USA > California > A picture of pioneer times in California, illustrated with anecdotes and stores taken from real life > Part 15
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when, soon afterwards, it was burned to the ground, and Peter Smith got the lot the building stood on, in one of his swindling sales of city property. Graham, who owned this property, was a member of the Council, but modestly did not vote on the pur- chase. Frank Tilford was also a member, and refused to vote. Matthew Crooks voted against it and denounced it as a swindle. Every one of the other members-five in number-were directly or indirectly interested in the purchase being made. Where was our saint's voice as he sat in the chair that day? Then came the enormous wharf swindles, when money was voted by the hundred thousand, at a meeting, to build wharves that were never built. Nearly $500,000 was voted away at that time on this pretence, and all the people got in return was three mis- erable bulkheads-one at the foot of Pacific street, one on Market street and one on California street. Not one of these was worthy the name of wharf. Captain Keys was kept under pay all the time, at a salary of a thousand dollars a month, to engineer the construction of these works. This engineering was, of course, a perfect pretence, as none was necessary for the sort of work done. Where was our saint when all this robbing was going on? The truth is, Geary, Brannan, Green, and one or two others, ran the city government in their own interest, from the early part of '49 to the fall of '51, and they all came out of the job rich. Of course, there were outsiders who took a hand with them when it paid them to do so.
But, perhaps, it will be said: " See how Colonel Geary fought Hawes and Justice Colton, when they began to steal the city property, or give it away." And, further, it may be said, " See how boldly Geary fought the Peter Smithites." Yes; he fought both these thieving factions desperately. Hawes he completely beat from the field, and before the other he beat a retreat, after making a good fight. But why did he fight them ? Because these two factions-the Hawes faction and the Peter Smith faction-were rivals of his faction, in stripping the city of her property, and he had to drive them from the field, or quit himself. When the Peter Smithites triumphed, it appeared to Geary that "all in sight " was stolen, in this terrible whole- sale grab of the Smith faction; so he left the State.
But in this Geary did not show his usual foresight; for within the following few years swindles that for magnitude and un- blushing effrontery would compare favorably with even the
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Smith swindle, were successfully carried through. Yes; and up to this very time a handsomely paying business in the swindling line often crops out in the official circles of San Francisco.
It may be asked if the auction sale of city property under the auspices of Geary & Co. were not fairly conducted. I tell you, NO; for there was a villainous fraud practiced on the unsophisti- cated outsiders by the surveyor of this ring. You must recol- lect that, at the time of these sales, the whole city, east of Cali- fornia street, south and west of Kearny street, and north and west of Pacific street, was a confused mass of sandhills and valleys, and that it was impossible by the eye to tell the true location of any of the proposed streets beyond the limits I have named.
Eddy, the surveyor, ran out all the streets by actual survey, and mapped them properly. In making his survey, when he came to where lots were in a favorable location, he put a private mark opposite the numbers of such lots, indicating their appear- ance and probable value. He then made two copies of this map; one intended for the public to see, which had no sort of expla- nation on it. The other copy was carefully noted, so that at a . glance you could tell the sort of location each lot had in refer- ence to the streets, and each lot was especially noted. Thus, " A nice building lot;" " On a high sandhill, covered with oak timber;" " In a nice grass valley;" or, it may be, " Inaccessible, one-half pretty good." And so on, in that way. Geary, Bran- nan, Green, and about twenty or thirty others, had the use of this map, each paying Eddy fifty dollars for the privilege. I, with three or four of my friends, went to one of these auction sales, intending to purchase. We wanted lots, of course, in a good location. We looked at the map, but could not under- stand the location of a single lot, and Eddy refused all infor- mation ; so we did not bid.
After the sale, Eddy, on being paid to do so, went with the purchasers and showed each his lot, and then put down stakes properly numbered, so as to correspond with the number on the map.
When I saw the number put on the lots I had intended to purchase, I went to the Surveyor's office to see who had pur- chased them. I there found that the purchaser was a merchant, a friend of mine. I called on him, and asked him what he would take for these lots I wanted. He said: " Five hundred 10
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each," and I took them at that price, without hesitation. They cost him just twenty-five dollars each. I asked him how on earth he was able to make such good selections, and told him of my inability to recognize the location of a single lot on Eddy's map.
