1912] Ritter: The Marine Biological Station of San Diego 161 
The land is situated in the extreme northern portion of the city, 
several of the ‘pueblos’’ fronting on the ocean. The southern- 
most of these water-front pueblos is about two miles from the 
northern confines of the village of La Jolla and another quarter 
of a mile from the nearest railroad service. Mr. Seripps’ plan 
was to secure this pueblo ‘‘No. 1289,” consisting of nearly one 
hundred and seventy acres, as a site for the station. The tract 
has an ocean front of approximately one-half mile, of which 
about one-third is available for any buildings, piers, breakwaters 
and so forth, that the station might need. The remainder of 
the frontage being a sheer cliff of from fifty to two hundred feet 
could not be used as a site for station buildings proper, but a 
considerable area of rocky shore at the foot, including a fine 
trap-dyke reef, would be a valuable asset as a collecting ground 
and as a source of rock for building purposes. 
In spite of the obvious difficulties that would attach to such 
a situation because of distance from sources of supply of both 
domestic and laboratory materials, after much deliberation it 
was resolved to take the step, provided the land could be secured. 
The city authorities were found to be well disposed toward the 
station, as indeed they had been at all times when occasion had 
arisen to seek aid from them. Willingness was expressed to give 
the tract to the association could this be done under the law. 
Since no way of alienating the land was allowed by the city 
charter other than by selling it at public auction to the highest 
bidder, such an auction was arranged for by the city council, 
the understanding being that a bid by the Biological Association 
at a nominal figure would be acceptable to the city. This course 
could be legitimately taken because of the right of the munici- 
pality to reject all bids. The project having been well discussed 
before the city council, in the newspapers, and with the dealers 
in real estate, very generously no bidders other than the associ- 
ation appeared at the auction. Thus this fine tract of land came 
into possession of the association nominally for $1000, but with 
the understanding that Miss Seripps would expend $10,000 in 
building a public roadway through this land and other lands 
belonging to the city. The deed of trust is without restriction, 
the city officials placing full confidence in the association for the 
