billy  Lyons, 
Jack  Corey,  Andy  Lawrence,  Ned  Dement,  Boh'by  Capells, 
all  the  old  brigade. 

As  they  climbed  the  hill  in  the  moonlight  they 
Joyously  dls  cussed  the  coning  conflict.  Prize- 
fitting  was  then  a  felony  in  California. 

Officer  Reilly,  luridLng  in  the  shadows,  overheard 
the  conversation;  "A  fl^t  at  Donoaa  Ross'i  2  o'clock 
A.M.:  All  the  newspaper  fellows  on  to  it.  Heavenly 
angels,  here's  ^diere  I  come  ini" 


Tim 


SiOE  8IDCRT)  SW}*  1,1X1)  VXTS  WffTlJk 

Of  vsxsnr 

SftfttT'-  :5f.la-fs1»aRlv  Offfr«p  '>»3^.'' '1--  "-?•>»> 

mU  *«■  1a  «te  alUlm  •£ 
MA  mmi" 

xtnm  «tf  !»&««»«•  B«  Bot  t  la  aU 

.._.  -^TJellalaa?!**.  Vi*  alec  f  "Jh  «M>- 


■X. 

Ana,  loaAlr  nsi*.  eatknslMtitfalljr  U>*  oalMlnn 
«aMrafi«r  imftt,  iMlt  tte  fHiiiit 

iQdtty  bitd  «»t  «xelt«d  «»A  Afwdt 
^  «/^«i7  la  tlM  WtUa  vfail*  DivTM  tM 

>•  aMoM 


245 

EACH  SECOHD  SOPPLIED  WITH  BOTTLE 
OT  WHISKT 

Softly,  nolB«l««sly  Officer  O'Reilly  stol* 
around  the  Hill  and  collected  hie  oomradee, 
Officers  Morgan,  Colllne  and  Ralnslmry. 

"Whleht,  "boye:  A  fl^t  at  IXmcan's.  We'll 
raid  'ea  In  the  middle  of  It.  Grip  your  gone, 
and  come:" 

Mean^lle,  all  tmeontolone  of  these  proceed- 
ings, the  molders  of  pobllc  opinion  entered  the 
ohsenratory  castle  and  were  received  with  open 

anns* 

Doncan  Ross  was  essentially  a  sportsman  and 
a  patron  of  letters.  He  not  only  heli^ed  In  all 
the  preliminaries,  "but  also  stcpplled  each  sec- 
ond with  a  "bottle  of  whisky  wherewith  to  ply  his 
principal  between  the  rounds. 

And  thus  the  fight  hegan. 

It  was  the  dickens  and  all  of  a  fl^t.  Hit, 
haek,  hlodc  and  hew  was  the  order  of  the  day. 

"Snash  his  eye,  Fred:" 

"Knock  him  In  the  jaw:" 

"Punch  him  In  the  wind,  Frank,  and  he's  yours." 

Thus,  loudly  and  enthusiastically  the  onlookers 
encouraged  their  two  friends,  vdille  the  friends 
foo^t  and  "batterad. 

At  the  and  of  the  second  round,  a  howl  went  up 
froB  Dt^rae.  Jim  Whltty  had  got  excited  and  drank 
off  all  the  whisky  In  the  "bottle  >dille  Dupree  was 
earning  It  In  the  ring. 

Ross  came  to  the  rescue  with  another  "bottle, 
and  the  third  round  was  proceeding  "braTOly,  ^Amn. 
crash  went  the  front  door  and  the  four  pollesaan 
dashed  into  the  place. 

"Gents:"  announced  O'Reilly,  "Ton  are  all  under 
arrest:" 

A  moment  later  the  officers  realised  the  nature 
of  the  crowd  they  had  "broken  in  upon  and  every  one 
of  them  shriveled  In  his  hoots. 


•X  ill*  4i^* 


*P.A*W8SflT*  zM 


nxaA 

f«r 


Worm  ^mr. 


flM   »t^--^-       .-   . 


BfA  Mipit  «   Va.cJ'.— '  vT  * 


•    i«-.»   ■'.Lrrt 


7«fff.t'J8,l?lJJ  flMRTf  TfW  ■" 


246 


ROSS  UiniERTAZES  TO  STAHD  BY  THE  BOTS 

Korgaa  was  the  first  to  reco-rer  hla  presence 
of  mind*  There  vab   a  fight  going  on,  and  it  v>as 
on  his  heat*  He  had  to  see  the  matter  throng  or 
perish*  So  he  pat  e-rerybody  under  arrest* 

The  sequel  was  one  of  the  greatest  comedies 
of  lav  and  Journalism  that  nSTer  was  published 
in  the  nevspapers  of  the  da7« 

Sonoan  Ross  swore  that  he  would  "stick  hy  the 
hoys."  He  gathered  up  all  the  money  in  the  plaoe* 
some  $60O-and  pat  it  in  a  hag*  He  would  ball  the 
hoys  out* 

Down  to  the  Central  Police  Station  they  all 
Barehed.  Sergeant  Meier  Lindbelffler  was  on  the  desk. 

"Heavens:"  be  exolalaed.  "Vhat  Is  the  storyT 
What's  happened?  Ain't  ten  reporters  enought" 

Then  he  realised  they  were  all  under  arrest, 
and  looked  for  the  heayens  to  fall* 

Wallace  Diss  was  paroled  and  sped  in  quest  of 
Police  Judge  "Whiskers"  Campbell  to  come  and  grant 
hail  to  the  malefactors*  Then  it  transpired  that, 
prise-fighting  being  a  felony.  Demean  Ross'  $600 
would  not  suffice  to  hail  even  one  of  them.  Srent- 
ually,  howerer,  Jud^  Caapbell  came  along  and 
fixed  the  matter,  somehow.  They  all  had  to  appear 
for  trial  the  following  Monday,  hut  they  all  forgot 
about  It,  and  there  that  obaDter  ended* 

The  boys  went  across  to  the  Aralon  with  Dancan 
Ross,  and — each  having  borrowed  sufflsient  from 
Dancan' s  -oortly  s^ck  of  unused  bail  money  to  enable 
him  to  keep  his  end  up  until  breakfast— everybody 
was  hapny  if  pink-eyed  before  the  dawn. 

The  sequel  occured  one  night  about  a  month  later, 
when  some  poor  dronken  sailor  fell  down  a  cellar  on 
Sacramento  street—which  happened  to  be  Policeman 
Morgan's  beat — and  was  picked  v$  dead,  with  his  neck 
broken. 

POLICSMAH  OPENS  ETES  TO  PLOT  AT  IHqTOST 

Long  ere  this  Morgan  realised  the  gravity  of  his 
faux  pas  in  ever  arreetiag  the  Saored  persons  of  the 


a4t 


It  ITS  n»t  tt 

50 


Jrftd 


•  «IOBlJl  fiMit  v:. 


Vw  t^nT 


^;u  %mt  9poi%  ASK*'  e 


k4  IMT^- 


.1*  CM'. 

LteUt. 


w»f«  9«tt3 


ISOIIMP  Om  ItWlB  fAK 

«t  an  ovMB  citeMi 


t'l  that  STTir 


S47 


navspaper  bmi,  and  It  was  reported  that  be  had  to 
ham   the  wig  he  wore  twice  redyed  dxirlng  the  weeks 
followlne  the  affair  "becauee  It  went  white  with 
hie  terror  of  the  coneeqaenoes. 

Anjrhov,  the  poor  dead  sailor  served  all  the 
pumosea  the  reporters  reqjilred*  The  next  day  the 
papers  reeked  with  details  of  a  sickening  crime 
on  Sacraaento  street—the  dull  thode  of  a  police- 
man's dub  on  an  unprotected  skull,  the  groans  and 
shrieks  of  a  victim  resounding  for  blocks  around 
the  district  during  the  still  watches  of  the  nl^t, 
at  an  hour  when  Policeman  Morgan  was  known  to  have 
passed  that  spot; "and  yet  this  so-called  officer 
of  the  lav  protests  that  he  knows  nothing  about  this 
murder:" 

It  was  not  until  the  Inquest  proved  that  there 
was  not  a  bump  on  the  dead  man's  skull  that  the  plot 
began  to  dawn  vapon  Morgan. 

A  few  weeks  later  the  castle  on  the  hill  took 
fire  and  burned  out.  It  was  one  of  the  most  specta- 
cular biases  of  the  time.  The  gravity  railroad  up 
the  hill  had  failed  and  passed  out  of  existence  long 
before. 

Duncan  Ross  made  broadsword  contests  on  horse- 
back a  popular  Sunday  afternoon  feature  of  Telegraph 
Hill,  and  thousands  used  to  flock  thither  to  witness 
the  oombats«  until  the  sport  grew  stale. 

He  and  Captain  Jennings,  clad  in  anaor,  would 
cavort  about  and  hack  and  hew  at  each  other,  like 
veritable  knl^ts  of  old,  and  with  a  clash  and  clan« 
of  steel  that  sounded  like  a  boiler  factory.  Shrewd 
blows  were  given  and  taken.  Otherwise  the  crowd 
would  never  have  gathered.  But  in  due  season  the  ex- 
citement palled,  and  even  a  crack  on  the  skull  that 
split  the  helmet  and  nearly  finished  IXinoan  Hoss  one 
day  failed  to  revive  the  public  Interest  in  the 
sport;  and  the  last  days  of  the  castle  on  the  hill 
were  painftdly  peaceful  and  dull. 

IHCIDEIIT  OVSa  SINaiS  TAX  DOOTRIBE 
RSCALLKS 

Judge  Robert  A.  ?erral  of  the  criminal  court  lived 
at  523  Green  on  the  southeast  comer  of  Union  Place 
and  was  one  of  the  very  few  legal  luminaries  that  ever 


l«i<«7  Man  MWll  «£i 


*m 


fltt* 


Oh»t 


248 


had  their  homes  on  the  hill.  He  ims  quite  a  figure 
in  local  politics  and  about  tovn  in  the  eighties 
asul  early  nineties. 

Trank  McOlynn,  the  real  estate  man,  lired  at 
1906  Dopont  street,  Just  north  of  Chestnut,  in  the 
old  days,  and  was  then,  as  now,  one  of  the  promin<- 
ent  figures  on  Telegraph  Hill,  thlfo^  mayhap  he  no 
longer  takes  sooh  an  active  part  in  its  happenings 
as  he  did  about  half  a  century  ago. 

The  MeCxlynns  vsre  of  Irish  parentage.  Some  of 
thsai  were  horn  in  Ireland,  some  in  Key  Torlc  One 
brother  was  John  A.  Ho(>lynn,  the  recorder  of  early 
dayst  another  w^s  the  famous  Dr.  Sdward  MoOlymi, 
pastor  of  St. Stephen's  Church,  New  Tork,  yibo  was 
one  of  the  most  -oopular  Catholic  -nrlests  in  ITewYorfc, 
hut  was  solemnly  excommunicated  hy  Pope  LeoXIII  for 
his  alleged  heresy  in  preaching  the  single  tax  doc- 
trines of  Henxy  (George.  His  exewoBRUiication  was  the 
ecclesiastical  and  politie-'il  sensation  of  the  middle 
eighties,  and  caused  no  end  of  difficulties  and 
hearfbrrmlngs . 

The  excommunicated  priest  oaae  out  here  and 
lived  with  his  "brother  for  quite  a  while  after  the 
unfortunate  episode.  Subsequently,  yhitn  the  raepal 
delegate.  Cardinal  Satolli,  came  to  America,  the 
Moaiymi  matter  was  sifted  and  readjusted.  Dr.  KcOlynn 
w»s  restored  to  the  church  and  died  in  orders  some 
years  ago. 

Frank  MoOlynn  now  lires  on  Chestnut  street,  near 
Stocktont  His  nephew,  Charles,  son  of  John  A.  McOlynn, 
is  in  the  Interial  Rerenue  Department  at  the  Custoai- 
House. 

HOUSE  SAVED  IS  riBX  VBXB  SPHAZSD  WITH 
WZB 

Henry  Spannhaake,  the  elder  of  the  old  produce 
firm  of  7.  Behre  and  Company,  lired  on  the  east  side 
of  Kearny,  between  Union  and  Illbert  streets.  The 
Spannhaakes  afterwards  mored  to  the  north  side  of 
Chestnut,  west  of  Stockton,  \4iere  Miss  T.  Spannhaake 
reeided  when  she  was  teacher  at  the  Union  Ci 


mrJi 

i 

tsmt  -^ 

^iBdt    lit    tf^V'' 


•r  1 


v.'i  i-'i  nv^    K.*  ! ^>'iTi!^-. 


:-jiM  •         -  :.:  ^ 


jy— .^t  jijw')   'Mi>:?  Kut    .*tst '^•^fT^^lW 


01    r^ 


•irmvs 


349 


school  on  th«  northw«at  oomar  of  Filbert  and 
Xs&rajr  streets* 

Matthias  Oray,  founder  of  the  nmaie  firm, 
had  his  home  on  the  southwest  comer  of  Ii<noibard 
and  Keam7  streets*  The  house  still  stands,  and 
is  one  of  the  few  reputed  to  hare  been  saved 
from  the  rarages  of  the  fire  by  being  sprayed 
with  vine  froB  the  cellars*  The  Bond'sohos  lived 
on  Chestnut  street,  between  Dopont  and  Zeamy; 
but  that  house  went  in  the  great  conflagration* 

THUU)  STBSET 

Hovada7s,  \ihon  the  industrious  coppersmith 
or  boilermaker  has  to  dig  down  into  his  Jeans 
and  drag  a  thousand  dollars  or  so  for  the  ess- 
ential player-piano,  it  is  interesting  to  look 
back  upon  the  good  old  times  \dien  the  home  of 
melody  was  on  the  comer  of  Third  and  Market 
streets,  and  the  contemporary  equivalent  of  the 
modem  Jass  band  could  be  secured  for  a  couple 
of  dollars. 

Neither  the  player-piano  nor  the  graphophone 
wsM  then  a  practical  invention*  Machine-made 
music  was  scorned  "South  of  the  Slot"  from  Mission 
street  to  the  Fotrero;  but  thousands  of  the  boys 
who  were  gifted  with  musical  souls  would  flock  to 
C*  C*  Eeene's,  in  the  Ifocleus  building,  for  the 
harmonicas  or  accordions  with  viAoh  they  then 
wooed  the  Muse  of  Harmony. 

Conditions  were  then  such  that,  with  a  couple 
of  accordions  and  one  harmonica,  three  gentlemen 
could  organise  a  dance  and  famish  their  own  music. 

Then,  as  now,  nusie  was  considered  a  /^nteel 
accomplishment;  and  as  the  anklung  is  about  the 
only  instrument  customarily  played  by  the  youthful 
minstrels  of  Central  Java,  sisilarly  a  Hichter 
harmonica,  purchased  from  Keene's  for  15  cents,  was 
the  staple  lute  and  lyre  of  certain  local  social 
strata  in  the  good  and  glad  old  times* 


'Asn 


^■Vi **>*••"»•:  .    Ti««n«'^    vfifr    7..     ■7t»»*»r    Ti?f-S 


iMd 


"Wcm  t. 


WW     ^t>^?'''^iW  TbM* 


trvfcr  r=r*»  V.I 


tt  Its 


•tt  ■'ai* 

■•*r.   !rr 


250 


Therefore,  Keene't  was  a  great  plaoe*^  a 
landioark  in  a  noble  city.  Bat  the  Ihioleue 
Imildlng  and  Keene'e  nasle  store  are  memories 
of  the  past,  and  real  hanaonloa  artists,  like 
the  fifteen-cent  hamonioas  of  their  ttmefal 
day,  are  nov  as  rare,  respectively,  as  the  min- 
strel hoy  and  the  harp  that  once  raised  revelxy 
at  Tara. 

DKVOTMS  OF  FQBTUNA  Pil  TRIBUTS  US 
WHITE'S 

7ev  persons  ^o  now  pass  that  way  realize 
^yfaat  history  was  oade  on  that  hlook  of  Third 
street,  between  Market  and  Mission;  but  oany 
who  reflect  can  reaeaher  the  contrlhations  it 
has  aada  to  the  chronicles  of  San  Francisco. 

While  the  worshipers  of  Appollo  patronised 
Keene's  estahlishment  on  the  street  level,  the 
derotees  of  Fortona  paid  tribute  to  her  in  the 
alluring  saloon  presided  over  by  "Hard-boiled" 
Hany  White  on  the  upper  floor. 

Roulette,  faro,  poker— almost  any  gtuae  of 
ehanee  a  man  might  please— was  ran,  wide  open, 
by  "Hardr>boiled"  Harry  White  for  quite  a  apaa  of 
years;  and  his  genial  face,  raddy  and  benevolent, 
with  its  i^iite  mast  ache  and  military  cut  white 
hair,  was  oi&e  of  the  best  known  in  the  distingais- 
hed  crowd  that  freqaented  the  speed  track  at 
Oolden  Oate  Paxk  and  the  ^<relc<nBing  portals  of 
Colonel  Dickey's  roadhouse  at  a  period  when  nearly 
every  man  of  substRnoe  here  drove  his  own  fast 
trotter. 

Keene's  was  on  Third  street,  at  Market.  Next 
door,  to  the  northeast  of  it  on  Market  at  Third, 
WAS  Percy  Beamish,  the  haberdasher's,  for  many  a 
lasts  year  leading  landaaxk  and  guide  to  fashion. 

Beamish  sopplied  nach  of  the  purple  and  fine 
linen  to  the  young  budcs  of  the  city  in  the  heyday 
of  its  earlier  glory;  bat  he  had  no  more  pleasing 
patron—none  that  it  was  a  greater  comfort  to  adorn, 
than  "his  neighbor  in  business.  Captain  C.  C. 
Eeene,  ooameadant  of  the  Sea  Fraiioisco  Hassars,  i^io, 
in  his  glorious  uniform,  and  his  yellow  pltime,  at 


•rrr.  'T-TSUfflP  TO  i^rm 


4«« 


S51 


the  head  of  his  dashing  squadron,  made  a  si^t 
for  sore  eyes  at  e^ery  Fourth  of  July  procession. 

GNHIBaS  LIHE  OFESATED  TO  SOOTH  ?ASK 
PBXCinCTS 

Of  course,  Third  street  was  for  many  Joyous 
decades  the  aorta,  so  to  speak,— the  main  artery 
through  which  the  pulsant  flow  of  most  great 
parades  were  pauiped  from  the  great  heart  of  the 
city  "South  of  the  Slot*  into  the  reuliant  welcome 
of  Maricet  street.  The  Yellow  cars  of  the  Omnihus 
line  ran  down  its  broad  thoroughfare  to  the  clae- 
sic  precincts  of  Sotttli  Park.  It  was  the  upper  neck 
to  the  Long  Bridge  and  later  of  Kentucky  street-- 
the  great  gateway  to  the  Fotrero.  It  was,  in  effect, 
the  meeting  place  where  San  Francisco  and  "South 
of  Market"  met.  The  Nucleus  hulldlng,  with  Beamish* s 
and  Keene's  on  the  main  floor,  stood  on  the  dividing 
line,  with  Beamish* s  in  San  Francisco  and  Keene's 
in  its  southern  hemisphere. 

Below  Keene's  was  the  original  store  of  Ton 
Londy,  the  Jeweler,,  and  a  few  doors  farther  south 
was  Martin's  Oyster  House—the  cradle,  so  they  say, 
of  the  long  famous  oyster-loaf  of  modem  coflBMToe, 
and  a  resort  of  great  renown  and  popularity. 

It  was  therf  or  thereahouts  that  for  a  time 
flourished  another  restaurant  conducted  hy  a  man 
nmnefl  Saris,  ^dio  subsequently  opened  the  original 
"Coffee  Dan's"  in  the  basement  of  the  huilding  on 
the  southwest  comer  of  Kearny  and  Sutter  streets. 

Davis  was  not  only  a  man  with  a  purpose—Ham 
and  XsSB — hut  also  an  individual  of  much  distinct- 
ion and  distinctive  appearance.  In  fact,  he  was 
known  to  his  intimates  and  others  as  "Beaconsfield" 
heoaose  of  the  peculiar  resenhlanoe  he  bore  to 
that  eminent  British  statesman. 

The  restaurant  nan  never  endeavored  to  disguise 
this  resanblanoe;  bat,  on  the  other  hand,  by  a 
judicious  ammgMMBt  of  his  curls  and  an  equally 
Judicious  selection  of  plug  hats  and  cravats, 
materially  assisted  himself  in  naintaining  a  likeness 
to  the  gr«at  Disraeli,  who  was  (^leen  Victoria's 
favoxi-te  statesman. 


lAt 


ft# 


252 


TWO  BtXJS  SEHTED  ART  aPTLE  POH  10 
CEHTS 

Kear*r  Mission  street  was  another  restaAxrant 
of  erstwhile  widespread  popfolarlty,  vhi.6b.  special- 
ised In  "Two  egee.  any  style,  10  cents." 

Needless  to  say,  'bread  and  batter  and  coffee 
were  included  with  the  eggs  for  a  dime.  Such 
extras  went  without  saying  In  the  old  days.  Where- 
fore the  establlshnent,  "being  centrally  located, 
did  a  thriving  huslness. 

It  was  conducted  hy  a  man  named  Regan,  who 
contrlhuted  to  the  richness  of  oar  local  Tocalnlaxy 
the  onoe  well-onderstood  expression  "to  Reganiic." 

"To  netcherlse"  was  a  yrTa  then  newly  coined 
in  respect  of  "Pletcherlslng"  one's  food-B»stlcatlng 
It  for  a  protracted  period  as  recommended  hy  the 
specialist  Tletcher. 

"Reganlslng"  applied  only  to  spoons  and  forks 
and  referred  to  the  process  affected  hy  Regan's 
waiters  when  a  customer  wemted  a  clean  spoon  in  a 
harry.  As  regards  the  details  of  that  process, 
suffice  It  to  say  that  the  first  part  of  it  was 
analogous  to,  "but  hrlefer  than,  Fletcherlsation. 
Than  the  waiter  wiped  the  spoon  on  his  apron,  han- 
ded it  to  the  customer,  and  there  you  are. 

It  was  from  Regan's  restauzcmt  that  originally 
•aaaated  the  terrlhle  story  of  "The  Waiter's 
Evyeage,"  which  taught  the  hitherto  untospecting 
rich  of  other  districts  to  mind  their  "p's  and  q's" 
when  they  sou^t  a  cheap  meal  on  Third  street. 

Just  helov  Regan's,  on  the  northeast  comer  of 
Mission  street  was  Ointy  and  Blanchard's  saloon, 
one  of  the  most  reputable  estahlishments  of  its 
kind  "South  of  Market"  in  the  serenties  and  later. 

Dare  Blaaehard  was  a  quiet,  unassuming  man, 
with  a  heavy  face,  i^o  custonarily  closed  tqo  the 
cash  at  ahont  12  or  1  o'clodc  at  ni^t  and  walked 
up  to  his  home  on  Langton  street  with  the  teney  in 
his  350cket.  H«  ijalked  in  the  center  of  the  street 
with  a  pistol  in  his  hand  and  nohody  ever  gave  him 
cause  to  use  that  pistol. 


?¥«  *af«    *,iasa  liKi  £  v'tlST 


.^4^;:^  UA  JoUo; 


■^.sMRiJ-j: 


■W 


>»i  «R»* 


1     H  45    /7«L^ 


y    jwi- 


253 


Hit  son  JaaM«  vat  a  vary  ea3}a'bl«  imisiolan  and 
aohlered  great  conmerolal  «ticc«i«  with  Blanehard'a 
Orch«»tr»,  of  which  he  wae  the  oondactor. 

BAHCE  HAIL  AOTRACTS  TRAUSIEHT  STRAHGEHS 

On  the  Boatheast  comer.  In  the  hasement,  was 
Happy  Jack  Harrington's— quite  a  different  sort  of 
••tahllahment,  with  a  dance  hall  and  variety  enter- 
tainment to  attract  the  transient  stranger. 

Johnny  Tours,  one  of  the  well-known  nnxslc  hall 
entertainers  here  of  the  early  days,  was  the  chief 
of  Happy's  sisiT  attractions.  Another  was  Ellsa 
Eankinst  Happy's  own  wife. 

Ellsa  specialised  In  the  can-can— a  dance  not 
entirely  oomms  U  faat  when  Jridged  hy  Mld-Tlctorlan 
standards,  thoo^  pezhaps  not  quite  In  the  same 
class  with  the  Shlamle  dance  of  today.  It  %as  dis- 
tinctly st«gestl-re  in  lots  of  ways  and  Involved 
Boae  hl^  kicking  and  other  details. 

'.«ien  Happy  Jack  was  feeling  really  good  and 
friendly  he  would  approach  ^Aatever  friend  or 
acquaintance  was  near  and  clasp  him  warmly  ty  the 
>>yii^  as  he  preferred  the  genle^  Invitation: 

*Toa  must  come  down  to  ny  place,  ole  pal,  an' 
see  my  wife,  Ellsa,  dance  the  canrcan:" 

Outside  this  melodeon  huslneas,  Happy  Jack 
achieved  botm  fame  through  "benevolence  to  newsboys, 
and  after  an  unavoldahle  visit  to  San  Qoentln  hecane 
a  sort  of  henchsBun  In  his  district  for  Paul  Shirley, 
then  warden  of  that  useful  Institution. 

Subsequently  Happy  fell  upon  evil  days  and 
reformed— at  least  he  told  the  Salvation  Amy  that 
he  felt  refonsed,  and  was  hy  that  hody  put  on  his 
legs  again  as  manager  of  a  Salvation  Amy  coffee 
shop.  But  he  disappeared  thence  one  day,  and  It  was 
tmderstood  that  he  had  "sllrTped  from  the  water  wagon" 
and  In  other  respects  retrograded.  Anyhow,  lAen  last 
seen  hereahouts  he  had  lost  a  leg  and  had  "become  a 
"pencil-mooch" — that  Is  to  say,  he  was  o8ten8i"bly 
peddling  pencils  on  Market  street,  near  the  City  Hall. 
That  was  years  before  the  fire. 


Ml 


SA3." 


!-^ir  4r 


nab 


«« 


dawr 


T-rTc*-!^ 


254 


PHOTOGRAPHERS  FLODHISH  ON  VSST 
SIEE  OF  STHSHT 

Photographars  used  to  "be  vexy  plentiful  on 
that  'block,  "bat  most  of  thaai  flourished  on  the 
vest  side  of  the  street. 

Benjaadn  T»   Eovland's  old  Hew  York  gallexy, 
however,  w^s  at  25  and  37  Third  street,  on  the 
east  side  jast  below  Stevenson,  and  was  \4iere 
maay  a  pretty  lady  and  many  a  dashing  caivaller 
of  the  sixties  sat  and  endured  the  agonies  of 
heing  3)hotographed  at  a  period  idien  instantazt- 
eous  plates  wers  tnifaiiown. 

So  much  for  the  east  side  of  the  "block 
l>etween  Maricst  anA  Miggion  streets.  On  the  west 
side  of  it— at  16  Third  street — for  years  were 
molded  from  day  to  day  the  political  destinies 
of  San  Tranoisco. 

