The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 18, 1895, Page 1

VOLUME LXXVIOIL—NO. 18. PRICE FIVE CENTS. PACFIC COKST NS Escape of a Prisoner From the Sacra- mento Jail. ST. HELENA WINE SALE. Homing Pigeons to Be Used as Mail-Carriers to Alaska. FRESNO'S RAISIN COMBINE. Hotel Men to Meet at Santa Bar- bara—A Fatal Accident at Raymond. SACRAMENTO, Car., June 17.—When the jailer began to lock the prisonersin their cells in the County Jail this evenin, he noticed that one was miss An im- mediate search was begun, resulting in the discovery that John Anderson, a one year man, had cut a hole through the brick wall of the washroom and decamped. Anderson isa Swede who was arrested by the citizens committee in a tramp camp on the levee during the excitement which followed the Weber murder. He was sent up on two charges, getting six months on each. One was for having burglars’ tools in his possession, the other vagrancy. The escaped prisoner is be- lieved to be o dangerous man and Sheriff Frank Johnson has offered a reward for his capture. In order to have escaped as he did, the prisoner must have worked with remark- able rapidity, asthe washroom is in a part of the jail that is constantly frequented by prisoners and employes. SCHEME OF A TACOMA MAN. Homing Pigeons to Serve as Mail Car- riers to and from Alaska. PORT TOWNSEND, Wasg., June 17.— The long-agitated question as to bow to secure direct and speedy communication with Alaskan ports appears to be about to reach a solution through one of the simplest methods imaginable, and one which, in all previous aiscussions, has been entirely overlooked. In the past five years Alaska and her re- markable products in precious metals and valuable pelts have become of the greatest importance to the commercial world, and almost without cessation engineers and sircastle builders have been wrestling with the proposition of securing some communication with the great Northwest Territory that would place the balance of the United Statés closer to her than the two-steamer a month service by which means tidings from there are now received. It has fallen to the lot of a Tacoma man to suggest a scheme, which, from present i tions, will fulfill the requirements. plan is simply to utilize carrier- doves, and already experiments are being made in that direction. Over a month ago the first pigeons were brought half way to this city from Tacoma on the international steamer City of Kingston, and upon liber- ation flew directly back to their cote in Tacoma. The route for the pigeons is being gradually extended, and at an early date a consignment will be sent to Juneau from this port on one of the regular steamers, to be liberated on arrival there. If the birds arrive home in safety, then a company, with sufficient capital, will at at once be formed to establish cotes in Ta- | coma, Port Townsend and Juneau and RSitka. By means of these gentle birds it is hoped that the long and tedious delays of mercantile and official business with the big Territory will be avoided. The grave necessity for some such ar- rangement was shown in the recent seizure of the schooner Shelby in Bering Sea by an American revenue cutter. Had the car- rier-pigeon system been in vogue at that time, the authorities at Sitka could have atonce been apprised of the partial refusal of Great Britain to re-enter the compact of last year, and what might have involved the two nations in a diplomatic contro- versy would have been avoided. ————— ST. HELENA WINE SALE. Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Thou- sand Gallons Disposed Of. ST. HELENA, CaL., June 17.—Three hundred and sixty-three thousand gallons of wine, belonging to Bowdell & Son, were #old here to-day at Sheriff’s sale to satisfy a judgment of C. Carpy on a foreclosure chattel mortgage, amoanting, with costs, to $30,000. The first lot, 44,000 gallons of claret, was bought by G. Migliavacca of Napa at 113 cents. A. Lachman of San Francisco bought 195,000 gallons at a little under 12 cents. F. Chevalier bought 18,000 gallons in barrels at 12 cents, exclusive of local dealers. The total sale of 363,600 gallons was for $41,234, an average of 11.34 cents s gallon. This is considered a good price at a forced sale. The wine was sold at the cellar for cash,to be taken away at the buyers’ expense. Bowdell & Son have still about 100,000 gallons. PR N, FRESNO’S RAISIN COMBINE. will remain in session two days discussing matters of interest to the members, which are calculated to benefit the Southern Cali- fornia hotel trade at large. Citizens are making plans for the enter- tainment of the gnests. They will be first received by the Board of