They were Free-Soilers and Republicans at a time when the wealth and social influence in the State were mostly on the Democratic side. Naturally, No. 54 K Street presently became a place where leading Republicans met to discuss the news and plan opposition to the Democratic party, and in a small upper-story room in 54 K Street, the Times, the first Republican newspaper of California, was begun, under the editorship of .James McClatchey, one of the ablest publicists in the State, and now editor of the Sacramento Bee. But, besides hardware and politics, another subject was much discussed at 54 K Street in those days -- a railroad across the continent. This was the great question which then agitated every cabin in the State. How to get a railroad across the Sierra Nevada range was the great difficulty, and California was deeply stirred when an engineer named Judah, who was, as they said, "Pacific Railroad crazy," gave out that he had found a long and easy ascent by the way of Dutch Flat, which was practi-

WESTCHESTER.

cable for a road. Judah was an enthusiast. He called public meetings and solicited subscriptions to enable him to make a thorough reconnoissance, and merchants and miners, and even women, gave, according t<> their means, ten, fifty or a hundred dollars for this object. At last came tiie Presidential election of 18()0, and the rumble of war, and everybody buttoned up their pockets. The scheme was about to fail. The public had something else to think of. San Francisco, where the Democrats and Southern men wanted a southern line, turned its back on poor Judali. Matters seemed to have come to an end, when Huntingtou came forward with a new proposition.