" I would have been in the same fix," said he, " but a friend of mine, who has a way of getting the secrets of the ring that is running the city business, got me a sight at Eddy's private map by paying him (Eddy) $50. This was well laid out, for I have made about $1,400 out of the three lots I have just sold you, and have as many more, just as good, left."
And then, again, the ring owned the auctioneer, and no out- sider's bid was heard, except the lot was not wanted by any member of the ring. Brannan, Green, and many other mem- bers of the Council, contrary to all decency and law, boldly bid in lots at these sales by the dozen.
For this, I refer you to page 239 of the same published proceedings of the Ayuntamiento.
Brannan, on one occasion, tried to have himself appointed auctioneer. (See page 79 of the published proceedings.) But, failing in this, he got, what did him just as well, his partner's brother-in-law, George B. Tyler, appointed. Tyler worked for the city in this capacity of auctioneer just two days. He was altogether unfit for the position, and was a mere tool of the ring. And what do you think did the ring pay him out of the city funds for these two days' work? I refer you to page 153 of same proceedings, and you will find that they paid him the snug little sum of $17,100. Matthew Crooks and one other voted against this swindle.
Where was our saint, Colonel Geary, that day ?
He is recorded as presiding over that meeting, and it is a fact that he used his influence to aid Brannan in having Tyler allowed the enormous pay. But, perhaps, it will be remarked that in the recorded amount of city property sold at auction, no lots appear as bid in by Colonel Geary. Such is the case, un- doubtedly; but it came out afterwards that Geary was one of the largest purchasers at those auction sales, the lots being bid off in the name of one of the Ross brothers and other friends who lent him their names for the purpose.
The authors of the "Annals" say Geary came here "friend- less and a stranger." How is this ? He came here with the
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commission of Postmaster in his pocket. Was that being friendless and a stranger ?
All the rest of us '49ers came here at that time friendless and strangers to each other, without even the commission of Post- master in our pockets to introduce us to the community.
When reading over this memoir of Geary, a '49er cannot help thinking sometimes that the authors intended, by their extrava- gance and absurdity, to ridicule Colonel Geary. Among other absurd, untrue things they tell us of, is their assertion that the child born to Mrs. Geary in April, 1849, was the first male child of purely American parents, that was born in San Francisco after the cession of California to the United States.
The author should have told us what all the other American mothers were about who were here long before Mrs. Geary, to allow this honor to fall to her.
I have reviewed this memoir more extensively than I intended, but my wish is that all should understand what is the true early history of our State ; and, when I place things in a new or dif- ferent light from what you have before viewed them, then I trust you will investigate such points for yourself, and determine how far I am correct in what I tell you. The truth is, Geary sent his family home because he made up his mind to leave the State just as soon as he could make " a stake " to go home with. His whole career here was intensely selfish. He never believed in California. He never liked California. In two years and ten months he amassed a fortune out of his official positions in San Francisco, and then left the State forever. This "Annals" memoir, with its handsome steel engraving of Geary, it is said, was the foundation of his success in politics when he returned East, both with President Lincoln and his fellow citizens of Pennsylvania.
The next memoir is that of Charles J. Brenham, second and fourth Mayor of San Francisco, accompanied by a very good likeness in wood of that gentleman. If the reader inquire, I think he will find that old Californians and '49ers will indorse every word of praise bestowed by the authors of the " Annals " on Captain Brenham. It does us good to recall his memory; he was always so open, frank and generous in his intercourse with his fellow citizens. I have so often been obliged to quote from the " Annals," for the purpose of disproving their position, that it gives pleasure now to quote for the purpose of indorsing what they say :
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" During Mr. Brenham's whole official career not the slightest imputation was ever made impugning the purity of his motives or his strict integrity. He was never interested in any way pecuniarily with any speculation con- nected with the city. He never availed himself of his position for the pur- pose of personal aggrandizement. No one ever has performed, or ever will perform, the duties of an office with more purity of purpose, and with a greater regard for the true interests of the city, than did Mr. Brenham. He
retired from his office without the slightest taint of suspicion."