James  H«  Widber's  drag  store  was  then  on 
the  corner  of  Third  and  Market  streets.  Vidber 
hecaae  City  Treasurer,  and  his  son  sooeeeded 
him  in  that  office.  A  rocming-hoiise  was  orsr 
Yidher's  store,  and  occupied  what  is  now  the 
•Ite  of  the  Spreckels  building. 

A  few  doors  south  was  Tan  Drady**  tailor 
shop,  idience,  according  to  local  reports,  origin- 
ated the  overlapping  seaa  that  "becaae  a  pronounced 
feature  of  sartorial  eleganoe,  especially  among 
the  horsemen  and  "sports'*  cf  the  eighties. 

Then  oame  "Ho.  16,"  the  fnaous  saloon,  at  one 
tl»e  conducted  hy  Senntor  Billy  Donne,  then  hy 
"King"  McMonus,  and  then  by  Kelly  and  Crinrnlns. 

The  most  famous  regiae,  of  course,  was  that 
of  "King,"  otherwise  Prank  McManua— who  possessed 
great  political  sagacity. 


BAfTERED  BAKLT  IN  lESTHUCTIVI! 
IBTEBPBZ8B 

On  one  historic  occasion,  being  belligerently 
dzunk  and  fvothing  with  indignation  over  soae 
sli^t,  either  fancied  or  well  merited,  KoManu 
■allied  forth  to  the  presbytezy  of  St.Patriok'e 


f^.nsMft-   "r!*?*?? 


^ 

to?  •tS" 


V  1 V . 


Trf^ 


ayitcu'**;:  e^.i.^j, 


'i»'.Oil' 


255 


Charoh  around  the  oom«r  on  Mission  street*  and 
there  announced  his  Intention  of  palling  down 
the  Imildlng  about  the  ears  of  the  pastor*  Father 
Peter  Qrtj, 

McManae  had  a  supreme  "poll"  with  the  police; 
Init  Father  Grey  was  Father  Grey,  and  with  Sergeant 
"Black  Jack"  Spillane  in  the  Southern  police 
station  "the  King"  h*d  ahout  as  much  chance  against 
the  priest  of  St.Patriolc'B  as  the  proTerhian  snov- 
flalce  in  the  furnace.  He  ^^as  a  hadly  battered  King 
by  the  time  he  got  back  to  his  own  headquarters. 

He  also  on  occasion  Bade  great  bluffs  of  attack- 
ing editors  of  papers  that  exposed  hie  methods;  but 
he  nerer  returned  to  the  conflict  after  being  kicked 
out  of  an  office,  ^et  he  was  for  years  a  leading 
influence  in  San  Francisco  polities. 

Before  he  took  over  the  Thiird-street  house  he 
owned  the  Union  Hotel — a  worklngman's  boardix^ 
house  on  Michigan  street,  near  the  Union  Iron  Works, 
in  the  Potrero.  And  no  nan  could  get  a  Job,  or  hold 
one,  %rlth  the  Union  Iron  V/ozks  Tinless  he  boarded 
with  King  M<d<anu8,  and  also  spent  plenty  of  money 
at  his  bar. 

In  time.  Jack  Welch,  subsecpiently  the  sporting 
referee  and  all  the  rest  of  it,  saw  fit  to  go  into 
the  sane  game.  He  opened  a  boarding-house  that  took 
in  all  the  boys  of  the  San  Francisco  Rolling  Mills 
close  by;  and  then  the  fat  was  in  the  fire. 

The  "Hell's  Half  Acre*  at  Michigan  and  Twentieth 
streets,  tAiere  the  ri^ral  boarding-houses  stood, be- 
oaae  the  scene  of  combats  so  ferocious  that  the  batt- 
ling Titans  may  be  said  to  haTS  merely  bandied 
Cytherean  blandishments  by  comparison. 

COHTEMPT  SHOWN  BY  SHOOTINO  HAOT8 
OFF  CLOCK 

The  prinelpals  nerer  oasM  to  blows,  but  their 
followers  passed  no  opportunities. 

On  a  certain  historic  occasion,  one  of  Jack 
Welch's  adherents,  named  Qalla^ier,  went  into  the 
MoManus  stron^iold  and  there  demonstrated  his  con- 
tempt and  contumely  by  shooting  the  hands  off  the 


ad  dlA  h*  ft. 

^^^^«-«.4  that  h«  "'^-' 

^^HTUi*  plant,  Vb« 

ef  !»•  i'9r^mmUK  in,  b5 


A*  firvl 


>f  t«U  tf  %kr  •■'  "**■ 

J 


»5  »acj:»  ~i«sf 


^H^    LSb^    <>VV.>'' 


ji7  "  V    .1 " 


256 


olook  on  the  "bar. 

So  elated  did  he  feel  with  hlmaelf  orsr  thle 
achievement  that  he  etraightvay  proceeded  to  the 
Lotus  Club,  a  few  doore  eouth,  entered  it,  and 
■hot  up  the  place.  The  rnembere—all  gentlemen  of 
colox— fled  their  crap  gasee  and  their  cards  and 
leaped,  of  one  accord,  out  of  the  windows. 

It  was  a  sensational  day  in  the  history  of 
Ho.  16  and  the  Lotus  Cluh;  and  Gallagher  was  sen- 
tenced to  a  year  in  the  County  Jail  as  a  result 
of  i%.  Tortunately  for  hln,  his  term  concurred 
with  that  of  many  other  distinguished  personage* 
^dio  were  then  temporarily  "behind  the  "bars  for 
▼arious  reasons.  Richard  MacDonald  of  the  Pacific 
hank^  wu  one  of  these;  Ben  Hapthtaly,  the  police 
court  lawyer,  another. 

At  first  glance,  the  spectacle  of  the  police 
court  lawyer  hehind  the  h&rs  almost  noahed  Oalla- 
^ler  with  anacement. 

Naphtaly  was  heseeching  Denny  McCarthy,  the 
captain  of  the  night  watch,  for  a  drink  to  quench 
his  perishing  thirst i  and  Denny  mn  ewearlng  hack 
at  him.  Presently  Denny  unlocked  the  hars  on 
Hagihtaly,  and  growled  at  hla  to  go  to  the  water 
tscp  under  the  stairs  and  help  hlaself . 

Radiantly  the  lawyer  obeyed.  Then  Oalla^ier 
ohserred  that  there  was  a  "beer  glass  fall  of 
Khlsky  "beside  the  tap  and  a  ^fink  in  the  eye  of 
Denny  McCarthy.  Simultaneously  he  realised  that  he 
need  not  gire  way  to  despair. 

HACK  DRITSRS  OATHER  TO  IMBIBE  WISDOM 

It  ^Mts  during  the  Kelly  and  Crlmmins  regime, 
howcrer,  that  Al  Murphy  discovered  and  imnortal- 
Ised  that  other  distinguished  sage  of  the  Murphy 
clan — Blinker  Murphy. 

Blinker  was  the  conteaiporary  and  political 
ally  of  Ex-9upervlsor  Mike  Coffey,  and  author  of 
the  hack-drivers'  world-renowned  motto;  "If  you 
can*t  get  *em  coming,  get  'ea  going." 

It  will  he  remeahered  that  at  Hlshapur,  eight 
centuries  ago,  the  iMortal  "Tentmaker"  with  his 


iiift 


-tsaa2i5a 


?ii<U|«^r 


FiMiMn  !>•*' 


tV*. 


■^  1  si^^rtf-wnr  juscxflwr"^ 


on 


i3»  4«a^^ 


257 


comrades,  Nlxanial  Malk  and  Hassan  bezi  Sabbah  and 
other  seekers  after  knovledge,  sat  at  the  feet  of 
the  Imaa  Mauffak  and  from  his  lips  learned  wisdom* 

Similarly  at  the  feet  of  Blinker  the  Sage, 
gathered  other  neophyte  x>hllosophers  of  the  hack 
drlT«r«  erudite  caste:  Comheef  Vflmlen,  as  his 
Qmaur,  Tatty  Kahoe,  as  his  Assan,  "Garibaldi"  Jim 
Eieman  as  his  Hitam*  All  came  to  the  Nishapor  of 
16  Third  street,  and  with  them  were  Owen  Kenny— 
Pattl's  haokaaa,  \ibo   truly  hoasted  that  the  dlta 
woold  drive  in  no  other  Tehlole  while  Tlsitlng 
San  Franc lsoo~—Goelo-eyed  Charlie  Carr,  e^^coaofamaa 
of  Senator  Frank  Newlands,  Doughnat  Pat  and  many 
another  i^  drove  hacks  when  aatos  were  unborn. 

Of  all  who  gathered  about  Blinker  the  Imam  it 
was  Doughnut  who  In  one  respect  most  resembled  the 
author  of  the  Hubalyat.  Of  Otaar  they  said  that  his 
real  niUM  nay  have  heen  Qhirath  ad-Din  Abol  Flath 
Ttear  and  some  more,  hut  that  he  took  that  of 
"Khayyam" —The  Tentmaker— hecause  tentmaklng  was 
the  trade  of  his  father. 

Dou^mut  Pat  passed  to  glory  without  revealing 
any  praenomen  or  patronym  other  than  that  by  ^iloh 
he  was  known  to  Blinker  and  his  other  colleagues. 
Belike  his  parent  was  a  "Pat  or  a  Doughnut". 

August  31.  1919. 

Persons  idio  have  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  good 
religious  training  «Aien  they  were  young  will  recall 
the  beautlitil  if  occasional  apoczyphal  tales  they 
used  to  read  on  the  subject  of  Providential  inter- 
vention. 

Missionary  accidentally  dropped  trtm  asroplane, 
alights  in  midst  of  starving  cannlhal  trlhe.  Is 
about  to  be  slain  and  cooked  idien  volcanic  eruption 
eztemlnates  tribe  and  uncovers  pirates'  cache  of 
canned  truffles  and  every  other  iuxury,  leaving 
missionary  in  state  of  perfect  content  and  safety. 

Sometimes  the  reverse  happens: 

The  original  Gexman  hospital  stood  at  Brannan 
and  Third  streets,  and  was  a  very  isiposlng  briek 
structure.  One  day  in  Higust  1876,  the  hlock  was 
swept  hy  fire,  and  the  hosplted  was  wiped  off  the 
faee  of  the  earth. 


*!Rt 


^fe  *.*•■•  r '•-^.  "  -      i^iixV'siA".      li* 


Ml' 


t.^ 


lUttSi'. 


'^„ 


y  ? 


358 


Unacorched,  tmhaxmed,  itanding  alona  and  rm- 
•ollled  abore  the  blackenad  aitath  of  desolation, 
one  small  'building  sttrrlved  the  e&tastrophet  its 
ovner  walkixig  to  and  fro,  ttpon  his  lavfol  oooasions, 
throTi^  the  still  smoldering  emhers  of  the  en- 
dreling  ruins. 

The  house  thus  blessed  and  miraculously  pre- 
senred  was  but  a  htunble  shanty.  It  belonged  to  Wing 
See,  the  Chinese  laondxyman,  «ho  did  vaahing  for 
the  ships  that  lay  off-shore  and  the  sallox^nen  lAio 
csas  up  Third  street  frmn  the  landing-stage  that 
used  to  be  near  ^ihere  the  Southern  Pacific  depot 
nov  stands. 

OHAITD  0D?2RA)-HOnSS  COMPLECTD  15  1876, 

Eighteen  hundred  and  seventy  six. 

Third  street  In  mor*  vays  than  one.  It  was  that 
year  which  sav  the  dompletion  of  the  Grand  Opera- 
Horose  on  Mission  street,  just  west  of  Third,  which 
the  Third  street  boys  proudly  regarded  as  a  play- 
house of  their  own. 

The  histrionic  triumphs  of  that  great  teiaple 
of  Thesplt  belong  to  other  ohroniolest  the  Uliad 
of  its  eonstrvctlon,  however,  pertains  almost  sob- 
clTiaiTely  to  Third  street. 

It  was  on^the  comer  of  Third  and  Mission 
streets  that  the  workers  foregatuey«d  at  morning, 
noon  and  ni^t.  It  was  there  they  met  and  fratern- 
ised with  the  indigenous  citizens;  beoaose  the 
brioULayers  of  the  Qrand  Operarhouse  war*  all  brought 
oat  from  Chicago  by  the  contractor,  vho  put  up  the 
structure  for  Dr.  Wade. 

Watching  %ham  at  their  toil  and  fraternizing  with 
than  thereafter— ^extending  such  pleaajmt  hospitalit- 
ias  to  the  stxangera  aa  the  adjacent  hoatelrlea 
permit  ted— many  popular  and  diatinguiahad  personages 
of  Third  street  tarried  often  or.  the  Mission  street 
comer. 


9S& 


rx-nvrtmn  u^iaLki.  Vf  nuam  .xir* 


"rJTOi^iut  >ari    riP    »f  fHKa^r 


.trie 


•«*• 


0  *3aa  4%.  ry* 


CI^  KAXRiZm  BT  (lOr^^KK!) 


259 


EAJOTHTOS  IBVESTED  IK  CARDS  ABD 
BILLIAHDS 

Phil  Crimalns  vas  on«  of  thoai.  Then  ther* 
\nT9   the  McCoy  brothers  and  the  Hyan  hrothert- 
now  attomayt  ~  Mike  Donne,  Jack  Cleary  of 
the  ^aoiflo  Qas  and  Xlectric  Coopany,  and  a 
score  of  others  or  more* 

The  hrlol^layers  were  plain  Mt  affable 
men,  rather  almple-minded,  as  Judged  by  the 
sophlstioated  hahitues  of  Third  street,  but  all 
good  "sports"  In  their  vagr,  and  nost  of  their 
earnings  went  on  cards  or  billimrds  or  other 
Saaes  of  the  tine  and  place. 

One  of  the  men  was  knowi  as  "Chiek."  He 
would  gamble  on  anything,  and  had  great  skill 
and  Judgement.  It  was  popularly  understood 
that  he  was  only  a  brick-layer  by  courtesy,  end 
held  his  Job  for  the  sole  purpose  of  gambling 
everything  possible  out  of  his  fellow  wozkere. 
Whether  thit  assunption  was  correct  or  otherviae, 
the  fact  reioains  that  he  assuredly  ooinpleted  the 
alleged  purpose. 

On  the  southeast  comer  of  Third  and  Mission 
streets  was  the  Amerieus  Club,  a  Democratic 
association  organised  in  opposition  to  the  Eepub-* 
llcan  Howard  Club  that  had  its  headquarters 
lower  down  the  street  on  the  comer  of  Howard. 

Former  Tire  Chief  Dexmis  SulllTan  was  one  of 
its  leading  Benbers.  Others  were  Jerxy  MoCarthy, 
Pat  Ourran,  the  two  Neils,  Jim  and  Stvre,  who 
were  no  relations  and  who  always  fou^t  when  they 
met.  Jia  is  father  of  Frankie  Neil,  fomer  cham- 
pion of  the  li^twelghts.  Senator  Villiam  H. 
Villlams  was  another  familiar  figure  in  the  Amerl- 
eus  Club.  For  the  past  twenty-fire  years  he  has 
been  door-keeper  at  the  United  States  Mint  on 
7ifth  street. 

CLUB  MAHrrAinED  BT  COLORED  7RATERNITT 

Another  famous  club  in  that  section  was  the 
Horace  Jackson  Club,  which  was  on  Mission  street 


Iaa  *5ii^ 


tlf*m 


y^.f^t 


£ihm 


'A  i  -.I'^rL- 


•ate  Mitt  -x*^- 


'^/»<L'i"    t\^\*t':\*^'*i'iSf  SlM 


JSf.fc- 


:)MK4,& 


260 


Just  east  of  Third,  where  colored  gentlemen  and 
their  friends  could  get  together  over  a  sociable 
game  of  craps,  generally  without  bloodshed. 
Seekers  after  the  truth  who  ai>e  endeavoring  to 
recall  the  historic  figure  after  whom  this  club 
was  named  will  be  saved  trouble  by  the  informat- 
ion that  the  Eor&ce  Jackson  Club  was  named  after 
its  founder,  a  most  distinguished  colored  waiter 
from  the  old  Palace  Hotel, 

More  renowned  than  the  Horace  Jackson  Clob, 
however,  was  the  Lotus  Club,  on  the  southwest 
comer  of  Third  and  Stevenson  streets,  i^iere,  in 
the  sporting  parlance  of  the  locality,  all  the 
colored  gents  on  the  west  Coast  met  fourways 
from  the  Jack. 

To  the  Lotus  Club  belonged  the  real  Haute 
Tolee  of  our  colored  aristocracy.  It  was  conduct- 
ed by  Hen  Morris  and  his  son  Ed;  both  retired 
Pullman  porters. 

The  motto  of  the  establishment,  as  enunciated 
by  Bave  Stuart,  the  gifted  chief  dealer  and  craps 
expert  of  the  establishment,  wast  He  \<ho  enters 
here  leave  soap  behind.  We'll  clean  you  out."  He 
said  a  "Southern  gentleman  had  written  the  motto 
down  for  him,"  and  he  understood  it  was  by  "a 
Sage  minstrel  named  Dant." 

OKI  MEBTS  DEATH  IS  CgJABSSL   OVSE 
VOMAH 

Great  prosperity  and  comparatively  few  troubles 
eharaoterized  the  career  of  the  Lotus  Club,  \Aiich 
now,  alas,  exists  mo  more.  In  a  preceding  article 
one  rather  famous  shooting  episode  therein  was  men- 
tioned. Another,  unhappily  more  serious  affair,  was 
the  death  of  Dempsey  Vigfall,  who  fell  out  with  Sttre 
Marshall  and  Andy  Williams  over  a  colored  lady  named 
"Miss  Mabel"  and  was  by  them  stabbed  to  death  on  the 
dub  premises.  Andy  received  a  life  sentence  as  a 
result  of  that  mishap. 


%4  te  fmm> 


J«^ 


261 


The  Lotus  Club  was  on  th«  u;pp«r  floors  of 
the  establlshnent*  Belov,  at  one  time,  mm  a 
■aloon  conducted  "by  Tom  Tregallis,  who  naxtg 
"lAilte  Win^"  divinely  and  vho   later  h^d  the 
saloon  on  Maricet  street  equipped  vith  devilish 
electrical  traps  and  dsrlees—notahly  a  seen- 
ingly  lost  dollar  that  inas  left  lying  nagli^ 
ently  on  the  oounter.  Whoever  tried  to  piok 
it  tcp  got  an  elect  rio  shock  that  set  hia 
squealing. 

Subsequently,  after  he  had  left  Qrant 
svsiusi  Hany  Majrnard  conducted  an  estahlish- 
■•Bt  of  sorts  on  this  comer. 

Some  curiously  interesting  saloons  vers 
to  "bs  found  in  that  part  of  the  vrorld  in  thoss 
days. 

There  was  "The  VftialSf"  for  exaarpls,  on  the 
east  side  between  Stevenson  and  Jsssie  streets, 
where  steam  heer  was  served  in  enoxnous  schoon- 
ers and  i^iere  bologna  sausages  and  pftnapemiokel 
bread  were  served  in  the  original  skin  and  loaf 
respectively.  The  customer  out  off  all  he  liked 
and  swallowed  it  or  took  it  off  in  his  pocket, 
Just  aa  he  pleased. 

IMPLEMENTS  CHAIHSD  TO  TKETmt 

The  temptation  to  steal  the  knife  axid  fork 
was  offset  by  having  those  implements  chained 
to  the  counter. 

On  the  west  side,  near  the  comer  of  Howard 
street,  was  the  "New  York  Casino."  There,  on  a 
Saturday  afternoon,  a  patron  could  secure  all  the 
crab  he  oared  to  eat  and  a  glass  of  lager,  all 
for  a  nickel,  and  enjoyed  the  further  privelegs 
of  being  s-ble  to  read  nearly  all  the  Hev  Toxk 
newspapers,  as  well  as  other  periodicals  from 
Eastern  cities  that  were  kept  on  file  in  the  es- 
tablishment. 

*The  Chiaf,"  was  a  resort  a  few  doors  iiearsr 
Howard,  while  on  the  eomer  in  the  baseawnt  was 
a  plaes  known  as  *Ths  Sagle*s  Hest,"  \disrs  a 
meal,  served  with  beer  or  vine  cost  but  10  cents. 


tW*  '■■     ^THRWTm. 


■UtvKia^ 


iOtt 


OlMM 


z^ 


of  ^nr^ 


taa« 


G«oree  Taylor,  a  Saoranento  politician,  latar 
oame  doim  to  Third  atreat,  bou^t  tha  "Eagle 'a 
Haat"  and  traaaformad  it  Into  a  "political"  aal- 
oon,  with  prl-rate  conaultatlon  and  conference 
Tooma  and  all  the  other  eaaentlala  of  a  flrat-claaa 
political  haadqaartara.  Then  ha  eatabllahed  himaelf 
therein  and  aettled  down  aa  a  political  "boaa.  But 
•OBMhov  "the  hoya"  gare  the  place  the  coXd  ahooldar, 
and  Taylor  had  to  quit  and  retiim  to  Saoramento. 

Then  the  Salratlon  Array  got  the  plana  and  It 
heease  local  headquartera  of  that  very  worthy  Inr 
atitution. 

CAHS  CHAHOE  HORSES  AT  COBHER  IH 
OLD  DATS 

Colton'a  httlldlng,  commonly  called  the  Oolton 
Houae,  waa  on  the  same  aide  of  Third  street,  bet- 
ween Howard  and  Tehama. 

SllTerman'a  dry  goods  store,  quite  a  pretent- 
ious eatahllahnent  for  those  days,  occupied  the 
two  stores  under  the  Oolton  House  on  the  corner 
of  Tehana  street. 

In  those  days  the  Qnnlhtts  Line  horae  oars 
changed  horses  at  that  comer,  so  the  store  was 
wall  situated  for  display  and  custom. 

The  car  stablaa  vara  farther  west  up  Tehama 
street,  and  tha  ears  ran  fro«  tha  foot  of  Third 
street— which  then  ended  at  Berry— op  to  Market 
and  then  ria  Montgomery  to  Jackson  street,  idiare 
the  turntable  stood  about  opposite  the  original 
store  of  0,  0.  Ourtin,  and  close  to  the  old  Metro- 
politan Theater.  , 

The  horaea  were  changed  at  SilTerman's  comer 

on  each  outgoing  trip. 

Close  by  was  the  original  ladies'  fumlshing 
store  of  I.  Magnin.  But  in  those  days  the  store 
best  belored  by  the  ladies  thereabouts,  was  that 
of  Mrs.  Marks,  on  the  Saine  side  of  the  street  Just 
south  of  Mission,  whither  went  the  pretty  girls 
with  their  new  frocks  to  get  Dolly  Varden  hats  to 
match  them  for  the  Sunday  picnics. 


'tfiJi 


»":      T   >?Jid'r'i.tt.    r^'lH    iffiBCfW  W9Pl?SJi  J  •- 


M«jr^« 


4mv 


263 


DAYS  OF  BUSTLES  FOR  VGHEN  SSCiOiLED 

Those  vera  ths  daya  of  tnistlss,  and  IJolly 
7ard«n  hat  a  and  plenlea. 

To  eoona  "back  to  the  Tlelnity  of  tha  Coltoa 
hlook,  there  was  C^ioiim,  tha  hattar,  yihoae   atlff- 
rlamad  flat  plllhox  hata  mm  faisad  all  Sooithr- 
ofo^farket*  Qolnn  himaalf  waa  one  of  tha  noted 
eharaotera  of  Third  atreet,  and  that  had  maoh 
to  do  with  the  pornilarity  of  hia  headgear.  Eia 
baainese  earda  were  treasured  for  their  heaaty 
of  -ooetic  aentiment;  the  poetry  heing  encircled 
with  atara  soiae thing  thia  way: 

*  SoBA  3>oet8  fl^t  to  win  a  name,  * 

*  Sitppose  they  do,  what  natter?  • 

*  Z  am  contented  to  aing  the  faae,  * 

*  Of  <^xinn,  the  3d  atreet  Hatter i  ♦ 

Deasy  Brothera*  shoe  atore  waa  on  the  aaae 
aide~~~JereBiah  and  Ccmeliua  Deasy,  Patrick  7. 
Holan,  \iho  firat  worked  with  Holcool)  and  Kaat, 
opened  hia  original  ahoe  atore  on  the  east  aide 
of  Third  street  near  Market,  viiere  Lundy'a 
Jewelry  store  subeeqaently  flourished.  Many  will 
iWMoiber  the  ruusnoth  hoot  that  atood  un  the  edge 
of  the  sidewalk,  as  a  aign  to  the  estahliahment* 

Another  fomooa  ahoe  atore  of  the  old  daya 
Mmm  ToB  Eesdy*a,  on  the  south  side  of  Miasion 
atreet,  Juat  eaat  of  Third,  tether  all  the  young 
bocka  South  of  the  Slot  repaired  for  the  hi^i- 
heeled  Oxford  tiea,  without  which  no  aelf-reapeot- 
ing  leader  of  fashion  would  appear  on  the  floor 
of  any  dance  hall  of  the  place  and  period. 

SEOSIAEESS  WKLL  PAID  DT  THOOI 
ZABLT  TZME8 

Healy'a  shop  was  Imown  to  erety  manofaeturer 
on  the  Coaat,  becauae  it  waa  the  resort  and  ren- 
derroua  of  all  the  ahoemakera  in  the  country. 


v,r?  W*^  <*o««»l«ii^  •!?*• 


^ 

li. 

.'m*&    ^    <W»     U.^    ft. 

&« 

pU  tf  MRP 
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MMtTiraiWIB  fBOM  '^^wvy 


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*f|fy^»^^      I*.  •    Tt^',^' 


M4 


In  those  days  th*  •hoemakers  w«pe  highly  -lald 
workers.  Wherefore  they  used  to  keep  Saturday 
night  and  Sunday  In  a  hot  fashion,  and  on  Monday 

they  felt .  Well,  they  called  the  day  Blue 

Monday. 

Wherefore,  instead  of  goine  to  vork,  they 
strolled  down  to  Ton  E«aly*s  and  angaed  ahoat 
cahhages  and  kings  and  cognatic  matters,  while  Ton 
went  ahead  with  his  work,  only  ceasing  on  occasion 
to  gire  advice  when  so  requested. 

The  place  in  time  hecajne  known  to  the  trade  as 
"The  Hardly  Abies,"  all  hecause  whenever  a  hoss 
would  come  seeking  his  help  there  on  a  Monday,  as 
often  happened  to  he  the  case,  the  answer  to  his 
request  would  he  the  saP>** 

"Can't  you  come  up  to  work  today,  Jim?  I'n 
pressed  with  a  Joh  to  deliver," 

The  answer  was  almost  invariahly,  "Well,  I'm 

hardly  ahle." 

Tom  Healy  himself  was  a  most  industrious  man; 
hut  he  had  a  kindly  way,  had  read  nach  and  the 
hoys  liked  to  have  him  for  a  referee  on  every  to- 
pic of  argoment.  He  died  long  since,  hut  his  son 
and  successor  still  lives  and  flourishes,  and  is 
the  father  of  Police  Lieutenant  William  T,  Healy. 

