A ball in Los Angeles fittingly celebrated the event, as will be seen from the following despatch, penned by Henry D. Barrows, who was then Southern California correspondent of the _Bulletin_: LOS ANGELES, October 9, 1860, 10.45 A. M. Here is the maiden salutation of Los Angeles to San Francisco by lightning! This despatch--the first to the press from this point--the correspondent of the _Bulletin_ takes pleasure in communicating in behalf of his fellow-citizens. The first intelligible communication by the electric wire was received here last night at about eight o'clock, and a few hours later, at a grand and brilliant ball, given in honor of the occasion, despatches were received from San Francisco announcing the complete working of the entire line. Speeches were made in the crowded ball-room by E. J. C. Kewen and J. McCrellish. News of Colonel Baker's election in Oregon to the United States Senate electrified the Republicans, but the Breckenridges doubted it at first. Just before leaving yesterday, Senator Latham planted the first telegraph pole from this point east, assisted by a concourse of citizens. Barrows' telegram concluded with the statement, highly suggestive of the future commercial possibilities of the telegraph, that the steamer _Senator_ would leave San Pedro that evening with three thousand or more boxes of grapes. On October 16th, the steamer _J. T. Wright_, named after the boat-owner and widely advertised as "new, elegant, and fast," arrived at San Pedro, in charge of Captain Robert Haley; and many persons professed to see in her appearance on the scene new hope for beneficial coastwise competition. After three or four trips, however, the steamer was withdrawn.