220 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



buildings are nearly completed, and will be ready for 

 occupation by the latter end of this week. In fact, 

 the ruins are more than half covered over, and except 

 that the neAV edifices are not of so elegant a character 

 or so substantially built, even, as previously, they will 

 present a handsome appearance. 



" The fact of the business season having now fairly 

 commenced, and the necessity of being alive to take 

 advantage of it, has materially accelerated operations. 

 The present busy hum created by the industrious 

 mechanic, will soon give way to the usual activity and 

 bustle of mercantile trade, and ere the departure of 

 the next steamer a casual observer would be scarcely 

 able to realize the devastation of the 4th inst. Not 

 withstanding the immense amount of property de 

 stroyed, which was not at all over-estimated, business 

 has not been so generally depressed, even momenta 

 rily, as it was feared and anticipated. Our community 

 have risen again to the surface of the waters with 

 cork-like buoyancy, and the sad and gloomy faces of 

 the early part of last week have brightened by the 

 prosperous hopes anticipated in the future. Never 

 was calamity taken with more fortitude and philosophy 

 than in this city. And if to win success is but to 

 deserve, then those who have suffered will meet with 

 their just reward. Nil desperandum seems to be the 

 popular motto, amalgamated with the David Crocket 

 principle, enlarged and improved. We are satisfied 

 that nothing can retard or check the prosperity, rapid 

 growth, advancement and importance of this, the prin 

 cipal city and seaport of the Pacific coast. Vive 

 San Francisco !" 



The annexed extract from the Message of the Mayor 

 of San Francisco gives an idea of the quantity of 



