The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 4, 1895, Page 6

THE SAN ANCISCO CALL, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1895. CHARLES M. SHORTRIDGE, Editor and Proprietor. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: DAILY CALL—#6 per year by mail;-by carrier, 15¢ per week. SUNDAY CALL—$1.50 per year. EKLY CALL—#1.50 per year. ern office of the SAN FRANCISCO y); Pacific States Adver- der. building, Rose and APRIL 4, 1895 The peopleé will win. desperate. The monopoly Buildozing cannot stop competition. The Grand Jury has lots of game ahead. Lawless methods are doomed to failure. | Sign the Carr pledge and never mind | the six-shooter. The'lawful revolution is too big for the lawless revolver. bulldozers had better The monopo shoot their guns: Stockton leads trumps and San Jose will have to follow suit. Santa Rosa. is trying to make herself | wholly roses for.a time. i Hanford talks business as if she meant it and intends to have it. Progress has too much headway on it to be stopped by footpad methods. Honest. workmen on the streets must be protected from-corporation bullies, If bulldozing with pistols is not punished, | it will soon be'a game more than one will | play at. Get the WeekLY CarL that appears this | morning and post yourself on Pacific Coast | industries. Men who invest in lottery tickets hardly ever have money enough to pay their grocery: bills. Public indignation against lawless vio- lence can be expressed neither too often nor too firmly. Notwithstanding the report that Gresham will stick, thé country will continue to be- lieve he is stuck. It appears that norie but Democrats met in‘the Eastern elections; the Popu- were not in i The goldbugs say the rise in silver is a speculation, but the people will consider it good business. The foolish man buys a lottery ticket, but the man with business sense takes stock in the competing road. Reformers who have done so much talk- ing should not. lose the presént oppor- tunity to show themselves in action. | What is the moral difference between helding up a train with a rifie and stop- ping work on a railroad with a pistol? If you have not yet subscribed to the stock of the San Joaquin réad do so to-day, and help to make a big record for the week. Perhaps the Southern Pacific will send Superintendent Harris to Stockton to stop the San Joaquin road with his big re- volvet. . The ‘spring elections in the East show that the Republican success last fall was an upheaval of solid ground and not a mere tiddl wave. ‘ Even the monopoly shows signs of join- ing. the popular. procession, for it has .agreed to reduce freight rates on refriger- ated fruits. 2 Never was there a better time for reform movements than right now, and never a better subject for investigation than the street-paving job. e ‘Whatever may bé the legal phrase for the bituminous rock job in. the Board of Sup- ervisors, in the litéral’ meaning of the words it was highway robbery. It is evident the octopus can work one of its tentacles like'a sneak thief and an- other like a footpad, while the rest are reaching out for all the law in sight. The attempt of the monopoly to block Banta Clara Valley against & competing road will be as ‘futile as the attempt to block all the streets of San Francisco. Tf it had been a poor man who threat- ened Superintendent Harris with a re- volver, there would havé been an awful difference in the court in the morning. The business office of the Cary will be found ‘this motning and hereafter at. 710 Market street, opposite the junction with Third street. - Call théere and leave orders. ‘When ‘the fiestas. blossom .out in the south San Francisco will have many a rep- resentative to dance among the roses and talk to the southern beauties of the delight of living in a'united State. Suppose one of the strike leaders had endeavored to stop workmen on the Southern Pacific road by threatening them with a revolver, would the courts havé let him go on a $40 bail? The people have four brainy, brave and incorruptible representatives on the Board of Supervisors..and if the Mayor stands firmly with them the rascals on the board will be powerless to plunder the City. Several Eastern cities have followed the example of Boston in substituting paper in place of slatesin the public schools, and the time is evidently’ coming when the phrase, “Put it on the slate,” will be lost to the world. 3 Bear in mind that the best way to adver- tise California and the Pacific Coast among the right class of people is to send the Weekry Cirn to your Eastern friends. They are the right people and the CALL is the best way of reaching them. The return of W. Cornwell to Hono- lulu with the inténtion of claiming pro- tection as an American citizen while at- tending to his business there, will once more make the islands a -storm center of diplomacy and may possibly give Gresham a chance to let the eagle scream. The report that Japan will require China to pay $250,000,000 in gold to her credit in Europe, and then useit there'to buy silver, doesn’t redound much to the credit of the Japanese financiers. It would have been better for them to have required China to pay the indemnity in the -United States, where silver is cheaper, and where Japan can best look for military and naval sup- liag, 2 3 REPUBLIOAN FAITH. eight members of the Board of Supervisors voted for an ordinance which practically The splendid victories won by the Repub- | vests the privilege of supplying the City licans of the Eastern cities in the elections on Tuesday, are full of encouragement to the party. They give assurance that the great Republican triumph of last fall was an upheaval of solid ground, and not a mere tidal wave that might ebb away as guickly as it came. Thattriumph it is now evident meant a permanent uprising | of the people, and will form an enduring landmark in our political history for