MAHT  OBATOATED  FROM  HOWARD  POLITIOiL 
CLUB 

The  Howard  Cluh,  a  prolific  nursery  for  local 
Repuhlican  politicians,  was  on  the  e  outhwest  cor- 
ner of  Howard  street.  More  young  men  graduated 
from  the  cluh  into  the  rsuake  of  accepted  politici- 
ans than  from  any  other  inetitution  of  its  kind  in 
San  yranoisco.  Many  of  them  achieved  power. 

Aaong  the  well  known  personages  who  could  have 
heen  found  there  directing  the  political  destinies 
of  our  city,  were  such  men  as  Phil  Crimmlns,  Lew 
and  John  Usher,  Barney  Doherty,  Senator  Jim  Craven, 
now  in  the  Recorder's  office,  the  Br/an  Brothers, 
Will  and  Eddie,  Ed  Prior,  superintendent  of  the 
Pacific  Oas  and  Electric  Co.,  Charles  <>xigley  of 
the  Pacific  Rattan  Co. ,  Hike  Kilday,  ^o  now  has 
a  ohrome  mine  in  Santa  Clara  county;  Thomas  Perry, 
Tom  Brown,  for  several  seasons  catcher  with  the 
Kew  Toiic  Giants;  Dan  Klrhy,  the  oarsman;  Artie 
Ashcua,  and  many  others. 


7» 


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any  b«  99* 

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AX] 


S#.^t*.Tnber  7.  1919. 

That  far-fltuig  'baimer  vhloh  sallorraen  la 
all  tha  S«v«n  Seas  describe  as  the  Flag  of 
JeTU»al«nt  "floated  over  many  portali  along 
old  Third  street,  hut  over  none  more  famoue 
than  thoM  of  Uncle  Benjamin,  >Aose  establieh- 
Dent  floforiahed  on  the  east  side  of  the  logr 
hetiMen  Tehana  and  Clementina  streets. 

Uncle  Benjamin  vas  the  father  of  ten  sons. 
The  family  i»s  "hfoined  out  in  the  great  fire 
at  Virginia  City  in  the  early  days  and  sou^t 
pastures  new  in  San  Francisco. 

To  those  tmskilled  in  the  matter  of  penn- 
ants and  bunting  or  the  technical  expressions 
of  the  men  \ibo  go  doim  to  the  sea  in  ships  it 
may  he  as  veil  to  explain  that  "the  flag  of 
Jerosalen"  is  the  endearing  tern  hy  vhich  the 
sailoimen  refer  to  the  old  coat  or  old  trousers 
cnstOBarily  hong  as  a  sign  cmtside  a  second- 
hand clothing  Btore. 

Uncle  Benjamin  vas  not  nearly  so  renowned 
for  the  value  and  variety  of  his  hand-me-downs 
euB  was  Coleman,  the  Irish-Hehrew  pawn-hroker 
on  the  southeast  comer  of  Third  and  Jessie,  up 
the  street,  who  specialised  in  Overcoats.  How 
Uncle  achieved  his  repute  was  vicariously 
through  his  son,  Joe  Benjamin,  who  was  admlttedr 
ly  the  cleverest  peddler  and  bargainer  that  ever 
traded  as  traveling  representative  of  a  pawnshop. 

ABIIITIXS  OF  TRAMK  LOHO  B3¥BwMMb 

Joe  would  start  of  a  morning  with  a  ^m&ar- 
load  of  Jincrack  Jaoanese  furniture— "bamboo  and 
willov  hook-racks  and  flower  stands  and  the  lik»- 
and  call  on  the  wo(men-folk  of  the  various  homes 
about  the  city  %4iile  the  menrfolk  were  at  work. 
He  could  mesmerise  all  and  sundry  by  his  blamey- 
ings,  and  was  notorious  for  the  exchanges  he 
effected,  many  of  which  threatened  to  disrupt 
hoMS.  Souvenir  rings,  oameo  brooches,  gold  watchr 
es.  teeth  fillings,  ancsstral  silver  spoons--- 
whatevsr  trinkets  of  value  Joe  learned  were  in  the 


«te 


•*«i' 


1'. 


<w. 


266 


house,  ,tho8«  he  ohaxned  out  of  the  lady)  and  he 
left  in  place  thereof  some  perfectly  Innootiotis 
hat-rack  or  "boolPTack  worth  anything  up  to 
thlrtjr-flre  cent*.  Many  men  still  living  reiaein- 
her  Joe  Benjaadn's  abilities  with  feelings  of 
profoond  regret. 

Coleman's,  as  stated,  was  another  well-biown 
supporter  of  the  flag.  Bat  the  porshaser  of  an 
orereoat  from  Coleman  had  a  better  ran  for  his 
money  than  the  person  \Aio   swapped  Jewelry  with 
Joe  Benjamin.  Oob   could  alirost  anything  eoncei-v^ 
able  in  the  overcoat  lire  from  the  tmorthodox 
Hibernian— one  that  was  little  more  than  a  waist-> 
band  and  three  buttons  for  50  cents  to  a  real 
stunner  for  $30. 

While  on  sartorial  subjects  it  is  as  well  to 
recall  Davis,  the  tailor,  \iio  kept  his  shop  on 
the  east  side  of  Third  street,  between  Minna  and 
Sherwood  place.  Be  has  gone  to  his  fathers,  bat 
his  son,  now  located  in  the  Sunset  district,  does 
most  of  the  repairing  of  uniforms  for  members  of 
the  police  force  in  that  part  of  the  town. 

TOUHO  BLOODS  aPRITS  TO  MEIBZT  QUALITY 

Third  street  knew  many  tailors  of  the  Davis 
elnu   There  was  Isaac  Davis  on  the  west  side 
ab«r«  Harrison,  and  Zsadore  on  the  saae  side 
below  Harrison,  and  others,  no  doubt,  that  one 
fezigets. 

The  original  establishment  of  Joe  Poheim, 
the  tailor,  was  at  103  Third  street,  between 
Mission  and  Hiima  streets,  with  the  rival  estah- 
lisfanent  of  J.  Bull  two  doors  below. 

Thither  flocked  the  young  bloods  who  desired 
to  be  "the  real  cheese"  in  the  matter  of  sartorial 
adornment— ;?ents  idio  were  connoisseurs  in  spring" 
bottOBied  7>ants,  and  in  coats  with  gold-stone  butt- 
ons,  wide  bindings  and  scalloped  pockets,  and  who 
were  especially  tricky  in  their  tastes  regarding 
vests  with  tumdrywn  collars  and  cunning  littls 
pansies  woriosd  thereon  in  /genuine  silk,  and  all 
by  hand. 


Ifflt 


Jo«  Poh«lm*t  e«tabll8hiB«nt  eift^rwards  "became 
ft  flourlBhlng  concern  at  various  addretee*  north 
of  Hazfcet  atreet.  Dr.  J.  F.  Poheim  la  hl«  soa* 

On  the  southeast  comer  of  Third  and  lolsoa 
streets  originated  many  great  Ideas,  Including 
that  of  the  ordinance  which  now  compels  people 
to  take  off  their  hats  in  SanFrancisco  theaters, 
whether  or  not  they  hare  manners  enou^  to  do  it 
of  their  own  accord. 

IDEA  OP  GALIPORNIA  CHAMPAGHE  PHOMOTED 

Dr.  Antonio  Rottansl,  father  of  the  late 
Supervisor,  Dr.  Rottansl — author  of  the  "hats 
off  in  the  theaters"  ordinance—had  his  home, 
offices  and  drag  store  at  that  comer.  Leopold 
Eottansi,  Inventor  and  manufacturer  of  punches 
and  other  "beverages,  which  he  vended  at  635 
Washington  street,  in  the  sixties  also  resided 
there,  as  also  did  fflosue  Rottansl— one  of  the 
first  men  to  try  and  prodnee  Callfoml|i  champ- 
agne on  a  commercial  scale,  ^ose  offices,  in 
the  seventies,  were  on  Market  street  above  Sixth. 

Just  below  Rottansl 's  comer,  at  325  Third 
street,  was  the  residence  of  the  late  Willlaa 
T.  Sesnon,  at  one  time  County  Clerk.  It  was  there 
that  Father  Sesnon  passed  the  days  of  his  youth. 

Across  the  street  from  Rotanzl's,  on  the 
northeast  comer,  the  Golden  Em  Social  Club 
occupied  the  second  floor.  The  members  of  the 
Golden  Era  Cluh  were  athletic  young  men  %dio  mos- 
tly aspired  to  shine  as  hoxersj  and  the  walla  of 
the  club-rooms  were  literally  covered  with  port- 
raits of  ehaapion  pogilists  and  pictures  of 
faaous  encounters. 

HAIL  AND  SUB20DHDIHGS  BELOBO  TO 
DISPAXT  PAST 

The  old  Hibemia  Hall  was  on  the  west  side 
of  Third  street,  between  Clementina  and  Folsosi, 
and  was,  of  course,  the  rendesvous  of  all  the 
representative  Xristasen  south  of  Maxket.  It  i»s 


Mt 


rt^   /%'f!  J 


►?  *f  Vsnet  AacJlfKt  'Jrfls*  * 


'  "T^  i^  .,     ^Vfft       »     I'*     I^tJwv 


'rrtf^Xi'*  i»     r  «<m;'U  I  ( 


&;■ 


4     ^  ,k^«k«         W 


368 


tha  headqriarters  of  ths  Ancient  Ordar  of  Hibttx^ 
nlans,  the  M<^(ahon  (Grenadier  Ouardg  and  many 
another  faaous  orgaaisatlon;  and,  next  to 
St.Patrlek's  on  Mission  street,  was  the  mott 
laportant  spot  In  all  San  Francisco  on  evexy 
17th  of  March,  helng  as  It  was  the  fountain 
head  and  origin  of  eTerythlng  genuinely  aM 
proalnently  Irish  on  that  moet  hlessed  annlver- 
saxy. 

Of  course,  San  Francisco  has  long  since 
fallen  from  grace  as  regards  the  ohservaaee  o& 
that  erstidxlle  greatest  of  holidays.  Wherefore, 
even  If  the  old  hall  survlrad.  It  voxild  now  he 
of  little  more  immediate  political  or  social 
laportance  than  the  Km  of  Tora.  But  the  old 
Hall,  and  Mrs.  Hohlnson,  who  owned  It  and  kept 
lodgings  In  the  apartment  adjacent  to  the  meet- 
ing place,  all  helong  to  the  past. 

So  also  does  Cole's  llvexy  stahle,  lAiloh 
flourished  aforetime  under  the  hall  and  the 
lodgings,  and  %fa8  \^ere  the  teams  from  the  adj- 
acent stores  and  huslnese  houses  t/ere  hoardUtd. 

Al  Cole  did  a  prosperous  huslnesR  there  In 
the  old  days,  both  as  a  livery  man  and  a  stock 
dealer. 

OCtLD'TtUM)  TOOTH  PROVES  OWRER'S 
STABDIBG 

It  should  be  added  for  the  "benefit  of  future 
historians  that  the  Hlhemla  Hall  was  not  hlgot- 
edly  reserved  for  the  exclusive  uae  of  "The  Pope's 
Irish,"  hat  was  the  scene  of  many  gay  and  Joyous 
gatherings  of  outside  associations,  as  well  as 
"being  the  regular  drilling  place  of  others. 

The  "Hanoodc  Sailor  Boys,"  a  political  organ- 
isation that  wore  a  he»<?:ulllxig  v^lte  duck  sailor's 
uxilfom,  marched  at  nl^t  "by  torchlight  and  att- 
ended political  processions  of  every  kind,  made  a 
ease  in  point.  They  were  essentially  an  Amerlcaa, 
as  distinguished  fros  a  professionally  Irish  org- 
anization, and  were  fanous  for  the  fancy  ezhi'bltlon 
drills  which  they  gave  to  various  towns  and  cities 


r«,  aaiA  fMK  ttel  tei« 
SMft;  »  ttrt,  «M  «»•  PW- 


nib  •f  Bmi 


OUEUXKX  in  Via  -^    < 


TSV  W^T*„'i'aT   PJ'.lW5flT. 


lldx«A  iAm  •»»«*•«  tte  tUvax  £U>»et  ju'^jb^c^  sat* 


269 


thron^out  the  State.  Maziy  li^t-hearted  pranks 
attended  these  excursions}  hat  the  worthy  hargb- 
•rs  of  Santa  Hosa  got  qtiite  cross  t^ien  their 
town  clock  was  sissed  Just  after  the  Sailor  Boys 
took  their  midnl^t  departure,  and  from  that  date 
their  popularity  began  to  wane  in  the  small  towns. 

Prohably  the  surest  cachet  to  hi^  society 
South  of  the  Slot,  was  the  possession  of  a  gold- 
filled  tooth  from  the  dental  parlors  of  Dr.  IT.  T. 
Vhitcomh,  whose  estahlishment  at  205  Third  street, 
Just  south  of  Howard,  was  very  properly  regarded 
as  the  apotheosis  of  all  that  v/as  "cead  mills 
fail  the,"  or  "comme  il  faut." 

The  fonaer  of  these  expressions,  it  will  he 
recalled,  htmg  hi^  and  large  in  the  Hall  of  the 
Hihemians;  the  latter  was  always  on  the  lips  of 
the  heaatifol  young  ladies  \dio  took  lessons  in 
French  from  Monsieur  Delatour,  at  241  Stevenson 
street,  just  off  Third.  Naturally  they  got  mixed 
and  were  used  indiscriminately  hy  aspirants  to 
culture  and  aesthetioisa  in  the  days  ^en  the 
cult  of  aesthetics  was  new. 

Dr.  Vfhitcomh  at  one  t  ime  represented  the 
district  in  the  State  Iiegislatcure.  He  was  a  man 
of  dignified  and  attractive  appearance,  with  a 
heavy  hlaok  mustache,  and  was  hahitually  attired 
in  the  conventional  "Prince  Albert"  frock  coat 
and  glossy  plug  hat  of  the  period,  the  waistcoat 
set  off  hy  the  daszle  of  a  massive  gold  chain. 
His  son.  Dr.  S«  E.  Whitcomb,  now  resides  on  Haight 
•tr«et. 

nniTXST  AIMIBSD  BT  FRIHABT  SCHOOL 
CHILDREN 

Froa  a  professional  point  of  view,  no  doubt. 
Dr.  Vhitcomb  was  a  model  and  a  pattern.  Spectaeur 
latlx  considered,  however,  he  was  "no  class"  when 
compared  with  the  gifted  artist  \too   styled  himself 
"The  King  of  Dentists"  and  was  the  idol  of  the  ch- 
ildren \^io  attended  the  Silver  street  primary  sch- 
ool. 


•!«••!(>       /  ^iuum^  lA  »^£.»<i  CSS, 
*  '..•vk  .w  -:Km  Ir^ft^r  11}c>  -. 


&4 


id  «Ai 

^rj'ii    !"■  -yiy    ^;  V    ■*■*'•:;    ■'ft  * 


270 


This  dsll^tfol  and  aost  \masaal  potentate 
had  his  realm  on  the  oomer  of  Third  and  Harrison 
streets,  and  there,  in  state  and  glory  that  would 
ha:ve  aade  Solomon  look  like  a  rag-picker,  he 
appeared  in  his  royal  haittushe  each  noon  tljae  and 
picked  oat  the  teeth  of  the  children  going  hone 
to  Itmch,  with  a  grace  and  dexterity  that  vere  enr 
chanting. 

He  wore  kingly  rohes  of  velvet  and  ermine, 
carried  a  Jewel-stadded  scepter  and  wore  a  crown 
that  was  positively  a  corker.  He  was  no  conaaon  or 
garden  hreed  of  dentist  that  drew  out  yoar  teeth 
with  a  forceps  or  a  corkscrew;  Imt  a  master  artist 
yiho   invariably  used  either  a  sword  or  a  ^Aip  in 
his  attack  upon  the  offending  molar. 

Heaven  knows  how  he  did  lt«  With  a  regal  sweep 
of  the  rl^t  arm  he  would  tuck  his  scepter  under 
the  left,  then  snatch  up  a  ^diip,  snap  it  in  the 
air  while  the  primaiy  school  pupil  sat  in  the  den- 
tal chair*  Snap  it  again,  and  there  — Lo: —  the 
youngster's  tooth,  picked  swiftly  from  the  lash  of 
the  whip,  was  in  the  ™5n;^,rch'8  royal  fingers. 

POrSHTATE  JQLLISS  BOTS  AS  HI  PICKS 
(Xn   TXKS 

Alternately  it  i^s  the  slash  of  a  sword.  Again-* 
Loi  Presto:  The  quioknees  of  the  hand  deoei-ws  the 
eye.  On  the  point  <f  the  sword  sticks  the  hiouspidt 

Ah,  those  were  gladsome  days. 

Amiable,  bantering,  eondesoending,  the  potentate 
jollied  the  little  boys  and  girls,  and  the  dear 
little  darlings  took  to  daring  each  other  to  have  a 
tooth  out,  and  gallant  little  heroes  took  the  dares, 
and  hopped  up  in  the  saored  reoesses  of  the  barouche, 
had  a  tooth  out  and  became  immortal. 

Miss  Jennie  3mith,  the  principal  of  the  Silver- 
street  School,  issued  edicts  and  mandates  forbidding 
Ohildren  to  tarry  on  the  way  to  luncheon.  Bat  what 
aTBileth  the  edict  of  a  teacher  when  there  is  a  real 
king  draviag  teeth  and  selling  tonth-naste  on  Ihicle 
i*s  hlghweyT  And  would  you  have  them  horxy  past 


fr. 


eoB4»iesC^i9ttAT  li^SW 


i=iiv  w;*  jritf^r  pi-'M. 


JVIf  Oi 


Vi   i\U4Ji 

-rer  I*'' 

t*- 

bM 

«ll» 

the   . 

«t 

nr  AA  %:»  . 

^»jSJt:;r«.?    ' 

tid. 

U^. 

^j-Xi^ 

«i>^,\ 

.Aflli  «r< 

:  a  bur 

r  tIaM  fta 

Mad  aavtr  Um  %i«i»  «HkL^ 

m»  th!! 


271 


oonttBMliously  vhsn  his  majesty  Is  lieseschizig  his 
JuTenlls  friends  to  hare  their  teeth  out,  ajid 
actually  presenting  then  with  his  royal  cards  to 
hand  to  their  parents  iA«n  they  get  home«  so  that 
these  parents— when  their  teeth  go  wrone— will 
know  the  ri^t  place  to  goT 

PSRPECIIIiT  GOOD  MOLARS  EXTRACTED 
JUST  (JB  SABX 

Many  a  good  and  stalwart  cltiaen  of  this  great 
■etropolis  has  now  a  hiatus  %ihere  a  good  tooth 
cn^%   to  he  heoause  he  flouted  the  advice  of  Miss 
Jennie  Smith  and  dallied  with  the  King  of  Dentists 
on  his  \ny  to  lunch  from  school.  William  D.  Boms, 
patrol  driver  at  the  Richmond  Police  station,  who 
has  now  a  family  of  his  own,  wears  one  such  cavity 
\Amt9  a  perfectly  good  tooth  tuied  to  he  hecaose  of 
the  fascinating  lure  of  that  potentate. 

Why  did  the  children  always  tarry?  you  askt 
Vhy  did  the  exhibition  never  pallT 

Because  the  King  of  Dentists,  apart  from  his 
skill  as  a  prestidigitatsur  had  consummate  know- 
ledge concerning  the  psychology  of  his  youthful 
worshipers*  He  concluded  each  and  every  exhihition 
hy  tossing  a  handful  of  dimes  and  quarters  among 
the  crowd. 

?TOtfll'bW  14.  191?. 

"East  is  East  and  Vest  is  West, 
And  never  the  twain  shall  meet.* 

Kipling  is  alri^t  in  his  way,  and  knows  all 
about  his  job  ¥hiBn  he  sticks  to  such  subjects  as 
India's  coral  strand  or  the  soldiers  of  the  ^leen. 
Bat  any  of  the  old  boys  that  lived  south  of  Mazkat 
in  the  halcyon  days  of  the  seventies  could  have 
told  Kipling  with  his  eyes  shut  that  >Aien  he  was 
trying  to  pat  over  this  East  not  meeting  the  West 
line  of  stuff  he  wtas  simply  talking  throu^  his 
hat.  Unfortunately  Kipling  never  even  saw  Market 
street  until  some  yvsors  after  the  mischief  \m» 
done. 


STV. 


%  ayvsATK^  . 


ftit 


Bti* 


tor  ft' 


272 


Ifharsfore,  nov,  ths  vorld  ranalns  tttapttd  in 
ignoranoa  of  the  facts  tl^pl^  1>«0BaBe  Mpllng 
did  not  knov. 

Vhy,   it  Mta  up  Third  street  that  all  the 
paaeengers  ease  froa  the  old  Pacific  Mail 
dock.  They  drove  in  vehicle*  of  every  sort, 
fron  the  steamer  tcp  Brannaa  street  to  Third, 
and  then  up  Third  to  Maxfcet,  and  to  into  the 
heart  of  the  great  city. 

Every  hoat  from  the  Orient  6A?ri«d  in  all- 
oat  1500  Celestials,  and  at  least  as  oaay  aore 
of  their  friends  used  to  crowd  dovm  from 
Chinatown  to  meet  and  greet  them  on  their  land- 
ing. 

That  was  East  meeting  Sast,  you  mi^t  ssgr* 
Bat  wait  a  hit. 

TOONS  BLOODS  GIVEN  CJLORIGUS 
OPPOHPUNITI 

In  those  days  every  aoellaatised  Chinese 
wore  his  hadge  of  wealth  and  freedom  in  the 
form  of  a  low-crowned,  stiff-riomed  hlack  felt 
hat.  No  true  denisen  of  Chinatown  considered 
himself  properly  equipped,  or  in  good  form,  with- 
out one,  and  they  cost  anywhere  from  $5  tqyward 
per  hat. 

The  Chinese  thus  equipped  drove  up  from  the 
docks  with  their  friends,  and  thus  came  the  glo- 
rious opportunity  for  the  young  bloods  of  Third 
street  and  its  tributary  thoroo^ifares  and  the 
MM  ting  of  the  East  and  West,  uhioh  was  outside 
the  pale  of  Rudyard  Kipling's  philosophy. 

Ambushed  at  every  comer  along  the  way,  the 
boys  of  the  West  awaited  the  passing  of  the 
Orientals.  Then,  with  merry  \Aoops  and  haloos, 
they  darted  forth  and  snatched  awey  the  coveted 
stiff-brims,  clapping,  in  «PBh«nge,  TQ>on  each 
outraged  head  a  well-worn  straw  or  battered  derby 
of  some  unknown  vintage. 

For  a  little  \Aiile  the  unfortunate  Celestials 
sou^t  Buroeaee  from  their  sorrow  by  taklnga  new 
toi%%  along  Second  street.  This  venture,  however, 

worse  than  leaping  from  the  frying  pan  into 


«i-.  Jr■^•w: 


273 


th«  flr«,  'because  the  boys  followed  them  thither 
and  lay  in  wait  on  the  Harrison- street  bridge. 

From  this  superior  vantage  ground  they  would 
drop  rocks  and  great  clods  of  earth  on  any  driver 
yjtio   failed  to  halt  on  their  command.  The  Chinese 
vere  despoiled  more  utterly  than  thitherto.  Where- 
fore, in  despair,  they  returned  to  the  minor  hor- 
rors of  th«  Third  street  roate  and  suffered  as 
"before. 

TSSSHiS  ANCHOHE]}  VIHEBX  THOtROOGHFABZ 
NOW  HONS 

The  idea  of  avoiding  the  trouble  by  wearing 
less  attraotire  hats  —  or  no  hats  at  all  -~ 
when  they  went  forth  to  receive  their  friends* 
never  seems  to  have  occured  to  them. 

Third  street  in  those  very  early  days  ended 
at  Townsend  street,  where  Berry  street  then  began. 

Vessels  of  the  United  States  Navy,  revenae 
cutters,  lighthouse  tenders  and  other  craft  found 
a  safe  aiKshorage  in  what  is  now  the  thoroughfare 
and  warehouses  etdjoinix^g  the  Southern  Pacific 
depot.  All  day  long  the  boat  landing  at  the  foot 
of  Third  street,  Just  below  Berry,  used  to  be 
crowded  with  officers,  marines  and  sailors  froa 
all  the  seven  seas,  arriving  from  or  returning  to 
their  ships  in  the  stream,  \diile  Caesar  Biuns, 
idu>  conducted  his  establishment  a  few  yards  up 
froBi  the  landing,  at  the  northwest  comer  of  Third 
and  Berry,  carried  on  a  roaring  trade  with  the 
seafarers. 

Caesar's  place  was  nosiinally  a  grocery  store, 
with  the  then  inevitable  saloon  attached.  As  a 
■atter  of  fact,  so  far  as  the  grocery  end  of  the 
liasinsss  was  concerned — the  tail  wagiged  the  dog. 
So  long  as  Caesar  had  a  oustoaser,  for  his  cigars, 
cigarettes  and  steam  beer,  any  unfortunate  seeker 
after  groceries  in  the  front  store  had  to  cool 
his  heels  and  whistle. 

Occasionally  the  stock  of  bacon,  or  flour,  or 
vogar,  or  some  other  staple,  would  run  out—  a 
eiretasstance  that  caused  no  worry  whatever  to 
Oaasar  Brtms,  no  matter  how  it  mi^t  worzy  his 
customers.  But  his  stock  of  beer  was  ever  as  ftdl 


«... 
H«  tug. 


•V.«^A        UC 


1M»^ 


IM 


and  faithful  aa  th«  widow'*  eroM,  and  thara  w«r« 
alwayi  eigart  and  eigarettaa  aplanty. 

BED  SHIKP  AUD  HEARTT  VOICE  LONG 
KE3(EMBEBED 

Down  Townaend  etvaat  and  alaaidiar©  adjacent 
were  lunl)er  yarda,  hay  lAafft  nilla  and  lariofc- 
yarda  that  all  sent  their  quota  of  thiraty  workera 
to  Oaaaar'a  store.  Thither  alao  nonrened  the  atont 
and  hearty  hoatmen*  ^o  drove  a  land-office  huai- 
neaa  ferrying  aailormen  to  and  from  their  ahipa 
and  the  Third-atraet  landing* 

And  aplendid  charactera  were  aome  of  these  oiar 
time  ferrymen. 

Big  Torn  KodboHum  waa  one  that  will  he  long  re- 
Mrt>arad,  with  hia  red  ahirt,  and  hie  redder  faea, 
his  hearty  ▼oice  and  hia  cheery  amile  and  hia 
al^njfn   aaart  end  trim  Whitehall  boat. 

Tom  wia  prohably  the  heat-knoun  and  moat  popa- 
lar  man  of  the  \Aole  jovial  crowd.  Hia  hoat  waa  the 
first  choice  of  all  shipping  men  who  made  a  trip  to 
aome  veaael  from  Third  atreet,  and  he  was  on  the 
moat  genially  friendly  terms  with  nearly  every 
akipper  and  aailoroon  In  the  harhor.  Hia  work  hrought 
him  into  contact  with  persons  of  all  kinda  and  from 
every  come?  of  the  world,  and^  like  Jack  Bunahy,  he 
waa  a  man  of  parta  aa  well  aa  one  of  muscle,  and  waa 
ready  to  famiah  an  opinion  on  any  subject  and  at 
any  time. 

