The Foundation Wall Is 12 Feet
Thick, And The Principal Materials Are Stone, Iron, Brick, And Marble.
Every Partition Wall Throughout Is Stone And Brick.
It is fire and
earthquake proof, the walls being additionally tied by iron bands.
It
has four artesian wells, yielding 28,000 gallons of water an hour, a
630,000 gallon reservoir, and tanks holding 130,000 gallons more. The
water is served by three large steam fire pumps, which throw the water
above the roof. There are five patent safety-catch hydraulic elevators
(or lifts). Immense precautions have been taken against fire. The
dining-rooms are 150 feet by 55 feet, and 100 feet by 50 feet. The
public rooms are very numerous, and are of immense size. The rooms for
guests are principally 20 feet by 20 feet; none are less than 16 feet by
16 feet; all are well furnished. The corridors are like streets - space,
elegance, solidity, and comfort are apparent everywhere; the whole being
lighted by gas and electricity. Each bedroom has a bath-room, with hot
and cold water services; w.c., coat-closet, and lavatory closet, with
hot and cold water services to itself, and which can only be used by the
occupant of the bed-room. The hotel, of course, has a barber's shop, and
as I expected my client to call I was anxious to get through my toilet
quickly; so I rang for one of the barber's assistants to come to my
bed-room to cut my hair preparatory to the bath. This did not take long,
and I asked the price, when, to my surprise, a dollar and a-half,
i.e., 6s. 3d., was required. I thought it was barbarism indeed!
I left San Francisco on Monday, December 8th, and during my short stay I
saw something of the town; but it was not the same place as I remembered
it from my two visits to it in 1862. It is full of life and activity,
has many wealthy men, 50 of whom, it is said, are millionaires. It has a
large number of grand buildings, fine shops, extensive markets,
beautiful private residences, and an immense development of electricity
for motion, light, sound, etc. The tram-cars run in constant succession
everywhere; but the most remarkable cars are those worked by an endless
cable. In the city are works with immense steam power, and from these
works endless cables revolve throughout the city, under the roads, in
various directions. In the bed of the tramway is a groove, under which
is the cable, revolving at a great speed. The driver of the car lets
down his grip, which tightly holds the cable, and, of course, the car
starts at full speed, and is carried along by the cable. When the driver
wants to stop, he lets go his grip on the cable and applies his brake.
Some of the hills in San Francisco are very steep, and the first
sensation in riding on the outside front seat, while going full speed
down a sharp declivity, is certainly novel, with no apparent motive
power, and no apparent means of stopping.
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