HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



97 



" This is not only the largest, but the handsomest 

 building in San Francisco ; and, having been con 

 structed at enormous expense, and entirely on specula 

 tion, a concurrence of fortunate circumstances alone, 

 such as had followed upon the discovery of the gold 

 mines, could have insured its prosperity. It was now 

 one of the most frequented, fashionable, and firmly 

 established hotels in the country ; and, in so far as it 

 presented a model to the builders and settlers in the 

 town, was a signal illustration of the shrewdness and 

 enterprise of the Yankee character, and a standing 

 credit to the projectors and proprietors. 



" It is built entirely of wood, and contains two very 

 spacious principal rooms ; the one a dining-room, the 

 other set apart for billiards. Besides these, there are 

 three saloons of lesser dimensions, especially devoted 

 to gambling, and two well supplied bars one below, 

 to the right of the entry, the other in the billiard- 

 room. The portion of the hotel that is not set apart 

 for the usual offices and conveniences is divided off 

 into innumerable chambers, which are occupied by the 

 superior classes of emigrants lawyers, doctors, money- 

 brokers, cum multis aliis. 



" The saloon contains two very handsome billiard- 

 tables, which are constantly occupied by players, 

 chiefly Americans, some of them of first-rate excel 

 lence. The charge was a dollar per game of a hundred, 

 and they wero no sooner vacated by one party than 

 another came in. 



" The establishment contained nine gambling-tables, 

 which were crowded day and night, by the citizens 

 and the miners ; many of the latter staking very large 

 sums upon the turn of a card. The stakes, however, 

 varied from twenty-five cents to five thousand dollars ; 