Trade, a dance will afterward be given in their honor, and all manner of pleasant drives and outings are planned. It is expected a majority of the members will stay the remainder of the week enjoying Santa Barbara’s oppor- tunities for recreation and sport. e AT RAYMOND. ACCIDENT A Brakeman Struck by a Water-Stand Pipe and Fatally Injured. PASADENA, Car.,, June 17—A brake- man named Hayslip, running on the Santa Fe seaside special, met with a probably fatal accident at the Raymond Station a mile below this city to-day. In passing the water-stand pipe at the station he put his head out so far from the car that he was struck by the pipe and knocked senseless. He was taken to the Los Angeles City Hospital and given sur- gical treatment, but has not yet recovered consciousness. The accident was due to his own carlessness. - SANTA CRUZ AFFRAY, William Benson Meets Death at the Hands of Three Spaniards. SANTA CRUZ, CAL., June 17.—William Benson, a native of England, aged vears, died in this city this afternoon from injuries received in an attack by Spaniards. The story, as told by his brother John, i that on Sunday morning, between 1 and o'clock, the brothers and a friend, John Storey, all of whom are Englishmen, and teamsters by occupation, residing at Love Creek, near Ben Lomond, were on their way from town to theirlodgingson Market LOS ANGELES FEST, The City of the Angels Ready to Receive the Turners. Hundreds of Brawny Teutons Will Contest for the Prizes. SINGING MATCHES A FEATURE. A Varled Programme Arranged for the Occasion by the Local Verelins. 10S ANGELES, Carn., June 17.—The ity of the Angels is about to don again | her festive garb and welcome within her | precincts strangers from all parts of Cali- | fornia and contiguous States. Not satisfied with having given a fiesta, the phenomenal uccess of which placed this city at the | head of festival-givers, she has prepared for the descendants of the ancient Teutons | one of the most elaborate Kreisturnfests | ever given on the coast. | For months past the officers and mem- SPORTS ON THE FIELD, and is fitted up with stage and scenery suitable for all entertainments of the so- ciety. The gymnasium, 85x90 feet in di- mension, is very complete, and was fitted up at a cost of over $8000. No more pleas- ant clubrooms, more elegant theater, elab- orate assembly-room, comfortable banquet hall nor well-equipped billiard-room can be found on the Pacific Coast than those embraced in the Los Angeles home of the Turners. Under the efficient leadership of Pro- fessor Zahn, director of athletics; Profes- sor A.J. Stamm, director of music, and | Otto Gerdts, instructor of dramatic art, the | different deparfments have been thor- | oughly organized and are making marked progress, Une of the most prominent of | these departments is the “Schuetzen sec- tion” (rifle section), which was organized shortly after the erection of the first wood- en hall, and which since its first match with the Los Angeles Guards in 1873, de- feated the latter organization and main- tained its supremacy at all other subse- quent prize shooting matches between | them. | The membership at present is nearly 400 and the officers are as follows: President, Adolph Frese; vice-president, Louis Her- zog; recording secretary, J. C. Rhodes; corresponding secretary, Fred W. Det- mers; financial secretary, George Schra- | der; treasurer, Carl Entenmann; trustees, | Charles Gollmer, Joseph Maier and Ad | Schroeder; first turnwart, Fred Steinike: second turnwart, John Hartnack; zeng- | wart, Eugene Nollac; stage manager, Otto | Gerdts; singwart, Paul Rudolph; captain | of shooting section, Chris Krempel; chair- | man of sick benefit section, J. Johannsen; chairman of refreshment Adolph Boeckmann. 5 Without question the organization in Los Angeles is the most successful and | | committee, | prosperous of the sccieties forming the { ramento Valley since daylight. VACA VALLEY ABLAZE, Grain Fields Swept by a Raging Torrent of Flame. DESTRUCTION OF CROPS. Charred Stubble All That Re- mains -of the Season’s Yield. A LARGE AREA BURNED OVER. Desperate Battle of the Farmers to Save Their Homes From the Fire. | VACAVILLE, Car.,, June 17.