Spanish Claims.-The following is a list of the Mexican claims to tracts of land within the city and county of San Francisco. The four in italics have been rejected. The others are not yet decided-or have been confirmed. Of the four last, quite a large portion lies within the limits of the neighboring county-San Mateo. Abstract of the Assessments for Nine Years.-The subjoined tabular form gives at a comprehensive glance the amounts of the assessments, together with the rates of taxation of the city and county of San Francisco for nine fiscal years since the first organization of our local government, viz: 1857-'58. 1858-'59.. 2 30 15,576,545 7,394,296 12,426,335 35,397,176 13,554,565 5,946,585 11,224,800 30,725,950 When contrasting these years, it should not be forgotten, that prior to 1856, the present county of San Mateo, (embracing an area of 130,000 acres) formed a portion of San Francisco County. Nor does the column of "Improvements" properly indicate the progress made in building during the past nine years, for since 1851, materials and labor have been on the "sliding scale." As compared with last year, there is a slight decrease in the valuation of property. On reflection, this is not to be wondered at, for there has been no country in ancient or modern times, in which property has fluctuated so much as in this State. Nor is it by any means an indication of permanent decline, if the value of taxable property has decreased to a considerable extent. Were such a result to happen in any of the Atlantic States, it might be looked upon as alarming, but in a country like California, it may be regarded in no worse a light, than as an evidence of the former indiscretion, and of the overreaching speculation of her citizens. Personal Property.—The actual value of the taxable property in this city and county is much larger than the returns of the Assessor would indicatea statement conceded by those who are at all familiar with the subject. It is equally well known that real estate bears considerably more than its rightful share of taxation, as compared with personal property. This is attributable to the difficulty experienced in ascertaining the amount and value of personal estate liable to assessment, and it is one of the causes which prevail of estimating landed property below its true value. The land is open to view and examination, its quantities ascertainable with facility and certainty, and by no possibility can it escape the vigilance of the Assessor. The case is widely different with the varied pecuniary interests and investments which constitute personal estate. By many ingenious devices, perhaps by mere silence on the part of the fortunate owner, a large portion of the wealth of the State eludes the Assessor, (who is frequently obliged to act in ignorance of essential facts,) and the property escapes its share of the cost of sustaining the government, to which all property owes its protection. In this particular, the revenue law is defective, for whilst ample and proper provision has been made in favor of the citizen to enable him to correct errors in over-valuation, no means (except that of prosecution for perjury,) have been supplied to correct under-estimates, or to reach personal property, in these manifold instances, where the owner may choose to withhold its existence or its value from the knowledge of the Assessor. The result is that many of the possessors of ready money, investments in funds and securities, and productive capital in various forms, contribute little or nothing to the support of the State. Outstanding Indebtedness.-The following is a brief synopsis of the outstanding indebtedness of the city and county of San Francisco, accrued prior to the 1st day of July, 1856. Total amount of indebtedness, $3,203,657.+ With due economy in the management of the Government, this debt can be liquidated with ease within the time prescribed in the several Funding Acts. When we recall for a moment the condition of the site upon which San Fran * Amount of City claims presented, $2,004,252; rejected, $1,212,131. County, presented, $917,755; rejected, $541,775.-[Ed. The actual debt, July, 1858, is, City, $2,806,751, County. $375,980, as follows: City Bonds, as per table, $2,034,300; Board of Examiners, $792,121; audited demands, (Auditor's Report, July 1, 1858,) $78,131-total, $2,904,552. Assets: Cash in Sinking Funds, $71,684; in Treasury, $26,117total assets, $97,801. Actual debt, $2,806,751. County, Board of Examiners, $375,980-total, City and County, $3,182,731. In addition to the assets here enumerated, the Commissioners of the Funded debt hold mortgages belonging to the Sinking Fund of the bonds of 1851, amounting to $116,715, which will reduce the indebtedness to $3,066,016.-[ED. cisco is built, the immense amount of labor performed in grading, the expense of planking, the comfortable school-houses, the magnificent engine-houses, the commodious City Hall, the confusion of our revenue system in early days and the persistent delinquency of a large number of tax-payers-the above amount, although large, cannot be regarded as a very excessive indebtedness. Current Finances.