Reminiscences of Early Days in San Francisco [pp. 275-283]

Reminiscences of Early Days in San Franczsco.
REMINISCENCES OF EARLY DAYS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
As late as the spring of 1835 no habita tion had yet been built where the city of San
Francisco now stands. Few Americans had
ever visited the place, and these came in
trading vessels, which only occasionally and
sometimes at intervals of many days found
entrance into the beautiful harbor. Leaving
part of their crew to guard their vessels these
traders would visit the fort at the Presidio,
or push inland to the Mission Dolores and
the interior to purchase hides and wool. No
steamer had ever ploughed these waters.
The seals that now haunt the rocks at the Cliff
House roamed unmolested from Fort Point
to Telegraph Hill. The coyote held undis puted possession of the sand dunes that
extended from the Presidio to North Beach.
The waters of the bay washed the shore as
far inland as Montgomery Street in some
places. The population of California at this
period was 23,000, only 4,000 of whom were
whites, and the rest Indians.
In the year i835 Captain \V. A. Richard son put up a shanty in Yerba Buena as
we shall have to call San Francisco until Jan uary 30, I1847, when Washington Bartlett
(not the late governor, but a lieutenant in
the navy, afterwards conspicuous as the
father of the heroine of the diamond wed ding in New York) first officially announced
as alcade the change in name from Yerba
Buena to San Francisco.'
1 AN ORDINANCE.
\Whereas, the local name of Yerba Buena, as applied
to the settlement or town of San Francisco, is unknown
beyond the district; and has been applied from the
local name of the cove on which the town is built;
therefore to prevent confusion and mistakes in public
documents, and that the town may hasve the advantage
of the name gisen on the public map;
It is hereby ordained that the name of San Francisco
shall hereafter be used in all official communications and
public documents, or records appertaining to the town.
WASH. A. BARTLFTT,
Chief Magistrate.
Published by order.
J. G. T. DUNLEAVY,
Municipal Clerk.
This shanty of Captain Richardson's was
the only human habitation in what is now
San Francisco, and was the first house ever
erected here. Its site is on the west side of
Kearny Street, between Clay and Washing ton Streets. Jacob P. Leese, a pioneer of
i833, took up his residence in Yerba Buena
in 1836, celebrating the completion of his
house on the 4th of July of that year by a
grand party and ball. The site of his house
is on the southwest corner of Dupont and
Clay Streets.
On April [5th, 1838, the first child, Ros alie Leese, was born in Yerba Buena.
Mr. Leese bought from the Hudson Bay
Company the first piece of land deeded to
an American in Yerba Buena. It was situ ated on the southwest corner of Commercial
and Montgomery Streets, and the brick build ing erected thereon stood the terrible con flagration of May 4th, i85I. It was Dur chased by James King of William, and his
banking-house was located thereon. The
first brick pavement ever put down in San
Francisco was in front of this bank. Mr.
Leese also bought the lot where the Lick
House now stands for thirty-two dollars, in
i839. Lots twenty-five by one hundred feet
were then selling for twenty-five dollars.
In this year Governor Alvarado sent an
order to Francisco Haro, who was then
alcalde of San Francisco, to have a survey
taken of the plain and cove of Yerba Buena.
Captain Juan Vioget, in the fall of that year,
made the first regular survey of the place,
which included that part of the present city
that is bounded by Pacific Street on the
north, Sacramento Street on the south,
Montgomery Street on the east, and Dupont
Street on the west.
The records show that as late as February,
i839, there was no jail at Yerba Buena.
A census taken in I842 showed the population for the jurisdiction of San Francisco,
which included the Mission Dolores, Pre
1888.]
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