The herald., 1895-01-01

uAeh DOoub elk0b years Alt6r Gno
Eagles figst visit, when the American
schooner Thaddeus of Boston arrived 10
1873 with q cargo consisting of a
hssls OF everything especially
rum. After dieposing o. por-
tion of har cargo. she sailed down
the coast. preceded by vaqueros, who
rounded up" ths ranchera and notified
them that the vessel WAS corning and
would nnchor az a certain point. A
sailing vessel Was great curiosity; the
variety of goods created even greater
conformation. ana the yankees" were
loo'csd upon as objects OF no small inter-
est. Many had heard of all these, but
lew had seen them: yet there was
general turn out at all points where the
vessel touched, and che exchanged her
entire cargo for one of hides, tallow and
soap, and put back to Boston. Upon
her return the captain purchased
band of horsea, stationed them along
the coast line, and dispatched the SUPER
cargo ahead to notify the people of the
approach of the vessel. The vessel
would stop two or three days at cluster
OF ranches, making esles. and the day
befors sailing, the supercargo would pre-
cede her to the next stepping place.
Often they would remain @ week, or two
weeks, as some delightful neighbol hood,
trading, fessting anu merrymsking with
the native Spanisrds, whose hospitality
and courtesy is proverbial. From three
to six months were consumed in round
trip to San Diego. The rauchers made
no charge for ping the horses, or for
accommodation furnished.
Many of the vessels had warehouses at
San Diego, where they stored their mer.
chsndise while another trip was made
up the coast, and 80 continued until a
cargo wac collected, when the weasel
would leave, TO return the next year.
Vessels sailing to Peruvian ports took
no hides, but traded for soap and tallow.
These vessels also had their warehouses
in San Diego. for the storage OF tallow
and soap until ready to return to Callao.
Commerce in those days of man ana
was carried on in what might be termed
a free-snd-easy manner. On many ar
ticles the duty was 100 per cent, which
practically amounted to confiscation, or
made smuggling necessary in self-de.
tense. The Mexican officials generally
opened the door. Frequently vessels
were permitted to pasH Monterey-the
port of entry-proceed to Yerba Buena,
and after selling as much OF the cargo
ae possible, return to Monterey for en-
try, and dispose of the remainder.
The shippers were not sworn as to the
value of the cargo; they gave fictitious
invoices, and by this means would get
off on the payment of $4,000 on cargo
of $4,000.
1t became 30 customary to swipdle
the government as to scarcely excite
comment-except in casea where goods
were concealed in false lining of the
vessels-and the government officials
were outwitted.
The schooner Rover of Boston,
which arrived in 1928 with cargo of
assorted merchandise, is perhaps the
second pioneer vessel OF modern times.
In 1926 the British mansof-war Bios
som quietly sailed into port, spying out
the Icy of the land and the bay. This
vessel discovered the obstruction in the
bay known as Blossom rock" which
was removed only few years ago.
The year 1881 eeems to have been the
Inauguration OF the commerce OF the
bay. Among the vessels that arrived
that year were the bark Louisa, Capt. /.
@. Jones, of Boston; the ship Alert,
and she Leonidas, formerly the United
States man-of-war Dolphin; also the
Mexican vessels Arecachia, Bolivar,
Librstor and Don Quixote. The latter
was commanded by Cnpt. W. S. Hinck-
ley, who afterwards engaged in ship-
building in San Francisco. Mr.. r. II,
Dana, author of Two Years Before the
Mast, was on the Alert.
The Mexican vessel Leonidas, under
command of Capt. w. A. Richardson.
for whom Richardson bay was named,
was found sailing round the bay after sea
otter in 1858, which were plentiful ss
that time. and yet so valuable as to be
sold at $50 and $40 each. Whalsrs were
very numerous, and frequently thirty or
forty were anchored in tho bay at the
same time. Prior to 1846 peculiar
Mexican customs Law existed. Whslsrs
from Atlantic ports were not required TO
be entered at the custom house, and
could exchange goods to the extent of
$4,000.
At that time there was not an inhsbi-
tant in Yerba Buena: the psople lived
at Presidio and the Mission, and goods
for the ships were brought to them
through the creeks, in launches. Ports.
mouth square. opposite to the Old City
Hall, waa potato patch, surrounded BY
brush fence.
The fret official survey OF the water
front was made in 1886. It included
that portion OF the then city front be.
twsen Montgomery and Dupont. and
Pacific and Sacramento streets, Mont
gomery street being the water line.
There was no wharf. Vessels landed
wherever they saw an opening, and a
chance to uae other craft to pontoon
their cargoes ashore. A boat.house wae
not butt until 1888. 1t was O frame
shanty, IL by l8. and stood rather inse-
curely on the northeast corner of CLAW
and Montgomery streets. There was a
hne fowing spring on the northwest
corner OF those streets, which supplied
the village and sailing craft with fresh
water.
Among the first eastern trading yes-
sells WAS the brig Couroz, from Boston.
ownsd by Capt. Elijah Grimes, and
commanded by Capt. James Bancroft.
She was loaded with dry goods. After
disponing of the cargo she sailed south.
for the purpose of getting q cargo OF sea.
otters. which abounded in San Fran
cisco bay, and on the coast. While en-
gagged in fishing at Santa Barbara, Cap.
tain Bancroft was brutslly murdered by
Indians.
One Of the best early saiors and navigs.
tors in thsse waters was Capt. John Patty.
whose first trip was in the Clarion.
afterwards the California; in 1886.
He commanded several vessels, and in
his time made one hundred trips to
Honolulu. 4
The poI;v.~ - L., 1000 A..~-L.