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

| 6 ? THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 1895. s —————————————————————————Ee e e ] BELVEDERE'S PERFECT “NIGHT N VENICE" A Blaze of Colored; Splendor and a Dream | of Beauty. i FAIRY ARKS AND BARKS. Director - General Hawkins Conducts His Entire Pro- gramme Well. THIRTY THOUSAND SPECTATORS. Governor Budd, State and Clty Offi- clals and Every One Attend and Admire. Crimson and yellow. Yellow and crimson. Last night, when the sun went down and the soft shadows of the evening stole into the limpid cove at elvedere, a thousand flags and lanterns fluttered and swung in the gentle breeze, nodding a welcome to the coming guests. The steamers and tugs were loaded down to the rails, and the rolling roar of the sun- set guns were but echoes to the cheers and huzzas that floated up and away into silence. The swift approaching shadows deep- ened into gloom, and like beacons to all mankind the red and green and yellow lights glittered and flashed across the water like a million tongues of fire, licking up the ripples and fading away in the sand. Darker it grew, and a burst of music clashed out its introduction and blended with the overture of ““All Hands on Deck™ from the yacht Alice Stofen Suddenly, like the arrival of the remain- ing stars, many new hts appeared, another gun boomed out its approving roar, and Belvedere’s “Night in Venice’ was on. There was a perfect blaze of illumination and color as far as the eye could reach. From the north to the south end of the island could be seen a wealth of decora- tions and dainty arrangement. From the ark of Director-Gereral Haw- kins a perfect view of the scene lgoki west could be h: and like constellations nestled among the trees, the homes of the Belvedereans stood out of the dark back- the moon rose in all her ed to consider the scene hy of the b Among the lon, nes and on the slopes strings and festoons of Chinese lan- if to treetop T. V. 0’Brien, J._C. Tucker, Dr. Dunbar, r. Birming® Pope, Dr. | D. Maxwell, A. C. . C. J. Hendy, | Mrs. Logan, ps, Mr. Baggett, Kickers’ Court,” with charming | the beauty of ful the amount seemed to have been accom- each resident. At2o’clock in n about half of e adorned, ( Robert McGill, the extravaganza. rican Concert and the Fiith Artillery bands were in full swing, and mingled with the music were the song and laughter of those who visited from yacht to ark and fro Tk to launch. Photographer Bushnell, who had been at work all day on his ark suc i accompl n, Very un al res: main parlor was tastefully hung 7 netting whose meshes contained over three thousand carnations and natural flowers. Neatly gathered ribbons of silk in the car- nival colors were dextrously arranged i the corners and on the windows, while 500 lanterns, solely colored in crimson and yellow, were added to the effect. Leading 10 tue water's edge was a pair of Venetian stairs set on hinges and so arranged that they could be raised and lowered for the reception of guests. On either side of the stairway reposed two life-size paper-mache lione, newly bronzed and ‘made fierce and stern for the occasion. At the entrance of the parlor stood two ancient suits of armor with open visors and a welcome ex- pression in the gap. Charles B, Tidball, assisted by several young ladies, had so arranged the five sleeping-rooms that the whole effect struck one as at once daring and yet very artistic. On the upper deck of the ark a heavy brass cannon, firing three ounces of powder, belched forth its salutes every minute after the parade was over, and the stags, headed by Ferris Hartman, took possession and proceeded to immortalize the occasion. Fierce dragons and winged grifions protruded from each corner, and four batteries-of, Roman candles, spouting 250 balls from each battery, was set on each corner. In the center a skyrocket stand was sending up its signals, and red and blue fire acted as a sprinkle to com- plete the display. At the base of the stairway Mr. Bush- nell, dressed in his best suit of white flannels and a yachting cap emblazoned with the golden word “Cuckoo,” after the ark, stood to receive his guests and extend his hand with an accomplished Chester- : fieldian smile. In this pleasant exercise Lie was assisted by his cnflefl;:ues, Carl W. Koop and Charles M. Malie, who attended to the ex officio position of keepers of the mixological department. They