News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-10-08
THE DAYS OF 40.
She First Steamer ut San Francisco.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.1
$50 that's the old California, is it2"
soliloquised an aged pioneer, standing
on Spear street wharf, the other after
noon, under the bowsprit of a bark
rugged vessel whose battered sides bore
evidence of many years struggle
against wind and wave.
eyes, that's the California" was the
reply from the man in charge of a re-
pairing crew who were replanking the
forward part of the ship. "She was
the first steamer that ever entered this
port. Her boilers were taken out of her
in 1875, and since that time she has
been in the lumber and coal trade, with
an occasional cargo OF -tea-frem Yoke
hama. She's an old-timer, 1 tell you"
1t was ascertained that A. B. Forbes,
the well-known insurance agent, of San
Francisco, knew something concerning
the ancient craft, and to that gentleman
the reporter made application.
81 was purser of the California in
1885," said Mr.. Forbes, reflectively.
''My brother, Cleveland Forbes, who
died in 1857, was her first captain, and
brought her around the Horn. William
Fl. Webb, of New York, was her build
gon, sister ships of the California, all
constructed for the mail service between
Panama, San Francisco and Astoria.
The Oregon was lost in Puget Sound,
about eight years ago, and the Panama
was broken up at this port in 1870. The
California has survived them all, for
besides being one of the stoutest ves-
sells that was ever launched, she has
been one of the luckiest. The Fremont
and the Constitution are often given the
honor of being the oldest vessels now
running into this port, but neither of
them antedates the California. The
Fremont was built in 1850, and the
Constitution did not arrive here until
1861 or later. The California and her
sister ships were built under the super
vision of naval inspectors, it being one
of the conditions of the contract be-
tween the Government and the Mail
Company that they should be so con-
structed as to be capable of carrying
batteries is case of war or any emer-
gency that might arise in those troub-
lous times The California left New
York on October 6, 184S, and was
brought as far as Valparaiso by Captain
Forbes. There the captain became i'll,
and the steamer sailed to San Francisco
under the command of James Marshall.
No one aboard heard the news of the
discovery of gold in California until the
vessel arrived at Valparaiso, and at
Panama they saw the first dust and
witnessed the excitement which had
extended to all the western coast.
Among the passengers were many men
who have since become prominent In the
history or business of the city and State.
Arriving here, everybody aboard, save
the captain and a seaman named Foggin
who was kept from deserving by being
locked up in the cabin-hurried away to
the diggings. Foggin afterward re-
manned aboard on being given the posi-
ton of chief engineer at salary of $500
a month. On her first voyage from this
port to Panama we were under the neces-
sitY of engaging seamen- wages -Eangu-
ing from $500 to $500 month; the
cook, n darkey named George Washing
ton, received $500, and the captain only
$3.50, he being under contract with the
company to receive this salary, which
vas considered high rate of remunera-
ion at the time the California left New
York"