The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-09-16

| line from havana 10 Onagres- Inen &C
/ was to take the mails across the
Isthmus and TO Oregon, my bill was
therefore framed accordingly, cover
ing the Pacific route. All these bills,
namely: Collins. Sloo's and my own,
were passed on the last day of the ses-
sion of 1876, but by some hocus pocus
which / could never understand my
name was left out Of the engrossed
bill, and the secretary of the navy
decided that he must advertise for
proposals, he accordingly advertised
for bids to carry the mail twice q
month from Panama to Astoria, touch
ing at Realigo in Ceutral America,
Mazatlan and Monterey, in Mexico.
There was no such place as San Fran
cisco at that time. put in bid of
$500. 900 per annum for sideWheel
steamers, and an associate bid of
Sl50, 900 per annum for propellers.
One Arnold Harris blundered into q
bid of $500, 900, these were the only
bids; the contracts were awarded to
my associate, who had bid $3.50, 900,
but with such conditions not embrac-
ed in the advertisement as rendered it
wholly inadmissable, and the bid was
Withdrawn, the secretary refusing to
modify the extraordinary require
ments. The contract was immediate
ly awarded 10 k-rris as the next low
est bidder. Harris haWked his con-
tract about New York for several
months; but little was known about
the proposed route, and responsible
men manifested no great confidence
in the enterprise. General Armstrong
our consul at Liverpool, and a rela-
tive of Harris, now appeared and in
duced William Fl. Aspinwall to take
the matter into consideration. BY
the terms OF the advertisement
the person to whom the con-
tract might be awarded was
required to give security for its
performance within thirty days, more
than six months had now passed, and
not the first step had been taken to-
ward carrying out the contract.
Under the circumstances / took the
persons who we're interested with me,
and who were ready to give the re-
quired security, to Washington, and
made formal demand upon Secretary
Mason that the contract should be
awarded TO me; this had the effect oi
taking Aspinwall, Armstrong and
Harris to Washington, and of obtain
ing important concessions from the
secretary of war, and changing Tho
whole scope of the contract. Aspin
wall then assumed the contract fol
Harris. After ali this there was Z
legal contest between the several per
sons mentioned; but as this law suit
IS not historically important l say
nothing about it.
The Pacific Mail Steamship con
tract, AS finally taken by Aspinwal
called for three side-wheel steamers,
the first OF which should sail for the
Pacific in October, lS4S. The Calitor
MA was the first steamer completed
and she sailed at the stipulated time
The Oregon followed, and lastly tht
Panama. The news Of the discovery
of gold III California reached New
York in December, 164S, nearly tive
months after the steamship California
had sailed for the Pacific, and tn,
first steamer outside the Pacific mai
line sailed from New York for tn,
Isthmus on the 23d day Of December
l54S. / was one Of the passengers
We arrived in Panama a few days be
fore the steamer alJornid, which haC
doubled the Horn; with six hundre,
Others, took passage in her, and W
reached San Francisco on the 23th q
February, 1S49. 1t is scarcely neces
sary to say that the Pacific Mai
steamships were built and dis
patched to the Pacific just in season T.
take the first rush OF passengers +
California. The business which III.
line has since transacted, and its diVi
dends are unparalleled.
have now described the remark
able elimination of events anteceden
to the discovery OF gold IN California
which had so important bearing o.
the developments OF the great dis
cOvery. But it must be borne i
mind that any knowledge or belle
that precious metals existed an
might be found in California had n
part in the auspiciOus events to whicl
L have drawn your attention.
, Notice to Mariners.