the rest of this generation. Iif we look beneath the glow of this splendid victory, to distinguish the causes, they will be found centered in the great fact that the Republican party keeps its pledges to the people. There may be here and there some Republican official who fails in this respect, breaks his promises to the people and betrays the trust the party reposed in him. Such recreant officials, however, do not remain in office very long. The Republican organization has an effec- tive way of dealing with' the men who be- tray it,and their career in the public service ends short and sharp. We commend the moral of this truth to the Republican members of the Board of Supervisors. They were elected as representatives of a party which keeps its pledges, and as such they will be judged. During the campaign the Chronicle, as a stalwart champion of the Republican party, with other papers, made the un- answerable argument in favor of the Re- publican candidates that, as representa- tives of a great party and responsible to its organization, they would be more likely te keep their pledges and give the City a good government, than Independents and Non- Partisans, who, having no organization back of them, would be responsible to nobody. This argument undoubtedly had weight with all intelligent men, and it was largely on that ground the votes were cast that elected a Republican majority to the Board of Superviso From that majority the party has a right to expect a good government gnd the party organization should see that it is guaranteed. If any Republican official shows signs of violating his pledges, the leaders of the party should endeavor by every means to bring him to a recognition of his duty to the party and to the people. In this work the County Central Com- mittee, the Union League Club and every other Repubiican = organization should take part. They should argue, reason, ex- hort, advise, counsel, appeal and plead with the official representatives of the party to stand firm to their duty, and if in spite of all this any official persists in be- traying his trust then severe measures should be taken. The pledge-breaker should be read out of the party and held up to the indignation of the people. The Cavr certainly will not recognize such an official as 2 Republican nor seek to defend his iniquities. The Republican party i honored because it has kept faith with the people, and in denouncing pledge-breakers the CarL will be serving the best interests of the party as well as those of the City and the State. MOVING IN ALARM. The most prominent evidence of alarm which the Southern Pacific feels on account of the San Francisco and San Joaquin Val- ley Railroad was manifested Tuesday when Mr. Huntington’s company filed suits in San Mateo County to force a right of way through small holdings in that county for its cut-off line from Fourth and Townsend streets to San Bruno. For many years the company has owned—or at least claimed—a right of way through South San Francisco as far as the San Mateo County line, and it has now begun suits to force a right of way to a junction with the old line at San Bruno. This will avoid the heavy grade and long detour by way of Ocean View. Although the company has held this right of way through South San Francisco for many years, it is only now moving to put it touse. And yet this is the very worst time, with reference to the financial condition of the company, that this expen- sive piece of work could have been under- taken. If it does not show conclusively that the Southern Pacific Company has become alarmed over the magnitude of the revolution which is crystallized in the Val- ley road, we are unable to judge the value of evidence. Its desperate action further indicates its belief that a line of the Valley road will be run by way of San Jose, for evidently thisis a move intended to shut out or greatly hamper that road from reaching its terminus at China Basin. Of course, the new road can reach that terminus, for the shore contour would make an excellent route, and there are still others; but the Southern Pacific evidently deems it prudent to monopolize as much of the ground as possible. Thus at last have the *giants actually crossed swords, and the splendid duel has begun. The small affair of the Southern Pacific’s attempt to secure contracts from farmers contiguous to its line in Kern County was merely an insignificant skir- mish in comparison with this. The fight is now on in earnest, and the spectacle will be a brilliant one. On one side will be the old monopoly—shrewd, wary, full of wis- dom, resourceful in expedients, rich in ex- perience, full of daring and pluck, and utterly regardless of any rights; on the other is a valiant band of earnest men, un- skilled in the use of the railroad rapier, but full of manliness, hope and a sense of right, and backed by the tremendous moral force of a unanimous popular sympathy. 1f this last alone do not put the strength of a giant and the skill of a fencing-master into the arm of the younger combatant, there is no such thing under the sun as the prevalence of right. It is well that the issue has come. The old fencer has merely made his first lunge to test the metal of his opponent’s sword. Soon we may expect thrusts of other and various kinds, besides ingenious feints. In a duel of this kind ingenuity is as potent as strength and courage. The one im- portant feature of the case is that the Southern Pacific has placed itself on the offensive and sent out a bold challenge to the popular sentiment out of which the Valley road has grown. In crossing swords with the Valley road it has arrayed itself against the wishes and necessities of the people. Its assault is a call to arms of all who long to see its power broken. No good citizen can longer hesitate. To come promptly to the aid of the courageous .souls who are supporting the enterprise