—A disas- trous fire broke put in the grain fields two | miles northeast of this place at 9:30 o’clock this’'morning. Within an hour all that remained of 2000 acres of standing and cut grain was smoking stubble. From all accounts the fire was started by cinders from the Clear Lake and Vaca | | Valley Railroad enginz on the down trip | from Rumsey. The strongest north wind of | the season has been blowing down the Sac- down to the ground and the tall dry grain made a moving wall of fire twenty feet high, which extended north and south for a mile. Edward J. Wilson, who rents 600 acres of the McClay tract, lost every spear ot his wheat crop in less than five minutes, so rapidly did the wall of fire cross the large field. The flames did not stop in their south- east course until they reached the Sacra- mentoroad. Several hurdred acres in the Harbison and Page tracts, north of the McClay tract, were also swept by the fire, which ran against the wind almost as rapidly as with it. From all accounts no. houses or barns were destroyed, although several dwellings narrowly escaped destruction. The residence and outbuildings on John Kennedy’s ranch. one and a half miles east of Vacaville, had a close call. The ranch is on the Sacramento road and directly in the course of the fire. The buildings are surrounded on the north and east by the McClay tract, and the grain was planted close to the fence, which is | not over twenty feet from the house and | 'barns. The fences were burned to the ground and cinders covered the premises for several minutes, but the fire failed to cross a narrow strip of plowed ground on the inside of the fence. At present the loss cannot be estimated, but it will be very heavy, for the crop of wheat was unusually good. The burnt strip is about three and a half miles long and two and a half miles wide. No less than twenty-five miles of fencing was to- tally destroyed. Fora time it was feared that the fire would spread to the river on the east and across the immense grain | fields to the north. Had it passed the orchards and summer fallowed groundsin | those directions an area no less than | twenty miles square would have gone up {1ouis HERZOG street. They were talking in a joking manner, and when near Wenck’s corner on Water street met three men, who are supposed by him, to be Spaniards, as they were talking in that language. One of the Spaniards ashed William Ben- son “Whom are you ‘talking to?” With- out awaiting a reply they attacked him. Benson was heard to say,. “Don’t kick me.” Those were his last words. He was picked up . unconscious, and remained in that state until he died. John Benson says they had been drink- ing, but knew what was going on. There is no clew to the identity of the Spaniards. el WORK AT MARE ISLAND. The Force at the Navy-Yard to Be In- creasea in July. VALLEJO, CaL., June 17.—The force on Mare Island keeps steadily increasing, and when July arrives it is preaicted that over 1000 men will find steady employment. Mechanics desirous of moving their fami- lies to this city are unable to find accom- modations now, but the building of modern cottages is going on extensively. Work on the boilers for the new tug is progressing splendidly in the steam en- gineering department, under the super-\ vision of Foreman Campbell. The en- larging of the entrance to the stone dock next month, when the money becomes available, will tend largely to increase the number of workmen on the roll. The Olympia is expected at the vard on Wednesday. The extent of the work yet to be done on the cruiser is not definitely known. e o Feast of Corpus Christi at Santa Barbara SANTA BARBARA, CaL., June 17.— The feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated yesterday at the old Mission with its an- | cient ceremonies and solemnities, A pro- cession consisting of priests and brothers | of the Franciscan order made the rounds of theold graveyard, bearing the blessed sacra- ment accompanied by burning incense, and preceded by little girls costumed in white and scattering flowers. The music rendered at the church was of a high order, and the interior was tastefully decorated | for the occasion with foliage and flowers. —_— Drowned at Copperopolis. COPPEROPOLIS, CaL., June 17.— A young man named Gifford, of Fruitvale, Alameda County, while working on the Stanislaus River was drowned to-day. He and two others were in a boat. It upset, and the three men landed safely on a rock. Gifford undertook to reach the shore by Hearty Support Promised the Project by | syimming and_the current carried him the Chamber of Commerce. down stream, His body has not been re- FRESNO, CaL., June 17.—The promoters covered. of the raisin combine being !ormef_l to sell this year’s crop had a meeting this even- ing and submitted an outline of the Pl“' of the combine to the executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce. It is pro- posed that the growers of each oomn.mmty form an association and pack tl?elr own crop. A central committee, in which each district will have a representative, will have full control of the marketing of the crop. The plan is intended to doaway with the coumission men. It was beartily indorsed by the execu- tive committee of the Chamber of Com- merce, which promised its support. e GUESIS UF SANTA BARBARA, Hotel Men of Southern California Will Convene To-Day. SANTA BARBARA, Cavr, June 17.