The herald., 1895-01-01

square.rigged vessels stranded in the
harbor, deserted by their crews. who
had ''gone to the diggings." Many OF
the vessels rotted at their moorings
some were used as warehouses for the
storage OF freight, as there were no
warehouses or wharves in those days.
The charges for storage generally were
$40 ton O month. Some of the aban-
doned vessels were used as residences
and boarding houses. The hulk OF the
dismsntled Gnd dismasted Apollo was
converted into persmbulating ealoon
and lodging house, an steered its course
up and down the water front, in search
OF trade. The Mamie was divested OF
it's masts and rigging, and anchored at
the corner OF Clay and San5ome streets,
and used as store. Finally, hotel
wsa bniit over the hull, and the hotel
has ever since borne that name.
One of the notable events OF those
early shipping days was the quick time
of tho Don Qaixote. She made round
trip from Monterey to Honolulu in 30
days-losing four days in port. She
made the trip one wGy in ten days.
The year lS47 was an important one
in the history of San Erancisco's ship,
ping. An erterprsing gentleman, liy-
ing on the hill overlooking Yerba Buena
Telegraph HitN. aud tina bay, estab-
lished . primitive eignsl station, and
when his watchiul eye discernsd sail
entering the Golden Gste he communi-
Gated the fact and the nature of the
craft and cargo, TO the commercial citio
zeus below by meana OF system OF zig
mails.
One fine day hc sighted the Brook
lyn, and to his surprise and Joy beheld
that the deck OF the vessel was covered
with cargo of women. In those daya
women were at premium in California.
His system of signals had not provided
for such an emergency, but he managed
to notify the shippers to look out for
squalls. The commander of this craft
and cargo was Captain and Bishop"
Samuel Brsnnan, who brought out on
vessel which he had chartered in New
York q car 20 OF Mormons.
Another important arrival was the
Thomas II. Perkina, from New York,
in March, lS47 with o detachment of
New York regiment. under ooln mand OF
Colonel Stevenson.
The California about the same time
brought Gen. Persifer F. Smith. com.
mandant of the department. and four
"missionaries'--sold of the Lord.
The Oregon next "heaved to-" bear-
ing John w. Geary. with commission
eH postmaster, who opened the first
postofiics in frame Hhantv on the
southwest corner OF the plaza, which
had been named Portsmouth square,
in honor of thu man-of~war Portsmouth.
This chip conveyed General Montgom-
cry to this port in 1876. at which time
he formally occupied California in the
name of the United STATES. Montgom-
cry streot was SO named in his honor.
In the fell of l84S there ware about
900 vessels anchored in the BAY. They
were of all kinds and from every nation
--civilized, semi-civilizsd and even
savage. There were more ships than
there were houses in the town. The
city in the bay overshadOwed the viii
lage. The first wharf YVES constructed
in 1849 by the Central Wharf company,
taking its name from the Boston Gem
tral wharf. The wharf was located at
the present Commercial street, begin.
ming short distance west of Ssnaome
and extending into the bay 400 feet.
Mellus q Howard, pioneer warehouse
men, acquired the block between Clay.
Sacramento, Ssnsome and Battery
streets, and gave to the wharf company
a strip of land So feet in width. This
largely increased the value OF their own
property. Then tina alcalde OF the town
gave to the wharf company a block OF
land east of this block extending to
Frat street, and OF the width of the
wharf already built. In the year 1850
Colonel Stevenson and Doctor @. w.
Parker gave to the company the strip
extending to Davis street; the town
then gave to the company another strip
of tide land extending to Drumm street.
The wharf extended or "fronted" from
Rincon point (Harrison street) to
Olark's point broadway street), and
so numerous were the arrivals OF ves-
sells during the height Of the gold fever
that there were not enough "berths"
for them all, and vensels laid along side
and discharged their cargoes over the
decks OF others.
The bay was veritable beshive; the
wharfage fees were enormous.
There waa great excitement on the
water front when the Mckim arrived in
the fall OF 1919. with about 500 passen-
gers, after one years voyage from New
Orleans. On the receipt of the discovery
OF gold st the Crescent City, the
old McKim, which veseel had
been used as transport in
the Mexican war and was now ON the
retired list, was loaded for the land of
gold, She carried for ballast brick and
coal which brought good prices ON her
arrival. Being very slow craft and
somewhat the worse for use. much to
the surprise of her crew and many OF
her passengers Hhe finally arrived in
San Francisco. In the Straits OF Magel-
Ian she ran upon some rocks and the
captain informed the panic stricken
passengers that the vessel would soon
90 down and that they might as well
begin to pray. But ''landlubber"
named Swapping Andy" usurped the
captaln's place aud rescued the frail
ship. A few years later che was wrecked
in Monterey bay.
Tha early Vteamers brought cargoss of
any and evcxything, hoping to find q
market, and the consequences was that