-Estimated expenses of the city and county for the fiscal year ending the 30th day of June, 1859: For the Funded Debts (exclusive of 1858) For Hospital Fund... For Police Department For Fire Department.. .$251,466 63,000 - 35,000 56,800 30,000 39,400 39,000 90,000 30,000 73,000 $707,666 Estimated receipts of the city and county, for the fiscal year ending the 30th Total Estimated Expenses for 1858-59. This unexpected deficiency of $120,666 is caused by the recent decision of the Supreme Court, (in the case of McLane v. Bond, Assessor,) who ruled that the $195,000 required by the Commissioners of the Funded Debt of 1851 should be paid out of the rate of one dollar and a quarter levied for the ordinary current expenses of our Municipal Government. But for this fact, we would have had a very handsome surplus in the treasury at the end of the year, and that most desirable consummation in the management of our local finances would have been attained-the inauguration of cash payments. Taxes.-The rates of taxation for the current fiscal year (1858-59), as well as the aggregate amount of taxes to be collected on the aggregate assessments, ($30,725,950) are as follows: Total rates on each one hundred dollars of the assessment, $2 45. Total amount of taxes for 1858-59, $752,785. Comparative Taxation of Counties.—The total taxable property of the various counties of this State, last year, amounted to $132,000,000. In the order of valuation, the following were highest on the list: The lowest county on the list was San Bernardino, which is down at $302,039 only. The valuation of the 43 counties will average $3,000,000 each. It is therefore apparent that San Francisco, the smallest of them all, is the great contributor to the coffers of the State. At the last Presidential election, for each vote cast, the amount paid in by San Francisco, was $15 91; by Sacramento, $8 98. The agricultural counties generally at the rate of $8 60, and the mining counties were taxed only $4 02 for each voter! In addition to the taxation on property, our citizens, for leave to do business, have to pay a municipal license and a State and county license, to say nothing of street assessments, stamp imposts and passenger taxes; yet, regardless of the inequality of the burden, the experience of the past year has demonstrated with what alacrity our citizens have paid up these requirements, and notwithstanding all this, among many other benevolent institutions, San Francisco supports, at her sole expense, a first class Hospital-a home for the afflicted from every corner of the State, from every country on the Globe. Rapid Growth of the City-While reflecting upon the valuation of property in this city, even in its present depreciated condition, it should be borne in mind that in the year 1835, the village of Yerba Buena had neither location nor a name, but long anterior to this period, the bay of San Francisco was known to voyagers as "The glory of the Western Coast." In 1836, the first house was erected, and even twelve years ago the city of San Francisco was a comparative wilderness. "Cattle roamed undisturbed where now are crowded storehouses, and Ravens croaked on the spots where now peaceful dwellings stand." A year later 150 people and a score of adobe huts constituted the entire village. On the 30th of January, 1847, the local name of (the cove of) Yerba Buena was changed to that of San Francisco. Six months afterward a census was taken, when it was found that the population had increased to 459 persons; and now, in 1858, this-the metropolis of the Pacific-numbers in population over 70,000 souls, and can boast of an assessment roll of more than thirty million of dollars. In exports standing first, and in imports and tunnage, among the very first of the great ports of the Union. Our Future.-No country in the world ever held forth such inducements for people to flock to her shores, as does California at the present moment. Irrespective of her exhaustless mineral wealth, this State possesses agricultural resources and manufacturing facilities unexcelled by any other in the Union. Her great range of climate, varying from almost tropical heat, to regions of eternal snow-with a geographical position equal, at least, to the most favored country on the globe. In the felicitous language of another, "the heavens are not more clear and starry than is our future. The face of the world is towards us. The glittering treasures, the rivers and bays, the towns and cities, the farms and fields, were made for a purpose. The Pacific is to be the Ocean of the Future, and San Francisco will preside as the commercial mistress of the princely domain, and wave her jeweled hand over the proud hereafter." Legal Distances.-From Sacramento, one hundred and seventeen miles; from Stockton, one hundred and seventeen miles, and from San Quentin twelve miles. Fourth and Twelfth Judicial Districts.-Fourth District: Hon. John S. Hager, Judge District Court; sessions, first Monday in February, April, June, |