— The Association of Hotel Men of Southern Cazlifornia convenes here to-morrow. A number of members arrived this evening in anticipation of the event, and are scat- tered among the Lotels, The association e Redwood Odd Fellows’ New Hall. REDWOOD CITY, CaL., June 17.—The 0dd Fellows’ new building, just com- pleted by Bay View Lodge at a cost of $10,- 000, was dedicated here this evening wjth appropriate ceremonies. Past G;‘d aster Charles N. Fox delivered the ad- dress. Good orchestral music was pro- vided, and a banquet was one feature of the occasion. SRS Santa Monica’s Greeting. SANTA MONICA, CaL., June 17.—The ladies of this city held a meeting to-day, at which steps were taken to properly enter- tain Mrs. Susan B. Anthony and Rey, Anna Shaw at Hotel Arcadia on Saturday. June 22, when the high priestess an prophet of woman reform wu? be accorded a rousing reception. An Alleged Visalia Thief Released. VISALIA, CaL., June 17.—John Krasky, one of a large number arrested in January for hog stealing and acquitted on one charge, was finally discharged to-day on motion of the District Attoraey. fbem of the local Turn Verein Germania FRED DETMERS ADOLPH FRESE PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE LOS ANGELES TURN [Drawn from photographs.] have been working like beavers; literature | has been scattered broadcast, secretaries | have been turning out letters, invitations | and correspondence by the ream; carpen- | 1 ters have been busy erecting the trappings | necessary for the carrying out of the| athletic exercises; decorators have been | | knitting their brows and searching their | | brains for new ideas, and the'sum total of | | their efforts will be without question one | of the most succe:eful affairs of its kind | | ever held. The members of the Turn Verein Ger- mania of Los Angeles are certainly entitled to a great deal of credit, not only from | their kindred organizations but also from | the city of Los Angeles, for the elaborate | manner in which they have prepared and the amount of work they have expended upon the coming Kreisturnfest. Notwith- | standing the fact that the occasion will draw thousands of people to this city, that it is secondary in importance only to La | Fiesta,and that it will be one of the largest and best advertisements Los Angeles has ever received, the organization has not | asked for public donations and has borne | entirely the enormous expense attendant | this character. No organization here is more thoroughly | identified with the growth of the city than : the Turn Verein Germania, no class of | people have labuored more industriously for its welfare, no better citizens could be found in any community than the members of this society. It has kept pace with the marvelous growth that has made Los Angeles famous, and on its rolls are the names of some of theold pioneers and men whose names will be'forever cherished by the generations who wili read of the mak- ing of the early history of California. | When Ios Angeles was nothing more than a village, in 1859, the first attempt was made to form a German society, but it | was not until 1871 that the present verein | came into existence, it being formed by the consolidation of two German societies which at that time were struggling indi- vidually to maintain an existence. The first was the Teutonia, whose main object was the cultivation of singing. Harmo- nious as the object may have been, discord arose within the society and a rival organ- | ization called the Eintracht was formed by seceding members. In 1869 the Teutonia, owing to accessions to 1its membership caused by many new arrivals in the Ger- man colony, was merged into the Los An- geles Turn Verein. and the objects of the new society were somewhat enlarged by including physical training. Its performances in Mother Webeck’s Garden at that time were quite the leading features in the somewbat limited pro- gramme of the amusements of this city. Its successes resuited in the forming of an- other similar organization under the name of Concordia, the founders of which were Henry Koch, Theodore Frohlinger, Jacob Kuhrts, 8imon Stoll, John Webber, Nicho- laus Mueller and others. These two societies, finding it to their mutual interests to combine, consolidated under the name of Turn Verein Germania, 1t was not long before they were comfort- | ably housed in the wooden building on | South Spring street, between Second and