Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/418



to the  necessities  of  shipping  or  the  rights  of  other claimants. This custom  led  to  many  fights  along  the city front,  and  numberless  injunctions  and  complaints in the  courts.

Possession was  generally  regarded  the  best  title, and to  obtain  or  hold  possession  a  resort  to  arms  was of daily  occurrence. In acquiring  or  maintaining  title to the  water-lots  of  Yerba  Buena  cove,  the  pile-driver was an  important  agent;  superseding  Irishmen,  it fenced  city  blocks  in  the  bay,  and  if  dispossessed,  fell back upon  strategy  to  maintain  possession. A certain block, for  example,  was  wholly  enclosed  on  three  sides, and on  the  fourth  the  fence  of  piles  was  open  only sufficient to  admit  a  vessel. Just within  this  entrance were stationed  two  store  ships,  green  water-dragons guarding possession,  and  keeping  the  pile-driver  away from what  it  had  with  so  much  difficulty  enclosed. Either the  vessels  must  be  carried  by  a  storming  party, and the  aperture  closed  by  the  pile-driver,  or  they nmst be  cut  loose  and  turned  adrift  in  the  dead  of  the night. In this  instance  both  devices  were  used  and  a long  list  of  fights  and  law- suits  followed.

Hiram Pearson  and  F.  Lawson  were,  on  the  21st of September,  1853,  accused  before  the  recorder  of assault  with  deadly  weapons  while  attempting  to  take possession of  a  water  lot. Pearson was  discharged and Lawson  held  for  trial. The contending  parties, it appears,  had  fought  in  boats,  one  of  which,  an  old hulk called  the  Bethel,  Lawson  scuttled,  intending  to sink  it  on  the  lot  and  so  maintain  possession. Shots were freely  fired  on  both  sides,  and  attempts  made  to throw  each  other  overboard ;  but  no  lives  were  lost.

One Pinkham,  living  in  April  1864  at  the  Potrero, thought to  enrich  his  posterity  by  driving  piles  so  as to  enclose  a  number  of  overflowed  lots  in  front  of  the glass-works. Others caught  the  infection;  lines  of piles  were  driven,  and  lots  enclosed  at  interv^als,  from Potrero point  half  way  to  Steamboat  point,  and  again nearly to  the-  mouth  of  Mission  creek. The desire