has been made by this action of the Soutn- ern Pacific the plainest duty that confronts the people of California. ATTENTION, GRAND JURY. Important work awaits the Grand Jury. The last few days bave brought to partial light quite a number of offenses and lead to grave suspicions that still greater offenses would be disclosed if more light were thrown in the right place. It is to the Grand Jury the people look for that light and there will be profound dissatisfaction if no efforts are made by the jurymen to supply it. It is particularly important that an in- vestigation be made into the causes of the peculiar vote on the street-paving ordi- with asphalt in the hands of a monopoly. Such valuable privileges are not given for nothing. There is evidently a ring back of the job and something very like official corruption in the method by which it was carried out. The people would like to see the Grand Jury seek out the hidden mem- bers of that ring, expose the corruption and bring the guilty parties to justice. The matter is the more important be- cause the Grand Jury system itself is on trial. It is high time for the people to know just how far they can rely on that system for hunting out crime and prose- cuting offenders. If the Grand Jury can do anything in that direction, it ought to bedone; if it cannot do anything, the fact ought to be known, so that a better system may be devised. The present jury has a splendid opportunity to show whatever usefulness the system may have, and, as we have said, the people are now eager to see it get in some effective work. TURN THE RASCALS OUT. We are pleased to note that our great Democratic contemporary, the Ezaminer, is working with zeal and energy alongside the CaLr and with the people in the effort to hasten the coming of the era of better things for San Francisco and California. This was particularly noticeable yesterday, when, in addition to the steadfast advo- cacy of the San Joaquin road, the Examiner as well as the CaLn denounced the offense of Superintendent Harris in threatening peaceable workingmen with a pistol, and also the job involved in the street-paving ordinance for which eight members of the Board of Supervisors voted. With all the Eraminer said concerning the “rampant revolver’’ we agree. It was indeed but another form of expressing what the Cary said. We also agree with its terse exposition of the iniquity of the “paving order,” but we cannot agree with some of the conclusions it draws from the evidence of jobbery and trickery in the City government. The Eraminer holds that because of the jobbery among some of the Supervisors we cannot undertake at this time any exten- sive City improvements, and says: “The people of San Francisco are ready to spend money liberally for improvements, but they have some decided objections to turn- ing it over to the kind of ring tnat is sug- gested by the combination of eight in the Supervisors and the contractors’ ring that stands behind it. When there is assur- ance that the money will go into pave- ments and not into the pockets of a com- bine, there will be no trozble in getting all the money that is wanted. It is evident that we must wait for the new charter before we can have any relief. Then we shall see what can be done.” ‘While there is much of truth in that statement, it covers a grave error. Sup- pose the new charter should be defeated? Suppose, if adopted, some dishonest men should get into office under it? What then? Are public improvements to be postponed to the millennium? Can eight rascals block the progress of a great city? Is there no way for honest men to enforce their will? Can frand go forever un- whipped of justice under our present charter? Where is the Grand Jury, the District Attorney, the Civic Federation, the Reform League and all the forces of municipal purity? The machinery of the law is on the side of the people. They have elected men upon whom they can call to execute their duties. We see no reason for awaiting a new charter which may never come. The time to act is right now. Arouse the people, awaken the Grand Jury-to a performance of its duty, probe the scandalous jobbery to the bot- tom, indict the dishonest, turn the rascals out and let progress and improvement go ahead. PULL ALL TOGETHER. The launching of a stern-wheel steamer by S8an Franciscans, to ply between San Francisco and Alviso, and their expressed intention to construct from Alviso to San Jose an electric road over which to haul tbe products of Santa Clara County to Alviso, and ship them thence by steamer to San Francisco, is just what San Jose her- self should have done years ago, and it is not to her credit that this splendid oppor- tunity was never seized. Seven or eight years ago some of her enterprising citizens made heroic efforts to arouse into activity the abundant capital available for this purpose, but indifference throttled the ef- fort. ‘We should be glad to see Santa Clara County in the enjoyment of a dozen roads for sending its products to market. It has always been completely at the mercy of one transportation company, and it has suffered hurtful retardation in consequence. It seems incredible that with only eight miles of railroad to construct in order to bring its products to tidewater, this mag- nificent county has been content to slum- ber so long. It is true that the county has progressed wonderfully, but this has been rather the result of splendid natural re- sources forcing themselves into develop- ment than of an enterprising effort to shake off the burden of a transportation monopoly. If thishad been done long ago the imagination can picture the vastly greater development that would have ensued. Of course the building of this steamer for the Alviso trade was begun long before the San Joaquin Valley road was made a clear probability. Now that it has been done we hope that it will bring to its owners a