San Diego, California

The Fleet Arrives on the West Coast

San Diego California

April 17, 08

Dear Papa,

"Received your lettersof April fourth and seventh, and also mother's letter.  In addition to these I also received the papers giving an account of the big fire, and other local news.

Our trip up from Magdalena Bay was an uneventful one and last Tuesday we dropped anchor off Coronado Beach which is a peninsula which extens out from the mainland.  To reach town we had to go around the break-water and then into the harbor of San Diego.  I have mailed you papers giving a map which will aid you to grasp the lay of the land."

A card showing the monument between Mexico and California

Was ashore yesterday.  As it is about ten miles to the landing from where the ships are at anchor, we were first taken to the Culgoa and from there takenaroundthe break-water and into the warf.  While I was on the Culgoa I met the lad from Chambersburg.  His name is Dock, says he met you one time while he was home on a furlough, and that you had a talk with him.

There were sixteen-hundred special first class men ashore and everybody conducted themselves in a very good manner.  In retun for this we were treated very cordially by the townspeople and given the freedom of the city.  I with a party of the others took an auto ride.  It cost us fifty-cents apiece and wew saw about allthere ws to be seenof the city.  Every once in a while we would let out a cheer or so, and the people would wave their handkerchieves and flags in return.

This town is of comparitively recent origin and most of the buldings of the commercial district are of concrete construction.  The city is laid out in good shape being named in numbers and letters.  Fifth Street is the business street of the city.  The private residences are not built on a very pretentious scale still they are solid and comfortable, with palm trees and flowers fo all descriptions growing around them.  Lemonade and flowers were given to all the sailors free of charge andtoday all the places of amusement will be throuwn open to the sailors.

Photo Album Published by J. C. Packard

San Diego, California