did it well. A long flagstaff was the clustering point of crimson and yellow ribbons running up from all quarters of the upper deck,and g iEtely ‘over “tlis AoondTase et parency with the word “Cuckoo” that could be seen from afar. Altogether the entire ark was a wealth of crimson and yel- low from the top of the flagstaff to the water’s edge. The colors of the San Fran- cisco Yacht Club flew over ail. A launch and four rowboats plied be- tween the ark and the ferry, receiving and returning guests. Along the bar the yachts, Rover, Chispa, Azaline, Billy L, Virginia, Nellie, La Paloma, Little Annie, Elia, Dawn, Pinta, Harpoon, Thelma, Truant, Secret, Acme, Ceres, Belle, Ramona, Jessie, lurline, Idier, Mascotte, Mischief. Sappho, Queen and many others were stationed, and inthe concourse were the arks Alameda County Sportsmans’ Club, Polliwog, Tobin’s ark, Neil Elder, La Sirena, Cuckoo, Columbia, \ The Octopus, Atlantis, Wigwam, Bohemia, Dolphin, Argonaut, Commodore Tiddle, Linda, and a few athers which arrived dur- ing the festivities. The lively little gaso- line and steam launches which flitted to and fro with pleasure parties presented an active appearance. Among them were the Vamoose, Cub, Mascotte, Norwood, Sinbad, Caroline, Domino, Wanderer, Cold_Molas- ses, Cynthia, Me Too, Comet, Ramita, Satellite, Dart, Wildwood. Each one did excellent service in making it possible for guests to see all parts of the concourse and points of interest along the shore. Long before the hour appointed for the beginning of the parade the boats from San Francisco had landed nearly ten thonsand passengers, and more even to come, From all points of the cowmpass tugs and launches were heading for Belve- dere, and far out .in the bay signal-lights could be seen coming up to the bar. Every available method of transporta- tion was utilized, and therewasn’t a boat loft in San Francisco, Oakland or Sausalito. By 8 o'c | no mistak | gan to move. -After reaching the dock at Along the roadways reaching from the iburon ferry to Belvedere, there was a perfect army of travelers wending their way in and around the labyrinth ofg paths and drives that prevail on’ the hillside of Belvedere. Those who were able to obtain a_ghmpse of the parade water from the roads on the slope had a particularly good view, as the whole arrangement lay almost at their feet. Those residents of Beivedere who had homes built on the water's edge viewed the spectacle from the wharves that are in use as boat landings. Director-General Hawkins provided for his guests by placing chairs and benches on a spacious float which was lashed to his 1 ark, “The Polliwog.” The interior had been elaborately decorated by a bevy of young ladies, who, amid a bower of | sweet peas, hung the silk pennants and banners that were awarded as prizes for the best decorated ark, launch and row- boat. There were a great many visitors to this point, and the general found it almost impossible to get away from the hands of his friends to take charge of the parade and see that his lieutenants were 1n pos- session of all the assistance they desired. He was about as omnipotant as any mor- tal who ever agreed to engineer an affair without compensation and be content with glory as a reward. Notonly was he in demand during the programme, but alse up to a late hour after | the tireworks were used up and the peep of day was getting ready to declare itszlf. At about 8:30 the boats that had becn skipping all over the concour e b:gan to get in shape for the great floating specta- cle which was to come off at The ' | Rey, Mr. and Mrs. H. Harrison, John Kc“{{ J. launches were in waiting ready to convey those who received invitations to the arks and yachts moored in the sheltered bay. Others quietly sought poinis of vantas among the wooded hills and avenues. Oth- ers scattered among their friends, and the following is a partial list of the guests and their entertainers: ‘The guests at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Mattoon were: Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Center, Mr. and Mrs. esebrough, General W. H. Dimond, Mr. and Mrs. D. D. Stubbs, Mr. and Mrs. F. Douty, Colonel Fred Crocker, Captain R, R. Searle, sAlexander Hay, Mr.and Mrs. J. P. Le Count, Mr. and Mrs. Jérome Madden, Mr. and Mrs. John Sampson, Mr. and Mrs. Hanford, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Austin. Mr. and Mrs.J. K. C. Hopbs, Mr. and Mrs, D. Huber, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. J. McMallen, Mr. and Mrs. Frank White, Mr. and Mrs. W. 8. