In San Francisco in the 1850's, Rick Nelson, wealthy California miner, at the urgent request of his friend, crusading newspaper editor Jim Martin. comes to San Francisco. Nelson takes no interest in being part of a vigilante clean-up of the city until he meets the beautiful Adelaide McCall, a real good friend of crooked politician Andrew Cain. Adelaide falls in love with Nelson, and hi gets quickly involved on politics, love and the establishment of law-and-order on the Barbary Coast...and Nob Hill.