gen- erous profit, and to Santa Clara County in- creased prosperity. The project was under- taken, however, at a time when there was a monopoly of transportation, no prospect of competition and high charges for the service. As it is more than likely that San Jose will secure a line of the Valley road, competition and a heavy reduction of trans- portation charges are inevitable, and the profits of shipping will be of course reduced, for the profits of the Valley road will come in part from other sources. For these and other reasons we suggest that the promoters of the new line to Al- viso could probably better themselves by uniting their forces with the Valley road instead of entering into competition with it. The one great thing now before all the people is the establishment of the new railroad. Every effort and thought should be concentrated on that one undertaking. It will be time enough after this is done to think of other needful things. It is only by a concentration of their efforts on this one proposition that the residents of the Santa Clara Valley can hope to find relief from burdens which afflict them. All their energy is needed for this. When that is done let them, as they should, run electric roads all over the county for the purpose of bringing in the products for shipment over the people’s road. Let them, if they will, build an electric road of their own to deep water at Alviso and there connect with steamers to San Francisco. There will be time for all these minor things when the greatest and most important of all has been accomplished. The earnestness and vigor with which the people of San Jose are pushing the Valley road enterprise show that they un- derstand these matters thoroughly, and nance. There must be some reason why | that they realize that it is only by eternal vigilance and intelligent concentration that they can accomplish the great task which they have undertaken. THE RISE IN SILVER. Although some of the financial suthori- ties in New York assert the recent rise in silver is merely speculative, there are good and substantial reasons for believing it to be permanent. There may be nothing of real value in the talk of a return to bimetal- lism by international agreement, but the very fact that such talk is heard from lead- ing men in all the great nations is a proof of the existence of a condition of affairs highly favorable to an increased use of silver as money, even if a comprehensive system of bimetallism is not carried out. The increased output of gold in the last two years, together with the diminished output of silver, has done much to restore that ratio of value between the two metals which may be fairly described as normal; and perhaps if there were no further legis- lation at all on the subject, the mere opera- tion of economic law would in the end bring about the re-establishment of the 16 to1basis. In addition to this, however, must be noted the probable effects of the Oriental war. It is fairly certain that China will soon have to become a large purchaser of silver. Even if she is required to pay an indemnity to Japan in gold, she will have to buy silver for her own use; and it isvery probable that Japan also will use a large part of the gold indemnity to buy silver. ‘This opens a prospect of a large consump- tion of silver in those countries before long, with a consequent advance of the price all over the world. Both gold and silver are so much under the control of banks and bankers it would not be difficult for a strong syndicate to cause a fluctuation in either metal for a time if they saw a profit in doing it. We do not mean, therefore, that the advance in silver islikely to be steady and constant from this time on; but we believe the ten- dency to advance will be marked, despite temporary fluctuations. The world has evidently turned the corner of the great crisis, and we are likely to have better times ahead for silver-miners as well as for manufacturers, farmers and merchants. e SPIRIT Ok THE PRESS. The CALL says t whenever one sees a silurian he should shy a cobblestone at him, but you cannot hurt the feelings of the “critter” that way. It would be like attacking & duck with a bucket of water. The silurian loves the cobblestone, and, surrounded by hoarded wealth and congenial squalor, would lie down to peaceful dreams in a shower of them.—Fresno Republican. The Watchman holds that the perfecting of a deep-water harbor and the completion of a transcontinental railroad to this point are the two vital objects to which the people of €ureka and Humboldt should address themselves. The harbor is necessary to attract the railrond connection, though there are many other strong inducements.—Eureka Watchman. A strong effort is to be made tosecure enough stock subseriptions to build the San Francisco and San Joaquin Railroad without blanketing the project with bonds. This will necessitate but one profit. With the exception of Jim Hill's Great Northern, none of the Western roads are free from the necessity of earning two profits.—Marysville Appeal. It is proposed to build a magnificent macad- amized boulevard between San Francisco and San Jose. The driveway will be fifty miles long, and the project can be carried through, it would be one of the most striking and pro- gressing improvements for many a day.—Blue Lake Advocate. There is a movement on foot in all great cen- ters looking toward putting the unemployed back on the land and learning them to pro- duce their own food. This is cheaperin the longl run than maintaining souphouses.— Lemoore Leader. The Governor has vetoed the districtfair bill.” He ought to have cut off the appropriation for the State Fair, too, while he was about it.— Napa Journal. The nearer the farm and factory are to each other the better it is for both.