The San Francisco call., 1898-06-20
ADVOCATE
 4 COAST
 GUN PLANT Leading Citizens Want One in Benicia. BOTH HOUSES PETITIONED CoNGRESSMEN WILL LEND THEIR ASSISTANCE. The Desirability of Establishing Such Works in This State Approved
 by Public Spirited
 Persons.

Effort IS being made by a number of well-known citizens of this State to have the Government establish a gun assem- ping plant at Benicia, and so far the movers Of the project have met with much success
 The representatives of this State in Con- gress are working energetically to have the plan carried out and leading members or the House from other States, appre- ciating the need of such a works in this portion of the country, have notified the committee that they will lend their CO., operation when the matter comes up for hearing.
 The citizens who are advocating the es- tabl1shment of the plant are James w. Kerr, w. l.. Crooks, A. Robinson, Wake field Baker, D. M. Hart, Robert W. Lamb ley and Herbert Kullman, residents of this city, and Benicia. A neatly gotten up petition setting forth the reasons for the need Of such a plant and suggesting Benlcia as the best place has been for Warded to the Senate and Congress.
 An excellent map showing the desira- bil1ty of the location Is appended, and the petition Is signed by leading firms and cit 1zens Of the State. It is in these words:
 We, your petitioners. residents of the State of California. respectfully and earnestly re- quest your support and aid In our endeavors looking to the establishment and equipment by the United States Government of a gun sembling plant for the Pacific Coast. The necessity of such gun assembling plant for urged by your petitioners, that of ali sites on the Pacific Coast. the site at Benicia. Cali fornia, is the one that Is most suitable and best adapted to the establishment of Gov ernmental gun plant for ordnance.
 In order that error may be avoided h the selection Of suitable site, and your petition CTS believing that Benicia, Cal, should be se- lected by the United States site for the establishment of such gun plant, we beg to submit the following
 First-At Benicia the Government already $50 acres of land, all bordering on the waters of CarQunez Straits. and upon this reservation are situated an arsenal and barracks where a garrison of troops Is stationed. Upon the arsenal reservation there several large and substantial structures of brick and stone. all in good condition. Among these buildings are well-equipped machine shop Of two floors 2b0 feet in length and 80 feet in width-a black smith shop sufficiently large to run ten fires being 150 feet in length by SO feet in width and a carpenter shop. 15o feet in length and 300 in width
 Second-The Carquinez Straits are of sufh- cient depth at the lowest tide to afford ample facilities for the dockage and anchorage of the largest war vessel. The proposed site for the gun assembling plant is of easy access for the largest war vessels from San Francisco and
 Thrd-The proposed site fs situated within five miles by water from the United States navy yard at Mare Island, and Is upon the main line of Caltfornia's principal railroad.
 Fourth-The climate of Benicia is healthful and unsurpassed. The fresh water supply is good and abundant
 Fifth-Adjacent to the proposed site excel lent stone suitable for the construction Of the buildings of the gun plant be procured in large quantities and at small cost.
 Sixth-Immediately surrounding the proposed site proving grounds and miles of range affording the best facilities for the testing of the largest guns. The topography of the pro- posed site Is such is well adapted to the mounting of large guns high ground for the purpose of testing them.
 Seventh-Carquinez Straits deep and sufh- cienty narrow to afford ample facilities for protecting the approach to the proposed site in such manner that it would be absolutely safe from attack by foreign enemy.
 Eighth-In 1890 there appointed by the sisting of three very eminent army officers, Major Burlington, United States Ordnance Corps; Major Craighil United States Engineer Corps and Major Dutton, United States Artil- 1ery, whose duty 1t was to examine and report upon the best site for a gun plant upon the ough examination of the various points the Pacific Coast, and after such examination the commission made unanimous report to the Department of War advising that Benicia be selected as the site upon which & gun plant should be established. The report of this con- mission is now on file in the War Department at Washington.
 In view of the fact that the Government of the United States already possesses a site at Benicia suitable for gun plant, and in view of the fact that the proposed site possesses the many great advantages above set forth, and sincerely believing that 1t is an absolute neces- sity that plant should be established on the Pacific Coast to perfect the military plans of the Government of the United States, we. your petitioners, again urgently request that such action be taken will In the future insure the establishment at Benicia by the Government of the United States of gun plant for the assembling, finishing and testing of ordp