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" Mr. Brenham held office, and possessed the power of turning his position into a medium of great, though dishonorable gains. It is but just to give him the due meed of praise, and say to him who has justly done his duty to his fellow citizens and himself : 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.' "
No ; Captain Brenham did not go into office poor and come out rich, as others had done. He is now in a far better world, let us hope and believe, and has left to his children the proud, priceless inheritance of an untarnished name.
Next comes the memoir of Stephen R. Harris, third Mayor of San Francisco, accompanied by a woodcut portrait that is not a good likeness, and does him injustice in that respect. The me- moir itself is hardly up in praise to the estimate the Doctor has universally been held in by his fellow citizens in California.
Then comes the memoir of C. K. Garrison, fifth Mayor of San Francisco, with a very good likeness in wood. The memoir con- sists of a little family history, which we suppose in the main to be correct.
Then comes the memoir of Sam Brannan, of whom a very flattering woodcut is given. This memoir, for effrontery and im- pudence, outdoes the memoir of Geary, and for misrepresenta- tion nearly comes up to the Geary story. Brannan's early life shows him to be a bold, daring, reckless man in every position into which he threw himself, whether as leader of the Mormons around Cape Horn, or as doing business for them afterwards in San Francisco and at Sutter's Fort ; or as a member of the Town Council of Sacramento or San Francisco-he exhibited a tyran- nical, overbearing and grasping disposition. He opposed public plunder, and made a great outcry when he was to have no share in its fruits ; but when he was " in," it was quite another mat- ter. He was a prime mover in the famous revenue ordinance business vetoed by Hawes. He was a member of the Ayunta- miento when most of those plundering auction sales of city property were planned and carried through (see page SS of pro- ceedings of City Council), where by four votes he carried through
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the sale of 250 city lots. These votes-the only ones given in favor of that sale-were Brannan, Green, Harris and Post. When the sale came off, Brannan, though a member of the Coun- cil, purchased about sixty of the most valuable lots sold, in com- pany with his partner, Osburn. (See page 236 of the proceed- ings of the Council.) Afterwards, he voted for and carried through appropriations to the amount of some $300,000 to im- prove and bring into market these very lots. (See Hawes' letter to the Assembly of California, on page 247.) Look at page 111, and see the active part he took in the purchase of the Tiffany House. Look at page 79, where he has the modesty to ask to be appointed auctioneer, though a member of the Council. Look at page 153, where he gets his partner's brother-in-law paid that enormous fee for two days' work. Look at page 82, where he made an effort to have us all individually assessed to improve the streets leading to his lately purchased lots. Brannan never would have been so successful in his schemes for self-aggrandize- ment if he had not been actively aided by Talbot H. Green ; for, notwithstanding Green had a hand in every corrupt scheme put on foot, he had an unaccountable personal popularity that defied the opposition of those who saw through the villainy that was every day perpetrated by those who controlled the machinery of the city government. The authors of the " Annals " make a fool- ish mistake in their attempt to dress up Sam as a historic politi- cal saint of '49. The best they could have done for him was to have said nothing about him.
Sam collected large sums of money, in the way of tithes, from his fellow Mormons during the first years of his life in Cali- fornia.
Here is what General Sherman says of him, in his own me- moir, on page 53 :
"I remember that Mr. Clark was in camp talking to Colonel Mason about matters and things generally, when he inquired : 'Governor, what busi- ness has Sam Brannan to collect the tithes here ?' Clark admitted that Brannan was the head of the Mormon Church in California, and he was simply questioning as to Brannan's right, as High Priest, to compel the Mormons to pay him the regular tithes. Colonel Mason answered : 'Bran- nan has a perfect right to collect the tax if you Mormons are fools enough to pay it.' 'Then,' said Clark, ' I, for one, won't pay it any longer.' Colonel Mason added : 'This is public land, and the gold is the property of the United States. All of you here are trespassers ; but, as the Government is benefited by your getting out the gold, I don't intend to interfere.' I un-
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derstood afterwards that, from that time, the payment of the tithes ceased, but Brannan had already collected enough money wherewith to hire Sutter's hospital and to open a store there, in which he made more money than any merchant in California during that Summer and Fall."