— Lemoore Leader. PERSONAL. P. A. Buell of Stockton is at the Grand Hotel. Aaron Dowd of Menlo Park is at the Lick House. George R. Sperry and G. Gumpertz, of Stock- ton, are at the California. Mrs. G. M. Bridgeman of 8t. Paul, Minn., s & guest at the Occidental. District Attorney C, E. Lindsey of Santa Cruz is a guest at the Grand Hotel. H. McMurchy of Syracuse, N. Y., & crack rifle shot, is a guest at the Grand Hotel. L. B. Ulrey, & prominent merchant of King City, is registered at the Lick House. ‘Wheeler H. Peckham, & prominent attorney of New York and president of the New York Bar Association, 1s at the Palace. ON THE WACHUSETT, Three Men Washed Overbourd and Back Again—The Good Tale of & Good Ship. The good American ship Wachusett, Captain Williams, arrived in port yester- day morning, twenty-two days from Nanai- mo, with 2408 tous of coal for John Rosen- feld’s Sons. According to Captain Wil- liams the vessel had a rough time of it. On March 19, 20 and 21, in latitude 40 deg. north and longitude 125 deg. 30 min. west, the ship was assailed by severe gales, and four men were washed overboard and back again. This highly athletic feat was per- formed on the cross seas. The waves rolied high and swooped dowh on the decks, washing away the cutwater in their anger. The vessel took a header and disappeared in_the smother. The receding waves carried four men out to sea, but a good wave came along and ed them again. The fourth man was no fool and did not propose to take chances on the waves, so before he went to sea he clutched the foresheet and hung on till he was hauled aboard. How long he held on is not set down in the log, but he was over- boara longer than his companions. The decks were full nearly all the time the storm was raging, and, altogether, the vessel had a remarkable experience. On her next +rip the Wachusett will carry a bowl for erratic men to go to sea in. ———————— HELD FOR MURDER. Result of the Preliminary Examination of Charles S. Rice. The préliminary examination of Charles 8. Rice, the variety actor, charged with the murder of Cora Everett in their room at 43634 Broadway on the morning of March 17, was held before Judge Low yesterday. Ferdinand Zeigelmayer, saloon-keeper, testified that about 4 o’clock that morning he met Rice and Rice asked him where he could find an officer as he had killed his wife. Witness went to Rice’s room, and when he saw the blood he ran outside and blew his police whistle. Policemen and Conway testified that Rice told them he had killed his wife. When asked why he killed her he replied, “I did it,and that settles it.” Later he said it was all owing to that man Perkins who runs a variety show. They found ; razor in a bureau drawer covered with lood. Dr. Barrett testified as to the result of his antopsy and the Judge held Rice to answer be‘l;:ie the Superior Court on the charge of murder. Pakoi, in China, exports over 100,000 dried lizards, valued at £500, yearly. hey are for mal “lizard wine,” a medicine for eye troul Paris has been bereft of its musical erities for a few deys, all of them having gone to Nice to be present at “‘Eugene Oneguine,” which has just been presented for the first time in French at the Theater of Nice. Itis one of the most popular scores ever penned by Tschaikowsky, the famous Russian composer, who died pre- maturely in ’93. ‘‘Oneguine,” which is al- ready in the repertory of all the Russian opera- houses, was the favorite opera of the late Alexander III, who oiten caused it to be pre- sented for his personal pleasure at his resi- dence of Gatschina. In spite of the designa- tion which Tschaikowsky gave it the work is not a lyric drama in the sense generally under- stood by that term in modern works, where the music follows and illustrates the action with- out care for any particular vocal form. “One guine” contains arias, cavatinas, duets and quartets, and consequently resurrects the old-tashioned form of opera. From the small number of characters and the simplicity of the action the drama is inly & domestic one. When Massenet made Charlotte cut slices of bread and butter in his “Wer- ther,” he astonished the frequenters of the opera-comique, but Tschaikowsky was in ad- vance of him, for in *‘Oneguine” the nurse is discovered putting up berries, though they are not eaten on the stage, like Charlotte’s bread and butter. Mme. Larina only just tasted her preserves, and did mnot take the trouble to tell the audience whether they were sweet enough. But “Oneguine” has other qualities, more serious. Indeed, it contains some beauti- ful pages of scenic and dramatic music. The popular song of the Russian peasant, the ball, the duel and the beautiful duet of the finale were particularly well received by the cosmo- politan audience present at the first French periormance of Tschaikowsky’s favorite opera. Mascagni’s lyric drama, “Ratcliff,” is still drawing full houses at La Scals, Milan, and the reports of the foreign newspapers show that their correspondents have considered it as great a success as was announced by the Milanese journals in the first flush of en- thusiasm. La Scena explains this triumph, after repeated failures, in a fashion that may have a good deal of truth in it. When Mas- cagni first worked at “Ratclifi” and “La Caval- leria Rusticana” he was poor, obscure and free to follow the bent of his own genius, Some friends persuaded him to send the Jatter work in for & musical competition opened by the Editor Sonzogno. It was accepted and pro- duced—and the next day Rome talked of it. Sonzogno, quick to see the business advantage of his young protege’s success, had Mascagni advertised in every possible way, and withina year the world talked of “La Cavalleria,” and Mascagni was quoted, copied and feted wher- ever he went. “One thing remained,” said the young musician’s admiring compatriots, ‘‘he must write his masterpiece,” and, urged on by this commission, Mascagni wrote “L’Amigo Fritz” and failed. “I Rantzau” met the same fate, and