The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-28
A PIONEER RELIC.
One of the Oldest Houses in the
City Is Still Intact.
1t was Brought Here in 1S47 and Success.
lively Used as a Po:tofice, Meeting
House and Dwelling.

On the eastern side of Stanford street,
small thOroughfare running from Brannan
to Townsend street, between Second and
Third, is queer shaped structure painted
a dark brown color. One half of it is built
with long sl0ping roof like thai of barn.
The lower story of the other half is sur
mounted by two-Story frame cottage.
1t looks as if the entire structure had
been at one time barn-shaped, and some
one had cut right angular piece out Of the
upper story, aud then taken one Of the
small buildr IS in the vicinity from its
foundation ana moved it into the opening.
The lower part OF the structure is used as
a store-house for scrop-iron, secondhand
boilers and the like, but curtains at the
windows of the cottage attachment betray
the fact that it is a habitation for human
beings.
AN INTERESTING RELIC.
The structure was but recently erected.
New lumber was used in the construction
of the barn-Shaped part of it, but the cot
tage formerly stood on Bryant street, be-
tween Second and Third, where it was also
occupied as a dwelling. There might be
nothing strange in this combination build
ing, especially in district which ab0unds
with all sorts of anam0lieS in the building
line, were it not for the fact that the cottage
has history which but few buildings in the
city can boast of. 1t is in reality one of the
few remaining relies Of pioneer days-''the
days OF AZ.
Adjoining tho place lives John Munro. a
Mexican War veteran and forty-niner.
To CALL reporter yesterday Munro re-
lated the history Of the cottage.
That house" said he, was one of the
first buildings in this city. 1t was brought
IN, ~, MI hi I
ChOO or the Susan Drew, | forget which
justnow.
FoRTY-THREE YEARS OLD.
THE material in it is Eastern pine. and
I'll wager that, although IL Is 43 years OLD
it is as tough and as stout as it was then.
The Government sent it out here in sec
tons, and it probably cost about $4,000
1t was erected on Clay street and Bren-
ham place and given coating OF white
paint, so that it had quite a freSb-l00king
appearance amid the dingy hills and rough
looking buildings. 1t was in turn used as
postoflice, town hall and Westinghouse.
AS postoffice it saw lively times. Every
time the mails arrived from the Atlantic
States, which was about once a month,
there was great excitement.
- In order that there might be no con-
fusion lines were formed from the delivery
windows, at the end OF which applicants
for letters fell in as soon as they arrived.
sometimes men would stand around all
night in the cold and wind in order to be
among the first at the window. The lines
would extend to Kearny, and south to the
tents at Sacramento street. Often $50 would
be paid by persons arriving late for places
near the head of the line. In fact, it was
Just such another scene as we have wit
messed here III later years during an opera
season, only we old pioneers were great
deal more eager to get our letters and pa
pers than any person was to get an opera
ticket.
USED AS A PoLLING-PLACE.
"Another interesting feature in connec-
ton with the house is that it was the first
polling place in the city. There the Con-
stitutional election was held. | remember
well being importuned by Senator Giwn to
vote in favor Of making California slave
State because he knew that | was from
| New Orleans. l did not vote that way,
| however. Several public meetings were
| held in the house and its walls have re-
| echoed the eloquence of pioneer speakers.
| Sunday services were held in it later, and
during week days school Was maintained
| there.
''Finally rs the district around the Plaza
was built up the building became neglected
ana was rented as u dwelling, l think. 1t
was the same size as now, consisting of a
| lower story and half second story, the
slanting roof cutting off part of the ceiling.
1t had porch running along in front
| which has since been removed.
Some time in the tfties the house was
sold and removed to some place in the out
skirts. Since then 1t has changed hands
five times. 1t has been hard finished and
is now the property of II. Moore of the Ris-
don IronWorks. He moved it into its present
position and gets $50 month from its ten.
ants. 1t has six rooms in it and is yet well
preserved. Altogether L guess il has re-
paid its original cost good many times
over"