Bancroft's Pacific coast guide book

Front matter

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Preface

The main purpose of this book is to present, in a small space, such information as will be of most interest to travelers generally, visiting the Paciiic Slope of North America. The notable views along the line of tke Union and Central Pacific railroads, from the Mississippi River to the Pacific, are pointed out ; the various climates of the vast region west of the llocky "Mountains, from Panama to the Arctic Ocean, are described; and the tourist is taken through the dilTerent districts and supplied with such explanation of the features of local nature and art as will enable him to enjoy them readily and to converse about them understandingly.

The work is not designed exclusively for the pleasure tourist from abroad. Special attention has been paid to the needs of invalids, especially those of the consumptive class, and the chapters on the climates and mineral springs of our slope, (the former copied from the Commerce and Industries of the Pacific Coast, by the same author, and issued by the same publishers), are the most comprehensive essaj's ever prepared on their respective subjects. The author did not consider it advisable in a compendium like this to give a nummary of the opinions of medical authorities, on the therapeutical cilccts of different classes of natural medicinal waters, or of the influence of meteorological conditions on diseases of the respiratory '.ans. He does not hesitate, however, to claim that the best elite in tlie world for consumptives, and the best mineral springs in United States, so far as a judgment can be formed from published listics, are in California.

i '.C'sides the wants of invalids and stranger tourists, those of a third -s have been kept in view — the residents who wish to know the list places for picnics, camp grounds, summer idling, and country walks and drives. The wild and romantic canyons of the San Mateo, Pilarcitos, San Leandro, San Pablo, Wild Cat, Nicasio, Reed, Lagunitas and San Geronimo creeks, within tw.enty miles of San Fran-

4 PREFACE.

cisco, are unknown to many old residents of San Francisco, even to rich pleasure seekers who have made the tour of Europe. Attention is called to them here. Camping is one of the specialties of California, and a chapter has been devoted to it.

The area of which the work treats, is the entire region west of the summit of the Rocky Mountains, from Panama to the Arctic Ocean ; but a large share of the space is given to the metropolis, for the reasons that it is the home or chief stopping place of a majority of the tourists; that most of the travel for pleasure is within 100 miles of it ; and that the information is fuller and more precise in reference to it, than to otlier districts.

The publishers expect to issue every spring a new edition, with such corrections and additions, as will make it one of the most complete works of its kind.

Chapter I.— NEW YORK TO SAN FRANCISCO. Page

Four Routes 11

The Steamer Route 11

The a. T. and S. F. Route. 12 The Central-Union Route. 12 Council Bluffs to Cheyenne 12

Cheyenne to Creston 14

Creston to Granger 15

Granger to Evanston 17

EVANSTON TO OgDEN 18

Yellowstone Park 20

Salt Lake City 21

From Salt Lake Southward 25

From Ogden to Palisade . . 26

Page.

Palisade to Battle Mountain 28

Battle Mountain to Reno . 29

South from Reno 30

A Silver Mill 32

Reno to Truckee 36

Lake Tahoe 36

The Donner Tragedy 38

Summit to Emigrant Gap . . 39 Scenery below Emigrant

Gap 41

Hydraulic Mining 42

Sacramento to San Francisco 43

Chapter II.— THE CLIMATES. Page

Comparative Meteorology. 45 Standards of Temperature 46 Meteorological Regions . . 46 San Francisco Summers ... 47

Hot Days 48

Cool Nights 49

Warm Winters 49

The Early Spring 51

San Francisco Rains 51

Page.

