The chief cities and towns in the order of population, in 1870, are San Francisco, Sacramento (the state capital), Oakland (across the bay from San Francisco), Stockton, San Jose, Los Angeles, Maryville, Santa Cruz, San Diego.
C. is well supplied with serial literature. At the beginning of 1879 there were 41 daily newspapers, 1 triweekly, 9 semi-weekly, 209 weekly, 1 semi-monthly, 19 monthly, 1 bimonthly, and 2 quarterly publications. The state has trade ample provision for education. School age is from 5 to 21; persons within the age, 205,475; enrolled, 154.079; average attendance, 94,696; school-days in the year, 144; teachers of common schools, 3293; school fund, $2,011,800; income, $3,820,661; expenses, $3,155,815; value of school property, $6,343,369. There is a state normal school at San Jose, having, at last report, 90 students. In 1879, there were 13 colleges, viz.: Sacred Heart, St. Igna tius, and St. Mary's, all in San Francisco, and Our Lady of Guadalupe, at Santa Inez (all Roman Catholic); C. college, at Vacaville (Baptist); Hesperian, at Woodlawn, and Pierce Christian, at College City (both "Christian"); Pacific Methodist, at Santa Rosa (Methodist Episcopal, South); university of the Pacific, at Santa Clara (Methodist); St. Augustine, at Benicia (Protestant Episcopal); the university of C., at Berkeley, and the university, at Washington (both non-sectarian). The Pacific theological seminary (Con gregational) and the San Francisco theological seminary (Presbyterian) are at Oakland. Medical education is provided for by the C. college of pharmacy, a medical department of the university of C., and the medical college of the Pacific, all in San Francisco. The university has also a law department. In the 13 colleges there were 199 instructors and 3187 students; in the theological seminaries, 7 instructors and 15 students of col legiate grade; in medicine, 26 instructors and 90 students; and in law, 3 instructors and 103 students. A special course of three years is provided for young women by the Pacific (Methodist) college, and women are admitted to all, except the Roman Catholic colleges.
The railroads in California at the beginning of 1879, and the number of miles within the state, were: Southern Pacific, from San Francisco to Colorado river (to unite with the projected Texas Pacific from the Mississippi river), 712 m.; Central Pacific, from San Francisco to Ogden, Utah, 615 m.; Northern, from Oakland to Suisun, 113+ m.; California Pacific, from San Vallejo to Sacramento. 113 m. ; San Francisco and N. Pacific, from San Rafael to Cloverdale. 94 m.; N. Pacific Coast. from Sancelito to Mos cow mills, 79/ in.; Sacramento and Placerville, from Sacramento to Shingle springs, 491 m.; San Pablo and Tulare, from Tracy to Martinez, 47 In.; Stockton and Copper opolis, from Stockton to Oakdale, 44+ m.: Vaca Valley and Clear Lake, from Elmira to Madison, 30 m.; S. Pacific Coast, from Dumbarton to Los Galas, 29/ m.; Los Angeles and San Diego, from Florence to San Diego, 27 m.; Amador Branch, from Galt to lone, 27 m. ; Calfornia Northern, from Marysville to Oroville, 26+ m.; Nevada County, from Nevada City to Colfax, 221 in.; Santa Cruz, from Santa Cruz to Vajaro depot, 21+ m.,
and nine other roads, from 17 to 3+ m. in length; there being 2046 m. of railroad in the state.
The organic law of C. is very similar to that of New York and other old states. The constitution, which was adopted Nov. 13. 1849, put the then residents on the same stand ing as native-born citizens with regard to property. Public debts exceeding $300,000 at one time cannot be incurred unless approved by popular vote. Voters are white male citizens, 21 years old, resident six months in the state, and 30 days in the voting dis trict. (The 15th amendment to the federal constitution makes colored citizens also voters, but the Chinese are not permitted to vote.) Elections are biennial, on the first Tuesday in September; but judges and the superintendent of public instruction are voted for at special elections in October. A plurality is sufficient to elect. The assembly has 80, and the senate 40 members, who are paid $10 per day for sessions limited to 120 days, and $3 for every 20 m. of travel. The legislature meets biennially at Sacramento. The chief executive officers and annual salaries are: Governor, $7000; lieutenant-gov ernor, $12 per day during the session of the legislature, and $10 per day as warden of the state prison ; secretary of state, $4000; treasurer, $4000; controller, $4000; super intendent of public instruction, $3000: adjutant-general, $4000; and surveyor-general, $3000. A chief justice and four associate justices of the supreme court are chosen for terms of ten years, having salaries of $6000. The governor's veto may be overcome by a two-thirds vote in the legislature. There are county courts, each with a single judge, who also acts as surrogate, except in San Francisco. The wife is secured in both real and personal property had before or acquired after marriage. The earnings of both wife and husband are common property, but the wife's earnings are not liable for the husband's debts. If a wife be separated from her husband, her earnings and those of her minor children are her own; she may sue and be sued alone, and, by leave of a court, convey alone; and a married woman can dispose of her separate estate by will. Homesteads to the value of $5000 for the head of a family, and $1000 for a single person, are exempt from levy. Insolvent debtors, resident and non-resident, can be discharged from debts upon making assignment of all their property, and publishing notice thereof. The more important penalties are: For treason, and murder in the first deuce, death; mur der in the second degree, and robbery from the person, 10 years to lac imprisonment; manslaughter, 10 years or less; killing in a duel, 7 years or less; mayhem, 14 years or less; rape, from 5 years to life; forgery and perjury, 14 years or less. Chinese and Indians cannot testify in court against white persons, and special taxes are imposed to restrict immigration from China (but this is believed to be illegal under our treaties with China). Any rate of interest agreed upon is lawful. Open accounts are outlawed in two years; notes in four, and judgments in five, years.