then, disgusted with writing a masterpiece to order, Mascagni went back to “Ratcliff,” the inspiration conceived in the days of poverty and obscurity. B They have been hesitating in France over whether or not it was neccssary to send music with the regiments setting out to fight in Madagascar and have compromised matters by sending brass bands to see the Gallic Tommy Atkins off at the railway stations. A corre- spondent writing about this says: “When Charles Monselet, & witty writer, little known to the present generation, was challenged to & duel with an adversary whom he did not hate—a thing that happens sixty times out of & hundred—he declared that he was willing to fight on one condition. ‘What condition?" asked the seconds. ‘That there may be wild music to excite the savage instincts of the combatants,” answered Monselet. Every one laughed, but Monselet gave & lesson in those words to duelists which was more eloquent than Dumas’ recent discourse on the same subject. The moment one has recourse to something barbarous, like war or dueling, some instrument is necessary to arouse the savage instinets of humanity. Music in such a case is as much a part ot the fete as the wedding march is at & marriage.” . Rauel Gunsbourg, the impresario in ordinary to the Prince of Monte Carlo, when recently asked by a composer to produce a work played with success on another stage replied scorn- fully, “I do not conduct what others conduct; Icreate.” The last work that thisindefatig- ableconductor at the world’s biggest gambling- house has created is “La Jacquerie,” & posthu- mous opera by Edouard Lalo, and the production has proved it to be an opera of modern and elevated tendencies and of sin- cere inspiration. In the first act, which is palpably the work of the composer of “The King of Ys,” the barytone song was particu- larly applauded. The delightful recitative of meeting, sung by Robert, the tenor, and the scene of the Angelus, were also admired. The performance of *La Jacquerie” at Monte Carlo left very little to be desired, and the success of the opera is said to have been so great that it will probably be heard in other countries be- fore long. Arthur Coquard was much ap- plauded for the clever way in which he had completed Lalo’s unfinished work, an inter- mezzo of his composition being one of the gems of the opera. Sir Arthur Sullivan recently told an inter- 'viewer this story of a visit to S8an Francisco: “I had arrived one morning and was strolling about the hotel waiting in a rather undecided way for something to turn up. Quite by acci- dent I met & lady whom I had known in Lon- don, and as she was about to step into her car- riage to take & drive, she invited me to accom- pany her to the promenade, where an excellent band was to be heard every day. Iaccepted her invitation and we had a delightful drive, finally drawing up near the bandstand. Imag- ine my surprise—nay,I must add, my deep emotion—when the bandmaster, as if by en- chantment, struck up ‘The Lost Chord,’ which ‘was played admirably from beginning to end. It was pure accident, of course, for my visit to California was not known to any one at the time, but I need not say how much I was touched to hear those strains, which carried me back s0 many thousands of miles to home.” Bizet’s newly discovered opera, “Don Pro- copio,” will probably soon be heard in Paris, and every one is eagerly looking forward to hearing & work from the pen of the gifted com- poser of “Carmen” that has mever yet been given to the public. The plot of *‘Don Pro- copio” is & variation of Donizetti’s ‘‘Don Pas- quale,” the history of an old man who wants to marry & young girl, and is tricked and laughed at by & pair of clever lovers who outwit him. The first opera written on the plotof “Don Pro- copio” was a very brignt musical farce, com- posed by Fioraventi, which amused a whole generation of dilettanti. What poet made the libretto which Bizet and Fioraventi utilized is unknown. Sir A. C. Mackenzie speaks of the conductor’s stick as ““the most difficult instrument to play in the orchestra.” The fact is that year by year the conductor is learning more to play that stick, as if he were a virtuoso playing upon an instrument. As a magazine writer recently ob- served: “If the orchestra, the soul-inspiring tenors, the warbling sopranos, and the mighty ‘basso-profundos do mot look at it, they will soon all find their laurels encircling the con- ductor’s Olympian brow.” The Chicago papers remark that one of the most remarkable features of the Abbey, Schoeffel and Grau season of opera is the ad- mirable acting of the mea and the absence of histrionic talent on the part of the women. The De Reszkes, Maurel and Tamagno as sing- ing actors could scarcely be improved upon, while Melba, Eames, Nordica and Scalchi, the two former especially, are lacking in the attri- butes of great actresses. An Eastern correspondent, who was recently admitted to a rehearsal of “Die Meistersinger,” by the Abbey, Schoeffel and Grau company, says: “I wish some of the amateurs could have been present, those amateurs who know by in tuition how & thing should be done, who be- lieve in ‘dashing’ it off ‘on the spur of the moment, and who hold that excitement at the time of performance will take the place of pre-. vious rehearsals. These professionals slighted nothing at the rehearsal, no matter how many times it was necessary to repeat it, and especially was this the case with the two De Reszkes.” Rev. Charles Miel of Sausalito has written a mass in G major which is spoken of in high terms by the musicians who have been privi leged to see it. The new work will be produced at the Episcopal church of Sausalito on Easter Sunday, when the Saturday popular Quartet will assist in the performance. The statement printed in the French news- papers that the eminent prima donna, Mme. Christine Nilsson, proposes to resume her pro- fession seems to require confirmation. Itis |- now ten years since she practically retired from the theater. The Imperial Opera-house at Vienna has had to close for a time because of la grippe. Van Dyck and all the other solo tenors of the troupe were ill simultaneously with the epidemic and unable to leave their homes. A new cantata by Siegfried Wagner, based on a poem by Schiller, will soon be produced in London. WATER RATES DISCUSSED, Mayor Sutro Will Not Allow Lake Merced Water to. Be Used. The Water Committee to Prepare a Rate Schedule to be Sub- mitted. 