Tom  McKelvay,  the  humhoat  man,  was  McHamara'a   ^ 
only  rival  in  fame  and  popularity  among  the  sailora. 
Ha  aupplied  the  men  on  ho«urd  the  ahips  with  fruit, 
Togetahlea,  milk,  cigarettea,  tohacco,  newapapera, 
«ad  all  the  rest  of  it,  and  was  one  of  the  handiest 
Ban  with  a  hoat  ever  aeen  in  the  hay.  Roo^  or  fine, 
and  he  could  he  aeen  in  the  heavieat  atom,  with  hia 
Whitehall  hoat  loaded  to  the  rail,  delivering  their 
ahore  delieaoiea  to  the  aailora. 

Ha  Mia  known  to  take  hia  hoat  thaa  loaded  from 
Third  atraat  to  the  vharf  at  Yallejo  without  using 
oara  or  rudder  all  the  way.  With  aail  up,  he  could 
ateer  hia  craft  hy  moving  fore  or  aft  or  ahiftlng 
hia  wei^t  from  aide  to  aide.  Ha  was,  in  fact,  a 


STB 


f^\\^A.  *>     ^     A.%^.    .■..AM  ■  >k-,       -•  ik-    W    .k.  ^    'I 


V»lMa  wM  m*  of  t 

MM  «f  «h«  AMt  pTCBlMSl   %9BiM. 


ijw  «UA  l:aMsdr9iT»9^  u 


275 

viiard  aaong  San  Fraaolsoo  water  man. 

LOCALITY  RBHOWraiD  FOR  ROWllTO  CLUBS 

Tha   foot  of  Third  atraet  was,  of  eonrM,  th« 
noTBtry  and  snorting  headquarters  of  all  the  groat 
local  oaramen  of  the  early  days,  and  the  starting 
place  of  evexy  hoat  raoe. 

The  Neptune  and  South  End  Hovlng  cltCbs  were 
hoth  at  the  foot  of  Third  Street.  The  California 
Boat  Clnb  was  on  Berry  street,  nearhyj  the  Pioneer 
Rowing  Club  on  Longhrldge  idiieh  was  vlrtoally  a 
oontlntiatlon  of  Third  street. 

Alex  H.  Robertson  was  president  of  the  Calif- 
ornia and  Thoaas  J*  Oeary  the  secretary  and  treasa* 
rer.  Conversely  (^eaxy  was  the  president  and 
Rohertson  the  secretary  of  the  Oakleaf  Rowing  Club, 
which  had  Its  headquarters  on  7olsom  street  near 
Steoart.  The  Cedlfomla  Boat  Club,  however,  w»s  a 
rowing  organisation—athletic  pure  and  sljsple— 
whereas  the  OaUeaf  was  foziMd  for  the  purpose  of 
"Ixiylag,  selling  and  renting  boats,  and  all  things 
necessary  to  a  first-class  rowing  club." 

The  Pioneer  was  the  first  of  the  rowing  cltibs, 
and  was  organised  in  1864.  George  E«  Strong,  of 
Oaway  and  Co.,  the  poblishers,  was  one  of  its  most 
proBlnant  presidents  in  the  ssTenties.  "Big  Sd" 
Belacn  was,  for  a  time,  its  traasorer. 

Helson  was  one  of  the  most  noted  of  the  oarsmen 
of  that  period;  William  A,  Coulter,  the  marine 
artist,  was  another;  Bob  McDowell,  one  of  the  oldest 
members  of  the  San  Francisco  police  force,  still 
another. 

Fred  Plaisted,  who  has  been  for  over  thirty  years 
one  of  the  most  prominent  trainers  of  college  crews 
in  the  last,  used  to  race  in  the  single  sealls  here 
tmdar  the  pseudonym  of  Fred  Brown.  His  last  race  from 
the  foot  of  Third  street  was  against  Bill  Daly  of 
Tallejo,  by  \Aiom  he  was  defeated.  Austin  SteTensoa 
was  another  great  Vallejo  oarsman  whose  aahiaramanta 
snatched  many  a  prise  and  purse  from  local  oarsmen 
on  the  old  Thirdrstreet  course.  Con  Lynch  and 
Sugene  Flanders  were  two  other  champions  of  the  shells 


V 


.cc-   ssa  vfii 
rs<H5  •Tit  fyjw 


276 


long  prior  to  th«  delnit  of  Henry  Peterson,  who 
WM  not  heard  of-  iintll  the  early  eighties* 

BOAHDIHO-HOUSE  KEPT  UP  BT  LUMBER 
TA5D  MESr 

Another  good  oarsman  of  the  early  days  was 
Tom  ^ing,  \di08e  mother  kept  the  hoarding-house 
on  the  northwest  comer  of  King  and  Third  str- 
eets, i^loh  Was  largely  patronised  hy  the  men 
fron  the  Pope  and  Talhot  Imnber  yards  and  the 
yauPdBan  of  the  Southern  Pacific.  King  street 
at  that  point  ran  parralel  tc  Townsend,  between 
Townsend  and  Berry,  vdiere  the  Southern  Pacific 
depot  nov  stands* 

Pope  aad  Talbot's  original  lumber  yards  and 
saisaill  were  at  the  foot  of  Third  street,  where 
still  earlier  In  our  history  vers  North's  Ship- 
bailding  yards*  And  long  before  the  big  rowing 
races  used  to  start  and  finish  at  a  line  between 
Pope  and  Talbot's  wharf  and  the  opposite  shore, 
the  foot  of  Third  street  was  found  to  afford  a 
most  conyenient  swimming  place  for  all  the  small 
boys  of  the  nei^borhood* 

Sarcln's  restaurant  was  on  the  southeast 
corner  of  Third  and  Berry  streets,  diagonally 
opposite  Oaesar  Bran's  grocery?  but  the  farorite 
feeding  place  of  the  oarsmen  and  sailor  folk  was 
the  ohop-house  at  808  Third  street,  between  the 
landing  stage  and  Sareen's,  whidh  was  conducted 
bgr  a  genial  Italian  known  as  "Johnny  Killardarfly." 

Johnny's  chop'house  boasted  a  sDlendld  cook- 
ing range,  with  beautiful  big  copper  pots  and 
boilers  for  tea,  milk  and  coffee,  rioe  and  Teget- 
ables  of  every  kind,  dear  to  the  heart  of  a  blue- 
water  sailor*  It  was  clean  as  a  nev  pin,  and  was 
kept  along  lines  then  considered  uncanny  In  their 
sanitariness*  Mine  host  had  but  three  fingers  to 
his  ri^t  hand,  but  with  these  he  waged  war  Inter- 
minable upon  the  flies  that  were  frequently  the 
pest  of  the  place.  Hence  his  sobrlfust* 


KOdi 


277 


As  toon  as  a  fly  dared  li^t  upon  his  ccmnter, 
•vat  would  go  th*  thrse-flnger«d  fist,  vhile  "bet- 
vesn  his  elinohed  teeth  numbered  the  doom  words: 
Klll»-dA-fly:« 

No  fly  eTsr  survived  that  three'fingered  swat. 
Ellla'-da*fly  Johnny's  name  however,  was  Charlie, 
Charlie  Rat to. 

Catering  for  a  wider  trade  than  the  chop-house 
belov  at  the  grooezy  across  the  street,  fiot^anelster's 
fruit  and  vegetable  stand  had  the  sallonaen  coming 
and  going,  and  also  held  the  peculiar^  select  and 
profitable  trade  of  Elnoon  Hill  and  South  Park. 
These  sallied  thus  far  afield  in  quest  of  their 
rarer  fruits  and  vegetables,  in  the  serene  oonvlet- 
ion  that  each  ship  that  came  into  this  port  bearing 
fruit  or  garden  truck  of  any  kind  had  the  pick  of 
its  cargo  smuggled  up  to  Hucloneister's  by  the  fore- 
mast hands. 

In  the  same  block,  and  with  a  similarly  exten- 
sive clientele,  was  Dan  Twin's  stationezy  shop, 
lAiere  a  customer  could  pick  up  practically  anything 
in  the  line  of  note  pa3>er  new  books  or  other  3mbllc-' 
ations  that  he  could  expect  to  find  in  the  most  ex- 
pensive of  the  Montgomery  street  storeB-44ontgomexy 
street  being  then  the  central  haunt  of  wealth  and 
fashion  in  San  Francisco.  Dan,  it  should  be  mentioned, 
was  himself  a  peculiarly  knowledgable  man  in  the 
matter  of  hooks,  and  thus  drew  about  himself  a  pleas- 
ant following  of  customers* 

CROCXERT  STORE  JSOWSl  TOR  TAHIETT  OT 
STOCK 

Next  door  to  Twlgg*s  place  was  the  crockery 
store  of  the  Duffs— a  courteous  and  kindly  English 
eoi^le  \Aui,   as  well  as  the  coarser  household  crockery- 
ware  then  in  vogue,  kept  charming  sets  and  single 
pieces  of  Venetian  and  Florentine  glass,  fine  English 
and  Continental  porcelain  and  choice  pieces  from 
China  and  Japan. 

On  the  southeast  comer  of  Third  and  Bryant  str- 
eets was  a  vezy  famous  place— the  grocery  and  har  of 
Albert  Heyer,  who  afterward  beoaae  Supervisor  and 


vva 


Rlfi  arfMfhicaaahl  ;o- 


T  '.'iljiiTiaPtt  TI5S2I 


««5b»T 


.1JM«| 


^nflM  Cnls  u6VB  Vm  AlAi  rtv  ts 

Tvantzof 

nMn  ih«r  ^4a«#  caAttM*  0«1Ib» 


A*!^ 


'  air  .'^T'-  u%Mi  ftHEHfs 


278 


vaa  for  many  7«ar9  City  Treasurer. 

Heyer*a  nae  the  rendesToas  of  all  the  heat 
known  residents  in  the  locality,  including  the 
tig  toen  of  South  Park,  which  then  formed  with 
Rincon  Hill  the  ultra-fashionable  residence  sec- 
tion of  the  city. 

It  was  a  hospitahle  sort  of  spot  and  the 
nei^hors  made  themselTes  at  home  in  the  hack 
parlor  \idiere  a  hig  store  was  burning  every  cold, 
vet  ni^it,  and  vAiere  a  friendly  game  of  poker 
helped  the  gentlemen  so  inclined  to  while  away 
many  &  pleasant  hoar. 

Many  a  subsequently  prtMninent  naa  lolled  in 
the  comfortable  chairs  that  lay  around— (xeorge 
Pooltney  and  Joseph  Smith  of  the  South  Paxk 
Stables;  Red  Earrigan,  who  was  thsn  a  ship  calker 
and  %dio  a  few  years  later  became  famous  as  the 
lesullBg  partner  in  that  merry  teas  known  as  Earri- 
gaa  and  Hart.  Be  could  dancs  like  a  wizard  and 
relate  endless  funny  yams  in  those  good  old  timet; 
but  nobody  ever  suspected  he  would  some  day  make 
then  gulp  down  the  deeper  emotions  he  stirred  in 
thousands  of  hearts  as  "Old  Larender"  or  "The  Poor 
Relation. * 

HDHTERS  SHOOT  q^AlL  IN  SUNSET 
DISTRICT 

Then  there  was  Joe  Vatklns,  another  Calker, 
and  his  son,  San,  \itio  became  a  great  oarsman;  and 
Oua  and  (reorg*  Belno  and  a  host  of  others  who 
were  all  hail-fellowa-well-oet  at  Albert  Heyer^a. 

And  when  politics  or  other  buaineas  called 
Albert  afield,  there  was  young  3ill  Heyer-eqoally 
co\irteoua,  equally  tactful  and  genial— to  kaap 
thinga  going  along  the  even  tenor  of  their  way. 

Bat  that  waa  all  very  long  ago  when  South 
Park  and  riincon  Hill  were  in  their  heyday,  aad 
life  was  quite  different  to  what  it  is  Just  nov. 

Out  in  the  Sunset  district,  the  residents  of 
a  aaotion,  wither,  then  man  repaired  for  the  pur- 
pose of  shooting  quail  or  rabbits,  the  ?ailc-Preai- 
dlo  branch  of  the  Saa  Traneiaoo  Sariaga  and  Loan 
Society  la  naaaged  by  WilliaB  0.  Beyer.  Be  ia  the 
MOM  Bill  Beyer  \iio  managed  Beyer's  atora  at  the 
tlas  Albert  Beyer  waa  running  for  the  office  of 
City  Treasurer* 


5T9 


MBIMII  ORZdtKAUr  OMQ  flflK  faXKO 


ontiMK 

■m' 

>•  Bltiitor  i^ 

mA  «lMln3»3r 

•mA 

•MBBR 

if* 

If^^^B^K 

t«c 

h«r 

^■' 

-n 

t^  rftVaw* 

•mtti  «krtagiai 


•s  th«gr  «*r»  «i*Mft  «-  ^ 


279 


SiwntiiBTaar  21.  1919. 

Men  are  atlll  alive  In  Saa  Traafllseo  \itiO  can 
recall  vlth  more  than  mere  aoademic  Interest  the 
once  commonplace  hyoerbole,  "going  hone  with  the 
adlk."  The  modern  theory,  likely  to  hacoM  vide- 
epread,  that  the  expression  it  analogoos  to  the 
aphorisia  anent  "hring  home  the  hacon,"  it  lAolly 
erroneous  and  ill~founded. 

In  the  good  old  days  ^dien  the  original  expr- 
ession had  a  significance  lAiolly  and  Joyously  its 
own,  the  «<<iv»«»  was  a  regular  and  rmlTersal  phe- 
nomenon of  the  praerepasoular  noni.  His  wages 
svBragsd  $30  a  month  and  he  worked  for  them,  st- 
arting early.  Wherefore  gentlemen  and  ladies  of 
the  literary,  dramatic  and  kindred  professions, 
lAose  various  engagwnents  kept  them  ahroad  after 
conventional  office  hours,  would  customarily  meet 
the  nllk»aa  "beginning  his  day  at  the  moment  they 
were  tominating  theirs,  and  like  as  not  exchange 
greetings  with  him  on  the  hosM  doorstep.  • 

MXIXKAir  CmiGIHALLT  CAME  PHOM  THIRD 
STESET 

Oft  times  on  such  occasions  it  was  the  milk- 
nan's  steadier  hand  and  fresher  eye  that  helped 
curh  the  halMng  recalcitrancy  of  the  latchkey 
and  coaxed  it  to  enter  and  even  turn  in  the  elus- 
ive keyhole.  It  was  from  sucjh  preciously  Intimate 
rencontres  as  these  that  the  term  really  origina- 
ted, and  it  nothihg  whatever  to  do  with  ""bringing 
hoae  the  hacon*" 

Khence  came  the  miUanan? Third  street. 

On  the  northeast  comer  of  Third  and  Hoi»rd 
■trwets,  opposite  the  rooos  of  the  once  fawms 
Howard  01u"b,  stood  the  original  "Ban  Baoke*,"  or 
MlllcMUi's  Exchange,  whither  every  night,  in  the 
V—  am.*   hoars,  foregathered  the  milknen  from  all 
their  rsnote  hsonts  and  lairs,  and  with  them  came 
their  saucy  carts  and  their  sturdy  little  horset 
fiffA   the  glittering  and  resonant  milk  cans  that 
coald  "be  heard  clanging  from  Third  street  to  the 
Twin  Peaks  as  they  were  flung  einpty  upon  the  re- 
sounding par— ente« 


..,-i       .-I.V 


vtv,-.   f.vta  ''5hB  %*j^pt  •»*?  ^o  nT* 


19  UM 


siflUB  maB  <v  flBUff 


«l«kU 


.,'?:?ta*LS-  p*  "St**  '-menffipy 


'jm 


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RjQhtJ  -(/v^^ 


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UM 

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280 


In  th«  d«7tlB«  this  Ban  Racket  nas  to  all 
effects  and  porpoaes  an  ordinary  comer  grocery 
and  saloon.  Bat  shortly  after  midnl^t,  ^dien 
all  ordinary  people  had  gone  to  hed,  scores  and 
hundreda  of  nilk  carta  would  come  clattering  aiid 
>f^ig<T>g  up  the  converging  thoroo^rfarea  from  all 
four  quarters  of  the  globe,  and  dlagorge  their 
nocttimal  drlTara  at  the  portala  of  the  exchange. 

JBBSH  BUNS  STACKSD  HIGH  OS  GHSAIT 
FLASTXBS 

Within  those  portals,  at  that  uncanny  hour, 
all  iMts  hustle  and  actirity.  A  great  hig  range 
stood  at  one  aide  of  the  establiahment,  and  on 
top  of  it  seethed  tw  great  copper  "boilers,  one 
of  hot  milk,  the  other  of  steandng  coffee.  St- 
MMiiig  hot  fresh  "buns  were  stacked  hi^  on  great 
platters.  When  the  rain  pattered  outside  and  tha 
chill  winds  of  winter  lAistled  among  the  milk 
cans,  within  was  the  boge  wood-stove  cheerily 
Imming,  the  comfortable  hi^  stools  to  sit  upon, 
the  carpet  of  the  very  "best  saw  dnst. 

In  walked  the  customer  and  grabhed  one  of  the 
"bl^  tng»  that  stood  ready  for  the  oocaaion,  filled 
I*  aa  "beat  ha  pleaaad  with  his  own  proportion  of 
■ilk  and  coffee,  scoffed  a  hot  "bun  from  the  invit- 
ing pile,  and  "became  hapoy.  He  could  refill  his 
mag  of  coffee  as  often  as  he  liked  and  tuck  away 
all  the  huns  he  could  swallow.  Tha  amount  consumed 
nattered  nothing.  The  price  was  ten  cents. 

TOOro  SWAIHS  GATHER  IBlOM  KEAH-BT 
DANCE  HALLS 

And  this  ^orious  privllaga  was  not  «onopol- 
ised  hy  the  mUkaen.  BTex7T)oay  was  waleoM.  Toun« 
"bucks  of  the  period,  fresh  and  hungry  froa  the 
dances  at  Hihemia  Hall  down  Third  street,  or 
Ixora  Hall  on  Miaaion  atreet,  or  Union  Hall  half 
a  hlock  up  Howard  street,  were  all  equally  welcoaa. 
MaiV^  were  tha  ngs  kf  coffee  and  many  the  hot  hroim 
"bana  that  swains  Just  accepted  or  rejected  hy  their 


JHMUM'*  '"--V-^  >tW>t»  Ml' 

4«r  v.-  <^%      •-'-  >^*'»  -^^ 

A  fM 


7««14l»1«*»^ 


*1»        i    »;■• 


arena 


jiQim  fiA 


<y  .lu  •VftiitlU  ten*  a^  «l« 


•a. 


tidf 


/  jor 


ifS^  Q£  ^xxiti.  ^i-iX^  ZMiSi.  iiri»e-,r  ^t^^mi  '^ma  agaeanp. 


381 


heart's  desirss,  betwan  waltses  at  ono  of  thosa 
tMples  of  TeTpaichor*,  alisorbfld  In  tha  kindly 
■haltar  of  tha  Mukiian'a  Exchange  to  fortify  hia 
Jogr  or  arsuiieata  hia  dajaetion. 

A  ftiyt  doora  weat  ot  Third  atraat,  at  716 
H«wurd,  waa,  in  tha  aixtiaa,  tha  raaidanoa  of 
John  H,  and  (>aorsa  E.  Eoaaatar,  vtio,   aa  Hossatar 
and  Co.,  condaetad  tha  vina  and  liqfoor  IniBinaaa 
at  tha  aouthwaat  cornar  of  Third  and  Maricat  atr- 
aata,  whera  John  E,  Vidhar  sobaaquantly  had  hia 
drag  atora. 

Thay  oobaaqaantly  vant  into  ahoa  findinga 
huainaaa  at  546  Maxtot  atraat  and  Etovad  thair 
residenoaa  to  tha  other  side  of  tovn.  John  H,  on 
Stainer  atraat,  and  George  on  Suttar  near  Polk. 
Thay  vera  raapectirely  the  father  and  tmola  of 
John  H.  Roaaatar  of  the  I&iited  Stataa  Shipping 
Board  and  he^d  of  the  Paoifio  Mail  Co. 

E0USBWI7SS  HEPAIB  TO  1!AM0US  TEA, 
STQKB 

Opposite  tha  eratidiile  home  of  tha  Hoaaetera, 
at  715  Hovard  atraat,  wae  the  rasidenoe  of  Hlohard 
Cluff ,  one  of  tha  Clu^  Brothara  \iho  oonduetad 
grocery  storaa  here  in  tha  old  daya,  and  fron  yiaom 
the  preaent  ^^lesale  fini  known  aa  tha  tfilliaa 
ClTiff  Company  ia,  ao  to  speak,  daaeandad.  Jaaaa 
Clnff  la  hona  waa  at  44  Third  atraat,  Williaa  B. 
Clnff  at  146  Tahaaa  atreet.  Just  aaat  of  Third, 
over  one  of  hia  grooezy  8toraa-~-CltLff  and  SaVltt'a, 
idiioh  vaa  on  tha  comer  of  Third  and  Tahaaa. 

Between  Tahaaa  and  Claaantina,  on  the  waat  aide 
of  Third  atreata,  was  tha  firat  atore  of  tha  Graat 
Anerican  Tea  Coapaay  Either  all  the  hoaaawi-rea 
aouth  of  Maxloat— or  nearly  all—  naad  to  rapoir  for 
thair  povnda,  and  half  povmda,  and  flTS  poonda  of 
tea,  with  an  elegant  present  thrown  in  with  every 
IRurateM*  Naay  an  honeat  hod  oavrlar  or  gaa  worker 
liM  BafTar  toaialMd  anything  waxnar  than  ataoa  'bear, 
imlaaa  tha  weather  waa  oold  and  he  WaS  taking  hia 
drop  of  Irish  hot,  fonnd  himaalf  with  tea  anoo^ 


.*;i4^i4l  ei-"-    r^.«4*j'v 


U.^ — 


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'it.    V       ««lt«f«i      — 
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-rypt^i  • 


388 


to  float  a  'battl0-8hlp-~if  the  t«a  vara  properly 
bravad— 'owraly  'bacause  Mr««  Hod  Carrlar  had  baen 
hyjmotiMd  by  the  beauty  of  a  best  guaranteed, 
inportad  and  handrbloim  glaaa  spaxgna  that  mbm 
praaantad  absolutely  fraa  and  vlthotit  atrixiss  of 
aiiy  kind  to  ayeiy  pirohaser  of  v«heelbarrow  loads 
of  tea  at  the  Oraat  American. 

From  First  to  Tenth  street  the  ladies  south 
of  Maxfcet  flooksd  each  Saturday  nl^t  and  fought 
for  these  priceless  gift  apezgnes  and  other  suit* 
able  souvenirs. 

The  tea  oootpany,  hovarer,  was  but  a  soulless 
corporation,  ^dieraas  the  laajority  of  establish- 
ments on  Tliird  streat  vara  controlled  by  Individu- 
als with  striking  personalities  of  their  ovn. 

For  example,  on  the  northeast  comer  of  Htmt 
street  ymo  Bill  Solan's  saloon,  vrith  his  residence 
overhead* 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bill  Dolan  co-Jointly  tipped  tha 
scales  at  a  trifle  over  a  quarter  of  a  ton,  and 
idien  they  sat  in  their  decorated  barouche  at  a 
St.Patrick's  day  parmde  vera  tha  dali,^t  of  all 
beholders. 

There  vare  fine  men  and  women  in  those  St.Pat- 
riok*s  da7  parades,  and  fine  plug  hats,  and  fine 
banraelMS  and  fine  horses.  But  Bill  Solan's  four- 
qxiart  plug  hat  was  the  shiniest  of  them  all,  his 
basracushe  tha  grandest,  and  the  team  of  blaob- 
pointad  bays  he  drove  behind  was  the  noblest  in 
alX  this  great  city. 

Tea  MeOord  and  his  family  lived  on  the  west 
side  of  Third  street,  south  of  Folsooi,  and  the 
boys  all  grew  up  there.  Robert  is  now  dspaty 
registrar  of  voters,  yotmg  Tom  is  with  6.  M. 
Josselyn's,  tha  ship  chandlers,  and  George  is 
secretary  of  the  California  Soor  Conpaay.  Gilbert 
and  Sdward  MoCord  lived  on  Hitch  street,  near 
Third. 

Jamas  Winslov,  who  later  became  boss  staradora 
of  tha  0,  and  0.  Steamship  Company,  had  a  saloon 
on  tha  same  aide  as  tha  MoCords,  nearer  Folaom  st- 
reet. 

Lower  down  was  Frenk  Bakaart's  gunsmith  and 
•Mnnition  store.  He  waa  an  Sn^istaman  ,  and  his 
gems  vare  of  great  repute.  His  son,  Philip  B. 
Bakaart,  is  president  of  tha  P.  B.  Bekeart  C<»ipany. 


?aa 


fh* 


*♦» 


283 


KIHD  HEAHT  AlTD  OPSU  HAHD  GO  LONa 
WAT 


Hoartay  yM  CoagroTe*a  fruit  and  rsBsiabl*  store. 
Th«  CosgroT«8  ver«  a  larg«  faaily  and  very  popular 
In  ths  neighborhood. 

It  xas  not  difficult  to  heeoss  popular  on  Third 
street.  A  Kind  heart  and  an  op«n  hand  vent  far  there. 
But  not  all  \Aio  vere  populsir  were  as  long  and  pleas- 
antly remembered  ast  for  exaaple,  the  Dolans  and  the 
Oosgrores  and  others,  \Ao  still  lire  In  the  hearts 
of  loany  friends  of  the  old  days* 

And  money  counted  little  so  far  as  the  vdder 
friendship  went,  ^flio  that  can  look  hack  orer  so 
long  a  stretch  of  years  will  fail  to  recall  the  gen- 
eral philosophy  and  unfailing  wit  of  old  I^ilcahey, 
the  laapli^ter,  as  he  ambled  the  perilous  ahoals 
and  pitfalls  of  Tliird  street  on  his  nineteenth  cen- 
tiiry  Hoslnate  and  refused  to  be  lured  into  any  of 
the  traps  that  "the  boys"  racked  their  brains  to 
de-rise  for  his  undoing. 

Homantlc  as  I3on  Quixote's  now  Ioobs  the  figure 
of  the  old  lampll^ter  throu^  the  mist  of  years. 
his  elderly  nag  shoveling  along  bravely  in  quest 
of  the  lights,  its  rider's  lifting  pole  couxiied 
ready  for  any  recalcitrant  gas  lainp's  troubles  as  ^ 
was  the  laaoe  of  Cerrantes*  hero  for  the  windmills. 

And  then  in  later  years  caae  Mnlcahey*s  success- 
or, Charles  Qpi^ey,  who  lived  on  Perry  street.  Just 
up  froB  Third,  and  was  the  friend  of  ever/  man, 
\nmaa.  and  child  from  the  creek  up  to  Market  street. 
He  was  a  very  little  man,  with  a  sll^t  stoop,  and 
wore  the  old-faahloned  miner's  red  flannel  shirt 
^isn  going  his  rounds  night  and  aoming. 

