Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-03-17
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
SAY DIEGO, Gallo mia, Jan. rs, 1870.

| tuc DAY vi Dan Dlc3O Is lIDL-l the SOutu
east, the line ofthe coast here, being near.
IL east and west. The Bay somewhat re
sembles the letter AZ only a good deal
Jagged with the hook turned the wrong
way. Entering the harbor from sup the
coast the vessel goes around a high
point OF land, where stands tie lighthouse.
and then turning completely TO the left
steams or sails to the right in a semi-circle
8 or 10 miles, up to the whsrves az New
San Diego. Tie channel is wide and
deep enough for any vessel that floats ;
and 1000 large ships could all find safe an
chorage at one time In the harbor
The tongue of land between the bay and
the ocean is from to 80 feet high. and
from the towers in the bay the broad Pa
cific, here and there dotted with islands
Is to 90 miles distant. can always be seen.
There are 10 fogs here WORTHY the name
On the opposite side Of tie bay, The ground
rises gently from the waters edge, for !,
from 100 yards, TO miles, to low hills
and table lands.
THE TOWNS.
San Diego proper or "old town." is en-
old Mexican place of historical fame.
This town, six VI eight miles from the
lighthouse, just above the San Diego river.
containing population Of perhaps 400
Mexicans, Indians, and few Americans /:
and is said to be 100 years of age. The
old houses adobe or Of sunburLt bricks,
anG are covered with tiles or matched
Some of the buildings are modern aud are
good enough for any small town. The
streets are very narrow. The square, or
plaza, in the center of the town has moth.
ing in 1t except an old I2 pound brass
cannon, carved and marked indicating
that il was made in Spain 10 the year 49,.
This relic of olden times Is mounted Cd
a wooden axle and wooden wheels
Around the fellocs are strips of iron rusk
that are IS tires On bill a few hu ndred
yards north are the remains of entreEch-
ments, thrown up one night by Stockton,
4
lin A fiock of rams (not batting ran:s),
seemed to have entire, undistu. bed pos
session.
Three miles and half above is Horton
addition, or New Sau Diego, now known
as New Town. Some two years ago Mr..
Horton bought large trac. Of Ian d, inclu.
! ntr of on hff.h 4, L..
giving therefor about $500, or about thirty
cents per acre. Il year ago there was moi
a dozen houses on his land, now there arc
not less than 500. At one time more than
five hundred carpenters were at work
Many of the houses are mere shells. Some
OF them must have cost $1,000. There arr
moro business houses here. than Plymouth
cont aims, aud much like The wooder
ranges there. Except on our square they
are not compactly built /; and many O
them are not half finished. Five or six o
the business houses are of brick, nearly vi
two stories high, and present fine ap
pearance. Mr.. Horton is now building
two story brick hotel, with front CT eo'
, feet, and the center runs back more thar
100 feet. The cost will be $4,000. III
intends to cover the entire square-soo b.
500 feet-wIth this hotel, eventually. Tn
strangest thing about this brick house. an
another already mp, is that the brick wall
are only four inches thick, and are Gale
earthquake trails IN San Francisco, O
account of their great strength. A. bricl
foundation of the usual thickness is lai
= upon the ground to any decent hight, an
then balloon frame is put mp, resting o
the inner edge. The outside brick wall
then laid up eight or ten inches, whe
: large spike nails are driven into the stud
l ding close TO the top hicks, then nick lay
ing and spike driving is repeated until th
e required heighth is reached. The me-
+ Court House and jail are soon to be CON
menced- The plan OF Mr.. Goodrich ,
San Jose. having been adopted. III
squares are 200x30o feet. containing twels
: lots. six ON side. COX 100 feet. There al
n no alleys, heing laid out as in San Fra
J. cisco. The streets are n. & S., and T.
i W., and are so feet wide. No preiii,
town or city site can be found anywhere
The descent south toward th bay is ju
enough To run the water off (above the
5 is net any. and the soil Is sandy. Fro
a any part of the town, the bay, peninsul
O ocean and Islands can be seen TO the sout
r to the westward is the high ground whe
Sits the lighthouse, and farther up Il
coast line, through False Bays lockir
over the old town, again can be seon Il
s Pacific, whilst on the east, distant -
s 80 miles mountain ranges and peaks are
f plain view. Appointment mountain, know
as table mountain, 20 or % miles to Il
seuth. is pointed to as something that is
" Mexico. a
u National city il an entirely embryo cit
IL some four miles further up the bay al
q contains some fifty houses. Here Il
e. Memphis. Ell Paso and San Diego r. +
>, has agreed to erect shops. etc. Al u
head of the bay another monument ci
has been conceived
The harbor 10 beyond doubt one Of d
very best in the world, aud is accessible
II any floating craft at all simes- Rocks Al
N, .xs ,y,-srrctionc sre NH rs,<rv = Or