Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-06-21
\ Record of Long Ago.

>ig1t. ..' that il sometimes hap
pra, Wa recently demonstrated by
an .nanticipated find in a block Of
forgotten quarry granite, which
hsi laid seven years in the Cypress
Lawn yards of a firm of monument
builders III San Francisco, from
which q leaden box filed with his
.oric documents was taken that had
been placed in the old custom house
cornerstone, which held precious doc
uments and papers that tell OF pio-
neer times.
The leaden box was the receptacle
in which were stored, al the time the
cornerstone was laid in San Fran
CISCO. on January 20. 1880, such writ
ten or printed papers as were avail
able at that rongh-and-ready period
in the history OF that city and Cali
fornia.
Only by merest accident have the
precious contents of this cornerstone
been saved to TIE people OF San
Francisco and California.
Seven years ago, when the custom
house, which for half a century had
entered and cleared the commerce OF
all nations, was torn down to make
room for the new custom house all
the stone was sold for profit to a
dealer in such commodities.
The stone was of Quincy marble
from the famous quarries at Quincy.
Mass, out OF which the Bunker Hill
monument was built, and had been
brought to San Francisco by sailing
vessels which came around the Horn.
1t was lately sold, out OF which to
make grave-markers.
In this lot of granite blocks was
the cornerstone with the leaden
treasure box cemented in its hollow
center.
Fortunately the workmen in pur-
suance of the work of cutting out
grave-markers, selected the famous
cornerstone. 1t was split in two.
and as the halves of the block fell
apart, the leaden casket was revealed.
When opened the revelation would
have delighted the eyes Of any ar
chaeologist. The casket was crammed
full OF newspapers, government docu-
ments, written papers, every one oil
which was more than 81 years old.
And right on top OF the heap care
fully wrapped in tissue paper, was a
finely engraved plate fashioned from
the virgin silver of California. The
plate rested on a copy of the San
Francisco city directory of 1854. On
the diverse side of the plate was the
following inscription:
Custom House, City of San Fran.
cisco, State of California. Erected
A. D., 1855. President of the Unit.
ed States, Franklin H. Pierce OF N
H. Secretary of the Treasury, James
Guthrie of Ky. Commissioners to
superintend the construction of the
building, Richard P. Hammond, Col
lector; Samuel J. Bridge, Appraiser
General; Joseph McKibben. Archi
tect, Gridley S. F. Bryant of Bos-
ton. experimenting architect, Maj.
z. B. Towey, U. S. Army. Contrac
tors, Henry B. Truett, James S
Smiley. This cornerstone was laid
on the Goth day of January. A. D..
1855. by Samuel J. Bridge, one o.
the Commissioners"
The reverse side of the plate bore
a list OF the custom officers anG
among the other historic documents
we're blank State Controllers war
rant of California and q letter signed
by Thomas O. Larkin, written espec
tally to be deposited in the corner
stone casket and containing stats.
tics of the customs business oil
Aduana Martina" the Spanish
customs house at Monterey, during
the years 1889 1916.
There was also q printed copy oil
the speech of United States Senator
William Gwin of California on the
Pacific Railroad, delivered in the
United States Senate, April 10, 1854.
In the casket also was copy of the
California State Almanac and Annual
Register, a sort of grandfather to the
present day California Blue Book.
In addition there was copy of the
printed report of the board of trus-
tees Of the Roman Catholic Orphan
Asylum, dated August 6, 1854. The
report referred to the cholera plague
which swept San Francisco during
1850, and rendered many children
parentless. The orphan asylum then
stood On the present site of the
Palace Hotel and was conducted by
sisters of charity, who came all
the way from Maryland by steamship
to engage in the work.
Beyond this there was copy OF a
speech by Daniel Webster and a copy
of the message OF President Pierce
to Congress, dated March ], 1854.
And last there was a truly
prophetic document prepared by
William J. Lewis, chief engineer OF
the Pacific and Atlantic Railroad
Company, corporation that pro-
posed to build a railroad from San
Francisco to San Jose. Lewis re-
wort nro,-iIod for q linz IF wood