MAKT  OLD  HBSIDEHTS  HECAU.  HAPPT  DAWHS 

Many  is  the  man  and  woman  today,  with  grown  chil- 
dren of  their  own,  who  will  rsmmber  those  happy 
dawns  in  the  seventies  lAien  —  the  boy,  belike, 
having  danced  the  soles  off  a  pair  of  Kelly's  $16 
prise  "boots,  and  ♦Jie  world  seeming;  full  of  roees  for 
all  that— they  would  meet  old  Oharlie  Quil^ey  with 


7\<A 


TC.    XMl 


•Br'i  ...-  ... 

^MM  Xx^ntd  MOt  lM>i««j!'  »t>^ 

— ^— •«ftt«4  4«i» 
.\^7»A  on  i^ff 


tmA  h»  had  ala*  fBit«  &  ->  -* 
m^  „  J.  .JMia  tfiA  owrUct  •« 
an  Mvl  «f  sMdsuk  >» 

«lth«9«   ftOt. 

^iiS»JU^-  It  tCttAa{d.»»&  %«i^^  £<t^  i^2ii»<» 


■.a 


:;,-.-;viiuc  Mies  U?  <HJiiMli»  v-- 


384 


his  asny  iwrd  and  his  iRiigjhlng  faoe,  and  he  would 
pass  alone  vlth  his  csheery  "Oood  aomlne,  all:  "And 
then  he  would  turn  and  catch  the  eye  of  the  maid 
with  that  eneoaraglng  anile  of  his,  and  nod  and  say, 
"Bat  His  the  fine  looking  pair  7'  are!" 

He  had  three  lovsly  daJo^ters  and  one  son,  than 
vhoa  lived  none  "better  nor  nore  respected  south  of 

Maxket. 

And  idille  on  the  snh.lect  of  lampll^terfl  It  nay- 
he  well  to  tawsb.  upon  the  topic  of  laB?)-plater»--a 
craft  that  was  represented  down  Third  street  way 
l)y  a  Trsnohaan  who  lived  on  Jessie  street  just  off 

Third, 

All  the  hackmen  who  congregated  at  16  Third 
street  and  other  downtown  stands  used  to  go  to  this 
Frenchman  to  hare  their  laop  reflectors  re-plated, 
and  he  had  also  quite  a  "valuable  clientele  of  pri- 
vate coadfaBsa  and  carriage  owners.  He  was,  however, 
an  erratic  sort  of  genius.  He  claimed  to  "be  a  sun- 
worshlTjer  and  used  greatly  and  deeply  to  interest 
the  youth  of  the  locality  iiAen  he  went  into  the 
center  of  Jessie  street  to  pay  his  devotions  to  his 
deity.  Some  said  he  was  "a  haythaa  and  worse"; 
others  contended  that  be  was  slniply  an  ahsinthe 
fiend.  Eventually  it  transpired  that  hoth  these 
theories  were  erroneous. 

0BAR8NAI  HOPS  U?  OOSTSHTS  07  LAMPS 

The  laaip-t)later~at  first,  "faut  de  mleux,"  as 
be  said,  "bat  later  "because  he  cultivated  the  taste 
"by  ooatTBAting  the  habit— was  a  slave  to  Ixicine. 
Lueine  was  the  petroleua  preparation  that  was  lar- 
gely used  for  carriage  laBQ>s  In  those  days.  The 
Trenchnan  used  to  sop  tip  the  contents  of  all  laotps 
left  with  hl»  for  replatlng,  and — this  time  strict- 
ly on  the  "Luflus  a  Luoendo,"  or  a  Lucino,  principle- 
be  developed  into  a  sun-worshiper. 


Altert 


^  of  ■*; 


is  hit  hUfi>  •  *«»•*•  *f«'«>r%  b#Mi  1»<M»  wMI^ 

Ida  dftc  w9iHi<- 


'>*•.« 


vn 

-9 

■^i**  tor 

Q*m^m' 


'31»>«-i       AV'         *.'W         ■  »' 


If 

^/W.     11  v.. 


f-*fwi  r 


■  1.1         ri^JV 


285 


Professor  Alljert  T,  Clay  of  Tal«,  In  his 
rsosntly  piibllshed  "Emplrs  of  tho  Anoritest" 
IMlzits  tbs  dlffioolties  he  experienced  In 
piecing  together  the  history  of  this  remotely 
aaoleat  3>eoplet  and  ho^r^even  with  suoh  reli- 
able d&ta  as  that  afforded  hy  Assyrian  elay 
ta'blets  and  other  Insorlptions— 'It  is  not  al- 
vgys  possible  to  ha  Bathanatloally  aceurate  in 
assleniac  a  plaea  or  a  period  to  an  episode  or 
an  indlTidoal. 

Ilie  professor  claims  to  achieve  approxiin- 
ate  ohronologloal  exactitude  if  he  hits  a 
period  anyMhere  within  400  or  500  years  of 
aotoality*  He  is  a  oan  of  the  greatest  eminaaoe 
in  his  hl^  calling.  "Qvery  effort  has  haen  nade 
In  these  fogltive  chronicles  of  Third  street  to 
keep  within  the  limit  of  accoraoy  set  forth  in 
hit  description  of  the  Anorites. 

The  foot  of  Third  street  was  for  many  years, 
as  before  stated,  at  Berry  street*  The  names  of 
•<HM  of  its  famous  boatmen  have  been  enumerated. 
Bob  (ribson  was  famous  before  any  of  ths»— yaara 
before  the  South  Snd  Boat  Club  was  dreamed  of 
he  conducted  his  business  on  the  spot  >^oh  the 
club  made  famoos.  The  South  Snd's  senior  baxge 
orew  was  probably  the  most  saocessftil  orev  erer 
organised  in  local  waters.  Ban  Dou^ierty  was 
ex^aln.  With  him  were  George  Eixplisses,  Billy 
Thicnas  and  Jack  O'Brien. 

CLSAHT  CBEW  FAMOOS  fCB  ITS 

ACHIE73MERTS 

Contetaporanaous  with  th«i  was  the  Oleary  er*v> 
famous  not  so  moh  for  its  aahiersBents  as  for  the 
fast  that  it  was  oomrposed  from  one  family.  Robert 
Cleary,  the  father,  was  captain,  and  the  sons, 
Jack,  Andrew,  Toa  and  Ben,  were  the  crew.  Jack  and 
Andrew  now  condnet  Cleary's  Detective  Bureau;  Tom 
is  in  the  Superrisors*  office:  Ben,  who  uaed  to  be 
coxswain  of  the  crew,  is  with  the  Toyo  Kisen  Xaisha. 


Java  ■%  34 

»«  1^  on  A  ftptian  ti*wp*  •  3  W* 

swiw.  ai»»«ia  viwkU  f^—*  '-  "    r.-   '*!^  *»« 

wmftmMm  vf  «iq^  >  ^^*^  ^* 

mat  -^',  *h»*»  «*r  ••••tl«»«  *"•  iil*M« 


£«„>„ . 


» 


:ji'^--r,'u:.:bf>  :;GlIJOf  WHS 

iRtiwdMftWl/,  of  half  A  •M^ 

-imtf  •€  %!»' 
site  «te  IHHI  iWWtiM  «; 


286 


rron  that  saa«  foot  of  Third  street  wat 
Inmehed  the  monitor  Comanche,  which  nas  built 
there  hy  the  Union  Iron  Wotfca,  under  the  mrper- 
Tlslon  of  JsBBee  Ryaa,  a  partner  of  Peter  Dono- 
hae.  On*  of  Ryan't  daa^tere  iias  married  to 
Judge  0,  P.  Evani,  and  resides  today  with  her 
son.  Perry  Evans,  the  attorney  of  the  Mills 
■building?  another  was  married  to  General  Wood- 
ruff of  the  United  States  Anny. 

Inside  Pope  and  Talhot's  Itonber  yard.  In  a 
little  old  deck  oahln  taken  from  saaae  rlTer 
steamer  lived  "Captain  Jack,"  the  Apache  Indian, 
^(ho  wore  a  military  tmifom  and  earned  a  liveli- 
hood hy  eawing  and  chopping  kindling  wood  all 
over  that  part  of  town.  He  hoarded  at  Ed  Sarecen't 
restaorant  aeroat  the  way  on  Third  street,  and 
fed  well  for  an  Indian. 

Somehow  or  other  Captain  Jack  used  to  receive 
coDles  of  the  Illustrated  London  News,  «nd  from 
this  periodical  he  would  copy  out  extracts  v&ich 
he  pasted  up  on  a  notice-hoard  adjoining  his 
cabin.  Captain  Jaok*s  ideas  on  orthography  and 
punctuation  were  Tmique.  Capitals,  when  he  used 
thsm,  only  aTrieared  In  the  middle  of  or  at  the 
end  of  a  word,  where  they  sometimes  were  placed 
In  groups  \ibollj  hewllderlng.  But  hundreds  of 
people  used  to  flock  around  that  notice-hoard 
every  Sunday  and  made  merry  over  the  announce- 
ments. The  higger  the  crowd,  the  happier  was  the 
Apaoha. 

ATTEHTDBKBS  COLLECT  STALE  BEER 

ram  xsas 

Two  other  worthies  of  the  place  and  period- 
one  writes,  approximately,  of  half  a  century  ago- 
were  "Slim  Jl^  and  "Booky  Mountain  Jack",  two 
dotthtless  gallant  adventurers  of  an  adventurous 
age,  who  were  devoting  the  leisure  of  their  later 
jeara  to  collecting  atale  heer  from  the  kega  out- 
aide  the  varloua  grocerlea  and  saloons  in  the 
nel^horhood,  and  drinking  out  of  old  oyster  cans 


>*^<^^*tm.i       TJI*  i 


i^kVMk.     y   *i#j:r,^ 


•««k^  w 


^  -,?, 


IdV>/\  flami 


287 


the  neotar  thus  obtained*  "Sltm  Jla"  wore  laxig* 
iMsksrs  and  weired  abont  300  pounds.  "Hodgr 
Mountain  Jack"  was  also  a  gentlsmsm  of  portly 
mien,  and  clalmsd  to  have  resided  and  adventured 
for  long  periods  In  the  fastnesses  of  the  aotint- 
alns  whence  he  took  his  name.  He  stood  hif^  in 
popularity  with  the  hoys  of  the  nei^hoxhood  lAum 
he  regaled  with  endless  halx^raising  tales  of  his 
achleTements  In  pursuit  of  bears,  buffaloes  and 
Indians. 

Whenever  a  beer  dron^t  or  famine  menaced. 
Jack  would  repair  to  the  residence  of  Henxy  Sdh- 
■iedel,  the  stockbroker,  on  Harrison  street  near 
Sixth,  ^ere  his  wants  were  always  sjnBpathetioally 
and  promptly  relieved* 

Other  Tietlas  of  the  stale  beer  habit  in  that 
part  of  the  world  were,  singularly  enou^,  a  T^ack 
of  five  or  six  nondescript  dogs  that  haunted  the 
establishment  of  "Pig^s  Head"  Bill  MoLou^ilin 
down  near  the  Gas  House  on  King  street* 

Bill  always  had  a  steaming  hot  plg*s  head  and 
a  dish  of  fine  boiled  potatoes  to  mai(^  ready  on 
the  fv  lunch  counter  for  all  comers.  It  was  a 
fashionable  pastime  to  go  down  to  Bill's,  hars  a 
coople  of  beers  and  a  pig's  head  feast,  and  ooa- 
template  the  dogs  ^dxo  lapped  ^3p  all  the  beer 
drippings,  lying  suround,  comfortably  inebriated, 
in  isarioua  attitudes  of  abondon* 

Jim  Traoey,  \ibo   recently  resigned  from  the 
Dsaooratio  party,  opened  a  little  hostelry  on  the 
east  side  of  Third  street  just  south  of  Silver, 
about  forty  years  ago;  but  he  was  then  too  nev 
for  the  nei^boxhood  and  hs   found  the  custom  a 
trifle  too  boisterous  for  his  tastes,  so  he  moved 
away. 

FANILT  MOTES  T.ATT?  OVER  TO  HATES  TAUXT 

The  Crosksys  were  so  long  and  so  favorably  iden- 
tified with  the  history  of  Hayes  street  that  it  wiU 
surprise  many  persons  to  know  that  it  was  at  Third 


th« 


288 


and  Silrer  strests  that  Robert  Croskey,  father 
of  Chief  Depity  AsseeBor  Rohert  7.  Croskey, 
first  settled  \ibmn  he  arrired  here  fron  Heifffoxlc 
in  1856.  It  VBM  there  that  Robert  T.  Crodoey 
was  "borm,   and  it  was  not  until  the  sixties  that 
the  faaily  aered  to  Hayes  Tall^. 

A  deoade  later,  in  the  early  serenties*  the 
yoanger  Croskey  moved  hack  to  the  northwest  ooi^ 
ner  of  Third  and  Silver  streets  and  opened  a 
grocery  of  his  ovn,  with  Billy  Blattner,  who 
later  hecame  County  Clex^c,  as  his  aS>i>^^>A^* 

Croskisy  always  closed  his  store  on  Sonday 
and  thxLB  seoxured  a  good  slice  of  the  valtuhle 
South  Park  trad**  Infltientlal  churchgoers  of  the 
district  were  qtiick  to  observe  that  practically 
the  only  establishment  at  that  end  of  town  \&ere 
Sabbath  closing  was  observed  was  that  of  young 
Croskey.  As,  izicidentally,  he  sold  excellent 
goods,  he  was  rewarded  with  a  very  pleasant  pat- 
ronage. 

Vlhat  actually  prosrpted  Croskey  to  close  his 
store  on  Sundays  was  that  in  no  cirouastanees 
would  he  forego  his  Sunday  baseball  game  or  other 
siailar  entertainaent. 

The  old  South  Park  hose  station  of  the  vol- 
-unteer  fire  department  was  on  Third  street, 
orpposite  South  Park.  One  of  its  surviving  veterans 
is  Torn  Oasey  of  1306  Waller  street,  yho  lived  on 
Third  street  in  the  sixties. 


dPMSD  FOR  HEnCAH  WAR 

7ETERAV8 

When  the  fire  department  was  organised.  No.  1, 
"Broderick"  Sngine  Company,  was  on  the  north  side 
of  Bryant  street,  Just  west  of  Third  street,  after- 
ward known  aa  Ko.  9  engine  house. 

It  was  there  that  Colonel  Daniel  E,  Hungerford, 
father  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  Maeksy,  used  to  have  the  head- 
({uarters  of  the  Mexieaa  War  Veterans'  Association, 
and  it  was  also  the  general  rendesvous  of  many 
other  prominent  men  who  had  political  axes  to  grind 
la  that  vicinity. 


Uw 


<T|- 


rtt- 


m 


389 


Andrew  J.  Shrader,  the  "batcher  and  Super- 
TiBor,  need  then  to  have  hie  office  in  the 
Pacific  Fral*  Kaiket  on  Braanan  street  Juat 
vest  of  Third,  and  was  a  well-known  ▼leitor 
at  the  engine  house,  airader  street  waa  named 
after  him.  One  of  his  sons  conducts  the  Alpine 
Hotel  on  Pine  street  near  Eeamy. 

Old  "Broderick  No.  1"  was  so  called  "be- 
cauae  its  original  foreman  In  1850  was  DsTid 
C,  Broderick,  \*io  was  killed  hy  Judge  Terry  in" 
the  famous  duel  seven  years  later. 

Broderick  wis  succeeded  "by  John  A.  MoOlynn, 
Oeorse  V.  OrMoii,  David  Scannell,  John  Martin, 
Edward  B,  Cotter,  M.  McLao^^in,  Hohert  Howard 
and  others. 

Suhaequently,  in  the  «AlTligie  of  chajage, 
old  "Broderick  Ho.  1"  hecame  old  "Ho.  9  Engine," 
then  "Engine  No.  10." 

In  the  palDET  days  of  the  seventies,  vb%n.  the 
rwinntn  of  the  Meadcan  veterans  had  moved  else- 
lAare,  "but  Third  street  was  in  all  its  gloiy. 
Joe  Jourdan  "became  forsnan  of  Bo.  10  and  Harry 
Bsynolds  was  engineer. 

Those  were  the  "boys  and  those  were  the  days 
thereof  the  lingering  memories  "bring  tears  of 
Joy  to  the  eyes  of  the  old-timer. 

TATORITIS  or  PSHIOD  (SAILED  BT 
SXOXSAMSS 

There  was  Phil  Brady,  that  somehow  everybody 
called  Phil  "Boche",  and  Jack  Col"bert  that  tmry^ 
"body  knew  as  "Butter  Jack,"  and  Jim  Donovan  and 
Lou  Ourry  and  all  the  rest  of  th«M. 

nothing  delighted  them  so  much  as  teasing  the 
wits  out  of  GKis  Schslllng,  the  German  ^o  kept 
the  shoe-repairlag  shop  around  th**  cotTier  on  Hitch 
street,  next  door  to  Brown,  the  "batcher. 

Bat  it  was  the  dance  parties  given  hy  the  fire 
laddies  that  were  the  Joy  of  everyone  South-of- 
MftXlcet. 

All  the  "boys  were  there,  and  all  the  girls, 
and  all  the  quality. 


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WIUU 

rife*   ■«.-  '    1401 


390 


There  yon  voald  meet  Mrs.  JIb  Donoran,  and 
Mrs.  Fernando  C.  Cook,  as  well  as  her  faushaad, 
Dr«  Cook,  and  Mrs.  Trank  Q.  Broun,  with  Trank 
(^,  the  Hitch-street  butcher,  and  I4rs.  Xnoidtain, 
sad  her  hashand,  George,  from  the  Bella  Union 
Theater;  John  M.  Buff ington,  the  mining  man 
froai  Silver  street;  Otis,  7.  Villey,  the  carriage 
Mumfaottirer,  froa  his  mansion  at  522  Third,  near 
Harrison  street;  Supenrisor  Shradsr,  9t^er\rlsor 
Alhert  Heyer;  Alf  Morgaastein,  with  the  hig  hut- 
ohershop  on  the  west  side  of  Third,  near  Braanaa, 
^bo  iised  to  do  a  hig  trade  with  the  shipping  in 
the  harbor;  Charlie  Riegelhath*  a  riral  hatcher 
on  the  saise  side  of  Third  between  Perry  azid 
SilTsr  streets,  wbo  then  had  the  finest  trade  la 
town  outside  the  California  Maxkat;  Joe  Skolth, 
the  liTerjrBaa;  Lou  (rarrison,  who  kept  the  grocery 
opposite  Heyer's;  I.  Friedlaader,  the  \4heat  King 
of  the  period;  Saperrisor  Tom  Boyce,  father  of 
YillisBB  T.  Boyce  of  the  Federal  Ikaployment  Boreaxi; 
Al  and  Bogene  Frits,  John  Roberts  and  Bill  Porter, 
the  ship  oalkers;  Bill  Shaw,  the  pltniber,  and  if 
they  chanced  to  be  in  town  on  such  a  glad  occasion- 
Judge  S.  V.  MoKinstxy  and  D.  0.  Mills. 

S0CII3TT  SPELLS  ITSELF  IH  CAPITAL 
LETTERS 

Society  spelt  itself  with  a  rsry  big  S  at  those 
rare  old  dances  and  to  have  attended  one  endowed 
the  fortunate  guest  with  a  perpetual  cachet  to  the 
inner  circles  of  the  local  elite  of  that  period. 

Another  spot  where  sosie  fine  dancing  was  dona 
vas  at  Mother  Stokes',  down  on  Fourth  street,  bet- 
wasn  Sing  and  Townsend.  Of  course,  nobody  claimed 
that  Mother  Stokes*  classed  up  with  the  angina 
house  reception.  Nerertheless,  the  Saturday  ni^t 
balls  at  Mother  Stokes'  prorided  plenty  of  fan. 

And  that  was  ^Aiat  was  wanted  south  of  the  slot 
•n  Satovday  ni^ts  at  that  opooh  of  our  history. 

In  the  Toxy  early  days  of  the  fifties  there 
vas  a  bathhouse  on  Third  street  opposite  South  Park, 
^lieh  stood  on  the  site  afterward  oceopiad  "by  Poultney 
and  teith  as  a  lirery  stable.  This  was  stibseqaently 


Ml 


If  »  am  ll«ii»^  Cir.it^T  MttLltlXt  Who 

CiM  «f  lih*  f«tf  'krltiftts  JKLfeioM*  Jw^ittM 

■.^.?!?    at'PS**    .^-,Tf-=,r;^ -..•-    sVitit    T;    V.'TiV    slwwi 


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291 


taken  over  "by  a  maa  named  Osoar  Mandellt  idio 
conducted  there  the  ComBtock  Livery  Stables* 

One  of  the  few  hrlefer  iTaBineas  tragediet 
of  Third  street  occured  ahout  a  hlook  above 
these  stables  In  the  early  seventies. 

A  peacefal  and  industrious  colored  man 
established  himself  there  in  the  whitevashins 
"business  and  gradually  worked  up  quite  a  tidy 
little  trade,  there  heing  no  other  specialist 
in  such  work  thereabouts. 

Just  as  things  were  beginning  to  shape 
themselves  nicely  and  a  nev  era  of  prosperity 
sesBMd  about  to  davn  upon  the  dax4qri  an  rair 
eorapolous  idiite  man  came  and  opened  a  rival 
shop  nert  door,  with  the  flaunting  announce- 
ment on  a  signboard  over  the  fronts 

WHITSVASHiHa  DORS  flSaSi 
nr  AI2.  COLCBfl 

Tills  multi-colored  competition  proved  too 
ncudi  for  the  Ingenuous  son  of  Ham,  \ibo  vas 
quickly  driven  out  of  the  race  and  disapipsared 
from  Third  street. 

About  a  dosen  bakeries  did  business  on 
Third  street  in  the  seventies,  but  the  largest 
and  most  pomilar  for  many  years  was  D'Aroy's, 
on  the  southwest  comer  of  Perry  street,  i^ldh 
was  one  of  the  lendmarfrs  of  the  locality. 

Feizotto  and  Silverman* s  dry  goods  store, 
at  the  comer  of  Jessie  street  was  another  lead- 
ing laadmark.  Across  the  street  from  Feixotto 
•ad  SilvexMOiU  was  Bennett  and  Sons'  drag  store, 
on  the  southeast  comer  of  Steranson  street. 

Henry  V,  Bennett— the  elder—  was  the  only 
■aa  la  Sea  Vraaeisoo  idio  ever  idiaoked  Jem  Kaee, 
the  dhompioB  prise  filter.  The  old  Encflish 
imgilist  was  travelling  in  the  country  with  a 
circus  that  exf  a  performance  here  at  the  old 
circus  lot  OB  JaOkson  street,  lA^ere  Columbus 
avenue  now  cuts  that  thoroughfaJPS.  Invitations 
for  a  turn  with  Kao*  were  proffered  to  the 
aadlaaM,  aad  to  Bennett  fell  the  illustrious 
honor  of  \rfiacking  xq?  the  old  chosipion. 


'  T*TS  C!V  TA-Vk)-Ai  V^ ^SRSJT;' '"  "1 '}  ^IH 


«-7  >'''  ..... 


-■''■*';' 

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lAiBT.     t'i*  Oil 


292 


LUSTER  OF  FATHER  TRANSMITTED  TO 
CRILDBSS 

Raphael  Felzotto's  faoM  survlYes  to  this 
day  in  that  of  his  'brilliant  dhlldren-~Edsar, 
th«  attenugrt  Ernest,  tha  airtltt,  aM  Dr. 
Jassloa  Palxotto  of  Bartoilay,  Bat,  In  tha 
bright  hour  of  Its  aohlar— snt,  there  vas  no 
reno\m  In  San  Francisco  so  hrllllant  as  that 
of  the  man  \dxo  wallopped  Jam  Mace. 

Reference  has  been  made  aboTe  to  John  V, 
Maokey's  father-ln-lay.  Colonel  Hungerford. 
A  nore  permanent  flxtnre  on  Third  street  was 
tha  faaoas  operator's  bootmaker,  Henry  Coyle, 
iihose  store  was  for  years  at  402  Third,  next 
door  to  Mrs.  Annie  Cook's  saloon,  \^loh  was 
on  the  comer  of  Harrison.  Haokey  would  pay 
as  Kush  as  $50  or  $60  for  a  pair  of  boots. 
It  was  boots  that  he  wore,  not  shoes,  and  he 
wanted  the  best.  Coyle  finally  aored  to 
Batchertown,  yiba-n   he  died  four  years  ago. 
His  son,  Wllllaa  Coyle,  Is  with  the  Union  Iron 
Voxfca. 

Martin  MulhaaxTi  lived  on  Rltch  street  and 
haxmted  No.  10  Engine  House,  at  Thlz^  and 
Bryant  streets,  for  many  a  fruitful  year.  He 
was  ererTbody's  friend  and  was  probably  the 
first  real  publicity  agent  to  specialise  on 
local  affairs  In  Saa  Francisco.  If  any  local 
polltloiaa  wanted  to  call  a  meeting  and  have 
the  hall  filled  when  he  arrived  there  he 
sou^t  the  good  offices  of  Mart  Mulheam.  It 
was  the  thing  to  do. 

XBXTX&  TAKES  REEL  OF  HOSE  TO 
VBOBS  FLAOE 

At  one  tljM  Martin  had  been  a  driver  In  the 
Fire  Departnant,  but  once,  by  aistaka,  at  a 

Fourth  of  July  parade,  he  drove  tha  hose  reel 
to  Horth  Beach  instead  of  up  Mazfcet  etreet  which 
"cot  him  In  bad"  with  the  Chief.  Therefore  i^n, 
later.  In  response  to  a  fire  call  at  Third  and 
Howard,  he  drove  t^  to  Terry  Clancy's,  at  Ninth 
and  HatoBia  streets,  and  there  he  had  three  steaa 
1)e«TS,  ha  found  hlaself  outside  the  pale  of  tha 


TVJr^ 


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'•.i 


j.ii 


393 


department.  Than  elreioistaneefl  created  the  first 
pdbllolty  nan  Bcmth  of  the  slot. 

One  hlock  on  Third  street  becaae  faaoae  he- 
fore  it  had  any  htiilding  on  it  worth  the  name. 
That  was  the  one  "bounded  "by  Third,  Fourth,  Biyant 
and  Brannan  streets. 

Before  eTsr  old  St  .Patrick**  was  hoilt  on 
Mission  street,  near  Third,  it  was  in  that  vacant 
lot  hotween  Third  aP^  roriirth  streets  that  the 
Eiflhop  celehrated  hif^  Mass  on  St. Patrick's  day 
in  the  momi3agt  and  the  good  Irish  froa  all  orer 
the  land  foregathered  for  derotion  and  a  hlessing 
before  startiae  on  their  St.Patrldk*8  day  parade. 
It  was  the  greatest  regular  open-air  devotional 
■eetin,-^  that  erer  halloned  any  hlook  In  SanFratt- 
eisco;  hut  it  passed  out  when  they  nored  the  old 
church  down  from  its  site  ^ere  the  Palace  Hotel 
now  stands  to  Mission  street. 