Fog , 53

Relative Humidity 54

Warm Belt 57

Sacramento Climate 59

Los Angeles Climate 62

Oregon Climate 64

Utah and Arizona 64

Alaska's Climate 65

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Chapter III.— CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. Page

The Pacific Slope 66

Pleasure Resort Districts 66

Characteristics 68

A Mountainous Country . . 69

Geological Con^'"ulsions. . . 70

Mineral Wealth 70

Peculiar Vegetation 70

Flowers 71

Field for Sportsmen 71

The Californians 72

Romance of the Present . 72

The Name California 73

The Missions 73

Mexican Dominion 74

American Settlers 74

American Conquest 75

Californian Agriculture. 76

San Francisco 76

The City's Origin 77

A City of 100 Hills 77

Telegraph Hill 79

San Francisco at Night . . 80

A Treeless City 80

A Great Seaport 81

A Pleasure Resort 81

The Streets 82

Architecture 82

Notable Buildings 83

Mint 84

City Hall 85

Hotels 85

Safe Deposit 85

Stock Exchange 85

Nob Hill 86

Churches 87

Page.

Clubs and Libraries "87

San Francisco Drives 88

San Francisco Picnic

Grounds 89

Golden Gate Park 89

Presidio Reservation 91

Point San Jose 91

Cliff House 92

Woodward's Garden 93

San Francisco Cemeteries. 93

Chinatown 94

Joss Houses 95

Sunday in Chinatown 96

Chinese Holidays 97

Funerals 98

Chinese Theatres 99

Merchants 100

Restaurants 100

Chinese Missions 100

Conveyances 101

Alameda County 101

Oakland 101

Lake Merritt 102

Sunday Parks 102

Berkeley 102

Piedmont 103

High Peaks 103

Drives 103

MoRAGA Pass 103

Telegraph Pass 103

Laundry Farm 104

Haywards 104

Alameda 104

Fruit Vale 105

Contra Costa 105

Mt. Diablo 105

TABLE OP CONTENTS.

Page.

San Mateo 108

Palo Alto 108

Summer Kesorts 108

Santa Clara 109

Santa Clara Towns 110

Pleasure Eesorts Ill

Santa Cruz Ill

City of Santa Cruz 112

Santa Cruz Big Trees. . . .112 Santa Cruz Mountains. ..113

Santa Cruz Ruins 114

Fata Morgana ,114

Various Resorts 115

Monterey 116

Town of Monterey 116

Monterey Groves 116

Hotel del Monte 116

Pacific Grove Retreat. . .117

Carmel Mission 117

San Benito 118

San Luis Obispo .118

San Joaquin Valley 118

Marin 118

Saucelito 119

Point Bonita 119

San Rafael 119

Tamalpais 119

Various Resorts 120

Sonoma 121

Geysers 121

Petrified Forest 123

Page.

Volcanic Overflows 123

Sonoma Valley 124

Russian River 125

Guerneville 125

Fort Ross 125

Sonoma Springs 125

Napa Valley 125

Napa City 126

St. Helena 126

Calistoga 127

Mt. St. Helena 127

East-Napa Ridge 128

Lake County 129

Clear Lake 129

Borax Lake 129

Thurston Lake 130

Cobb Valley 130

Blue Lakes 130

Sulphur Bank 130

Bartlett Springs 130

Adams' Springs 131

Harbin's Springs 131

Highland Springs 131

Other Lake County

Springs 131

Mendocino 131

Humboldt 131

Sacramento 131

Tehama 132

The Foothills 132

Shasta 134

Chapter IV. -SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Territory Included 135

Los Angeles 136

San Gabriel Mission 137

San Gabriel Valley; Sierra Madre Villa.

Anaheim, Etc

138 138 138

TABLE or CONTENTS.

Page.

Santa Baebaba 139

Santa Barbaea Mission.. .140

montecito 140

Hollister's Rancho 141

Cooper's Rancho 141

Santa Inez Valley 141

Santa Barbara Islands ... 141

Ventura 141

Ojai 142

Matilija 142

San Bernardino 142

Pago.

