The San Francisco call., 1896-05-17
AN OLD HOUSE DOWN
IN MONTEREY,
The First Frame Structure
Erected in California
Still Standing.
WAS IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND
Mrs. Allen Saw 1t Put Together
and Has Resided in 1t
Ever Since.
WAS IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND

"For forty-six years l have lived in this
house" said Mrs. Bushton-AlIen of Mon
terey, land what is more | brought it over
with me from old England.
THAT sounds strange, doesn't it? Well
it was this way. My husband, Mr.. Bush
ton, was grain merchant and lived al
most entirely upon. the seas. He travelled
to many lands. and when he would come
home from trip he always brought me
some rare and curious things from the
various ports that he had visited.
"In time our collection became so large
and valuable that l decided to open a
museum. One day the American Consul
came in to see our collection, and began
talking to him of Anne rica; he told me
wonderful stories OF the gold discoveries
in California, and 1 was fired with ambi-
ton to emigrate to the glorious Golden
West.
when my husband returned | told him
of my desire, but he didn't favor the pro-
iect, and asked me how I would like to
sleep in barrel with my feet outside, and
he said, There are no houses in California
He knew that this would be strong argu-
ment against my going, as 1 had always
lived in comfortable and luxurious house.
81 proposed, however, that we take lum-
Der with us and build q house. This idea
struck him as good one, but instead of
merely taking lumber he improved upon
my suggestion, and had seven houses built
for shipping. Every loist ana every door
and window was carefully numbered and
marked, so that they could be put together
easily.
1--WE placed all of these, with our freight,
upon the Elizabeth Starbuck, with Captain
Parker in command. We were 10 be taken
direct to San Francisco, then the Mecca
to which the whole world was travelling.
after we had been out to sea few days,
the mate warned us that the captain was
a dishonest mariner; that he on several
occasions had sold cargoes and appropria-
ted the money. OF course this made us
uneasy, and never have spent ten months
of such anxiety as | did during that voy-
age.
when we reached the Californian coast
we found that the mates warning was
only too true. The captain refused to
land us at San Francisco, for fear OF being
apprehended. He wanted to land US some
where off the southern coast, and threat
ened to sink the ship if the passengers dis
sented. We were all armed, however, and
there was mutiny on board.
THE captain was placed in irons and
the first mate took command, but, know
ing nothing of this coast, accidentally
landed US in Monterey harbor.
"Our houses were taken off the vessel,
and before many weeks had passed we
were under the roof of the first frame
house ever placed on Californian soil.
ga frame house was a curiosity to the
natives, and even the soldiers stationed in
Monterey came to see the houses and
wanted to rent rooms at any price. My
husband fixed up the other houses, and
we rented even the smallest room for $50 a
month.
''One of the most exciting incidents that
has occurred in my lie happened right
here in this room," continued Mrs. Allen.
as she sat in a long, low-ceiled room
facing the street. alt had been rented by
four young fellows, who had a few days
before come down to the capital from the