The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-19


There points the bay inland having good har-
oors and landings good water, and open 70 the whole
Of the largest class One Of these should be the point
which the future depots should DO established"
Ia lsuer Of the 9th Of April 1919, he shows how
July and minuey the straits Of kaqunez, and the posi-
non OF Beneia had bern examined by himself and other
omcers Of the army and syy, and says;
Ihe straits are about Eve miles long, and from one to
TWO broad Near the lower end the land - bold and high
both sides Between the plat Of this and The up
per end OF the Straits distance Of about mile, large
vessel can be near enough the bank unload several
points and ~ the whole extent by small exp-nes for
wharves The road To the upper Sacrs-
from the southern country here during
sion Of high w0ler when the valley of San Joaquin
lowed and this point has a, all times fee Communication
with all parts Of the territory The objections this place
that there wood the ste whereas the south
side Of the Straits has scsored trees its hills and
there OF fresh Il. The wells however,
furnish much better water is found San Francisco
and as good is generally found from December until
june when the rivers are high AZ low water the water OF
the straits Is fresh we found u perfectly good al the tine"
He repeats that the expsnce Of landing stores az
San Francisco Is enormous and contrasting the two
places, says But there is point entirely covered from
all winds except in the Straits OF Karquinez."
On the 2lst Of May, ls4o, lie writes again from San
Francisco, and says:
"Ths expencs attending the landing and ship
of goods here will BIS obvated by having the depot
moved TO Bencia the Straits of Ksrqunez, where the
general depot Is established
Maior vinon in the report from which the senator has
read dated Both March, 1885, n speaking Of San Francisco
says:
The natural obstacles to successful enlargement and
permanency in commercial view may be pointed out as
consi Sing in its climate the want of permanent points for
landing cagoes the absence of fuel and the lack Of pen
fiIl supply Of wholesome watern The harbor,
hence IL has been very justly represented, excellent
many respects but it is safe during the prev
aence Of the southern gales which sometimes sweep with
great violence through its whole length, and the commune
from the anchorage the shore much obsruced
by mud fa's that is only Mt high tide that commodities
from the shipping can be landed.
s.This object has in tsure, been recently obviated
by the construction Of imperfect and insufficient piers An
incredible waste Of property has been the consequence
vessels feghed with most valuable cagoes have been de-
serted al their anchorage unload which, and depose their
the beach, the high prices of labor has
than the of their freight money The
uartermaser,s department. with all It's resources has
been able escape the evils resulting from such of
the times and although other places yet have not been
found be favorable in respects than San Fran
CISCO there good for making that the site
Of our principal depot Much Of the land on which tho
town is built is held by very questsaabe titles, and the
public reservations made by military liza
Bile TO be disputed at any time TO erect expensive eore
houses and quarters these lands while the difficulty Of
communicating with the shipping is such has been de-
srbed would incur risks and that the good of
the service would and the opportunities for
doing, which existed few months ago, have since been
destroyed by the act Of with without su
Client authority (abont which am not fully Advised
tending permission to certain citizens TO build upon and
occupy for business purposes of the best points
the public reserve Rents are exorbitantly hgh-beyond
parallel in any country. Fuel cannot be obtained at rota
prices for less than fifty dollars per cord, and men
willing for any large supplies Of prospec,vey
lest the prices OF labor throw them out Of
all calcuable profit"
Soon after his arrival in California General Smith esa-
shed the depot suppose under the large discretionary
powers which had bean given him by Mr. Marcy when
he take command Of the division IL will be per-
eeved that he gives good for the selection
ofths place. Rscoect thar he the general commanding
the division. He the officer whose special duty
select the site for depo,s Upon Major Vnton such
duty had BEEN devolve The the Adutant(
ers from which the senator has read was dared in Msrc
sha rsrfh The sbed .,nr,r-
nation communicated in that Mr. Secretary Craw-
ford, long after General Smith, his respon-
sbty had established the post and long after the Secre-
sry OF War had approved is selection. The approval Of
the Secretary Of War dated IN July 1872 The
has read from this report Of Major Vinton, which, far,
be called volunteer report show that the obvious
site made il the duty Of the Depar
Of War disapprove II happened that while running
nv eve over the report comparing with the extract
which he quoted and which is the printed report
Of his speech found very Important omission The part
omitted IS only single sentences but then IL key all
the OF the report IL does merely qualify and limit
the Of what precoi- but entirely oranges view
which imperfect examination Of the report would pre-
sent After describing the geographical advantages Of
Bonca he speaks Of s Typographical disadvantages The
last chiefly the want Of wood and water.
Major Vuton says
" Having in view, then that these two great clements
which invariably firm the frs principles ia making choice
or the residences Of community wanting al this place,
think the defects Of the position made manifest"
So FAR tho read, and FAR his quotation is
ect But he dd not reid the an very important
"Stl it is not clsy to designe my other point which
fee from similar obeeioa; ADD aaje 70 the faults Of
his one show tn d:utei and consequent expenditure
o be enconn,erst IN the Establishment Of d;pots."
When we look therefore. 10 tho whoIe Of Major VIM
ION = testimony, hnJ, that IL tits have any effect at
~ il 70 sustai tho selection Of General Smith. He
shows the great add peculiar geographical advantages Of
Benca and that typographical Disadvantages such
~ prevail elsewhere.
lhe spoke particularly Of a Of water there
being no supposed, only single spring at Bcnca.
General Smith speaks in OF complaint Of the
San Francisco and IN Of commentator 81 the
4 Benca. lie says that the Bsnicia very
rood / have been informed by quariemnser Of the
amy several good springs have been discovered
,bnut Beua Of which upon the ground where the
oubic buildings erected and tho whole Of is, may
De- appropriated the Of the troops find from
report made by Mr. Bomod who appears have been an
appointed for that purpose that they had bored In
order 70 get water by arssisn wells that he had qono
hundred and feet and the only
within forty-,wo feet Of the surface Thus far the
,xDsnments had gone aresian wells would answer.
Then the engineer makes this further statement which
shows artesan wells could be relied upon and that
g. that the geological OF tho country such
10 make il extremely doubtful whether further depth Of
boring would bring tho surface. The there
very much ncinedalmost perpendicnara condition
extremely unfvorabe 10 the passage Of water from distant
pontsp appears therefore, taai the project Of the are
we'll which the thinks ought have been per-
severed in futile and that II there not an ample
supply Of running water General Smith right IN adopt
ing the plan Of cizerns As 10 the price Of wood, Il
enormous San Francisco Major Vfnton states in the
same report that reaed ~ that city At $50 cord
take that the price higher ny Bsnicia past which
great deal of wood goes San Fran