The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-04
WHEELER,S JOBBERY.
How the Republican Candidate for Vice
President Hacked an iniam ous scheme.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: Your
publication % Nr. wheeler's Congressional
record concerning the Goat Island " scheme
OF the Central Pacific Railroad Company sur
prses me greatly | had forgotten IT, as sup
pose many others have but, AS a resident OF
San Francisco since lSJO, should be. AID l am,
well Informed respecting what propose 10
write
We, OF San Francisco, we're astonished and
alarmed at the backing which that Infamous
scheme received In Congress, and never was a
population more united in opposition to a wick
edness. Our newspapers made common cause
against what was denounced a. an attempt OF the
Centr 4 Pacific Railroad Com pany to mouupolize
the commerce OF the port at the risk Of running
the haroor; and, II | understand tue intelli-
gence and temper OF my people, do not be-
leve they would willingly trust Mr.. Wheeler as
Vice President ana as President OF the United
States Senate, with power to form the commit
tees. l think they would quite as soon trust
Senator sargent, who so ANONYMOUSLY misrep-
resented his own constituency ia the Goat Is
land scheme and II the people Of the country
at large understood the grave magnitude of the
scheme IA well us we OF San Francisco, think
he would receive a terrible rebuke IN November.
The topography OF California made Oakland,
as you know, the western terminus of the over
land railroad, which, with its feeders" ira
verses the most important Of our agricultuI al
and mining sections.
Between the Oakland wharf and Goat Island
there is a deep ship channel nearly a mile vide,
and between the channel aud the Oakland shore
are vast Oats, which are partially bare at low
water. A continuous bridge from said shore to
the iHland, such as designed by the railroad
company, would not only cut on the east chan
Del from navigation, but would, ~ was certided
by United States engineers. cause the gradual
ming up OF the fats, thereby decreasing CON
siderably the tidal area Of the bay, and causing
the shoaling ~ the water on the bar at the
mouth Of tue harbor.
Tho opinion Of the engineers was ofhclaly re-
ported to Congress aud the vandalism II OBJ
struoling such shp channel In an important
harbor must he apparent to the dullest mind
II was known, also, that the Government re-
quiTes the island % complete the system Of
national defences designed for that locality.
II was known that the Central Pacific Rail
road Co nplny veTo in possession OF all the
railroad approaches to San Francisco ana OAK
land aud that It controlled steamboat nAVgA-
ton on the rivers.
1t was apparent that the possession OF Goat
Island, with exclusive warehouse and d Oh
privileges, by the railrn0d COMPANY, With the
privilege ofoonnecung It with the man land ~
n bridge, would enable that corporation to
monopoze the greater part Of the dock md
warehouse business OF san Francisco BAY
place our ericultur,l, commercial, and a great
part OF nur mlnins interests under it, soulless
dominion and destroy millions OF read estate
values IN San Francisco alone.
Apart from local eouseq Isnces the national
! cunsid .riuon4 were more than ample to iuAu-
| ence my intelligent and conscientious memoeT
OF Congress. All wero implored to remember
that har0ors arc the r4d'ating centres of civil.
zttion, aud the most sacred OF nation | trusts.
what must we thnk Of Congressman who
| can lend himself 70 their suoliation at the be-
hest aud for the beneat OF a corporation as
william A. Wheeler did1 SAN FRANCESCA.
NEW YORK, Oct 3, 1870.