Third, which, while av that time consid- ered an out-of-the-way place, improved so rapidly in value that it was, ata later date, sold for the sum of $100,000, and the money used in erecting the magnificent quarters upon the preparation of an enterprise of NorthAmerican Turner Bund of the Pacific Circle and which embraces a total mem- bership of something over 3000, with turn vereins at Sacramento, Oakland, Stockton, Napa, Santa Cruz, San Jose, St. Helena, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Los Angeles, San- Diego and Ana- heim. One of the generous features of the coming turnfest is the generaliinvitation extended to all athletes, whether Turners or not, to participate in the grand field ex- ercises to be held at Agricultural Park on Tuesday, June 28, the prizes for which occasion alone will aggregate over $1000. According to the official programme, the PROF iF. .. JAHN VEREIN GERMANIA, The fire started on the estate of the late Henry Peters, across the hills from Vaca- ville, on the west side of the Sacramento Valley.' On this property about 600 acres of wheat had been headed and stacked. Through this stubble the flames raced faster than a horse could run, sending clouds of dense smoke and cinders high into the air.. Stack after stack of headed grain was burned like tinder. The fire spread to the south and east with alarming rapidity. On the hills east | of Vacaville a good view was obtained and | dozens of the townspeople repaired to the | elevations to watch the fire’s progress. | After running for three-quarters of a mile 4 CAQLENTENMANN in smoke; nothing could have saved it This is the worst fire in this section of the country for many years. The first sign of white smoke that arose at the west end of the broad, level Sacramento Valley had the same effect upon the farmers that a general alarm of fire has in the large cities. They knew what it meant and were quick toact. Within five minutes all of the public and private roads leading to the scene of the fire were filled with farm wagons, roadcarts and buckboards. Every vehicle carried weather-beaten farmers and ‘their help, all armed with big buckets and wet grain bags to fight the common foe. The men spread themselyes e et Ty - m \\}‘ ey, Nk AL ~< Sk & 4”\\” t /r\l = Yl M ¥ g_:"\i&d’r-'l “M*‘\i., | - Mhiy "t\‘ s ) XA g, 0 Wby, Nl =D Y W u@’\jfi,wq‘i }-\WI\, an FARMERS FIGHTING FIRE IN THE GRAIN-FIELDS NEAR VACAVILLE. visiting turners will arrive on June 22. They will be greeted by the local orders, and at 7 o'clock in the evening all will unite in a torchlight procession, to be fol- lowed by a reception in Turner Hall. On Sunday, the 23d, the Turners will parade to Agricultural Park in the morn- now occupied by the society. The building, with its imposing brown- stone front, is one of the most solidly built edifices in Los Angeles. It contains an exhibition hall 85x100 feet in dimension, ing, where the mass wand exercises will be rehearsed. "At10 o'clock the competitive society drills will commence, and the after- Continued on Sccond Page. “\ | Sketched for the * Call.") south it was checked in that direction by a half .dozen fruit orchards, where the ground was plowed, but the east and west fences for over a mile were destroyed. The course of the wind shifted for a few minutes and blowing from the west drove the flames into the standing wheat on the McClay tract. This grain was to have been harvested this week and was as dry as straw. When the fire reached ‘the standing grain the sight was grand and awful. ‘The high wind that seemed to suck out at the points where they thought the rogress of the flames could be checked. tusty plows were hastily called into ser- vice, and. the harses were put to a smart trot to turn furrows in the neighborhood of houses, barns and hay stacks. ‘The majority of the men, however, glungea, into the charred and smoking elds and began to beat down the flames with their wet grain sacks, which were (l_-:auzmly moistened in the buckets car- il & by boys and v:ox;e;. I:’ wl:s hé): work and many a man’s and hands were badly blistered. LUCKYSTOCKTON MEN Will Share the Hidden Gold Found on Cocos Island. TREASURE OF PIRATES. Reported Success of the Ex- pedition to the Costa Rican Reefs. ONE MILLION IN DOUBLOONS. it Is Almost Certain That Gelsler, the Stockton Explorer, Was the Finder. STOCKTON, Cav., June 17.