280 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



district of San Antonio, which borders on the bay of San 

 Antonio, the bay of San Francisco and of San Leandro, 

 from the rich Mexican land-owner, Antonio Peralta, for 

 about ten thousand dollars; thus securing a clear title to 

 the land. 



Chipman wanted to make money, piles of money, and 

 after he had laid out a small part of his possession for 

 garden-produce, he had his property surveyed and cut 

 it into lots of four square acres each, which he put last 

 year in San Francisco, on the real estate market. Though 

 the values in property had already risen considerably in 

 Northern California, the uncertainty and unreliability of 

 land titles, and moreover, the insolence of the squatters, 

 who simply took possession after armed invasion of what- 

 soever ranch would strike their fancy, scared the buyers 

 and Chipman 's speculation failed almost completely, as 

 he could dispose of but very few of his four-acre lots. 

 Etonbleau had the good fortune to secure his sixteen 

 acres at this time for seventy-five dollars an acre. Chip- 

 man saw himself beaten, but resolved to make up for loss 

 of time, and the rapid growth of our neighboring city, 

 Oakland, inspired him anew. He made up his mind to 

 lay out a city. He engaged a surveyor to divide the 

 property into lots of 335x100 feet and to draw plans of 

 various kinds for purposes to suit his imagination. He 

 then chartered the steam-boat "Bonita," to serve as 

 ferry-boat between here and San Francisco for one thou- 

 sand dollars a month, not including fares and freights, 

 and agreeing to supply free fuel. The new city of Ala- 

 meda had thus been forced into existence and lacked 

 only— houses and people. But this part did not worry 

 Chipman. The newspapers of San Francisco commenced 

 now to describe the magnificent, healthful climate and 

 boomed every thing that could be found, or could not be 

 found, in Alameda and did everything to encourage new 

 settlers. In the meantime it was rumored that the great 

 philanthropist Chipman would give away lots, with clear 

 title. This rumor was promptly contradicted and again 

 it appeared until the people of San Francisco had almost 



