Pioneer Pieces: The Pony Express

In the 1850s all San Francisco residents rode horseback.  In fact, riding horseback into a saloon was considered a gesture of good fellowship!  With no motorized transportation everything depended on the horse, from farming to mail delivery.

The Pony Express ran from Missouri to San Francisco in 13 days - frequent stops and change of horses and riders were necessary.  The Pony Express carried more than mail in those early days though, as the gold and silver being mined in the West had to find its way back to the East and the Pony Express was often weighed down with saddlebags full of gold and silver bouillon that had been made in San Francisco.

Naturally citizens of any culture and means rode by stagecoach rather than horse alone and we'll take a stage coach ride next time...

Pioneer Pieces: Miss Lilly Colt 5

On February 4, 1851, a young child arrived in San Francisco and became the greatest fire bug in the city's history.  Considering San Francisco's history with fire, that was saying a whole lot!  Upon arrival, Lilly attached herself to the Knickerbocker Fire Hose #5 and answered every call from there on out.  She was made an honorary member on her 20th birthday.

Lilly's social status now elevated, she proved a headstrong, boyish girl that never cared what ladies thought, as her own conduct as a lady was always in question.  She wore men's clothing, smoked cigars, and attended cock fights with the boys.  It is reported that she enjoyed her liquor, posing for a popular photograph of herself with a bottle in hand.Lilly always signed her name "Lilly Colt 5".

It wasn't until 1929 that Lilly answered he last alarm call when in her 80s, the town's tongues still a wagging.  True to herself, Lilly didn't care.  A San Francisco landmark - the Colt Tower is named in Lilly honor.

Next time...the Pony Express

Pioneer Pieces: Black Tie Affair

Dinner at the San Francisco Palace was certainly a fancy affair.  The following is an actual menu from the 1800's luxury hotel in French of which I am not schooled ...if you can decipher any of these dishes (ALOT of wine :) please post. 





Chablis (White wine)
Consume Royale (appetizer of broth I believe)

Sherry Irabella
Saumon Glace au four ala Chambord

Sauterne (French Wine)
Boudin blanc a la Richelieu
Chategu la Four

Filet de Boeuf a la Providence (Beef Filet)
Champagne

Pate de fois gras (Goose Liver)
Chateau Squiem

Timbale de Volaille Americane au Senateur
Clos Vougeot

Collettes and Agneau saute au pointes d Asperges (aparagus...?)

Sorbet
Becabbines au Cresson

Chateau Margeaux
Salade a la Francise (French Salad?)

Next time we take a look at Lilly!

Pioneer Pieces: Luxury at its Finest

The Palace was the first great luxury hotel of the West.  Imagine 7 stories tall, with bay windows overlooking the cable cars and the famous Lottie's Fountain (named after Lottie Crabtree of music hall fame). At that time, the Palace was the most valuable piece of concrete in the world.  Even the silver plates on which guests dined were valued at $40 a plate, empty!

President Grant visited in 1879 on a chariot pulled by 7 white horses with grooms and horsemendressed in lavendar.  A sea of silk hat admirers greeted the President and welcomed him with all the finery for which the Palace was known.

Besides Grant, Presidents Hayes, Harrison, McKinley, T Roosevelt, and Taft were also guests at the Palace.  Foreign dignitaries included Grand Duke Boris of Russia, King Albert of Belgium, Prince Louis of Savoy, The King of Hawaii, and Lady Randolph Churchill.  Regular guests like the Rockafellers, Morgans, Carneiges, Pullmans, Huntingtons, Swifts, Vanderbuilts, Goulds and Fricks enjoyed the elegance of the Palace on several ocassions.

Next time an actual menu from the Palace...

Pioneer Pieces: The San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco was the city of the newspaper industry of the West.  When 17 year old Michael de Young and brother Charles de Young borrowed $20 in gold to start the San Francisco Chronicle, the telegraph wasn't even widely used in reporting news yet.  Michael, however, understood telegraph code and put his knowledge to use by being the first newspaper man in the West to decipher and report the assassination of President Lincoln in 1865.

Where one day the de Young brothers were struggling to compete in the San Francisco newspaper industry, the next they were the hottest thing on the market.  Their papers sold out in a matter of minutes and the San Francisco Chronicle began it newspaper history.

Next time we visit The Palace...

Pioneer Pieces: Dueling Judges

The Vigilante Committee was quite busy in San Francisco in the mid 1800's.  One of the most celebrated acts of the Committee involved Supreme Court Judge David S. Terry, a secessionist and duelist who stabbed a policeman during a street riot.   He was imprisioned by the Vigilante Committee but later released.

Obviously the story doesn't end there - three years later, Terry participated in California's most celebrated duel with David C Broderick, a political opposition who helped defeat Terry and end his political career.  Broderick was killed on September 13, 1859 at Lake Mead in San Mateo, Ca, by none other than David S Terry who most believed acted on pure revenge for his defeat.

Set your clock ahead some 30 years to meet Terry once again in a duel, this time with another Supreme Court Justice, Stephen J Field.  Seems Terry had been jailed by Field for contempt of court and Terry vowed to kill Judge Field before he died.  So they met at a railroad luncheon in Lathrop where Judge Terry fell in the duel to Judge Field.  Thus ended the dueling life of Supreme Court Justice David S Terry -  and all San Francisco felt a whole lot better  at the news of the death of the dueling judge.

Next time - the birth of the San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Criminal Element

Every early mining town had a healthy criminal element and San Francisco was no different.  The most notorious and sensational murder in it's early history was that of James King, editor of the Bulletin newspaper by James Casey, a political and local bad guy.

The editor was gunned down at the corner of Montgomery and Washington and died 6 days later.  His funeral was attended by 20,000 people while the bells of San Francisco tolled for King.

Casey on the other hand, was hanged by the town's Vigilante Commitee.

Next time...Judge vs Judge