San Bernardino Town 144

Riverside, Etc 144

San Bernardino Springs., 145

San Diego County 145

San Diego City 146

Mud Volcanoes 146

Below Sea Level 147

Mission of San Diego 147

Mission of San Luis Rey..147 La Jolla 147

Chapter V.— THE SIERRA NEVADA. The Chal^ 149

yosemite 151

General Effect 152

A State Park 154

Routes .154

Programme 156

Trails 158

The Walls 158

The River 158

EiRST View of the Valley. 159

Ribbon Fall 159

The Ca-pitan 159

The Bridal Veil 160

Cathedral Rocks 160

The Three Brothers 161

The Yosemite Fall 161

Sentinel Rock 164

Sentinel Dome 164

Glacier Point 164

Elevations 164

The Half Dome 166

Royal Arches 166

Washington Column 166

North Dome 166

Mirror Lake 166

Vernal Fall 166

The Nevada Fall 168

Cap of Liberty 168

Mt. Starr King 168

Cloud's Rest 169

Tooloolweack Fall 169

Snow and Hail 169

Saddle Horse Charges. . ,170

Carriage Charges 170

Guide and Trail Cil\rges.170

Guides 170

Horses 171

Guardl\n of the Valley. 171

Yosemite Valley 172

Method of Formation 172

Other Yosemities 173

Mountain Topography 174

The Californl\n Alps 175

Big Tree Station 176

Mariposa Big Trees 177

The Sierra Forest 178

TABLE OF Page.

Calaveras Bia Trees 178

Other Groves 180

Shasta 180

Ascent of Shasta 181

View from Mount Shasta.. 181

Descent from Shasta 182

San Francisco to Shasta. .182

Scenery near Shasta 183

Mt. Lassen 183

Snag Lake 183

Cinder Cone 184 contents. ^

I Page,

Recent Volcanic Action.. 184

Boiling L^^-KE 185

Lassen Basaltic Columns. 185

Lassen Geysers 185

Ascent of Lassen 186

Cottonwood Cave 186

Redding Cones 186

Cedar Petrified Forest . . 186

Sierra Lava Beds 186

Mono Lake 186

Glaciers 187

Chapter VL— OREGON,

Scope of Chapter 189

Columbia River 189

Cascade Range 189

Hood River 190

Tillamook Bay 190

Clatsop Beach 190

WiLHOiT Springs 190

Mystic Lake 190

Washington 190

PuGET Sound 192

Snoqualmie Fall 192

WASHINGTON, ETC.

Seattle Resorts 192

Olympia Resorts 192

Gray's Harbor 193

Ilwaco 193

Oysterville 193

British Columbia 193^

Alaska 193

Arizona 194

Ruins 194

Atlantic and Pacific Railroad 194

Chapter VIL— CAMPING.

Outdoor Life 197

Camping Tours 198

Time for Camping 198

Saddles 198

Tents 200

Personal Outfit 200

Provisions 200

Cooking Utensils 201

Table Ware 201

Bedding 201

Tools 201

Books on Camping 201

The Camping Party 202

Santa Cruz Camping Tour. 202

Marin Camping Tour 203

Hunting 204

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Bear 205

Buffalo 205

Deee 205

Rabbits, Etc 206

Wild Hogs, Etc 206

Carnivorous Animals 206

Turkey 20G

Grouse 207

Quail 207

Pigeons 207

Water Fowl 207

Fish 2O8

Chapter VHI.— HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

The Group 209

Honolulu 209

Tour of Oahu 210

Maui 211

MOLOKAI 212

Lanai 213

Hawaii 213

Kauai ;216

Chapter IX.— MINERAL SPRINGS

Medicinal Value 218

Localities of Springs 219

Chemists 219

Alkaline Springs 219

Alkaline Springs, Table

Purgative Waters 222

Purgative Springs, Table

Thermal Springs 225

Thermal Springs, Table OF 226

Sulphur Springs 226

S ULPHUR Springs, Table of . 227

Other Springs 228

General Remarks 228

Chapter X.— DISTANCES, ETC.

Explanations 230

Distances from San Francisco 232

Distances from Portland. 258

Distances from Ogden 264

Steamboat Routes . . 266

Rules for Travelers 267

Railroad Time 270