This photograph shows Montgomery Street toward Market Street, c1880 Gas Lamps installed on Montgomery Street, viewing toward Market Street and the Palace Hotel on Montgomery Street, across the street from today's Charles Schwab Bld.
View down Montgomery Street in 1870s shows the newly completed Palace Hotel at the far end. Another leading hotel, the Lick House, at the corner of Montgomery and Sutter streets, is visible through the row of ornate street lamps.
The first street lamps in San Francisco were erected in Merchant street, by Mr. James B. M. Crooks, in October, 1850. They were lighted with oil, and to be paid for by private subscription. The same gentleman had also completed the erection of ninety lamps, on the 20th of February, 1852, on Montgomery, Clay, Washington and Commercial streets, to be paid for in a similar manner. These, with the exception of four posts, were all destroyed by the fire of the 4th of May following. In the autumn of 1852, the common council contracted with Mr. Crooks to light the city within the limits of Battery, Kearny, Jackson and California streets. This contract was carried out until the introduction of gas as above related, by a contract made with Mr. James Donahue for the “San Francisco Gas Company.”
Photograph Hand-tinted © Bennett Hall 2010
REFERENCE:
Slide Show of Palace Hotel photography -
http://bit.ly/aIImKc
Story of our photographic exhibits for the Palace Hotel-
case study
Web Galleries - Hand-tinted San Francisco Historical photographs
San Francisco Photography including Palace Hotel - Flickr