That  old  cfaorch  still  exists.  From  Mission 
street  it  was  moved  to  Eddy  street,  between  Web- 
ster and  Fillmore,  lAere  it  flourished  for  some 
years.  Then  it  was  again  bodily  removed  to 
Calvary  Cemetety.  There  it  stands  to  this  d^y, 
the  last  existing  architectural  monament  to  the 
St.Patriok*s  days  of  old  San  Franeisoo. 

October  5.  1919. 

17QBTB  BSIAGE 

Soiae  anonynous  bard,  in  tenns  concise  but 
iMiortal,  long  since  convinced  this  world  of 
ours  that  "Ireland  was  Ireland  wben  JbaglMooA  was 
a  pop."  Calif omU  still  awaits  the  advsart  of 
the  inspired  singer  ^o  will,  with  eqpial  elegaa- 
ee,  epitomise  the  doyenage,  as  it  were,  of  North 
Beach  onfv  soeh  subsequent  and,by  oonipazlson, 
anshrooB  upstarts  as  the  modem  society  center 
of  ^ob  Hill  and  its  erstwhile  equally  poiwlar 
predecessors  in  Fashion**  favor,  Hinoon  Hill  and 
South  Pazk. 

South  Paxk  is  but  a  mmorn   the  vexy  plaoe 
thai  was  Rincon  Hill  is  being  graAwilly  levelled 
off  the  map.  But  Horth  Ben^sh  still  flourishes. 


'VilA 


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294 


though  in  a  oanner  at  varlanos  with  that  of 
other  dayi.  It  Is  a  thing  that  surrlYes  and 
toxpasses.  Its  pralMS  ar«  song  todajr  erwa 
■or*  fervently  than  those  of  all  the  Oaesars 
on  all  the  Seren  Hnig  of  Rom*. 

The  hub  and  nucleus  of  Horth  Beach  in  the 
ds/s  of  its  pristine  glozy  was  Tindouhtedly 
Meiggs*  i^iarf,  where  foregathered  the  fleets 
of  idilt shall  boats  and  cat-hoats  that  aforw 
tiae  plied  between  the  city  and  the  ships 
that  studded  the  hay, 

EBADACHSS  AJJS7U.TSD  BT  BLOODS 
OF  FERIOD 

There  grew  and  ripened  Abe  Warner's  Cohveb 
Palace  I  there  docked  the  Sausalito  ferry;  there 
flourished  7riedlander*s  floor  nillst  a^A  there 
also  prospered  that  w>st  comforting  of  hostel- 
ries*  the  Crab  Hous««  conducted  by  Old  Man  Leri 
Burr,  yih»T9  with  orah  stews  axid  chowders  that 
were  eestacies  of  gastronooay,  their  headaches 
and  other  qoalms  were  alleviated  hy  the  hloods 
of  other  days. 

Meiggs'  «harf  was  built  in  the  earliest 
days  hy  Harry  Meiggs*  ^o  was  a  hig  man  of  hig 
▼iewst  and  eTsntoally  did  a  foolish  thing~-got 
financially  embarassed  and  ran  ftwsy  to  South 
America.  He  was  well  liked  and  his  worth  was 
appreciated  in  the  old  town.  He  had  many  friends 
iAu>  would  gladly  have  "seen  hia  throu^".  But  he 
ran  away,  and  hard  things  were  Said  about  hla. 
How,  subsequently  he  asuused  a  great  fortune  and 
paid  all  his  old  bills  is  part  and  parcel  of  oar 
pioneer  days'  history,  but  has  not  imich  to  do 
with  North  Beach  as  a  district. 

Coeval  with  Meiggs  was  Abe  Warner,  a  nan  who 
afterward  beoaae  the  leading  character  among  San 
Francisco's  show  celebrities.  His  old  Cobweb 
Palace  that  stood  at  the  shore  end  of  Meifiga* 
wharf  in  the  earlier  days,  continued  famous  for 
■any  decades  after  that  section  of  the  bay  into 
which  the  wharf  projected  had  become  solid  land 


ton 

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VL.l^.'i.V^*  ri^^T^sj  iw4 


395 


and  was  ooT«r«d  with  baslnaas  eatabllshments* 

Wamar  was  originally  a  Joumayman  batcher  in 
Pcdton  Market,  New  York  City,  "bat  eama  out  here 
among  the  "forty-niners"  and  started  his  California 
career  aa  a  batcher  with  Weisahom  on  Long  Wiarf— 
now  Commercial  atraat* 

EATING  HOaSE  OPENED  AT  HEAD  OP  WHABJ" 

A  Frenchman  naaad  Barralla,  but  called  "Eag" 
for  ahort,  eatabliahed  a  aalocm  and  eating  houaa 
at  tha  head  of  Maigg'e  vharf,  Warner  bought  it 
tram  Barraila,  who  vent  out  to  Vialtacion  vallay, 
\dMre   for  yaara,  he  ran  the  toll  houaa  and  roadr 
bouaa  on  the  old  Shell  road* 

Meam^ila  Wamar  reconatruotad  the  Barralla 
aatabllahmant  upon  lines  unique  and  unprecedented. 
Cobwebs  were  not  only  allowed  to  grow,  but  ware 
foatarad  with  loving  care.  Curioa  and  aalmala  ware 
poxehaaed  from  sailora  and  huntara  and  stored  on 
the  premlaaa  or  in  adjaoaat  dens.  Hanging  froai  tha 
Invartad  forest  of  cobwebs  on  tha  calling  waa  a 
rla«,  whareon  for  thirty-three  years  lived  Warner 'a 

pat  parrot. 

Whenever  a  new  cue  toner  entered  that  parrot 
laarad  down  at  hia  froa  hi a  eyrie  among  the  cobweb a 
and  gobbled  out  the  bibulous  annoruncement  J 

"I'll  have  a  mm  and  ^^ua:  What '11  you  have?" 

It  was  a  queer  spot.  There  was  an  old  wood  st- 
ove to  the  riglit  of  the  entraiuxe  on  ^ioh  stomered 
atamally  tha  copper  kettle,  lAiiah.  fumiahad  tha 
hot  water  for  the  "hot  rams"  and  "hot  Irishes"  aff- 
ected by  certain  patrons  in  wet  or  chilly  weather. 
On  tha  other  aide  was  tha  old  barrel  into  yiiidh 
Waoraar  dumped  tha  bear  drippinga  and  other  drags 
to  naka  vinegar. 

Around  tha  walls  and  In  all  available  nooks  and 
crannies  were  hanging  curios  from  every  clime  and 
of  every  deacriptlon.  And,  bri^taalng  up  tha  oob- 
wabbad  aombraaning  at  varying  intarrala,  brilliant 
photographa  of  eminent  prlae-flgJitera. 


•nHOM  «r  A«er  with 

ll»igK**  liMRt  in  «ix»*-  .lyii  «ga«  %h« 

fhn                     .:^  WB  011ft  Bwi"             -iTW  t« 
iMiadvr,  aviiwx*  %•  §••*  «iMl>t  %o  Homh  B«»cb.  VImv*- 
ftorr  '•'■•'  ^mmr  yoiyyd  ■»*?  '-'^-^  --^ '■"-'  — 

tifCtttL  ^ii.T7\i,  v^  vu  mIs  9MMCK 

t« 

AB«th«r  Iwa-ry  hiwrt*<  wtrttgr  ••• 

«M  vU  XsH  ^<iw  iMkiA  ■#«tr  U 
U«i  fiMrth  aivur  atvslRff  ^  f«l!> 


TnmsTilB  PX9  PH"''*  crrT.  nv  imffft  \u 


-oA  ii^  J»  fmtam  «M  of  hia  vMib 

^J^M^«n»M%l^  AMI   iHinir  III    j4«   bMi 


296 


TBES  CHOWIEa  SERTSD  PATRONS  OS  StnmAIS 

9anda7  vas  customarily  a  Tezy  "busy  day  with 
Wameri  so  h«  serrad  fr««  ohovdar  on  that  day»  and 
vreryhody  agrsed  that  It  vas  excellent  chowder. 

Melgg's  \Aiaxt   in  those  very  early  days  was  the 
principal  Sonday  haunt  and  rendexrous  of  the  city. 
Ther«  was  no  paxk,  no  Cliff  House-"--  "noidiere  to 
vaadsr,  no^riiere  to  go,"  except  to  North  Beaoh.  Where- 
fore old  Warner  prospered  and  his  Idlosynoraeles  re- 
garding cohvehs  and  anlaals  heeaae  world-renowned. 

MonkeySf  bears,  kangaroos— all  sorts  of  animals, 
foond  their  way  to  his  menagerie. 

Old  Zacariah  Colhy,  who  conducted  his  fruit  and 
peanut  huslness  as  near  to  the  Cohweh  Palace  as  he 
could  ^t,  is  reported  to  hare  accuaailated  a  gargan- 
tuan fortune  selling  peatxats  to  visitors,  who  in 
turn,  fed  them  to  Warner's  monkeys, 

Zavarlah  was  a  crippled  sailor  and  was  at  first 
a  sort  of  pensioner  of  Warners— used  to  help  eat  up 
the  chowder  for  hia  and  so  forth.  Bat  in  tine,  of 
coarse,  he  heoaae  a  personal  link  in  the  chain  of 
Warner's  prosperity. 

Another  hoaxy-headed  worthy  of  the  Cohweh  Falaoe 
was  old  Ira,  who  looked  after  the  hears  and  \Ao  sal- 
lied forth  every  morning  to  collect  food  for  thea  at 
the  Calif omia  narloet.  In  those  days  the  hatchers 
there  gave  away  the  livers  and  li^ts  and  other  tag 
ends  of  neat,  lAilch  now  cost  good  money,  hut  were 
then  only  used  to  feed  hears*  The  famous  menageirie 
of  the  Cohweh  Palaoe  would  have  heen  a  commercial 
Iniposslhlllty  today* 

EDOOATEI}  Fia  PLATS  CAME  07  SEVEN  UP 

Hext  to  Warner,  hat  farther  out  on  the  wiiarf , 
was  "Cockney"  White's  MasenM,  which  may  have  Ins- 
pired Abe  to  undertake  forming  one  of  his  own. 

Cockney's  estahlishment,  however,  was  aore 
strictly  along  the  conventional  lines  adTfeeted  hy 
the  diae  aueoas,  so-called,  of  that  period,  and 
its  principal  attraction  was  an  educated  pig  that 
played  seven^i^). 


tl   MMH   M*    «h«    ir 


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297 


"Walk  Tip:  Walk  tip:  Lldiai  and  g«ntleiB«n," 
Cockney  would  eshort  the  crowd  on  the  wheo^  side. 
"Walk  vp  and  see  the  ed-oo-kLted  plgi  *E*11  play 
70a  a  gtae  of  eeven-up  and  heat  you  every  tlioet" 

So  everyhody  crowded  in  and  somehody  played 
•even-nzp  with  the  ^fted  porker,  iidio  always  wont 
and  Coelmey  fohbed  their  quarters*  There  were  no 
dimes  in  those  grand  days. 

Abe  Warner  vb.*  a  man  of  meditnt  sise,  and  rathr* 
er  heavy  hoild,  idio  custooiarily  wore  a  heard  and 
a  tall  hat.  The  latter  was  about  the  only  tall 
hat  seen  around  the  Meiggs  wharf  district  later 
than  the  ei^ties. 

The  ^^larf  ran  out  strait  from  FrBoolsoo 
street,  midway  between  Powell  and  Mason  streets, 
and  parallel  to  th«tt  with  two  "Is"  7>ointing  due 
last  froB  its  outer  end,  making  the  wharf  resemble 
a  capital  letter  T." 

on  WI50  OF  VHABT  BLOWS  JOUS  XH 
STQEM 

The  outer  "L"  was  blown  awey  in  the  hlg  storm 
of  1863  and  was  never  rehoilt.  Trom  1868  until 
1875  the  inner  "L"  was  used  as  the  terminal  of  the 
Soosalito  ferry. 

The  wharf  Itself  WaS  a  most  popular  pronenads. 
All  sorts  of  hoats  hong  In  dewlts  along  its  fadrway, 
others  were  moored  in  the  water  alongside. 

There  was  a  trtifp  door  in  the  sidewalk  outside 
Warners,  throu^  which  wouldr'be  bathers  descended 
to  the  water,  and  swam  out  on  the  hay.  Down  in  the 
cellar  there  was  a  regular  hathlng  establisfaiMaKk 
whero  suits  coold  be  hired  and  the  swlnMrs*  clo- 
thes left  in  safety. 

Haadreds  of  boys  who  )mf  heooae  big  in  the 
affairs  of  the  State  and  city  used  to  swim  off 
Maiggfli  \AvBiTf   in  those  halcyon  days.  There  were  the 
Dutards,  \Aui  lived  or  Valparaiso  street  near  Kasonr 
the  thorooghfare  waS  nasMd  by  the  IXxtards  after 
their  native  city.  They  oaae  here  from  Talparaiso. 
The  Robert  Tobings  were  others.  They  lived  at  Oreen 
and  Stockton  streets.  Then  there  were  the  Tays,  and 
the  Balseys,  and  the  Eremers,  and  the  Whites,  and 
the  Taafes,  and  a  host  of  others.  Vodge  John  Hont 
was  one  of  thaa.  He  later  married  one  of  the  lovely 


.itft 


z:/::SiA  m  urn  ccj-. 


glrlt,  lAio  In  those  d-^ys  llrad  on  Tlorth 
BMoh  At  th»  northiwst  comer  of  Oreen  and  Taylor 
■treetB. 

laSCELLAHSOUS  LOT  FOOND  IH 
HEIOHBOHHOOD 

The  hoatnen  lAo  kept  their  crei't  at  Melgge* 
vharf  i«ere  a  miaed  grill— some  men  of  sterliEg 
worth  and  character  viho  dnly  aehlerwd  property, 
others  were  reckless  adventurers  lAo  could  poll 
an  oar  or  cut  a  throat  with  equal  readiness  If  an 
opTX)rtn.nlty  with  profit  att-^.ched  offered  Itself. 

Jim  Blood,  >*u>  af  terfards  heoaaw  a  har  pilot 
to  the  port,  used  to  have  his  hoat  at  Hel^s* 
wharf;  Bave  Crowley,  father  of  the  tug  owner.  To* 
Crowl^,  started  his  career  on  Meiggs  \ftiarf . 
Others  well  known  there  were  Big  Bill  Lewis,  \ixo 
was  inrited  "by  the  Vigilantes  to  leare  the  town, 
and  «ho  went  to  Callao  lAere  he  aaassed  a  great 
fortune?  Martin  Oallagher,  Billy  Hamilton,  ToaBar 
Claxk,  "better  known  as  "Rotmd-headi "  "Activity* 
Jaek  BourtoB,  said  to  haiw  heen  the  sleepiest  hoat- 
Mm  on  the  hay)  "Monkey"  Farrell,  Johnny  Moore 
•ad  aaay  another. 

It  wsui  "Activity"  Burke  \dio  was  goaded  into 
rowing  a  raee  around  Goat  Island  a,'^lnst  the  man 
1^  admitted  himself  to  he  the  slowest  puller  on 
the  Coast,  and  was  heaten  to  a  frassle. 

"Activity,"  ¥ho  could  pull  a  splendid  oar 
when  he  so  pleased,  was  asMuied  at  the  outcotae.  He 
did  not  know  that  a  big  oil  can  had  heen  nailed 
to  the  keel  of  his  hoat  and  made  an  Insuperahle 
drsg^anohor. 

"Bed  Shirt"  was  the  only  xusM  ^erehy  his  com- 
rades knew  a  Mexican  hoatman  \^o  was  killed  one 
ni^t  in  a  row  with  a  pollcemaa.  Another  hoatman 
BMMd  Sully  tried  to  hully  the  vmU   of  a  ship  into 
paying  an  extra  fare  one  nl^t,  and  was  hy  that 
■ate  thrown  overtoard  and  drowned.  "Johnny  the 
Greek,"  another  well-known  hoatman  is  presumed  to 
have  met  a  similar  fate.  Anyhow  his  corpse 
found  in  the  hay. 


_^  or  —• «  ttnu 


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Alt 


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rawr. 


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V  IdL-VWaf  ^     r»  _ 


laaiatvvi 


299 


OLD  S£A?AHERS  07  7IWIES   STIIX 
SUH7I7E 

Some  of  tho«e  old  s^a-fttrera  of  th«  fifties 
■till  BurriTB  here.  Wllliaa  Veils,  nho  resides 
on  Chestnat  street,  is  one  of  then.  He  is  the 
father  of  Ton  Wells  axid  Mrs.  X.  M.  Fai<bish. 

Tvo  other  sorriTors  were  well  known  in  their 
day  and  rery  popular.  They  were  the  McCarthy 
hoys — "Boston"  and  "Sew  Toric,"  so  called  after 
the  cities  froa  iidiidh,  respectively,  they  hailed. 

They  were  in  no  way  related,  hut  ran  the  same 
boat  and  were  ali^^ys  cronies.  Charlie  (Boston) 
lived  at  Green  and  Pierce  streets,  a^  is  the 
father  of  Miss  Ella  McCarthy,  the  school  principal. 
Billy  (Hew  Yoxk)  liTsd  in  the  western  addition. 

live  or  six  days  out  of  eaeh  sersn  old  Billy 
leaves  his  Uestsm  Addition  home  and  tacks  true 
for  Green  and  Pierce  streets,  where  he  sits  playing 
erihbage  with  his  old  nate  for  aost  of  the  after- 
noon. 

Behind  Ahe  Warner* s,  on  the  south  side  of  Tranr 
Cisco  street,  toward  Mason,  w&s  Keigg's  sawaill, 
which  afterward  hecaOM  a  distillery  and  still  later 
•a  ice  house.  The  Xoe  Bouse  was  destroyed  in  the 
great  fire. 

On  the  northeaet  comer  of  Pranclsco  and  ?owell 
streets  were  Friedlsader  *  s  Eureka  flour  mills, 
tdiieh  later  heoaae  the  Stock  Brewery  ejai  then  the 
St  .Louis  Brewery.  Opposite  It,  on  the  southeast 
coxner,  Wonnenberg's  New  Yorii  Brewery  was  estafr- 
liahed  in  1851. 

TTtT.T.  saHZD  FOR  BSSR,  FIGHTS  Aim 
DISSSSS 

B«twMa  the  breweries  and  Earner's  was  Heyden- 
aber*s  Atlantic  Hall,  a  great  resort  in  its  time, 
faaous  for  its  beer,  its  fights  and  its  danoss, 
aad  where  could  be  seen  and  met  all  the  wLderllle 
etars  froa  sahh  downtown  establlchnents  as  the  old 
Snreka,  the  Bella  TTnlon  and  other  -variety  theaters 
of  the  period. 


IKldVMt^' 


«ir«,  14*  ^w.-.,^.. 


for  t 


A?. 


oft  oBft  MBBafl* 


U4U  X;iu^  £U1^  Vt'^iTTJ.^ 


^lij&r  s6'?<i*   tTw 


tWl  ?.^tfcr  *ter  ,(.ii<?  :^.1  ^fc-Astfi 


14    &j^  >-;#»ig*at    <i;4*^ 


CtfliftHh. 


300 


Toaagr  Brloe,  Hed  ITestell,  Ned  BaoklQjr,  hit 
vlfa,  Ida  Tocmg,  and  maay  other  fasKme  sln^rs 
and  dancer*  of  the  time  used  to  appear  at  the 
old  Atlantic  Ball,  inclnding  JiuBoy  Kenoran,  the 
ehaapion  tiientjr-foar-hotLr  Jig  dancer. 

Kenovan,  throng  his  heacvttBrsent  accoorplish- 
■•nt  of  "bein./;  ahle  to  danoe  one  oontlnaoas  Jig 
for  twent3r*foiir  hours  at  a  stretch,  acquired  a 
oompetenee.  Part  of  this  he  invested  in  grease 
for  a  flagpole  that  stood  in  Mason's  lot  on  the 
comer  of  Mason  and  Francisco  streets*  nearT)7. 
On  top  of  this  pole  was  a  $5  piece;  lower  down, 
a  bamt   still  lower,  $1,  and  so  along. 

Any  gentleman  or  lady  so  minded  waa  permit- 
ted—on  3)aynent  of  a  small  fee— to  shin  up  that 
flagpole  and  take  away  the  has  or  aren  the  $5 
piece.  Bat  Eenovaa  xMed  good  greaae.  Hohody  ever 
got  near  the  $5,  and  he  had  to  eat  all  the  hama 
he  hung  out  to  prevent  them  fron  going  overripe 
on  his  hands. 

Qateifcar  IS.  1Q19. 

Horth  Beach  owed  mush  of  its  faae  as  a 
plaaaore  resort— and  Horth  Beach  was  a  plaaaora 
rasorl  of  great  popularity  in  the  old  days— to 
the  excellence  and  abundance  of  the  crahs  vdildh 
the  fishanMn  tinloaded  there. 

Crabs  and  wild  docks  were  then  about  the 
cheapest  classes  of  food  in  San  I'rancisco,  and 
the  crab  fishanMn  bad  a  little  pier  of  their 
oim,  a  little  way  east  of  Heiggs  vftiarf.  ^t  vas 
adjacent  to  the  big  rock  that  Jutted  into  the 
•ea  at  Bay  and  Kaamy  streets,  ^ihere   the  old-tlna 
disciples  of  Xaaak  Walton  used  to  tarry  for  hours 
at  a  tiae,  fishing  finny  treasures  from  the  opor 
lent  depths  of  the  bay. 

It  vsts  there  that  Peter  7ay  and  old  Captain 
Johnson  kept  their  boats.  It  was  there  alno   that 
the  building  of  the  present  seawall  was  started 
in  1880. 


■>•>■: 


in 


»^.>t^ 


va:> 


■'.<f»  rw 


^  gtifltin  <^u'  U4>  <un;d  fawr: 


«y^ift  ci«b  Aayy 


'm\ 


ROCK  HliSXKD   SITE  OF  MBLT-MT 

Tot  *  loag  tiBM  It  was  kBovn  as  Dsad  Man's 
Bock,  bsoacass  it  was  thsre  that  Undar  Sheriff 
Jack  Harrison,  vho   vaa  famous  with  the  then 
Sheriff  Dare  Soanncll  in  the  days  of  the  Tigil* 
antes,  blew  his  hraina  out  in  1857* 

Dan  KeHeil*s  vdiarf  vslB  near  "by.   His  resid-* 
enoe  was  oa  the  comer  of  Bay  and  Leavenworth 
streets,  and  the  old  Ilerchsnts'  dry  dooks,  with 
their  two  great  pontoons  that  could  take  in 
ships  up  to  1000  tons,  were  on  the  eoubh  east 
oonxer  of  Bay  and  Kearny  streets. 

Bat  to  retxim  to  ihe  crabs;  Sturr's  Crab 
House,  doiA  near  Abe  Warner's, was  by  no  xoeans 
the  only  pebble  on  the  beuoh. 

Abe  Warner  himself,  as  before  stated,  served 
a  crab  ohowder  of  sozpassine  exoellenoe  on  the 
8&bbafh«  So  did  many  other  establishments.  Of 
these,  probably  the  most  fajaous  was  Charlie 
Sofawarts's,  at  the  northwest  comer  of  Powell 
aad  Vandewater  streets.  Sohwarts  oonduoted  on 
establishment  that  was  the  prototype  of  the  sub- 
••qtiSBt  paradise  of  the  orab  eaters  at  Harbor 
Tiev. 

Thousands  of  survivors  still  recall  the  hal- 
cyon crab  days  of  Harbor  View— the  mountains  of 
succulent,  freshly  bailed  oraba,  the  red-wood 
blocks  that  served  as  tables,  the  mallets  fomisb- 
ed  free  for  the  easier  fif»«>i4t»g  of  the  crab  shells, 
the  foaming  flagons  of  beer,  the  feast  that  could 
be  had  for  a  quarter. 

SOHViBTZ  PlOnSSSS  PLAK  OF  SSBTIIRI 
CHAB  AL  I^SCO 

Schwartz  was  the  epicurean  philantropist  idu> 
pioneered  the  alluring  system  of  serving  crabs, 
al  fresco,  at  a  ^oninal  charge  that  ran  to  about 
a  dl»e  per  crab.  Who  that  ever  thus  enjoyed  a 
crab  in  the  pristine  succulence  of  his  ^ory  can 


©iff"*  •^^■•^" 


.1      '.ii.'- 


9m\  teft  ite 
didM  oat  thai 


t:s''  ,\"^  T.'ii.W'iV"'  ^?ffr.3ff  ^TTOWf  TCB  999 


T^r'--\^i.»^   fwf  i\iL  f^sm  fil^t^lL^ 


SOS 


BTBT  forget  the  Joy  of  It,  or  fall  In  hi*  trlbate 
of  honor  to  the  memory  of  Charlie  Sch\cBrt«: 

You  coxad  have  cold  crabs  in  the  ehell  or  Itie- 
eioaa  crah  ateir—Just  aa  you  pleaaed— alathera  of 
one  or  "both  at  Schwarta'a,  and  \<BBh  it  doim  vith  a 
quart  or  ao  of  foaBlng  lager,  and  a  till  have  change 
to  Boend  out  of  a  dollar. 

Better  atill,  had  the  hungering  epicure  only 
the  price  of  a  beer  upon  hia,  he  could  hoy  the  "beer 
for  a  nickel  and  get  all  the  orahs'  lege  he  deaired 
for  nothing. 

Trita  Sohroeder*a,  at  the  norfheaet  corner  of 
Povell  and  Trenelaoo  atreeta,  waa  another  place  for 
ereSb   ateva  of  a  quality  and  richneaa  i^olly  ineffable. 
Billy  Hiohol'a  place,  on  the  northeast  comer  of  the 
aame  atreeta,  was  another  popular  reaort  \diere  crab 
could  he  obtained.  But  at  Nichola'  eatabllahaient  the 
crab  was  not  featured  aa  the  leading  lure.  It  waa 
aubaequently  knotm  as  the  North  Beach  Teiminua  aal- 
oon;  but  that  was  when  they  brought  the  old  "baloon" 
cara  out  that  way.  Prior  thereto  it  waa  regarded  aa 
one  of  the  beat  class  houaea  of  its  kind  at  North 
Beach. 

ESTABLISHMENT  HOLDS  BEHOWN  FOR  DCO 
riGHTS 

On  the  aaBie  block,  on  Francisco  street  between 
Powell  and  Mason,  waa  another  eetablishment  with 
quite  a  different  clientele.  That  waa  Paddy  Gleaaon'a, 
renowned  for  it a  dog  fight a. 

In  thoae  daya  there  flourlahed  at  North  Beach, 
and  elaewbere  throo^^ioat  thia  farored  land,  an  Inc 
tltution  known  ae  the  Anerioaa  oooktail.  It  came  in 
many  Tarietiea,  and  thoilgji  all  those  rarieties  are 
now  legally  extinot  aaay  oontaiq)late  with  regret 
the  Joya  with  idiioh  their  maawriea  are  still  fragrant. 

