Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume III.djvu/615

 CALIFORNIA 609 NAMES Capital stock. Termini as completed in 1873. Length, miles. Central Pacific $100 000 000 262* 170 " Branches f San Francisco, San Jos6. I Lathrop, Visalia. BO 152 California Pacific 12000000 [ Alameda, Hay ward. 15 90 j Sacramento, Marysville. 67 86 600 000 90 1000000 49 70000000 100 " Southern Extension Goshen, Tipton. 21 1600000 84 Lines of steamships run regularly four times a month from San Francisco to Panama, and monthly to Japan, China, and India, the Ha- waiian Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. There is a monthly line to Alaska and a bi- monthly one to Nicaragua, while various lines run frequently to diiferent ports in Mexico, South America, Oregon, and California. The surveys for a ship canal from Stockton to deep water on the San Joaquin river, about 15 m. below, have been completed. There are seve- ral lines of telegraph connecting San Francisco with the east and with different parts of the Pacific coast. In 1872 California contained 13 national and state banks, with an aggregate capital of $10,900,000; of these 6, with a capi- tal of $9,050,000, were in San Francisco. There were 20 savings banks, with 58,713 depositors, and deposits aggregating $47,784,372; 10 of these, with 42,999 depositors and $40,369,405 deposits, were in San Francisco. In 1871 there were 7 California fire and marine insurance companies, with a capital of $3,350,000 and accumulations to the amount of $2,087,967; and 2 life insurance companies, with a paid- up capital of $100,000 ; 24 fire and marine in- surance companies of other states and countries, with a paid-up capital of $17,000,000, have agencies in the state, and 35 foreign life in- surance companies. The constitution of Cali- fornia is similar in its general features to those of the older members of the Union. It was adopted Nov. 13, 1849, and has been twice amended. By its provisions, foreigners who are ~bona fide residents are secured the same rights in respect to property as native-born citizens. No public debt shall be created ex- ceeding at any time the sum of $300,000, ex- cept upon a specific vote of the people, and then within certain prescribed limits. Amend- ments to the constitution must be approved by two sessions of the legislature, between which a general election for assemblymen occurs, and by the people. A convention to revise the constitution may be called by the people, the question having been submitted to them by a two-thirds vote of the legislature. The right of suffrage is conferred on all white male citi- zens 21 years of age, not convicted of crime or idiotic, resident 6 months in the state and 30 days in the county or district ; but by the ope- ration of the 15th amendment to the federal constitution, colored citizens are entitled to vote. Elections for state officers, members of congress, and of the legislature are held bi- ennially on the first Tuesday in September (odd years); the superintendent of public instruc- tion and the judges are chosen at a special election held in October. A plurality of the votes cast is sufficient for a choice. The legis- lative department consists of an assembly com- posed of not more than 80 members nor less than 30, and a senate of not more than one half nor less than one third of the number of assemblymen. There are now (1873) 40 sena- tors who are elected for four years, one half being elected every second year, and 80 as- semblymen, elected for two years. The legis- lature meets biennially in Sacramento on the first Monday in December of the odd years ; the session is limited to 90 days, but may be extended by joint resolution. All white male citizens resident one year in the state and six months in the district are eligible to member- ship. The executive department consists of a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, comptroller, treasurer, attorney general, surveyor general, and superintendent of public instruction, chosen by the people for four years. The qualification of all for eligibility is an age of 25 years or over, and a citizenship and resi- dence in the state of two years. A two-thirds vote of the legislature is required to pass any measure over the executive veto. The Judiciary consists of a supreme court with five justices, elected by the people for ten years, having appellate jurisdiction in civil cases where the amount in dispute exceeds $300, in questions of the legality of taxes, &c., and in criminal cases amounting to felony ; district courts (now 17 in number), with one judge each, elected for six years, having original jurisdiction in law and equity in civil cases where the amount exceeds $200, and unlimited jurisdiction in all criminal cases not otherwise provided for, and in issues of fact joined in probate courts ; coun- ty courts, consisting of one judge in each cdun- ty, elected for four years, who performs the duties of surrogate or probate judge, and, with two justices of the peace, holds courts of spe- cial sessions; and such a number of justices of the peace in each county, town, city, or village, and with such powers, as the legisla- ture may direct. There is a separate probate
 * In the itata; total length, 881 m.