It is further told of Sam that Brigham Young, on hearing of these collections, sent to him for the proceeds ; but Sam sent back word to Brigham that he had collected considerable sums of money from the Mormons in the name of the Lord, and that as soon as the Lord called on him for the money he would pay it over ; but that he would hold on to it until the Lord did call.
If this story is true, it shows that Brigham met his match, for once at least, in his deputy, our Sam Brannan. In 1864, the Re- publican party needed money for campaign uses in the Presi- dential contest of that year. This induced them to put Sam, who was then rich, on the electoral ticket. The Democrats hit at some of Sam's supposed failings, by caricaturing him on a transparency in one of their torchlight processions. He was represented as marching to battle against the rebels with a bot- tle of whisky in one hand and a pack of cards in the other, with this inscription: "Sam Brannan's weapons of warfare." The Republicans enjoyed this take-off as much as did the Demo- crats.
Poor Sam; it is said that the Lord did call for that money, after all.
As I will not in this volume again refer, in detail, to the frauds practiced on us in early times, I wish here to say that in my re- view of the memoirs of Geary and Brannan, I did not refer to a hundredth part of the swindles carried through every depart- ment of the city government at that time. What San Francisco '49er can forget the harassing frauds practiced on him while Mr. Dennis McCarthy was Street Superintendent ? It would take a whole chapter to tell you the half of them. Who can forget that cunning ex-office-holder of New York City, Moses G. Lenard, who got a place in the Board of Aldermen on great professions of reform and honesty of purpose, but who took every chance to aggrandize himself, and succeeded in the end in getting sev- enty or eighty thousand dollars for building a bulkhead at the foot of Market street, useless in its character, and not worth ten thousand dollars to build, at the outside? Lenard and McCarthy both left us, with their pockets well filled, to figure, of course, like others of the same way of acting, at annual dinners in the
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Eastern cities, and talk about the heroic pioneer days in Cali- fornia.
The next memoir is that of Captain Folsom. The Captain was known to us '49ers as a cold, austere, unsocial sort of a man ; but we never doubted his fidelity to the Government. His action in the matter of the Leidesdorff estate, and also his action in the sale of Government stores, just after gold-dust began to appear as a circulating medium in California, caused many to bitterly denounce him, though in both cases they may have done him in- justice. I will give the facts as current in San Francisco in 1849, in relation to both these matters, and all can judge of them for themselves : Soon after the discovery of gold, in the fall of '47 or early in '48, provisions and clothing became very scarce, and commanded fabulous prices. The General Government, at that time, had a large amount of clothing and provisions in Cali- fornia, in charge of Captain Folsom. The war was over, so there was no prospect of these stores being needed at any time in the near future. Gov. Mason, then in command in California, ordered the supplies condemned and sold at public sale. Captain Fol- som accordingly advertised them for sale. The day of sale came, and there was a perfect rush of miners and traders from all directions to the place of sale. They came weighed down with bags of gold dust, which they were willing to let go at the value of ten dollars per ounce, when its least true value was sixteen dollars. None had gold coin to offer, for there was hardly any in circulation. Captain Folsom was known to hold a large amount of coin belonging to the United States Government, sent out to pay off the sailors and soldiers, now being discharged. When the sale opened, the auctioneer announced that nothing but gold coin would be received by the Government in payment for the goods offered. This announcement was received with shouts of disapprobation from the whole throng of gold-dust holders; but Captain Folsom remained firm, and it is said that the consequence was that two well-known friends of Fol- som's were the only bidders, as they alone had gold coin to offer. The goods, of course, went for one-tenth their market value, and somebody made an immense thing out of that sale.