—A number of Stocktonians are on the qui vive over the reported find of over §1,000,000 of treas- ure on the island of Cocos, near Veraguas, in the department of Panama, butit is not yet known by whom the discovery of the treasure was made and there are some thirty citizens who think they have an interest in the millions of Spanish doub- loons supposed to have been hidden on the island. About three years ago Captain Geisler poured out a tale of future wealth to Jacob Simon of this city and some of Simon’s friends. He explained how he came into possession of the secret of the location of treasure buried on Cocos Island and was earnest in his desire to go in quest of the hidden fortune. As soon as the local men became satisfied that they could depend upon Geisler and that his story had some foundation in fact they proceeded to band themselves to- gether to form an expedition for the pur- pose of searching for the wealth which Spanish pirates were known to have sunk in the famous treasure island in order to escape detection. They elected Jacob Simon president of the company, of which there were some thirty members, and pro- ceeded to raise a fund with which to equip an expedition. They got together $4000 for this purpose and secured a schooner which they dubbed the Hayseed. The expedition failed, but Geisler was not daunted and still kept up negotiations with the Costa Rican Government, to which the island belonged, and also kept up his correspondence with Simon and his coterie of treasure-seekers. Last January he wrote trom New York to Mr. Simon, inclosing a copy of an agreement with the Government of Costa Rica, by which Geis- ler was to colonize the island of Cocos within one year with fifty families of Americans. What the local people would like to know is whether the find of over a million dollars was made by Geisler, for if such is the case they are entitled to a division of the spoils. GRADING FUR THE NEW ROAD. Tracklaying on the Stockton-Lodi Line te Commence on July 4. STOCKTON, CaL., June 17.—The work of grading for the electric road between here and Lodi 1s progressing rapidly, and in a short time additional parties will be put to work. The first camp is located in the northwestern part of this city. Itis the desire of the projectors of the road to benefit the farmers along the line of the road by employing their teams in grading. Just now they are busy on their farms, and all their horses are at work, but as soon as the rush is over several new camps will be started, and in this way the road will be completed within the next twelve weeks. J. A. Louttit, who is interested in the road, will leave for S8an Francisco to-mor- row, to see if the first consignment of rails cannot be shipped in time to have the tracklaying commence on the Fourth of July. Choosing & Queen. STOCKTON, CaL., June 17.—The voting for the Queen of the carnival, who is to preside over the Venetian festival on the night of the Fourth of July, has begun in earnest. Already there are fourteen con- testants, among whom are some of the most beautiful girls in California. Stock- ton is famous for its beautiful women, and this contest is bringing them prominently to the fore. Miss Minnie Rabolt leads in the voting, with Miss Gertrude Elliott and Miss Blanche Strother in second place, and Miss Gertrude Kierski third. Great preparations are being made for the celebration. Cutting Insurance Rates. STOCKTON, Car., June 17.—Insurance solicitors are taking grain risks at any rate agreed upon with farmers. One risk writ- ten on Saturday was for $10,000 and the premium was $75, one-half the regular rate. Agents say that the cutting is con- fined to the one agency engaged in tak. ing business to break the local association, but the fact is that anxious solicitors are taking anything they can get on grain insurance. Local agents are extending their policies with the provisions that they cannot be canceled. This is being done to hold out business from the cutting com- panies. Drowned in Mormon Channel. STOCKTON, CaL., June 17.—James Ber- nard was found drowned in Mormon Chan- nel late yesterday aiternoon. He had been employed as a cook for a harvesting crew. It is not known whether his deatk was due to an accident or suicide. The deceased Wwas a university graduate, but never made use of his education. Reception to a Colima Survivor. STOCKTON, Car., June 17.—T. J. Oriel, the young man who escaped from the Co- lima disaster, will be given a reception ‘Wednesday evening by his fellow-members of the Stockton Baptist Church. He has promised to again relate his experiences on that occasion. A Hunter Missing. STOCKTON, CaL., June 17.—Thomas Macon, s well-known hunter and trapper, living on Union Island, is missing from his ark, which is moored in Old River. He has been missed for three weeks, and left his ark open. He has a sister living in Oakland, but, it is said, she has not heard from him. [ For additional coast tclegranh scc Second Paged