SAN FRANCISCO IMPROVEMENTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 103, 19 August 1876, Page 2

SAN FRANCISCO IMPROVEMENTS.

Mr. George Coppin, M.L.A.,has favored the Melbourne Argus with the following extracts from a letter from a correspondent at San Francisco :—" I will send every information connected with the working of street-tramways, more particularly those that dispense with horses, and substitute steam and wire rope. Carriages have been taken up a very steep hill 10 blocks In extent by means of a wire rope, with great satisfaction and profit ; and Strandford, our railroad king, intends to extend the principle to a line two miles in length, through the heart of the city, ascending and descending several hills. The engine and works are placed at one end, the rails are level -with the street, and the wire rope which conveys the cars both tfays i s underground. It is a Californian invention, and crowds of strangers are at all times gazing in wonder at carriages running up and down hill without any perceptible motive power. The Sutter-street line—five miles long—with branches to different parts of the city—have petitioned the board of aldermen for power to establish the same system all over the city, by which means horses will be dispensed with altogether. Our city and State never looked so prosperous. Our new city-hall will cost eight millions of dollars. The Palace Hotel is a great success; some days they dine 800 people ; they could all sit down at the same time. We shall reap this year 1,000,000 tons of grain, and the wine and fruit crops are beyond description. Two mines are paying in dividends 2,160,000d015. per month. One shirt factory, working by machinery, employs 300 men. The population—by the directory—of the city has increased 40,000 during the year, so that you can imagine the quantity of building going on ; many private residences costing 1,000,000 dols., with an additional 100,000dols. for the erection of a stable. This year will most certainly surpass the last, and we may congratulate ourselves upon being the moat extravagant city in the world."