OAKLAND, the seat of justice of Alameda co., Cal., on the e. shore of San Francisco bay, terminus of the Central Pacific railroad, 7 m. e. of San Francisco; pop. '75, 22,000. The city takes its name from 21 grove of majestic evergreen oaks, in which it was first built ; but beyond which it now extends. It is a favorite residence for the merchants of San Francisco, and has many drives, fine scenery and a healthy climate. It is governed by a mayor and city council, has a paid fire and police department; is supplied with water from a stream five in. distant, and with gas. San Antonio creek, on the s. front, forms a harbor for the city, but a bar at its mouth obstructs the passage of large vessels at low tide. A pier runs along the w. water front, which is shallow, a distance of 2 in. into the bay; on it are warehouses, three docks, a carriage way, and the rails of the Cen tral Pacific railroad, which connects with the ferry for San Francisco, The city has street railroads, two libraries, graded schools. academies, and educational, benevolent,
and horticultural societies; numerous incorporated companies with large capital; manu factories of wind mills and carriages, planing, quartz, and flour mills; cordage and jute factories, the last producing 5,000,000 sacks annually; marble, iron, smelting and metal lurgical works; and daily, weekly, and monthly periodicals. It was incorporated as a city in 1854.
OArUM, a tangled mass of tarred hempen fibers, is made from old rope by untwist ing the strands and rubbing the fibers free from each other. Its principal use is in caulk ing (q.v.) the seams between planks, the space round rivets, bolts, etc., for the purpose of preventing water from penetrating.