2 The Board of Supervisors ‘met yesterday in committee of the whole'to consider the | water question in its various phases. Supervisor Morgenstern, chairman of the ‘Water Committee, was called to the chair and immediately Mayor Sutro rose to again direct the attention of the members to the unfit condition of the water of Lake Merced for the consumption of .the people of the city. He said he had already. laid | the matter before the board and several of its members had accompanied him and seen the place for themselves, but he feltit to be his duty to press it upon their atten- tion, as nothing could be more important than to guard the health of the péople. This pond, he said, was impure and shoul not be tolerated as_the water supply of a great city in a civilized land. It has been said that the water purifies itself before it gets into the lake, but he did not think this was true. 3 Several examinations had been. made and it was said that no harmful bacteria had been found there. It ‘was not expect- ed, he said, that the lake would be found impregnated with bacteria of typhoid fever. If it was so the whole city would have been poisoned long ago. Nor should a wise man wait until he had been poisoned when he bad knowledge of the danger. ‘What he wanted, he said, and what should be done was that the board should exclude this Merced Lake property from the per- missible sources of supply for water to be used in this city. g “They say they are not pumping from that source,” continued the Mayor. ‘“Ver well; and they had better not. Indeed, they shall not, for I shall not permit it. I will get out an injunction and go before the (’ignud Jury if they attempt it.” The Mayor concluded by saying that he would confine himself to this pbase of the water question. Ben Morgan, lawyer, beganan argument on the uther}rhase of the guestion—the water rates. He said that the method of fixing of the rates by seeking the cost and assessed value of the plant, etc., would lead the board estray as it was not the proper way of arriving at the value. He suggested that three disinterested engineers, such as Colonel Mendell, for instance, be em- pkayed to make a thorough investigation and figure upon the value of the plant and report to the committee. He suggested asa means of overcoming the objection of high water rents to poor people that the city’s hydrant rents, the cheapestin the world, he said, $2 50, be increased to $12 and in gmpomon the private hydrant rent would e lowered. % Mayor Sutro followed, advocating that an order be passed compelling the water company to put in meters where required and charge for what the meter showed. He thought the plan good for the city, for big bills were paid for water on public grounds and for many months of the year no water was used. ? L Supervisor Benjamin moved that the committee refer the whole matter to the ‘Water Committee with instructions to pre- pare a schedule of rates. This wasadopted and the committee rose. Supervisor Dimond now introduced a resolution, which he said was required of bhim by the Democratic platform, provid- ing that the water rates should cover the running expenses, interest on bonded in- debtedness and 5 per cent on the capital stock. He hoped that ‘some others of the Democratic members equally bound by the platform would second the motion, but there was mno_second. Mayor Sutro de- clared the motion out of order anyhow, as it would be fixing the rate, which had been previous resolution left to the Water mmittee to prepare and report to th board. The board then adjourned. 3 —————— EXCURSIONISTS ARRIVE. A Party of Pennsylvanians Who Are Do~ ing the State. The Pennsylvania Railroad has another party of excursionists in this city to-day. They are simply on a pleasure trip, and are making a tour of the principal points of interest in the State. : There are about forty persons in the party, and of that number the following are at the Palace: John 8. Bowers, Martinsburg, Pa.; W: Colburn &nd Mrs. Colburn, Peori; nf’en'nl:é Helen R. Eastgate, Elmira, N. Y. William D, Exans, Miss Mary C. Evaus, Phenixville; Miss Alice M. Harper, George T. Harris and Mrs, Harris, Edson . Harris, Miss Grota Harris Philadelphia; Miss Helen J. Innes, Canton, Pa. ; Miss Mary A. Kent, Clifton Heights, Pa.; Mrs. Samuel Martin, Miss E. Moyer, Philadeiphia; Mrs, Richard Miller, Chester, Pa.; Mrs. MJN. O Parker, New York; Miss Mary Patton, Phila- delphia; J. M. Pratt, South Ashburnham, Mass.; Isaac W. Rushmore and Mrs. Rush-| more, Miss G. Rushmore, Miss P, J. Rushmore, Plainfield, N. J.; Mrs.' Nellie' R. Sondheim, New York; A. B. Stuchfieldjand Mrs. Stuch’ field, Brookly, N, ;s Jliss Ida C. Webb, Miss Solpnia: » Miss Mabel R. Webb, Phila- Ecclesiastical Patients. Rev. Father Vanderheyden of Boise City, Idaho, who is & patient at St. Mary’s Hospital, and who came here to haye an operation per- formed, is on & fair way to recovery. Rre ogrnlnn ¥as performed last week. ither Brodey’s condition is slightly im. proved. Heisnow at St. Mary’s hospital. He ;.r:n edm to have an operation per- ———— At Schillgallen, in Germany, lately an gld g:’nflemllx: n:ifed 3 L‘:\‘r:esi Jurklies, whg y ves, proj to a fourth. She told him he w:'ll:zoop?l‘:i. whereupon he went into a neighboring for- est and hanged himself. g WILL CELEGRATE PESACH, An Important Hebrew Festival . to Be Observed Next T R WeeR MANY CURIOUS CEREMONIES, No Bread. Permitted, to the. lsrael- ites During ‘Passover Week. Beginning with next Monday evening, Hebrews all over the “entire. world will commence the celebration of :Pesach, the . feast of. Passover. The date; &vril 8, cor- responds with the 14th day of .the month | Nissan,.the.first ecclesiastical month of the Hebiew year. The Passover festivalis ob- served by the- orthodox or .conservativa portion of the community for eight days, buf the- “reform”. séction, of which the - Congregation Emanu-£l is the representa- ‘tive in this city, only regards it for one week. . 