Stone Pier
Meanwhile, there is now under study a worthwhile project for the city adn its harbor, an improvement that will become a necessity in a few years. This is the construction of a stone pier, a "bulk head," on San Francsico's waterfront facing the bay. This gradiose construction is imperiously needed to prevent the encumbrance of the harbor caused by the mud that accumulates continually all around the city, and for the more than distressing condition of the present piers resting on light, rotten piles, many of which would hardly withstand a strong storm.
Unfortunately, the deplorable financial situation in San Francsico and California and the difficulity of negotiating loans at reasoable rates have so far prevented serious consideration of this project. It is hoped that the new state administration under the healthy influence of reform will concern itself with this project and put it into effect.
Passengers
| Incoming | Outgoing | |
| 1st Quarter | 7,686 | 4,456 |
| 2nd Quarter | 9,915 | 5,982 |
| 3rd Quarter | 5,910 | 5,467 |
| 4th Quarter | 6,119 | 6,842 |
| Totals | 29,630 | 22,747 |
A gain of 6,883 persons is shown, compared with8,861 in the previous year during which 31,759 passengers arrived and 22,898 left. To the credit of the 1855 figure should be added the increase in population from the immigrants coming across the plains. During 1855, few overland trains arrived from the Missouri frontier, while in 1856 the number of people who came across the continent to California is estimated at 5,000 to 6,000. This influx was made up mostly of Germans, Irish, and Americans from the North. French, Spanish, and Italian immigration was next to nothing.
In spite of such increases, the population of the state, which was calculated at about 335,000 in 1853, has remained from that time on more or less stationary. Even making generous allowances, it is very high if the population today reaches the 400,000 figure when one takes into account the great resources of this state which for lack of manpower cannot be utilized. Immence stretches of land are still uncultivated, mines are still unexplored, and numerous industries are neglected.
Federico Biesta's Report to the
Sardinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