The story of Captain Leidesdorff, as related to me soon after his death by an old friend of his, is romantic as well as very sad. Whenever I visit San Francisco, and find myself walking in the street that bears his name, it comes to my memory. If my recol- lection is good, it is about as follows :
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William A. Leidesdorff was a native of one of the West India Islands, and had received a reasonably good education, for which he was indebted to an English planter, who, from some cause, had taken a deep interest in him from his infancy This Eng- lish gentleman had a bachelor brother, who was a wealthy cotton merchant in the city of New Orleans, and to him he sent young Leidesdorff, at the age of twelve years. The boy's close atten- tion to business and prepossessing manners soon won the warm- est esteem of the New Orleans merchant. As years passed on, William became his confidential clerk, and stood closer to him in all his business relations than any other person in his em- ployment. Now comes to the young man news of the death of his Island friend, and of a considerable legacy bequeathed to himself. Leidesdorff was somewhat good-looking, and, as I have said, very prepossessing in his manners. He mingled in the first society in New Orleans, and was a great favorite with all the young ladies of that class. He played the guitar, and ac- companied himself in songs filled with all that sweet, dreamy softness of expression and tone one's fancy always connects with the music of the Sunny South. He now falls desperately in love with a beautiful girl. She is the pride and darling of one of the proudest French families in New Orleans. He thinks he has won favor in her eyes, for she seems so happy when he is near her, and her look never refuses to meet his, no matter how plainly it reveals his feelings of admiration. But Leidesdorff knows he dare not declare his love, for two reasons. The first is, that he has not the wealth to sanction him in asking the daughter of so proud a family to be his wife. The second is a secret he dare not disclose, and yet dare not marry such a girl as Hortense L. without disclosing. The first difficulty is soon removed by a sad event-the death of his sincerely-loved em- ployer, who wills him every dollar of his large property. His great accession of wealth did not in the least lessen the poignancy of Leidesdorff's grief for the loss he had sustained, and for more than a month he goes nowhere, sees no one except on un- avoidable business. He always chose the shade of evening for his necessary walks for health. One evening, about six weeks after the death of his friend, he started out for his usual consti- tutional walk. The moon is out in all her brilliancy, and the evening is beautiful beyond description. Somehow his heart this evening, though sad, is full of thoughts of Hortense L .;
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and, unperceived by himself, his steps lead through the street in which is her beautiful home. He is now before it. It is a large mansion, a little back from the street, surrounded by orna- mental grounds. The front porch is shaded by beautiful climbers of every description, which half hide the front door from view. He stops, hesitates, and cannot pass on. He turns and ascends the marble steps that lead up to the porch. Just as he is about to lay his hand on the silver bell, he is startled by the rustling of a lady's dress. It is Hortense. She advances from a seat that was a favorite one of hers on such evenings, and on which he had often sat with her, while they sang together to the accompaniment of his guitar. This is the first time they have met since the death of his benefactor, and Hortense's father had reported to her the depression and sad state of mind that event had brought on their young friend. In an instant their hands are clasped together, but not a word does either utter; each tries hard to control emotions that so suddenly surprised them. Hortense struggles desperately, for she fears to betray feelings her womanly pride demands should yet remain known only to herself. William struggles to conceal feelings he dare not de- clare openly, as he felt that the terrible secret of his life de- barred him from ever asking Hortense's hand in marriage. But they both failed in the effort and broke down. The result was a wild, passionate declaration of love from Leidesdorff, and an unreserved confession from Hortense that her whole heart was his. For an hour, as they sat in that moon-lit arbor of roses and flowers, the joyous utterances of pent-up love, now overflowing, drove back and drowned every thought that dare approach to shade the happiness that seemed just then so com- plete. Now voices are heard in the hall, and Hortense hears her name called by a merry, light-hearted little sister, who is evidently looking for her. The lovers start from their seat and the dream they are lost in. One passionate exchange of vows of fidelity, and, with a kiss to seal all, Leidesdorff finds himself rushing down the street, he knows not whither, and upbraiding himself in excited terms as a dishonorable man for telling his love before he had told his, now to him, horrid secret. All night he struggled with himself to summon courage to reveal it to Hortense's father the next morning. Yes; he believed he had succeeded, and with brave resolution early next day he ap- proached the counting-house of Mr. L. He was received with
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