The morning call., 1893-09-18

explorations to be buried at its foot.
The table-land in its vicinity was at the
same time chosen by Colonel ANA as the
site for the PresidiO.
1t was not until 1913 that the soldiers
and natives began the erection OF q fort
where Fort Point now stands. 1t was
named Fort San Joaquin. The year pre-
vOus the harbor was visited by Van
cOuver, the renowned English navigator.
He was saluted by brass three e-pounder
lashed TO log at Fort San Joaquin. A
similar gun was mounted on rotten car
riage in front of the Presidio. The fort
was dedicated in DeceiL Der, 1894
Eight guns. all brass Founders.
were mounted. In 1896 more guns were
placed In the FORT A significant fact show
Ing that no large siege guns we're then in
the fort is that Engineer Cordoba about
that time reported to the Government at
Madrid that the defences at Fort San
Joaquin we're totally inadequate for the
protection of the port, as only two of the
guns could send ball across the entrance
to the bay. Accordingly in the following
year Q797) another battery with five eight
Founders was erected on Point Medanos,
subsequently known as Point San Jose
and now designated in official reports as
Fort Mason. In the year referred to the
battery bore the name of Yerba Buena.
which in turn was given to the little settle
ment hard by, known now throughout the
civilized world as San Francisco.
1t is on record that Fort San Joaquin
was reconstructed in 1916. 1t was prob
ably about this period of time that the
siege gun, now exposed TO public view at
the PresidiO, was mounted at the old Span
ish fort. No mention is made anywhere
in the annals of the post of any heavy
ordnance until the American occupation
thirtyfyears later. The day that Captain
Montgomery of the sloop-of-war Ports
mouth landed with file of marines and
hoisted the American flag at the rlaza,
July, 8, 1876, the male residents of Yerba
Buena enrolled themselves as a military
company. There were thirty-two of them,
and they selected for their officers Lieu
tenants Watson and Missroon. With por-
ton of this company the last-named officer
marched across the sHndhiils to the Preside
and fort. which they found dilapidated a d
abandoned. At the Presidio they found
three old Spanish brass or bronze pieces,
and in the fort three long iron 42-pounders
and four smaller guns, all spiked aud living
exposed TO the weather.
General Graham's curio is undoubtedly
one of the three big iron guns seen by
Lieutenant MissroOn's little army of oecu-
patton.
In 1S49, however, when General Benne
Riley of the United States army assumed
command at San Francisco the Presidio
underwent repairs and some thirty-two-
Founders and eght-inch howiiZers were
mounted on the old Fort San Joaquin.
A few years before the War of the Re-
bellion Fort San Joaquin was demolished.
Not trace oft is left to-day. The ground
was leveled off and in 1854 Fort Point was
erected at a cost of over S., coo OOO Enough
bricks were used in it's construction to
build another structure the size of the
Palace Hotel. The walls are more than
six feet in width. The fort presents a face
OF four tiers of guns. 1t mounts 164 guns
and when completed was considered the
best fortification of its kind i'm the United
States. To-day it is absolutely useless. A
she'll from heavy gun OF a modern BATTLE
ship striking 1t would knock its walls into
brickbat dust. The earth works on the
high ground Immediately behind the fort
are considered the only reliable defensive
works on the south side oftthe channel.
Fort Point was not occupied till Febru-
airy. 1861. when 160 artillerymen were
brought down from Fort Vancouver and
stationed there. In 1867 the War Depart
ment had under serious consideration the
plan OF establishing an engineering school
of practice at Fort Point. At one time an
engineer company was actually under
orders TO proceed to this coast. but the
order was countermanded. This was one
| of General Halleck's pet ideas. He was
at the time in command of the Military
Division of the Pacific.
! In 1883 orders were issued by the War
/ DepdTtnrnt cuaURlDg the name from Fort
Point to Fort Winfield Scott. At the same
time it was directed that Point San ose
| be known hereafter as Fort Mason.
| To-day Fort Winfield Scott is about as
\ desolate place as there is on the penin-
sula. All the 164 guns are, however, still
there peepiDg through the embrasures.
The only tenants are few families of en-
| listed men who are connected with the
Presidio garrison. Their quarters are
dark, damp and dismal. but they are the
best that can be found outside the Presi.
dio, where landlords are unknown. The
commanding officer at the fort is changed
every morning. His rank is only that ol
sergeant of artillery and his meals are
| brought to him on mulecart.
There are three iron flights of stairway
to be climbed before the parapets are
reached. Here the visitor will be sur
prised to find the floors turfed and Califor
MIA poppies and other wild flowers luxuri-
antly growing. IL would be a delightful
place for a picnic. The view OF ocean
bav and beadland from this eminence II