San Mateo County Gazette Redwood City, San Mateo County, California Saturday Morning, October 27, 1860, Vol. 2 No. 30 NEW MILLINERY STORE. - Mrs. L.A. Scofield, it will be seen by reference to the advertisement, has opened a millinery and fancy goods establishment in Redwood City. Mrs. S. is a practical milliner, and the ladies of the county are fortunate in having her services and also in having this long-needed store, where their wants are understood and can be supplied. We predict success for the new store. POPULATION OF CALIFORNIA. - Rumors, which have at length assumed an authentic shape, have for some time been rife that the census of the State of California, as returned by the agents of the United States will not exceed, if indeed it does not fall short of, 400,000. This is very far short of the expectations formed by many of our most enlightened citizens and statists. Estimates put forth from time to time, based upon such data as were attainable, and generally looked upon as reliable, had led the masses to anticipate with certainly a population of half a million, if not a much larger number, in California. - Morning Call. ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. - Our candidate for District Judge is not, as has been reported, the Alexander Campbell who made a speech at the Republican meeting here a few weeks since. He is an older man - one who does not make stump speeches - who is not a politician by trade, but purely a lawyer by profession and in fact, one who stands high with the people as a man of honor. This nomination was wholly unsought by him, and was conferred by that truly conservative body, the People's Nominating Committee of San Francisco, after a long and careful investigation, with a view not to availability, but to capacity and integrity. We look upon a nomination thus given as one of the proudest endorsements a man can well receive, and as a strong guarantee that he will make a faithful and upright Judge. We have every reason to believe that few men can be found who can so nearly fill Judge Norton's place on the bench, as Judge Campbell, and at the same time he will be found much more sociable and agree able as a man. He will be elected. OUR COUNTY In pursuance of our intention as expressed in last issue, we desire to give our distant readers, particularly, some idea of the beautiful spots which grace our County of San Mateo, and which lend a peculiar charm to the face of earth in these parts. San Mateo village, as it may perhaps be properly termed in the usual style of town classification, though we doubt its entire applicability to this charming place, for many reasons, is situated on the San Mateo Creek, about two miles from the shore of the Bay, and is about twenty miles from San Francisco. The appearance of the locality, from either of its approaches, is certainly the most beautiful we know of in California. The oaks which spread their umbrageous boughs forming a most inviting shade in summer, and clothed in living green throughout the winter, are the most attractive feature, and give to the place an appearance which pleases the eye of even the most indifferent. There is about the place a quiet, indescribable charm, in every part, which none, we venture to say ever yet failed to feel while within its green-wood precincts. Here and there a short distance from the high-way are costly residences, surrounded by beautiful grounds furnished with all the adornments that the finest taste can suggest or that wealth can purchase. Orchards, with fruits rare and luscious, plants and shrubbery of the most costly varieties, gardens planned by the most expert hands in the State, with all the appliances which can be procured for the purpose, are brought into lavish use to aid nature in the display of her natural charms in beautiful San Mateo. We stroll through the grounds in the neighborhood, and are reminded how like the oaks are to the old orchards of our eastern home so like, indeed that we can scarce curb our desire to look for and pluck their juicy fruit. Possibly San Mateo derives its greatest attraction from the fact that for miles north and south of its area the trees are very scarce, and but little is seen immediately near the highway to relieve the eye of the traveler, save the farm-houses, etc. The soil is of the best kind, all over the valley, but timber is not abundant, and coming suddenly upon, this oasis in the comparative desert surrounding it, the prospect is certainly one worthy of admiration. The residence are all of the cottage order, yet are built with a view to the highest style of ornament, and seemingly with no regard to expense - beauty and comfort only being consulted. They are the country homes of princes. The ground on which this beautiful place is situated is a scarcely perceptible slope from the margin of the Bay to what are termed the "foot-hills" of the mountains, which run from north to south through the centre of the county. The soil is somewhat sandy and hard, and therefore the roads are never disagreeable to travelers. To speak of San Mateo without referring to the hotel which is its most prominent feature, would be like the play of Hamlet, as someone has said, with the Prince excluded. This famous resort as all California now knows - or it does not, it ought to - has lately been purchased by A.G. Oaks, Esq., late of Sonoma. The grounds are beautifully laid out and adorned by the prettiest plants and flowers, which, with the natural beauties of the location, form a most attractive feature at San Mateo. The thousands of beautiful flowers which in the summer give their aroma to the air, greet the passer by with their fragrance, and delight the eye, are in gardens adjoining the buildings, and in pleasant rambles among them the visitors from weary city life who daily make the hotel their resort, spend many pleasant hours. The buildings are in a most attractive style of architecture, and are spacious and commodious in their interior arrangements. The guests are supplied with every thing a heart can desire, and he must indeed be hard to please who leaves the hotel dissatisfied. The corps of attendants, with "Uncle Billy" the courteous and attentive minister of the spiritual department, and "John" the hostler, the travelers' favorite, are of that class which never tire of good services to their patrons, and to sum up all, with the amiable host, the establishment is now perfection in hotel keeping. From San Mateo to Crystal Spring is three miles by the new road lately opened along the meanderings of the San Mateo creek. This will be a most attractive drive after the road has undergone some very necessary improvements. It leads from the main highway at the bridge crossing the creek at San Mateo, and passes among delightfully shady groves of trees, most of them resembling very much the eastern berch; the timber along the stream is very abundant, and the foliage is luxuriant and dense. As we ascend the stream the hills on either side increase in hight, until we pass through the most romantic canyons, the mountains on both sides covered with timber from base to summit, the thick undergrowth covering nearly the whole of the ground's surface. By the roadside wanders the crystal stream, rippling over its pebbly bottom, and here and there we seem gleaming through the overhanging branches the notable pools whence in winter the disciples of Walton draw that delicious fish, the mountain trout. Leaving the valley of the San Mateo, the road suddenly terminates in San Andreas Valley, near the Crystal Spring, a description of which, with its magnificent surroundings, we will endeavor to give in a future article. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A CARD To the Voters of San Mateo County Having been nominated for the office of Supervisor of Third Township, I deem it my duty to state that under present circumstances, my business being of a nature to require my whole attention, I cannot, in justice to myself and the people's interests, accept the nomination. The duties of the office require for their faithful performance more time than I can devote to them, and I feel that I would be wanting in duty as a citizen were I to accept the nomination under the circumstances. GEO. HARRINGTON Searsville, Oct. 23d, 1860. To see other old newspapers, visit http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php