while on the corner of Clay I had my grocery business, living on the
next block, between Clay and Washington, No. 1211. Win. T. Coleman, the
leader of the Vigilance Committee, lived on the corner of Washington
street; this house was built by W. F. Walton, and occupied in turn by S.
C. Hastings, Wm. T. Coleman and D. M. Delmas, all men of prominence,
while on the next corner stood the home of my old friend, Gross, who
came across the plains with me in 1849. In later days, Mr. Chilion Beach
resided there.

On the east side at the southeast corner of Washington, stood the J. B.
Haggin home, while on the northeast corner stood that of the Beavers,
and at the corner of Jackson, the Tevis.' In this neighborhood also
lived Ina D. Coolbrith, whose home was the center of the literary genius
of the State, amongst them being Bret Harte, Joaquin Miller, and Charles
Warren Stoddard. Josiah Stanford, a brother of Leland Stanford, lived on
the south side of Jackson street, just below the Tevis home.

Here is as good a place as any to give my readers a short account of the
Clay Street Hill Underground Cable Railroad, which operated on Clay
street from Leavenworth to Kearny streets, a distance of seven blocks,
and at an elevation of 307 feet above the starting point. The cable car
was the invention of Mr. A. S. Hallidie, who organized the company which
built the line. This was the first time that the application of an
underground cable was ever used to move street cars, and on August 1,
1873, the first run up the Clay street hill from Kearny to Leavenworth
street, was made, and by September 1st the road was in operation. It was
a wonderful exhibition, and half the town was there to witness it. Many
were in doubt as to the success of the enterprise. The company required
the property holders on the hill to subscribe and donate towards the
expense, which they did. The writer owning some property there at that