S&W 2nd Model Schofield .45 / S F. PD. Sand Lot Riot/ 1877 Benecia Arsenal w/HistoryDocument

THIS 2nd MODEL S&W SCHOFIELD, No. 325x IS PART OF THE INTERESTING HISTORY OF SAN FRANCISCO CA IN THE FRONTIER DAYS OF 1877. IT WAS PART OF THE SAND LOT RIOT OF 1877. THE US ECONOMY HAD TAKEN A SOME WHAT DOWN  TURN, AND JOBS CECAME SCARCE. PREVIOUS TO THIS, MANY THOUSANDS OF CHINESE HAD SETTLED IN SAN,FRANCISO. BROUGHT BY THE RAILROAD, AND A BOOMING ECONOMY. IN 1877 JOBS WERE LOST TO A DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY. THE TWO FACTIONS FIGHTING IT OUT FOR PAY AND JOBS AT WORKING LEVELS WERE THE IRISH IMMIGRANTS AND THE CHINESE.  IN JULY OF 1877,  CIVIL UNREST ERUPTED, PROTESTS, SIGN CARRYIG DEMONSRTATIONS  BOTH SIDES SHOUTING THEIR CAUSE ,SOON IT UPGRADED TO STONE AND BRICK THROWING, THEN PUBLIC PROPERTY DESTRUCTION, A HUGE STREET FIGHT, AND THE REAL WORRY FIRE ! SF, WAS A WOODEN TOWN FOR THE MOST PART. THE POLICE DEPT. WAS WAY! OUTNUMBERED AND HAD VERY LITTLE FIRERAMS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AND USE TO SETTLE THE RIOT. THE CROWDS MOVED INTO DOWNTOWN TO A OLD VACANT SAND LOT. THE CHIEF OF POLICE CONTACTED BY TELEGRAM, THEN N IN PERSON THE U.S. ARMY SRSENAL LOCATED VERY CLOSE IN BENECIA. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO ISSUE ARMS TO THE PD. THEY RECEIVED BRAND NEW 2ND MODEL SCHOFIELDS. APPROXIMATELY 300 0R M0ORE WERE GIVEN TO THE PD. ADDITIONALLY, THE CITIZENS SAFETY COMMITTEE OF SF. DEMANDED ARMS, THEY WERE NOT AN OFFICIAL GROUP MORE LIKE A HOME SPUN VIGILANTE GROUP. iT IS NOTED THEY  RECEIVED SOME OLD S&W AMERICAN .44 MODELS FROM OLD STORGAE. PLUS AMMUNITION FOR ALL THE S&W’s. THE CHOFIELDS WERE “RACK” NUMBERED ON THE BACK STRAP, JUST BELOW THE HAMMER SLOT. THEY WERE ALL 3 DIGIT NUMBERS , MOST IN THE 200’S, 300′ , THIS SFPD OFFERED IS THE HIGHEST KNOWN NUMBER OF 426. THE REAL STORY, THE SF PDF NEVER, NEVER RETURNED THE SCHOFIELDS. THEY WERE CARRIED BY THE SF POLICE INTO THE EARLY 1900’S. WHEN IT WAS NOTED THE SCHOFIELDS WERE TOO BIG/LONG BARREL FOR WALKING YOUR BEAT ! AT THIS POINT IT IS NOTED SOME SCHOFIELD’S SHOWED UP FOR SALE IN ARMS STORES IN THE BAY AREA MANY OF THEM EXIST AS 5″ BARRELS, JUST LIKE THE W.F.&CO.SCHOFIELDS. OBVIOUSLY DONE FOR THE . POLICE, MAKING THEM MORE PORTABLE. SERIAL NO. 3250, IS ONE OF THESE. STILL HAS THE US. ON BUTT AND ALL THE FACTORY ADDRESS AND PATENT MARKINGS. PLUS THE 426 RACK MARK, SF PD RIOT ISSUE. ALL PARTS ARE ORIGINAL INCLUDING THE GRIPS, SERIAL NUMBERED TO THE REVOLVER IT IS 100% MECHANICALLY CORRECT IN ALL !! PHASES OF WORKING ACTIONS! A UNIQUE PICE OF SAN,FRANCISCO HISTORY AND THE OLD WEST  ALONG WITH THIS COMES THE MAN AT ARMS ARTICLE BY CAPT. CHARLES PATE, A NOTED ANTIQE ARMS/S&WEXPERT. DETAILING MANY DETAILS AND IMPORTANT POINTS OF THE S.F.PD. SAND LOT SCHOFIELDS.