AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE. 215 owing to a portion being built on the hills, which attain quite a respectable altitude. From the tops of these hills a very fair view of the city can be obtained. A large portion of the city is built on land made by filling out into the bay. Where the large warehouses now stand, ships of the heaviest tonnage could ride in safety but a few years ago. To protect this made land, and also to prevent the anchor- age from being destroyed, a sea-wall has beeu built in front of the city. The climate is unsurpassed by that of any large sea-port town in the United States—uniformity and dryness constitu- ting its chief claim to superiority. There is but little rain during the year—only about half that of the Eastern States. The mean temperature is 54 deg., the variation being but 10 deg. during the year. San Francisco, in early days, suffered fearfully from fires. The city was almost completely destroyed at six different times during the years of 1849, °50, °51, and 1852. The destruction has been estimated in round numbers to exceed $26,000,000. The result of these fires has been that nearly all the buildings built since 1852 have been built of brick, stone, or iron—particularly in the business portion. The city has many magnificent private residences, and cosy little home cottages, ornamented with evergreens, creeping vines, and beautiful flowers. The yards or grounds are laid out very tastefully, with neat graveled walks, mounds, statues, ponds, and spark- ling fountains, where the “crystal waters flow.” The first howse was built in San Fran- cisco in 1835. The place was then called “Yuba Buena ’’—changed to San Francisco in 1847, before the discovery of gold. The city is well built and regularly laid out north of Market street, which divides the city into two sections. South of this the streets have an eastern declination as compared with those running north. The city is situated in latitude 37 deg. 48 sec. north; longitude, 120 deg. 27 min. west. The principal wharves are on the east- ern side of the city, fronting this made land. North Point has some good wharves, but from. the business portion the steep grade of the city is a great objection. The city is amply supplied with schools, both public and private. There is no in- stitution of the city wherein the people take more interest and pride; none, of the credit and honor of which they are more jealous. Some of the finest buildings of the city were built for school purposes, the Denman and Lincoln school houses being the finest of the number, There are churches of all kinds, creeds, and beliefs, including several Chinese “Joss Houses.” The Jewish synagogue is the finest among them, situated on Sutter street. The NerwspPaPer, and MAGAZINE, are the histories of the present, and the person who does not read them must be ignorant indeed. Californians are areading people; and he that comes uere to find fools brings his brain to a very poor market. There are in the city 65 newspapers and periodicals, thirteen of which are daily. The dailies are the Alta Californian, the Bulletin, Morning Call, Morning Chroni- cle, Post, Hxaminer, Abend Post (German), Demokrat (German), Courrier de San F'ran- cisco (French), Mazl, Stock Hxchange, Stock Report, and the California News Notes, illustrated. The Golden Hra, and Spirit of the Times, are weekly literary and sporting papers. The News Lefter, and the Argo- naut, are spicy weeklies. The Mining and Sezentéfic Press, and the Pacific Rurat Press, are first-class weekly journals in their specialties. Here, too, is published, the Journal of Commerce, Commercial Her- ald, and the Pac7fic Life, weeklies. The Coast Review is the great insurance author- ity of the Pacific ‘coast—monthly. Here too, is Wentworth’s Resources of California, an invaluable journal. If among all these publications you can find nothing to suit you—nothing new—why, then, sur- prise the Bible, by reading it, and you may profit by its teachings. THE Marxets of San Francisco are one of the features cf the city; those who never saw the fruit and vegetables of California should visit the markets. No .other country can produce fruit in such pro- fusion and perfection. The grapes, peaches, pears, etc., on exhibition In the city mar- kets, represent the best productions of all parts of the State. “Frisco” BrevitreEs—The new City Hall is on Market street. California street is the Wall street of the city. The Branck Mint of the United States is located in the new building, northwest corner Mission and 5th streets. Tue Post OFFICE AND Custom Houser are on Washington street. Mrrcuants’ ExcuancEe Burpine is on California street. The Old Stock Ex- change is on Pine street;:the New Stock