Paddy  Oleason  had  a  unique  way  of  mixing  cock- 
taila.  In  hia  earlier  daya  he  had  loat  all  the  dlgita 
froai  hia  ri^t  hand  exeept  the  thmab  and  forefinger. 
Vhen  a  patron  called  upon  him  for  a  cocktail  it  waa 
hia  ouatoa  to  pofor  the  neceaaary  Ingredienta  into  a 
cocktail  glaaa  and  then  atir  them  together  among 
the  clinking  lumpa  of  ice  with  hia  one  remaining  finger. 


«« 


Mid  and  tiwc  .>4I 


-  tt».,  ....,  aftd  w  f»  1*    "^'^^i 
«;.  ■"*.»•.- -^.»*    ^^•''- -♦.«,  wu  -.  •»■'•* 


ffnronum 


303 


TBOOBIJ!  or  XEEPniG  EXE  017  SPOON 
A70XIBD 

If  any  eorlouBly  lalndad  oastoner  made  Ixutolxy 
as  to  tb*  raason  therefor  Faddy  explained:  It  sarea 
the  trouble  o'  keepin*  me  eye  on  the  epoons." 

Should  any  expression  of  distaste  ensue*  Faddy 
sucked  the  offending  digit  and  thrust  it  under  the 
patron's  noae. 

"It's  clane»  ain't  ItT"  he  denanded. 

Then  he  gave  the  drink  another  stir  and  handed 
It  aoross  the  "bar* 

"Swaller  that  nov  and  vey  for  it,  "begoh:  or  I'll 
thrast  it  dovn  yer  throat,  glass  an'  all»" 

farther  east,  on  the  north>«est  comer  of  Fran- 
elsoo  and  Dupont  streets,  vas  another  resort  kept 
\f  *  Ban  knoim  as  "Wooden  Shoes,"  vho  earned  that 
sohriquet  througji  hie  persistent  affection  for  the 
sahots  of  his  natlTs  land. 

This  patriotic  idlosTnorasy,  howerer,  vras  over- 
looked by  the  longshoreasn  yiho   dally  gathered  at 
his  place  froa  far  and  near  for  the  enjoyuent  of 
the  longest  and  sharpsst  steam  beer  that  the  city 
than  afforded. 

"A  tank  of  suds"  at  "Wooden  Shoes"  was  a  nan's 
sise  drink  and  always  In  the  pink  of  condition* 

Wooden  shoes  and  his  tanks  of  suds,  like  the 
redvood  blocks  and  the  fres  czab  legs,  art  nov  ners 
shadows  of  tradition. 

B0aimAH7  STAKES  SHOHH  XH  OLD 
PHOTOCHAPHS 

Kany  old  photographs  of  jfforth  Beach  exist  \diich 
shov  stakes  sticking  up  out  of  the  water  facing  Bay 
street  and  sugs«*ting  fishing  stakes  such  as  arm 
soBietiiBes  used  by  fishermen  to  hold  their  nets  in 
tidal  waters. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  those  stakes  were  line 
stakes  stuck  out  in  the  water  to  nark  the  boundar- 
ies of  water-lots  purchased  from  the  city  in  the 
old  days  and  «hioh  were  ianune  to  the  incursions 
of  squAtters  than  vers  sand  lots  in  the  days  >Aen 


TTUi 


^,^^,y^  ~ 1,-4  t*    'i^.it.V 


irpeartiJiS 


tb»XX»  rr 
f 


ii  tJCtfj:*  x.a'«,^5JM; 


304 


•qoatters  really  squatted  and  held  their  "booty 
at  the  -Doint  of  the  grm. 

It  was  Henry  C.  Eoyt,  the  boat  oimer  who 
afterward  vent  Into  the  contracting  huslnees, 
that  soggeeted  this  system  of  marking  the  ^^ter 
lots,  and  his  adrlce  was  widely  followed.  Heniy 
0*  and  Hofftaaa  Eoyt  lived  at  the  comer  of 
Stoekten  and  Bay  streets. 

Henzy  was  for  a  time  marine  reporter,  and 
he  was  a  famous  oarsman,  and  his  match  race 
against  Dan  Leahy  in  Fehxtiary,  1880,  was  one 
of  the  local  sporting  sensations  of  that  period. 
First  they  rowed  around  Ooat  Island  from  Vallejo 
street  \Aarf,  %^re  the  Eoyt  hoats  used  to  be. 
San  Leahy  u«ed  the  sliding  seat  in  his  Whitehall 
"boat  and  thus  had  the  adrantage.  Wherefore,  it 
wsM— sieeordlng  to  Hoyt's  supporters— that  victory 
went  to  the  Irish. 

Terrible  excitement  raged  throu^out  the  city; 
everybody  took  sides  in  the  matter!  and  eventually 
a  match  was  arranged,  to  be  rowed  in  sculling 
■hells  on  Richardson's  bay,  under  conditions  that 
gscfe  neither  man  the  advantage. 

BO^S  07  AH.  ZUTDQ   ILOCK  TO  BACE  CODRSE 

It  was  the  greatest  aquatic  event  of  the  period. 
Cat  boats,  feny  boats,  yachts,  stem-i*eel  steaa- 
ers  and  other  craft  of  evexy  conceivable  kind  packed 
the  population  of  San  Tranoiseo  across  to  Hiohard- 
■on*s  bay;  and  there  Dan  Leahy  settled  the  problem 
by  finally  and  decisively  defeating  his  opponent. 

This  was  the  Dan  Leahy  who  is  so  well  known  today 
aaoBg  contractors  and  in  the  Stock  Zaeohaage. 

Anchored  off  what  is  now  the  comer  of  Francisco 
and  Jones  streets,  once  lay  the  old  brig  Cadnu, 
known  to  North  Beaehers  of  the  fifties  as  "Brig  B." 

The  Cadmus  was  the  ship  in  which  Lafayette  made 
his  last  voya^  to  the  United  States.  In  the  later 
forties  it  was  Impressed  Into  service  for  the  Gkild 
Hash  and  brou^t  its  quota  of  pioneers  around  the 
Horn.  The  crew  deserted  the  vessel  and  soti^t  fortune 


i-v    ''■■•i»-^Kr 


ft« 


ttau  it  % 


SOI 


I«a  and  tt*  >^ 


USL 


«g» 


VX      w*-»^     \-^,vt     1^*^*^       -^  »-»-■-     »  •■         .    .  » 


305 


in  th«  n9w  El  Dorado  t  the  Cadmat  lay,  an  idle 
hoik  upon  the  hay. 

Then  a  lot  of  Insane  r>atlenta  "began  to 
aooanolate  upon  the  hands  of  the  sathorities* 
Ho1>od7  knev  just  yibsit  to  do  vlth  the  unfortun- 
ates until  some  one  thought  of  riggtag  up  the 
Cadms  as  a  receiving  ship  for  the  insane,  and 
thus  it  heeaiad  the  first  etsylum  of  its  kind  on 
the  Coaat,  and  \m»  officially  knoim  as  "Brig  B." 

SOUVENIHS  OF  FAMOUS  OLD  VESSEL 
PBESER7SD 

Later,  the  State  asylua  was  built  at  Stock- 
ton and  the  Cadimxs  was  again  for  a  ^lle 
deserted:  hut  presently  an  epidemio  of  small  poz 
struck  the  torn  and  "Brig  B"  hecame  the  Lazarett*. 

Thereafter,  she  was  "broken  up:  hut  taany  relies 
of  the  old  ship  were  preserved  "by  the  old  French 
Volunteer  Fire  Company^— "Les  PoapiersLafayette"— 
that  subsequently  beoaae  Trook  Ho.  2,  on  Broadway 
between  Stockton  and  Dopont  streets. 

Opposite  the  Brig,  on  the  side  of  the  old  Fort 
Point  toll  road  at  about  \4iere  Franciaco  street 
now  crosses  Jones,  was  Foley's  saloon,  \Aiere  the 
general  wayfaring  public  and  visitors  to  the  brig 
soo^t  suitable  refreshment* 

It  was  thereabouts  that  the  boys  and  young  men 
of  the  vicinity  used  to  go  in  swinmriLng  without 
hampering  themselves  with  any  of  the  paraphernalia 
affected  by  bathers  in  places  where  they  had  to 
pay  for  the  privilege  of  a  dip. 

There  of  a  morning  yoc  ml^t  see  the  Whits 
boys,  John,  Bob  and  Bill:  the  BoAes— "Fatty* ,  ytoo 
afterward  became  City  and  County  Attorney,  and  Ed; 
Jim  Croall,  the  Australian,  who  becajae  the  brother- 
in-law  of  Billy  Mitchell,  the  Tax  Collector:  Jlaay 
Olbb,  subsequently  of  Merchant  street,  and  of  Oeary 
street  after  the  fire,  \Aio  married  the  sister  of 
the  White  boys:  the  Halseys,  and  Brooe  Brackett, 
who  long  since  moved  down  to  San  Jose. 


?r«3HV 


»'i      T-n»«k»    tty^. 


thr 

-,-^ . ,-   wjr  i' -^  "■^-»<  ^*  ' 

MdtUat  «h»  )kMi»v  of  Time. 

•0  tlMlt   H  MWMT  i«Ua  MftU.' 


WtfVfSl 


tf 

^ 


$« 


hr>rc   ^ 


306 


HISTORIC  SCHOOL  BUILDIIKJ  CHABGED 
IBTO  HOSPITAL 

Many  Aaatralian  famlli«s  than  llv«d  on  Horth 
B«ach.  Tb«  lifhltas'  home  \fffi  on  Janten  strvet,  the 
Boxkas  on  Jones,  hetveen  Grvenvlch  and  Tllhert; 
011)1)  *•  on  John  streetf  near  Povell* 

The  "boys  and  girls  all  went  to  the  school  at 
the  comer  of  Francisco  and  Powell  streets  v&lch 
In  1857  transBBited  into  the  City  a^d  County  Hosp- 
ital, Tracy  was  the  name  of  the  school  principal, 
and  he  was  physically  well  qualified  to  guide  the 
turbulent  young  sports  of  those  days  in  the  pAtht 
of  wisdoB  and  the  proprieties* 

Bill  Kpamer,  \Aio   now  llres  at  Bay  and  Hyde 
streets,  once  endeayored  to  prove  to  the  teacher 
that  the  Zraoers  were  superior  to  the  Tracys  in 
prowess  if  not  in  wisdom.  He  was  a  fine  aotlTS 
and  handsome  lad«  hut  hy  the  time  he  gave  np 
settling  the  hash  of  Tracy,  his  nose  was  flattened 
so  that  it  never  again  really  "bulged  out  Into  its 
own  place. 

Oetoher  19.  1919.' 

North  Beach,  as  has  heen  explained,  was  « 
famous  recuperating  resort  for  men  who  took  part 
In  the  streimous  life  of  the  pioneer  and  honansa 

days. 

Driscoll's  Salt  Water  Tuh  Bathing  Sanatorium, 
at  the  southeast  comer  of  Bay  and  Powell  streets, 
was  prohahly  the  most  renowned  estahllshment  in 
the  entire  district,  and  on  a  Sunday  morning  long 
lines  of  valetudinarians  and  healthy  citlsens 
combined,  mi^it  he  seen  awaiting  their  turn  for  a 
hoiling  out  at  the  hands  of  Professor  Drlscoll  or 
his  gifted  coadjutor,  "Bathhouse  Jack." 

There  were  thousands  yibo   claimed  to  have  heen 
cured  of  ailmsnts  vaxTlng  from  locomotor  ataxia 
down  to  "the  Jla-JsiBs,*  hy  the  simple  expedient  of 
a  dip  at  Driscoll's,  Both  Drlscoll  and  Bathhouse 
Jack  oonfixmad  the  reports  of  these  cures.  And 
who  could  have  had  "better  opportunities  in  ascer- 
taining the  truth  on  such  mattersT 


'.SX& 


nryr-rt-n 


^tiJ>^ 


.*    -iLSi^' 


Ck.V  .  . 


f. 


M«i»( 


'  -.^    ^»«f  ;ji 


^^^^^l^  j      ^^OLS' 


IVl  fr-' 


of 


tent. 


«4«e. 


t  %H!«*«*  %f 


307 


SEk  VATEa  PDMPED  FROM  BAT  AND 
BOILED 

Thm  ■•dleaaent  ua«d  In  th«M  paiiaoa«lc  tubs 
WM  the  b«st  sea  ymXer  pfoirpsd  directly  from  the 
1)87  B1X&  1>olled  on  the  preaises. 

Sobeequently  Harbor  Vlev  became  celebrated 
for  its  hot  sea  nater  haths}  Init  as  may  he  re* 
called,  a  soclahle,  if  not  actually  hilarious, 
note  oooasionally  permded  the  latter  estahllsh- 
Bent,  \Aii.6h  had  a  gayer  atmosphere  than  any  per- 
mitted to  prevail  at  Driscoll's. 

Of  later  dsrvelopment  than  the  Tuh  Sanatorium, 
Imt  aqpoally  popular  In  its  vny,  was  the  place 
laaoMXi  as  "Schwarz's  Springs,"  on  the  north  east 
eoxner  of  Chestnut  end  Povsll  streets. 

Thither,  from  far  and  vide,  repaired  the 
victims  of  the  katzenjanmer* 

Schwara's  hrevexy  stood  on  the  nor^  side  of 
Fevell  street,  hetveen  PoveU  and  Stockton.  The 
hulldlng  still  surrlTes,  as  a  natter  of  fact— 
and  it  produced  the  curatlTe  staple  that  made  the 
fsBM  of  the  subsidiary  establisbaient  on  the  coiner 
of  Chestnut  street.  That  staple  vas  Weiss  Beer— 
^hlte  heer— a  fluid  of  hi^  aeration,  hut  lov 
alcoholic  content,  which  used  to  he  served  In 
amasingly  large  glasses,  about  the  sise  of  soap 
tureens,  hut  resemblizig  Doi>e  the  hovls  that  are 
cuetomarily  used  for  holding  ^Idflsh,  mounted  on 
stems  like  ordinary  gohlete. 

BEER  PHZSCRIBSD  AS  COBS  TOR 
KATZSBJAMKER 

A  hottle  of  weissheer,  froth  and  all,  filled 
one  of  these  receptacles.  The  crure  for  the  Eatsen- 
jammer  v^s  best  effected  by  attserpting  to  drink 
tbe  satire  ^lassfol  at  one  dran^t.  This  being 
iapotsible,  the  patient  sv&lloved  all  he  coxad* 
Then,  with  glistening  eyes  and  exploding  cheeks^ 
the  patient  sped  outside. 

Seedless  to  say,  Joe  Sehwars  became  famoos  as 
an  Aeseulspian  phllantropist.  His  springs  were 
also  fasMias  for  another  prodoet  of  the  brevexy^a 


itm 


%V.f     -^^ 


»«  mm  Ai* 

1ft  Ai 

?0>«i«ll  wild  WntftB.   ?H«^  v^ 
iMMwrx  on  JMt' 


MM  •lM«<i«    )r<: 

TAP       if    * 


'4 


{■Akite* 


>n#«Jba6a«i 


^c« 


afl 


308 


•ort  of  "bottled  steaa  'b—v  slidLlar  to  that  pro- 
dnced  at  tha  old  Swl««  Brwary  on  Bash  street, 
and  purrejed  In  bottles  at  a  dine  apiece  or 
tvslTa  for  a  dollar. 

Schvars*8  Springs  wa»,  naturally,  a  great 
resort  for  (reman  cltisens  and  sooleties—— the 
katsenjaaner,  as  Its  name  indicates,  "being  an 
ftilnaat  indlgmuma  to  the  Central  European  ex- 
enpires,  as  distinct  from  North  B«aoh. 

While  on  the  subject  of  Schwari*s  affiliated 
iiidustrles  it  is  due  to  North  Beach  to  point  out 
that  "breweries  flourished  all  over  the  district. 
There  iias  the  old  Bavaria,  next  to  the  Church  of 
St.ftrancis  on  Telle  Jo  street;  the  Broad\<ay  Brew- 
ery on  Broeulvay,  "between  IXcpont  and  Stockton; 
the  tapire  Brewery,  on  Chestnut  street,  "between 
Powell  and  Kasoa.  There  was  also  l^srons'  anpire 
Brewery  on  Jessie  street  during  the  sixties;  the 
Lafayette  Brewery,  on  Green  street,  "between 
Powell  and  Mason;  the  Golden  Gate  Brewery,  on 
Greenwich  street,  "between  Powell  and  Mason; 
Mason's  Brewexy,  on  Chestnut  street,  "between 
Mason  and  Taylor;  Schwara's,  above  descri"bed,  on 
the  aase  street,  "between  Powell  and  Stockton;  the 
old  Stock  Brewexy,  later  the  St  .Louis,  on  the 
southeast  comer  of  Tranclsco  and  Powell  streets, 
and  the  Washington  Brewexy,  on  the  southeast  cor- 
ner of  Lomhard  and  Taylor  streets. 

BARRELS  ROLLED  DOWN  KTT.LSIM  FOR 
CUSTOMERS 

One  of  the  nost  interesting  exa«ples  of  in- 
dustrial reciprocity  prevalent  in  the  days  of 
these  "breweries  was  the  entente  that  existed 
"between  the  North  Beach  "brewers  and  the  "Rode- 
Rollers"  so-called  of  Telegraph  Hill  and  other 
lofty  eminences  within  their  sphere  of  influence. 

The  "brewexy  wagons  would  haul  the  loads  of 
"beer  for  the  hillside  customers  to  the  top  of  the 
grade  at  Pil"bert  and  Montgomery  streets,  and 
thexMe  the  drivers  would  roll  down  the  harrelt, 
one  "by  one,  to  the  saloons  or  ahodes  that  required 
thssi.  They  never  tried  to  roll  a  "barrel  uphill. 


«r 


»1Hi     »».       ^'    « 


a 


:r» 


'f    '■ 


4  fey»fc  \^  v^tVA  .^itaP?! 


(?     sn.. 


flfiui  iAai>dr- 


309 


Once  delivered,  the  'brewers*  men  no  longer 
vorrlad  about  the  harrels  on  the  hill-tope.  Th«7 
Imev  that  those  harrels  voald  In  time  all  grori' 
tate  hack  to  their  proper  level  at  Greenwich  and 
Sanson*  streets,  \dienoe  they  would  in  due  titne 
reooTsr  than,  each  hrever  taking  only  those 
harrels  that  were  his  own. 

The  barrels  thus  found  their  way  home  throu^ 
the  kindly  offices  of  the  Hook-Rollers,  who  Joy- 
ously piloted  the  empty  harrels  down  the  Trarious 
grades,  being  ooopeaaated  therefor  hy  the  saloon 
Ben  with  a  schocmer  or  so  of  heer  on  the  remoTal 
of  each  barrel,  and  "by  the  Joint  breweries  neax'by, 
a  dozen  of  then,  with  all  the  free  beer  they 
could  oonscDSS. 

All  the  Hock-Rollers  were  well  known  to  the 
private  taprooms,  \dierein  the  breweries  eustaan- 
arily  entertained  their  friends  in  the  good  old 
days,  and  all  of  them  were  welcome  to  drink  as 
often  as  they  pleased. 

SOAP  rACTOHT  BSOOKSS  ENOWH  AS 
LAHIKABE 

Thus  the  be«r  barrels  oaae  back  to  North  Beach 
from  the  adjacent  mountains. 

fay's  Soap  factory  was  on  the  north  side  of 
ahestnut  street,  between  Mason  and  Taylor,  conveni- 
ently adjacent  to  Mason's  brewery,  and  was  even 
better  Imown  as  a  landmark. 

Breweries  there  were  in  North  Beach  '*to  bum," 
bat  only  one  soap  factory  and  only  one  Jack  Tay. 

Tay  was  a  Hew  Yorker,  and  a  shrewd  T>olitieian, 
and  was  at  various  times  State  Senator  and  Super- 
visor, 

Adjoining  the  factory,  in  the  early  pioneer 
days,  he  built  a  guest  house  of  sorte— a  bank- 
house,  in  fact,  where  his  friends  from  the  metro- 
polis ^o  cam*  out  here  in  quasi  of  gold  were 
aceonodated  free,  and  with  a  many  walooma,  and 
where  they  left  the  baggage  they  found  all  too 
superfluous  yAein  thay  started  for  tha  mines  up- 
state. Representatives  from  tha  NawTork  Herald 


fOA 


.* 

m  ■ymLk  mi 

..  ««  tfatrlr 


't9m  «T. 

:d«  fir 

flTT  vriwr 

wrr 

»x 

tiisyj  9f  ?r^Aa 

imwUik  ftjafft**?-  V.-ry.'iftr  jrf  fv-i-s^'jr  J**  new*. 


.i^^.      >i/it.^i*0r  ill* 


•4Miufti»i«»« 


310 


and  oth«r  grtat  Sastern  dailies  of  the  period 
•lailarly  BaA*  their  San  Tranoiseo  bas*  at  Fay't. 
Thay  all  started  out  in  qpBst   of  gold  as  well  as 
oopor,  and  nearly  all  of  thea  returned  to  their 
kits  at  T|qr*«*  tadder  hut  viter  than  vhen  they 
departed* 

IV'e  two  eone  nov  reeide  in  San  Francisco. 
LtOce  on  Oreenwioh  street,  hetveen  TranJslin  and 
Tan  NesSf  and  John  at  Chestnut  and  Leayenworth* 

Alex  Stott's  oil  refinery,  \Aere  they  maao- 
factured  "cangiiene'*—  a  then  porjular  illuminant 
made  from  crude  oil— was  at  the  northwest  comer 
of  Taylor  axid  Chestnut  streets.  It  was  homed 
down  in  the  fire  of  1864. 

OIL  PLABT  ESTABLISHED  BT  JOSIAB 
STAHTQRI) 

Josiah  Stanford,  brother  of  Senator  Iceland 
Stanford,  in  1853,  established  the  Pacific  Oil 
Hefining  Coapaay,  a  rival  business  to  Stott*s, 
on  the  opposite  comer  of  Chestnut  street. 
Allyne  and  White  subsequently  conducted  the 
Pacific  Kerosene  works,  so-called,  on  the  same 
comer. 

Another  well-known  Horth  Beach  industry  of 
oldea  days  was  John  Ererding's  Starch  factoxy 
on  Water  street,  between  Mason  and  Taylor.  The 
Srerding  Staxeh  factoTy  is  now  in  Berkeley,  and 
John  Ererding  Jr  conducts  its  business  from  off- 
ices on  Clay  street. 

Equally  famous  and  more  conspicuous  in  the 
days  of  its  lorine  WaS  Pfeiffer's  flour  mill  at 
Dapont  and  Pfeiffer  streets,  with  its  old  Dutch 
windmill  that  had  its  sails  blown  off  in  the  big 
storm  of  1863  and  never  had  them  put  back  again. 

Beside  the  mill  was  Pfeiffer»s  house,  the 
most  ornate  of  its  place  and  period— which  was 
known  as  "Pfeiffer" s  Jolly."  It  afterward  became 
the  Home  for  Inebriates,  and  as  such  achieved  an 
entirely  different  sort  of  distinction  under  the 
administration  of  Dr.  Jewell. 


tit 

•I- 
Im 


%*:*: 


1^ 


U  «lM  iHM* 


»r 


3U 


Pfalffer  hbs  a  Oermaa  oerohant,  \ibo   origin- 
ally settled  in  Sacramento,  where  he  waa  "bomed 
out  lome  half  dozen  times  or  thereaboute.  Dls- 
gosted  at  this  series  of  misfortunes,  he  eazoe  to 
San  Traneisoo,  where  he  settled  and  estahlished 
his  mill  and  "bollt  his  house.  He  presented  the 
Cit7  with  the  strip  of  land  that  is  now  Pfeiffer 
strsst. 

In  that  same  locality,  on  the  comer  of 
Tranoiseo  and  Midway  streets.  Sergeant  William 
D,  Torguson,  now  of  the  Park  police,  was  a  not- 
able figure  in  the  days  of  his  youth.  He  m&b 
then  one  of  the  Marine  Reporters,  so-called— 
tba  men  who  were  employed  hy  the  Merchants'  Er- 
change  to  meet  the  ships  that  arrlTed  in  the 
harhor  and  hring  in  their  manifests  with  tha 
utaost  speed*  That  was  hefore  the  days  of  tele- 
graphs, and  the  manifests  were  often  the  first 
adrioes  racelTsd  here  as  to  their  oargoas.  He 
was  in  the  husiness  with  H,  C.  Hcyt,  yAiOW 
rowing  prowess  has  already  baan  mantioned  in 
these  artiolet.  Had  Oallag^ian  and  Tom  McCann— 
the  latter  now  with  Hutton  and  Co.,  were  conteia- 
perarias  In  the  saas  iMisinass. 

Targuson,  hoi#srrsr,  had  the  extraordinary 
luflk  of  nearly  always  "being  in  the  vicinity  when 
anybody  was  t tying  to  drown  himself  or  herself 
in  the  waters  off  North  Beach.  Similarly,  he  was 
always  close  "by  if  some  unfortunate  fell  over- 
"board  or  got  sweopad  from  •am*  boat  In  tha  bay. 
Wherefore,  it  came  about  that  ha  was  forersr  res- 
cuing somebody  from  a  watery  grara.  It  has  "been 
reTy)rted  that  had  the  Carnegie  Hero  Fond  been 
extant  in  the  days  of  ITerguson's  senith  at  Horth 
Baaoh  it  would  hacre  been  bnnkrapt  long  since. 

One  of  his  most  renowned  exploits  was  the 
"talTing"  of  old  "Comnodore"  Theodore  Allan,  tha 
boss  staredore,  who  used  to  reside  on  the  north 
side  of  Greenwich  street,  betwaen  Powell  and  Mason, 
aforetime  the  home  of  Colonel  Thooaa  Jefferson 
Chambers,  of  whoa  more  anon. 


•nfl 


\%m    P,  .^if  jJij%<»Jt     ■*«.  K    .''^•';  •  V  •vir 


Swffi^ 


nsrf  t.^ 


SQBOOli 


;^:ais 


9i 


tT?<3>',  ma  xokauxjuae  ix  Tjts  mu^^-v; 


313 


One  day  th«  Consodor*  nas  drlTiiig  out  along 
M«igK«*  \toaTt  in  his  boggy,  i^en  th«  floor  of 
the  pier  gave  vay  under  the  hurden  and  let  the 
\#hole  outfit  throu^  Into  the  "bay. 

Ferguson  fished  out  the  lot  In  olrcunstane- 
es  that  would  have  heen  creditable  to  an  aquatie 
AJax.  The  details  of  the  feat  helong  to  more 
ambitious  histories. 

Colonel  Chaaibert,  above  referred  to,  was  the 
genial  Southerner  who  originally  opened  the  £1 
Dorado-~the  most  famous  gambling  saloon  of  the 
golden  days.  Afterward  he  went  into  mining  stoeks, 
and  the  like,  vlth  offices  at  411  Montgomery  st- 
reet. 

