SAN FRANCISCO AND KND OF JOURNEY. 541 



Doctors' fees were from sixteen to thirty-two dollars 

 per visit, while for a surgical operation one thousand 

 dollars was the usual price. 



In spite of plague and death, that part of San Fran- 

 cisco which escaped continued to be jubilant. 



Bull fights were in high favor, and the stage, though 

 crude, was very popular, but the great, enchanting de- 

 light of the city was gambling. Money, gold, jewelry, 

 houses, land and wharves were all put up to be gam- 

 bled for. The city abounded with men of elegant 

 manners and striking dress, who were professional 

 gamblers. It was indeed an advance in civilization 

 and morality when in September, 1850, a law was 

 passed forbidding this pastime on the Sabbath day. 



The news that California had been admitted as a 

 State in the Union reached San Francisco on the morn- 

 ing of October 18, 1850, when the "Oregon '' entered the 

 harbor, flying all her bunting, and signalling the good 

 news. Business was suspended ; courts were ad- 

 journed ; and the whole population, frenzied with de- 

 light, congregated on Portsmouth Square to congratu- 

 late each other. Newspapers containing the intelli- 

 gence from Washington sold for five dollars each ! 

 The shipping in the harbor was gaily dressed with 

 flags ; guns boomed from the heights ; bonfires blazed 

 at night ; processions were formed ; bands played ; and 

 the people in every way expressed their joy. Mount- 

 ing his box behind six fiery mustangs lashed to highest 

 speed, the driver of CrandalFs Stage cried the good 

 news all the way to San Jose — "California is ad- 

 mitted ! ! " while a ringing cheer was returned by the 

 people as the mail flew by. 



The awaking of San Francisco during the five or 



