doc241 - Schoenherr Home Page in Sunny Chula Vista

That this opinion did not prevail in every quarter, however, is clear. The people of
La Playa were naturally disappointed at losing the wharf and government buildings and
the access of business and population going with them. Old Town was the county seat
and the largest center of wealth and population, but began to fear the loss of that distinction.
This three-cornered fight continued for some years, and it was difficult to
prophesy which would win out. People in other places also had opinions. Thus, the San
Francisco Alta California said in September, 1851: "The establishment of the new town
at the head of the bay was certainly a most disastrous speculation, an immense amount
having been sunk in the operation."
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But the "most unkindest cut of all" was that of Bartlett, who saw the place in February,
1852, and wrote thus: "Three miles south of San Diego is another town near the
shore of the bay, which was surveyed and plotted by Mr. Gray, U. S. surveyor to the
boundary commission, while on duty here.... There is no business to bring vessels here,
except an occasional one with government stores. There is no water nearer than the
San Diego River, three miles distant. Efforts indeed are being made to find it with an artesian
well; but with what success remains to be seen. There is no timber near, and
wood has to be brought some eight or ten miles. Without wood, water, or arable land,
this place can never rise to importance."
At the time of the Indian uprising, late in 1851 and early in 1852, considerable
anxiety was felt for the safety of the government stores at new San Diego, it being suggested
that the depot would be a natural point of attack for the loot-loving savages, and
the number of regular troops being small. Levi M. Slack was one of the victims of the
massacre at Warner's ranch. Mr. Morse was absent in Massachusetts at the time and
their store remained closed until his return, in May, 1852. It does not appear that the uprising
had any lasting effect upon the new settlement.
About this time there was a considerable settlement at new San Diego of immigrants
who came by the Southern route, by way of El Paso and Yuma. At Warner's
ranch they divided, part going to Los Angeles and part coming here. In October, 1887,
while some laborers were digging a culvert on B Street between 7th and 8th, they found
an old, forgotten graveyard and removed five coffins which were reinterred in the cemetery.
E. W. Morse was of the opinion that these were graves of members of this party of
immigrants, eight of whom died while they were here. He appeared not to know what
had become of these people, and it has been found impossible to ascertain who they
were or what became of them. The best opinion appears to be that they were a party of
gold hunters who, after remaining long enough to recruit, went on to the northern diggings
overland or by ship.
Strange as it may seem to us in view of what has since happened, the new San
Diego of Gray and Davis, in spite of the natural advantage of its site and the improvements
which gave it the benefit of shipping facilities and government headquarters,
could not hold its own in the struggle for supremacy with old San Diego. Early in 1853,
less than two years after the completion of the wharf, E. W. Morse and the Herald establishment
had removed to the Old Town of the Spanish fathers. There is no doubt that
this marks the date when the tide turned definitely away from the new undertaking,
though there was a