LOTS  w«fM»i'iiii»  AS  Srra  TOR  COSTEBT 
SCHOOL 

(naad>ers,  in  1853,  presented  two  flfty-vara 
lota  on  Powell  street  between  Greenwich  and  Lom- 
Iwrd,  idiere  the  Horth  Beach  children's  playground 
BOfv  stands  to  the  Sitters  of  the  Presentation, 
and  there  they  established  their  first  convent 
school,  of  which  Hev.  Mother  CooMrford  was  the 
oother  superior.  The  convent  Is  now  at  Pacific  and 
M*ison  streets. 

Heasldng  back  to  Sergeant  Ferguson* s  rescue 
of  Conmiodore  Allen,  it  la  of  record  that  the  old 
Kelggs*  wharf  was  beginning  to  get  groggy  even 
before  the  Saaiaellto  ferry  made  it  the  SanTraneie- 
00  terminal. 

One  dfljr  in  1864,  when  Martin  J.  Buifce,  fottnder 
•f  Nsdison  and  Buxto's,  was  oapt&ln  of  police— he 
Tisoims  chief  in  1865— he  was  marching  his  siiaad 
along  the  wharf  idien  the  \ibolt   structure  began  to 
vibrate. 

"Break  step  and  beat  Itt"  was  the  asawnible 

■Bud  that  saved  the  day. 

ly  that  time  the  water  beside  the  idi^rf  had 

tmm  a  recognised  dnnping  pl«ce  for  garbage  and 

rubbish,  and  a  favorite  occupation  along  ITorth 
Beach  was  fossldklog  in  the  dxupage  at  low  tide. 


•u 


iMuHnXn  f,t 


Mt  rj4 


313 


J«v8lr7  and  monay,  as  well  as  all  sorts  of  other 
odds  and  ends,  were  recovered  from  the  mod  "by 
these  industrious  %rorkers. 

Many  of  th«m  vers  locally  famous.  There  was, 
for  exanple,  "The  ^leen  of  the  Sumps,"  %Aio  made 
a  fortune  at  the  game.  So  did  "Charlie  the  Samper," 
otherwise  Charles  Walton,  >^o  kept  the  junk  store 
on  Trancisoo  street  "between  the  %diarf  and  Powell 
street,  where  aoftteur  and  casual  fosslckers  dls- 
3)0S«d  of  their  trMurares.  "Hob^  Wilcox"  and  "Spoony 
the  Suxper"  were  aaong  the  dosens  of  the  dmap  grab- 
hers  and  were  reported  to  lire  contented  lires  not 
idiolly  lacking  in  exeiteaent. 

SlSCCfViiaiSS  IN  OABBAOS  lOMPS  CAUSE 
BCOISBiEHI 

The  ezcltement  raried  in  q[aality  and  quantity. 
One  tlae  the  thrill  would  come  from  a  $10  gold 
piece  found  in  the  drunpage;  again  it  would  he  the 
escape  of  a  hear  from  Abe  Warner's  menagerie  in 
the  Cobweh  Palace  annex,  i^ienoe  it  would  invariably 
make  a  hold  hreak  for  freedom  seaward,  scattering 
the  dump  fosslckers  like  chaff  hefore  a  gale  and 
spreading  terror  on  all  sides  Tintil  recaptured. 

The  dtnip  fosslckers  did  not  work  on  Sundays 
heoanse  there  was  no  ruhhish  carts  abroad  on  that 
day,  hut  in  their  absence  there  were  plenty  of 
other  sources  of  interest. 

Hiley's  shooting  gallery  was  one.  It  was  a 
eaanss  arrangement  of  the  coontxy  fair  hrand  and 
air  rifles  were  the  weapons  used.  Every  Sunday 
Riley  pitched  it  opposite  Warner's  and  made  enough 
off  the  aiBat«ar  marksmen  to  support  him  for  the 
rest  of  the  week.  Then  there  was  the  Hev.  Henry 
Cox,  chaplain  of  the  7.M.C.A.  and  member  of  the 
insurance  fim  of  Oumey  and  Cox  who  used  to  nska 
a  Sunday  mission  of  it  also  outside  Ahe  Warner's 
every  Sunday  afternoon  as  a  counter  attraction  to 
Hiley's  targets  and  the  regular  Sabhath  chowder  of 
the  Cohwvh  Palaee. 


•fi   flT'T'^^pv 


«»« 


314 


CATBOAT  'RACES  USBD  INTEREST  TO 
dATBEBISaS 

Cafboat  xac«t  affordad  another  aooroe  of 
Sunday  lnt«r«st  In  tha  old  dagra,  and  soma  old- 
tlnera  vill  recall  tha  orowda  that  used  to  ga- 
ther at  North  Baach,  haok  about  the  year  1863  or 
1864,  to  watoh  tha  raoaa  hatwaan  the  keel  eat- 
hoat,  Mazaaid  and  tha  centerhoard  "boat  Baatleaa, 
and  tha  poblio  Joy  idian  centerboas^r  von* 

Tha  Mezmald  SAmaiag  Batha,  where  tha  graat 
Balaton  vaa  dronnad  in  1875,  vere  at  the  foot 
of  Qyda  atraat. 

Balaton  veia  seen  strogglizig  in  the  i«ater  hy 
the  engineer  of  tha  Salhy  Smelting  Works  steamer 
Bollion,  hy  \tiam  tha  body  vas  taken  ashore. 

The  Salby  voxka  vara  than  on  tha  water  front 
vith  a  wharf  of  their  ovn,  whenoe  the  Bullion,  a 
q[uaar  old  atarnMhaalar— uaad  to  take  tha  hara 
and  bullion  fron  tha  wozka  to  tha  Tariona  dalif^ 
ery  whairfs*  Tha  aita  ia  nov  Jafferaon  atraat, 
betvaan  LeaTenworth  and  Hyde,  and  is  oecttpied  by 
tha  California  Canning  Company, 

BQATEOaSES  7A70BSD  BT  TO0N&  ATTTTJTTSS 

Just  south  of  the  Smelting  Voxka  \diarf  vas  the 
boathouae  of  tha  Dolphin  Bowing  Club  vith  that  of 
tha  Triton  Boat  Club  close  by«  Both  vere  famous 
resorts  for  the  young  athletes  of  San  Francisco 
during  tha  aarantiaa  and  ai^tiea. 

Tha  Vialand  boya-~-John,  Hennan,  Adolph,  Char- 
lie and  Baxidolpfa—  vara  all  masbera;  eo  vara  tha 
TiuBkay  boya,  Alf  and  Alax,  and  their  father,  John 
D.  Tuokayt  tha  aannfa0taring  javalar;  Al  Bothkopf , 
0«  W*  Tan  Gulpan,  than  secretazy  of  the  Cigar 
Makere'  International  Union;  Oeorge  Conway,  after- 
ward police  derict  Jia  O'Dwyar,  i^ose  father  kept 
the  big  dzy  goods  store  on  Third  atreet,  oppoaita 
Jessie,  and  many  another. 

The  old  club  used  to  begin  to  get  buay  about 
9  o'clock  on  a  Sunday  morning,  and  thence  until 
about  11  at  nl^t  roving,  vrestling,  boiling,  bear 
drinking  and  other  allied  exercises  vere  tha  order 
of  the  day.  Then  tha  dub  vould  cloaa  vp,  and  tha 
maabers  would  make  for  the  old  Seaside  Ckurdana, 


•*imn 


315 


at  the  foot  of  Francisco  street,  ^Aiere  In  dxia 
season,  thou^  sometimes  not  before  Xonday  mom- 
Ine's  ndlk  was  getting  around,  everybody  had  * 
fine  kniokabeln  and  ««nt  hone. 

At  the  Triton  things  vent  pretty  much  the 
■ame  way.  Ernie  Kexfaleln,  who  now  runs  two  plo- 
tiire  theaters  In  Oakland,  and  his  brother,  Tal, 
of  the  City  of  Paris,  were  two  of  Its  leading 
Members.  Then  there  were  the  two  Schubert  boys, 
Aagast  aaad  AdM^  and  a  number  of  other  hardy 
oars—n,  lAo  are  not  nov  quite  so  spxy  as  thsj 
used  to  be,  say,  forty  years  ago. 

October  26.  1919. 

A  way  back  in  1838,  Jusna  Brlones  and  her 
family  came  to  live  and  fazn  on  the  bay  shore* 
remote  from  the  Mission.  There  they  built  their 
dwelling-house  and  there  they  made  stables  and 
corrals  for  their  cattle  and  horses. 

The  faxm  house  of  Juana  Brlones  was  the 
first  ever  built  in  the  district  that  is  now 
North  Beach.  It  was  the  third  built  in  the  mod- 
em city  of  San  Tranclsco,  as  distinct  from  the 
old  HisBlon,  the  first  and  second,  respectively, 
being  the  Hichardson  and  Lease  houses,  on  Dopont 
street  ,  near  the  Plasa. 

Juana  Brlones  conducted  a  milk  ranch,  and  as 
a  rids  issue  she  hired  out  horses  to  sailors  yibo 
desired  to  ride  out  to  the  Hiesion— as  most  of 
thea  did  in  the  early  days~and  thus  she  became 
prosperous.  Her  daughter  married  Robert  Ridley. 
Her  husband,  who  died  in  1845,  was  buried  on  the 
ranch. 

Senora  Brlones  subsequently  moved  down  to 
Mayfleld,  i^iere  she  owned  and  conducted  a  splenr 
dld  ranch,  that  was  latsr  sold  to  Martin  Murphy 
and  comprised  soae  of  the  finest  of  the  proper- 
ties later  inherited  by  the  Murphy  and  Taafe 
families. 

San  Trancisoo  had  no  graveyard  of  its  own 
other  than  that  at  the  ohoreh  of  the  Mission 
Dolores  until  a  corbie  of  years  after  the  demise 
of  Senor  Brlones. 


jLim  oitt  Miim- 


'-VI  um 


toe    _^..w   W«  » 

1 


Ik,  i^i 


316 


CaaBTERT  STAKED  OOT  SAST  07  POWEIJi 
SFRXBT 

Then  one  vae  staked  out  on  the  east  side  of 
Povell  street,  between  Oreenwldi  and  Lombard,  and 
was  the  first  Aaerioan  cemetery  here.  Its  first 
occupant  was  a  soldier  named  Anderson,  of  SteTen- 
son's  Heglment,  idio  was  "burled  there  In  1847, 

Three  years  later,  when  the  cholera  epidemic 
struck  the  town,  the  cemetery  "began  to  fill  up 
and  look  popular*  But  again,  three  years  later. 
In  1853,  when  Henry  Heigge  was  "boanlng  North  Beach, 
he  had  a  new  cemetery,  known  as  the  Tezl>a  Boma 
CesMtexy,  established  remotely  inland,  at  the  plaee 
that  is  now  the  CIyIc  Center,  and  had  the  bodies 
from  the  north  Beach  gramyaard  remored  thither. 

Several  corpses  were  orerlooked  in  the  transfer- 
possibly  there  were  no  adequate  records  of  the  grave 
sites.  Anyhow,  vhen  grading  was  "being  done  years 
later,  coffins  were  frequently  exposed;  and  for 
several  years  the  ends  of  two  such  coffins  were  to 
be  seen  projecting  from  the  cut  on  the  southeast 
oomer  of  Lombard  and  Powell  streets. 

The  first  brick  house  in  North  Beach,  and  pro- 
"bably  the  first  brick  residence  in  San  Francisco, 
was  the  lovely  hame   of  Captain  Charles  Welsh,  on 
the  south  side  of  Chestnut  street,  between  Leaven- 
worth and  Jones.  This  was  a  nagnificent  building 
according  to  the  standsirds  of  that  day,  and  had 
lovely  gardens  and  an  Inoonrparable  view. 

Captain  Welsh  mads  a  great  fortune  out  of  hides. 
He  caBM  thers  in  the  forties,  and  Welsh's  hide  house, 
from  which  the  hides  were  loaded  ri^t  on  to  the 
shins,  was  one  of  the  earliest  landmarks  of  the  water 
front. 

flHSr  HECORIEa  ERINOS  BBIJSE,   HERS  FROM 

SAar 

Welsh  ■arrled  Miss  Hoaeh,  a  sister  of  Philip  A. 
Boa^,  \ku>  founded  the  original  Sxsainer,  and  of 
John  Roach,  \iho  was  the  principal  optician  and  mathe- 
■atloal  Instrument  iMksr  here  In  the  early  days. 


tt 

at 


«g«:.  «!"*- 


IMt    ISf   •'-*■ 

3Q  Isiw  swy 


SS'ssi,   *r 


kl^  *4 


ftidtfi 


W}0k*^ 


317 


Th«  RoachB  lived  on  the  north  side  of  Union 
street  between  Mason  and  Tajrlor,  with  their  sls' 
ter,  MitB  Maria  Roaah,  \iho  never  married  hat  \dio 
was  one  of  the  most  popular  and  kindliest  charac- 
ters in  San  Tranoisco. 

Philip  A.  Roach  was  the  first  ^erlcan  Alcalde 
of  Montere7,  and  vhen  John  A,  McGlynn,  first  Coun- 
ty Recorder  of  San  Tranoisco,  came  out  here  with 
his  hrlde  in  1852,  Roach  met  them  at  Monterey,  and 
was  then  attired  in  the  conventional  Spanish  serape 
and  sambrexD  vhich  greatly  aQTstified  his  Hew  Toxk 
friends. 

HoOlynn  had  made  a  fortune  between  '48  ajxd  '52 
and  went  hack  Sast  for  his  hrlde.  That  was  before 
San  Francisco  had  had  any  opportunity  to  become 
famous  as  the  habitat  of  the  prettiest  girls  on 
earth. 

Peter  J.  Mofflynn,  son  of  John  A,  McOlynn,  lived 
across  the  street  from  the  Welsh's.  He  married  Miss 
Hose  Finley,  a  dangUter  of  Richard  Pinley,  >*»  waa 
afterward  associated  with  QtlTell,  the  eattlsnaa, 
%iho  in  t-jum  was  known  as  the  associate  in  various 
ventures  of  Flood,  Kadkai',  0»Brlea  and  Con  O'Connor. 
0 'Hell's  son  Jerome  now  owns  the  great  Santa  Margar- 
ita ranch. 

MoGlynn  was  asaooiated  In  naaar  ventures  with 
Peter  Donohoe.  His  brother  Fnuak  still  lives  in 
Horth  Beach,  and  another  brother,  Charles  J.  McClynn, 
is  oaohier  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Department  here. 
Another  popnilar  family  in  the  sane  locality  was 
the  Buckleys, 

Frank  Bodkley  case  xcp  here  from  (Hxile  with  oodles 
of  nme/,  sad  did  nuth  for  Ban  Francisco  when  the 
town  was  new.  He  had  a  lovely  home  on  the  north  side 
of  LoBbard  street,  between  Mason  and  Taylor.  His 
daa^ter,  Maiy,  was  married  to  Frank  HoOlynn,  Oertride 
to  William  O'Brien,  the  contractor,  and  her  daa^ter 
was  married  to  Walter  Sewfaall,  grandson  of  H.  M. 
Vewhall,  the  pioneer  anetioneer,  and  associate  of 
Peter  Donohoe  in  building  the  original  Son  Jose  Hail- 
way. 


■S.^^V.   -9^ 


fit  4f 


m 


.*•  I'i. 


%lk»  luae  fif  Ca|vW^ 
9«pvrrJl«tJic  TBHHr 

Xb  tiMM  tr 
«)M   ftlllM  9«»>« 


Ml 

tTum  tiM- 


Iterlte  r 


tSriii  «*ur%tv 


318 


Niat  Norah  Baoklej  was  one  of  the  first  great 
^•Mxtiet  of  Saa  Franeisoo. 

As  veil  as  being  a  remaxteible  beauty  she  was 
a  peoollarly  gifted  smsioiaa,  and  when,  as  often 
hsppened.  she  gsre  a  nnsioal  recital  for  the  bene- 
fit of  some  charity,  the  fact  that  her  name  vas  on 
the  progranae  packed  the  house*  But  all  the  Buckley 
girls  vere  'beaaties~Horah,  Gertrude,  Agnes  and 
Elisabeth.  Some  of  them  live  with  their  brother* 
on  Jackson  street,  near  Broderick.  Agnes  was  mar- 
ried to  Dr.  SttlliTan,  a  dentist;  Joe  married  one 
of  the  Misses  Tobia. 

CAPTAIN  BIBMIHQHAM  0CCT3PIED  HCME 
KEIAB-BT 

Next  door  to  the  Welsh's,  on  the  east,  was 

the  home  of  Captain  John  BirminghwiB,  United  States 
aaperrislag  Inspector  of  Halls  azid  Boilers,  \Aio 
was  later  Idsatified  with  a  powder  company. 

In  those  Tery  early  days  William  T.  Sheniaa, 
the  famous  Oeneral  of  later  days,  was  in  the  bani^ 
ing  business  here,  and  was  an  intimate  friend  of 
the  Welsh's.  He  used  to  sit  on  their  big  porch 
and  rest  up  hie  heels  on  the  railing.  So  long  and 
so  often  did  he  indtd^  in  this  relaxation  that 
he  wore  off  the  paint  of  the  railing. 

Later,  after  his  famous  march  throng  Georgia, 
Mrs.  Welsh  carefally  preserved  those  heel-marks 
from  the  incursions  of  of  house-painters,  and  ex- 
hibited them  proudly  to  all  her  northerner  friends 
as  the  indubitable  tracks  of  the  great  General. 

Adjacent  to  the  Welsh's,  on  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  Jones  and  Chestnut  streets,  was  the  home 
of  Villiam  P.  Taafe,  who  married  the  daughter  of 
Martin  Morphy,  and  thus  brou^t  about  the  \inion 
of  those  two  pioneer  families. 

SUHVITOaS  BSCAIL  MOEHZBO  BUOLZ  CAIX 

Most  of  the  people  ^Ao  were  then  and  there- 
abouts boys  and  girls  are  now  dead.  Bat  some  of 
them  surrlTe  and  remember  how  they  used  to  listen 


««11  tb«r  >M!P»  mMh*) 

•A  lir  M)  «  MBivw&tlcaail  cm? 
^,  at  tlw  etntMr  «f 

•%«<M%«,   «M  ill*  fcHN  Vf  ttv 


aa&  baa  t»«^b 


Ma%flM  MTT^fM  n 

KaHMii  akr' 
Tay  rial* 

mar  '  m  «toc 

It-. 


Ysdtf. ' 


319 


for  the  "bugle  call  of  rrreille  that  echoed  ahore- 
yaxi  every  moxning  from  Alcatraz,  and  hov  on  Its 
call  they  hopped  oat  of  hed  to  foregather  on  some 
nearby  comer—half  a  dozen  or  nore  of  th— ■■end 
trot  doim  to  Baaiber'a  hatha  for  a  swim,  uhhanper- 
ed  hy  any  of  the  conventional  aoall  clothes  that 
vere  considered  proper  at  a  later  hour  of  the  day. 

Close  "by,  at  the  comer  of  Jones  and  Francisco 
streets,  vas  the  hone  of  the  Dohertys.  Old  George 
Doherty  was  a  contractor,  and  the  hoys,  Pete,  John 
and  Creorge  Jr.~  were  among  the  crack  svinmers  and 
athletes  of  the  Beach.  All  three  went  into  the 
police.  John  and  George  are  dead.  Thousands  of 
small  San  Franciscans  are  the  sworn  friends  of 
Pete,  who  is  attached  to  the  Park  Police  station, 
and  has  "been  for  years  in  police  control  of  the 
Children's  playground.  Old  George  Doherty' s  cow* 
ftnA   carts  were  aaoivg  the  features  of  North  Beach 
\^ien  it  was  a  pleasure  resort. 

One  of  the  epochal  events  "by  \A.ich— in  the 
absence  of  dyna8tie»~histoxy  is  recorded  in  North 
Beach,  was  the  hattle  hetween  Joe  Kane  and  JasMS 
Aitken,  which  was  held  in  Doherty' s  hazn  ahout  the 
tiae  of  the  Franco-Prussian  \kx, 

Joe  Kane  weui  a  lannehaaa  in  the  employ  of  the 
eustOBs  serriee  and  the  leading  pugilist  north  of 
Maiket  street.  Aitken  was  the  champion  filter  of 
Tar  Flat. 

For  years  Tar  Flat  claimed  the  fistic  suprem- 
acy of  the  «ity,  hut  the  North  Beachers  never  ad- 
mitted the  claia. 

Eventually  the  dispute  was  hrou^t  down  to  a 
matter  of  hrass  tacks  and  James  Aitken  volunteer- 
ed his  services  to  sustain  against  any  and  all  Tar 
natters  the  superiority  of  his  own  district. 

From  far  and  wide  men  gathered  to  Doherty' s 
hanx,  and  little  children,  gog^e-eyed  with  excite- 
ment—stood anxious  on  eVezy  neaAy  comer  to  carxy 
bulletins  of  the  comhat  to  their  mothers. 

To  the  inexpressible  glory  and  delist  of  the 
Beach,  Kane  had  his  man  as  good  as  walloped  from 
the  start.  Aitken,  thereafter,  always  declared  that 
the  salt  air  of  North  Beach  was  too  strong  for  him 
and  that  he  would  have  beaten  his  asa  had  he  dared 
challenge  hla  in  Tar  nai. 


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>i^U>U\ 


320 


POLITICAl  BOSS  KNOWN  AS  ROIAL 
SmURTAIIIER 

Joseph  Copprloe,  a  Clajr  street  llqtior  merchant 
and  a  politioal  'boss  of  the  sixties,  li-ved  on  Chest- 
xxat  street  hetveen  Dapont  and  Kearny,  and  was  a 
royal  entertainer.  Another  prcmlnent  resident  on  the 
same  'block  vas  Hexman  Heynemann  of  the  Pioneer  Wool- 
en Mills  at  Black  Point,  %du>  llTed  on  Pacific  street 
near  Povell,  and  i#a8  the  father  of  the  Heynemazin 
'brothers,  now  so  prominently  identified  with  the 
manofaoture  of  overalls  on  the  coast* 

Captain  O'Reilly,  the  "boss  stevedore,  lived  on 
the  same  'block;  so  did  James  Harold,  the  commission 
merchant,  and  his  'boys,  Jim,  Track,  Will  and  aeorge, 
^tio   were  among  the  many  \6iO  awaited  the  call  of  the 
Alcatras  'bugler  on  stimmer  mornings  to  summon  thsa 
to  the  svim  at  Bamber's. 

Bat  the  show  place  of  the  'block  was  the  hone  of 
Ed  D.  Heatley,  of  Paalkner,  Bell  and  Co.,  an  English- 
man who— like  Colonel  Manrow,  who  had  lived  away  out 
on  the  Point  Lo'bos  Road,  \^B*d  to  rids  out  nearly 
every  morning  with  his  horses  and  his  hounds  like  a 
regular  hujitiog  squire. 

Another  institution  of  happy  memory  thereabout! 
was  Mrs.  Tenpenny*s  private  school  for  small  child- 
ren, \Alch  was  on  Chestnut  street  near  Stockton,  and 
vhere  aforetime  were  spanksd,  as  occasion  required, 
some  of  the  young  ladles  and  gentlemen  v^  subsequent- 
ly shone  'brilliantly  as  Iseiders  of  San  Francisco's 
very  hi^iest  society. 


BOMI  STOOD  ON  SOUTH  SIDE  OF 
GBX9PWn 

On  the  south  side  of  Chestnat  street,  between 
Stockton  and  Powell— was  the  home  of  the  Ztanne  'boys — 
Jtid|(e  Prank  IXxnne,  Tom  Donne,  Jim  and  Pete— the  two 
last  Based  of  \Aum  have  passed  to  the  great  majority. 

Michael  Price,  the  Keamy  street  cutler  and 
sportsman,  lived  on  the  Sams  'blookt  so  did  Pete 
Fanning,  of  the  Identification  Bureao,  iidu>se  father, 
led  Fanning,  the  contractor,  was  one  of  the  leading 
lights  of  North  Beach. 


«r« 


««^'>r..»««. 


'—■ YES 


sf^iypi  f- 


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Or    !-i,      "^t    --A- 


Jaawt  King  of  William,  the  iMmkcr  and  editor 
lAo  WM  nordered  on  Montgomez7  fltreet,  used  to 
lire  on  the  west  side  of  Jones  street,  between 
Lonbard  and  Chestnut,  Imt  later  moved  to  the  cor- 
tmt  of  Pacific  and  Mason  streets. 

7r«d  Marriott  of  the  Kews  Letter  sob  sequent  I7 
took  the  Jones  street  house  and  lived  in  it  for 
many  years*  Near-hyf  on  the  northwest  comer  of 
Jones  and  Lombard  streets,  was  the  home  of  Major 
Snyder,  director  of  the  Mint.  On  the  southside  of 
Lombard  street,  between  Jones  aiid  Taylor,  was  the 
home  of  Edward  Martin,  one  of  the  original  direct- 
ors of  the  Hibemia  Bank.  It  afterward  became  the 
residence  of  Judge  Selden  S.  Wri^t,  one  of  the 
leading  Jurists  and  society  men  of  the  older  days. 
Sdward  Martin  married  the  widow  of  Major  Harvey- 
Mrs.  Heanor  Martin,  the  mother  of  J.  Downey  Harvey, 
^o  has  been  associated  with  many  California  en- 
terprises. 

BONE  BSCGKSS  PIYOTAI  FOIST  IS 
ACTIYrrXES 

The  Van  Boeketens  had  a  mansion  on  the  south- 
east comer  of  Lombard  and  Jones  streets  that  after- 
Mtfd  beoaae  the  hoae  of  Judge  Dslos  Lake.  Later,  the 
house  was  taken  by  Joseph  Moody  of  Moody  and  Farrish, 
the  wool  sen,  and  became  one  of  the  pivotal  points 
of  Horth  Beach  society,  the  Moody  girls  being  notably 
attractive  in  a  city  renowned  for  its  lovely  women. 

Gustavo  Touohard,  the  first  president  of  the 
French  Bank,  has  his  home  on  the  northwest  comer  of 
Lombard  and  Mason  streets. 

Bear  in  mind  that  Horth  Beach  preceded  Rincon 
Bill  as  the  haunt  of  fashion  in  San  Francisco,  and 
was  also,  as  stated  before,  the  holiday  resort  of  the 
city  before  (tolden  date  Park  was  evolved  from  the 
sand  hills  or  the  Cliff  House  had  been  conceived. 

Everybody  went  there.  It  was  always  the  pleasure 
hamt  of  poor  old  Emperor  Norton,  idio  regularly  eawsh 
morning  promenaded  Meiggs  wharf,  in  the  days  of  its 
glory,  and  as  regularly  extended  his  promenade  as 
far  as  Senator  Jack  Fay's  homo  by  the  So^  factory 
whara,  regularly  also,  he  would  pay  his  lorperial 


321  X 


respects  to  the  Senator  and  Mrs.  Fay,  In  recog- 
nition thereof  he  invariably  wore  an  iomense 
'boutonnaire  of  whatever  flowers  happened  then  to 
he  in  the  garden,  and  with  that  in  his  button- 
hole,  he  smiled  on  hia  subjects  all  the  rest  of 
the  day*