law, and urging encouragement and support to the new institution. It was published as an editorial in the Evening Examiner, October 23, 1866.

The writing of this present article has been incited by the fact that the only formal history of the University of California published that I know of, and which seems to have the endorsement of that institution, intimates strongly that the reason the university was not founded earlier was because the people of the State were ignorant, and had to be educated up to the point of realizing the necessity and advantages of such an institution. It even intimates that the legislature was occupied in passing bills for the establishment of prisons and that the one that passed the Holden bill, was too ignorant to know enough to pass a bill establishing a State university at once. The exact language being, "Thus, in their blindness, did the legislators of 1866, seek to defeat the predestined organization of the university," thus attacking the real founders of that institution. As inducing causes to the establishment of the university, it recites vain acts of individuals of more or less erratic character, but whose efforts were devoid of effect or influence. It also gives great credit to persons who delivered speeches on occasions such as college commencements, in which the establishment of a university in the future was predicted, just as a fourth of July orator would predict the advancement, growth and glory of our republic in the future, drawing vividly on his imagination, regardless of fact or conditions, and had about as much influence in one case as in the other. The first thirty or forty pages of that history I believe to be untruthful in theory and fact. It assumes facts and gives credit where such does not belong, and withholds or suppresses credit from those to whom it belongs in connection with the foundation of the State College or university, and its intimations in some instances are wholly without just foundation. I believe it is due to the people of the State and to the character of the university that that part of the history should be rewritten.

The extraordinary circumstances under which California became a part of the United States, and was rapidly settled and became a State of the Union and has grown into a great commonwealth, passed so rapidly into history and under such uncommon and exceptional circumstances that it seems often difficult for the generation of to-day to comprehend fully the changes that have occurred, the growth that has been ma 'e, or the circumstances under which events took place or the trials and difficulties encountered by the early residents, not to say pioneers.

When the United States forces took possession of California in 1846, there were in this great State, which is seven hundred miles long and from two to three hundred miles wide, only about 5000 white inhabitants, with perhaps ten thousand so-called domesticated Indians, the wild Indians being unestimated. These few people were scattered over the surface of this great State. Yerba Buena of which the great commercial city of San Francisco is the successor, had at the time about 300 inhabitants, while cities like Sacramento, Stockton, and Oakland had none or only a nominal existence.

In 1850, when California was admitted as one of the States of the Union, its entire population was 92,597.

The character of this population and that of a few years after that date and its burdens, seem nowadays not generally understood.

The civilized world was electrified by the stories of the discovery of gold in 1848, and when the truth concerning the existence of gold became generally known intelligent, enterprising men of every State in the Union and every civilized and semi-civilized country in the world, began to wend their way to this State. It was as if the unfixed, unanchored possessors of energy and intelligence in the world bent their way to California. They came by steamers or sailing vessels around Cape Horn, or from south of the equator, across the Isthmus of Panama, or from the distant Orient, while others sought to reach the same destination by traveling thousands

of miles across the uninhabited, trackless and unknown plains and deserts, and over the Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains, in those days thought to be a trip to be undertaken only by the most hardy and venturesome, while fierce Indians and dangerous wild beasts were likely to be encountered at any hour of night or day.

Some of these people came with their families, others came to repair or make their fortunes and then return therewith to their homes. Many came and many after a short stay returned, some with fortunes, others without. But others, attracted by the climate and business opportunities, and who saw a great future for the State and city, remained here to make their future homes.

The enterprise which these people displayed was extraordinary, the endurance heroic, with hope ever undismayed, one failure resulting usually but in another effort. Intelligence of the highest order dominated these people. All through

the Placer mines, and in every branch

of business were found educated and experienced merchants, lawyers, doctors, and all kinds of professional or semi-professional and educated men. While the mechanics and common laborers were of the highest intelligence and energy of their class. The trip across the plains or a long distance by sea to reach this State required large sums of money for an outfit and for cost of passage, and the people generally who in those days could command such sums were people of energy, enterprise, and character.

Of course there were some others. There are in all communities. But there never has been a day in the history of the State of California that the large majority of the people of our city and State was not peaceable, orderly, and law-abiding, and of the better class of citizens. The other elements that came to the surface like the froth of the ea were, when deemed necessary, severely dealt with, and human life and property in the early fifties and later on was, generally speaking, as safe throughout this

city and State as it is to-day. Considering the fact that many thousands of people from all parts of the Union, and in fact from all parts of the world, were suddenly thrown together in quest of gold and fortunes, the record is astonishingly creditable. The world's history had never recorded like circumstances.

No ordinary men laid the foundations of this city and State. Many of them had held high positions in their former homes, and many in after years became distinguished or wealthy men in all the States of the Union, as well as here in our own midst. Many officers of tne army and navy became citizens, and when the Civil War broke out this State contributed from among its then or former residents such men as Halleck, Sherman, Hooker, Geary, Grant, McPherson, Baker, Stone, Fremont, Hancock, Naglee, Dent, Sheridan, Ord, Lippitt, and others, and to the navy Farragut, and to the Confederate side Albert Sidney Johnson. All of these men had relations with the people and their affairs, and had influence in the community. Many educated, energetic and ambitious young men who had just started in life, or who had just completed their college course, were here and gave their best energies and efforts to the building up of these communities.

At the time the Civil War had commenced, it has often been said and among the older residents thoroughly believed, that no city of the same size as San Francisco could have in all respects produced a people, in proportion to population, the superior of those to be found then in our city. The Civil War, however, and the discovery of the Bonanza and Constock mines and the completion of the overland railroad produced great changes in our population.

From 1856, for ten or twelve years after the Act consolidating the City and County of San Francisco went into operation, this city had no superior as to government in the world. The public officers were thoroughly honest, thoroughly capable, intelligent in the performance of all their duties, and gentlemanly to all who had personal or busi

ness intercourse with them.

The extent of the burdens these people had to bear in building up a great State from the very foundation, as from the naked earth, is not always remembered.

These 92,597 people, constituting the population of the State at the time of its admission into the Union, and their successors, were compelled to build a State house and State prisons, insane asylums, County Court houses and jails, hospitals, wagon, and stage roads and bridges, trails across the mountains, school houses and churches, and even the houses to live in and to do business in. Gas and water works had to be established, all taking capital to do so, while all building material had to be brought from a distance.

They had to contribute to the building of telegraphs, stage lines and railroads, and establish all the industries of the State, and their efforts met with discouragement or were unsuccessful. In many instances, as in mining, new methods had to be devised and put into operation. Coal was brought around Cape Horn. Hundreds of miles of streets had to be graded, sewered, curbed, paved and sidewalked in the cities and towns, which themselves had to be created and the ground to be graded and made orderly.

Agriculture was comparatively unknown, orchards and vineyards had to be planted as an experiment as to soil and climate, tons of clippings for the latter being brought from Europe. Land was held in large tracts. In many instances the most desirable parts were held under Spanish or Mexican grants, and was used only as grazing places for cattle and horses, with a few sheep.

State, city, town, and county governments had to be established. At the beginning the State was under military rule. Irrigation was unknown. Ditches had to be made to carry water to the mines, mills had to be erected, and tunnels run to the mines. The flour consumed had to be brought from Chili or some far distant port. In 1852 San Francisco was destroyed by fire, and a like fate at various times befell many of the