5 g % Passover is, perhaps, the prettiest of all Hebrew festivals. ‘It~ was originally de- signed to commemorate the deliverance ot the Hebrew: nation from the tyranny.of Egypt, and with its observance were con- ‘nected many symbolic customs, which in late years ‘have either beén relegated to oblivion or to the orthodox in Israel. The day before Passoveris called “The fast of ‘the first-born,” and on. this dsy every first born male son” of Israelite par- ents observes a strict fast. ‘The termina- tion of the day'of abstinence ushers in'the feast of Pesach. . g 78 The main and striking ‘characteristic of _the festival is. the fact “that 1o bread or leavened food of apy kind is perniitted to be used. This prohinition:’is -even ex- | tended - to “beer, - conféctionery, = malt liquors—in fact to any fooa which-has un- dergone the process of fermentation. The staple article of -diet is. the matzo, or un- . leavened cake, made of floar and water, but. without .yeast. or -other fermenting matter. & Previous to. thé incoming of the Pass- over;. every orthodox head -of a Jewish family makes diligent search” through his house, from -cellar to -garret, for leavened ‘food. When -all the -scraps are col- lected they . are - burned, the- master of the house pronouncing.a formula in° Chaldaic, annulling ~all " leaven that hie- may hayve overlooked, and: pro- nouncing it to be “as’ the dust of the earth.” . The first ‘twa . nights of Passover are . called Seder 'night On ‘both- of . these nights a specfal service of prayer is held in‘every Jewish-.home; at which many an- cient and curious customsarefollowed out. On the supper-table are placed bitter herbs of various kinds to.symbolize Egyptian tyranny,.the shankbone of alamb, repre- senting -thé ancient paschal.lamb, and a mixture of chopped ‘apples, spices and raising, called charoseth or mortar, sym- -bolic of the.servitude of the ancient Israel- ites under Rameses. - ". ' . . ‘When all the asserabled company-are seated, the master of the house, with a-cup of winhe in his hand; pronounces the Kid- dush, or sanctification -prayer. * He then exhibits to all present an unleivened cake, saying in Chaldaic, “Like this was the ‘bread of affliction, which our fathers ate in Egypt. Let all who are hangry eriter and eat.”” "The better:to carry out -the senti- ment contained in the (oregoin% the outer door of the housé iy hospitably left open during the whiole of the service. The Ko\mzest male member of the com- pany then-asks in Hebrew: “Why is this night distinguished from all other nights? Why the unleavened bread and the bitter hérbs?” The answers to these guestions are furnished in the Hagada, which is then re- cited and whicli forms a remarkable collec- tion of the sayings, wittywise and philo- sophical, of the ancient Hebrew rabbis. uring the time occupied in reading the Huagada' all present Jounge at the table in free and easy positiens, which are sup- osed to suggest present freedom in contra- istinction to former bondage: ) After supper, which-is served late in the evening, the balance of the. Hagada, con- sisting of psalms and lyrieal compositions, isread. By a quaint and curious supersti- tion the prophet Elijah; who may be said to be the good genius of the Hebrew, is supposed to be present at the latter stage of the- proceedings. - The observant Jew even leaves-a place for the prophet at the table and places.a glass'of wine for him. Bacox Printing Company, 508 Clay street. * ‘CRYSTALLIZED ginger, 25¢ 1b, Townsénd's, * ———— Mottled bricks are coming into use for building: purposes. .- They give’a house the appearance of castile soap. = = - % It is reported -from 'a .country district that a farmer observing a neighbor’s hay- rick on fire promptly summoned the en- gines, although he had no interest in the stack, His intervention saved £16 worth of hay, but.the owner instead ~of -feelin gram{ul refused to pay the iire brigade bifi of £12and.the farmer who gave the alarm found himseli liable for the amount. 7 IN‘early" spring every one needs totake Hood’'s Sarsaparilla to purify the blood and build up’tha system. Hood’s Sarsapurilla makes ptre blood And gives new life and energy.. * 2 R By adding 20 drops of. Dr. Stegert’s Angostura ‘Bitters to every glass diseases from drinking pollu- ted water are avolded. R e FoR BRONCHIAL AND ASTHMATIC COMPLATNTS “ Brown's Bronchial - Troches” have remarkable curative properties. . * . . 5 WOMEN avoid -suffering by using’ PARKERN'S GINGER TONIC, as it i$ adapted to their ills. HINDER: ihe best cure for cers ~ Cloak and Suit House, 120 KEARNY STREET. New Spring Capes -We offer & thousand garments, in eyery con- ceivable new design and material. . We propose t0 sell 8 lot of them this week at these special: price inducements for this week only. 200 Stylish Spring Capes, asso: styles and cl:)lorg. lhp:r mfll;l“: $5_ dium lengths, extra full circle; actual value $7.50, 175 Nobby Spring Jackets, asso: $7-50 styles, tans, glngs,eu:., new b&;‘l‘: — extra large sleeves; actual value $11.00. '50 Dbig circle cut, silk $ 13 color eftects ;t&cnnl 3’.&‘3332'5“0%’ Finest Crepon Separate Skirts, $| 4-00 organ pipe back, pem s fave’ ——1lined all thro percaline; actual value n1.03."‘ R mibe Changeable Velvet Capes, extra >