SOME FACTS ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 34

SOME FACTS ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO.

The name of San Francisco was civen to the village ot Yerba Buena by Waehingtrm Earl-?tt who. through his mother, a Jewess born at Charleston, S.C. was con-n'-cted with the leading Portuguese Jewish families of The South.— (California Star, January 30, 1847.) The year 1849 saw a considerable r.umLer of Jews collected in San Franci-soo. The Jew* ami ed overland from the Stat'."; and by sea from Europe and Australia, and scattered over the entire gold mining region. The Jewish congregations in San Francisco at the piesent time number 10. The benevole it societies are numerous. Altogether theie are 69 local Jewish institutions in £tin Francisco, including the Mount Zion Jew.sh Hospital and 11 benevolent lodges. From barely 100 in 1849 the Jewish population reached 17,500 in 1895; in 1905 it exceeded 20.000. The total population is 440.000. The following are some big totals concerning San Francisco: — Has nine savings banks with resources aggregating 166,465.773 65c!01. Has 26 commercial bank* with resources oi,cregatng 117.476.092 25d0l Ha = only had oue genuine snowstorm in

the memory of anyone iiving — December 31, 1882, when snow fell about 3in d-eep and remained on the ground 24 pours. Had 178 clear days, 1903. Had 10S partly cloudy days, ISO 3. | Had 79 cloudy days," 1903. Has a temperature which only varies 10 degrees between seasons. Is the graatest shipbuilding port on the shores of the Pacific- Ocean. Imports of rice for 1903. 30.694,8261b. Imports of coffee for 1903, 34,019,5651b. Imports of sugar for 1903. 14,212,2551b. Ranks first in the world in the use of te^phoncs, having one 'phone for every 16 inhabitants. Exports by sea during 1903 weTe over 55,000,000d01. Branch Mint coined during 1903, 47,767,752 dollars. Bond sales 1903, 6.233,140d01. Salo of oil stocks 1905. 1,371.519d01. At a meeting of the Executive of the Otago and Southland Auxiliary of tho Faptist Union of New Zealand, he'd on Friday evening, the following resolution was passed: — *' That the Executive of the Otago and Southland Auxiliary of the Baptist Union of New Zealand expresses the deep sympathy of the denomination with the citizens of San Francisco in the terribledisaster that has befallen them." The Trades and Labour Conference, sitting in Christchurch on Saturday, passed a special vote of sympathy. Acting under instructions from the president of the United Fire Brigades' Association, the secretary (Air Gilberd) despatched the following cable to San Francisco: — "The New Zealand Firemen .■! Association extends its condolence in the los 3of the chief of the fire brigade through the disaster to the city." ' The Licensed Victuallers' Association of ,' Otago and Southland unanimously resolved — '* That should any effort be made by the Government of the colony, the Mayor of Dunedin, or other responsible party, to relieve the distress of the sufferers, the secretary of the association be requested to convene a meeting at once, when members of the association -will do all they can to help financially."' i Mr Sproul, manager of the Oceanic Steamship Company at Auckland, and formerly a resident of San Francisco says there is no danger from famine. There are larffe grain stores at Port Co&ta. 32 miles northwards. As to the destruction of trade, Mr Sproul says there are no good hai hours i nearer San Francisco than Seattle and San Diego, and he thinks there is no possibi'ity of tra<de being diverted from San Francisco to any extent. E« does not think tho . ocean mail service will suffer more than • one week's interruption, and it is not likely j tha.t the through mail will be damaged. | The Telegraph Department is advised that all business for &mi Francisco is subject to indefinite delay, as there is no wire to that city. There are 1800 messages on j hand at Seattle and 7500 at Chicago for j San Francisco and bay xioints. | Cables and other business for San Fran- i cisco are being mailed to Oakland from : Portland. < - !