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Gerstle, Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Field, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Cox, Mr. and Mrs. H. Dutard, Mr. and Mrs. Christie Willlams, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Wright, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Russ, Mr. and Mrs. I Danglada, Lieutenant and Mrs. J. B. Milton, Mr. and Mrs. J. steck, Mr. and Mrs. -R. E. Dickin- son, Mr. and Mrs, W. Jobson, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Boynton, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Hooper, Mr. and Mrs. 8. W. Fuller, Mr.and Mrs, W. H. Loring, Mr.and Mrs. G. Hageman, Mr. and Mrs, F. S. Sherman, Mr. and W. Probasco, Dr. aud Mrs. Otto West- eutenant and Mrs. U. R. Harris, Judge D. J. Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. Spinney, Mrs. E. J. Robertson, Miss Spinney, Mrs. Heima. Berger, Miss Berger, Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Mr. Clough, Mrs, J. B. F. Davis, the Misses Davis, A Buckman, Charles Sonntag, J. Se!slm’ll{ Miss Maude Northam, Fred Simonton, Mr. ani Mrs. E. B. Jerome, T. H. Goodman. SHAMROCK LODGE. Fred E, Harmony, Mr. and Mrs, J. A. Ritchie, Mr. and Mrs. M. A, Crowell, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. W. Garson, the Misses Onrson, biss Perry, Miss H. Baker, J. B. Elliott, Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Souel, A. 8, Crawford, Mr, and Mrs. G. H. Mar- tin, JOhD Maher, Mrs. Burgess, Miss Hampton, T. A. Kirkpatrick, C. F. McAlister. BAYO VISTA. R.E. McGill, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vance, COMMOD ORE BUSHNELL'S AREK, THE BEST DECORATED AT BEL- VEDERE’S NIGHT IN VENICE. [Sketched by a “ Call’ -artist last might.] launch Mascotte like a grand marshal rushed up and down the course to place its | followers in trim for the review. Every- body was all excitement, and those who | were of importance in carrying out the programme excused themselves and went off somewhere to recover their nerves and |2 get perfectly calm so as to be in condition | at the critical moment, There must be no hitches, no blunders. Finally everything was in readiness, and from out of the Jull’ before the beginning rang a long blast from the Mascotte’s whis- tle as the line of boats took on life and be- Everybody left the course, and in a few minutes the entire procession was moving | down the waterway and every craft, from the Mascott to the tiny war canoe in the | rear, was blowing and "blazing out its fire and its brilliancy. The first five minutes of the parade were almost noiseless except for the ruff ruff of the gasoline exhaust valve and the rush- ing of the “feathers” at the bows of the boats. Evervbody was at “attention,” but suddenly, like the bursting out of a pent- up joy, the whistles began to blow and a hundred small cannon poured out a volley of barks. Each boat was punctual in burning its red and green fire, and when the leaders had reached the old Dollart, the stakeboat, 2 course was taken to the left and the | whole line of boats appeared as one long chain of different colored lights writhing and twisting around their ret’fections in the quivering water. The beauty of the scene was startling, and the effect swept over the mishty throng of spectators like a great wave of happiness. Cheer aiter cheer and boom after boom shook the air and roman cau- dles dropped showers of tinis over the whole concourse. When at last the procession reached its starting point the boats broke ranks, and then began a mixing up of color such as was never before witnessed on the Pacific Coast. Gayly dressed ladies were wel- comed to the launches, and mandolins and guitars were brought out. Strains of “With All Her Faults,” *‘Oh, Promise Me,” “Love’s Sorrow” and other familiar airs were waited across tbe thickly boated waters that seemed *o be alive with reflec- tions and bright-colored ribbons. Immediately after the parade the pyro- technic disp]u?’ from Valentines Island was begun. The first feature was a gigan- tic shower of colored ballsthat whistled into the air and burst into a million pieces. Like a brief flash of tinted lightning it lit up the scene and showed a sea of upturned faces that covered the hillside and blocked the observation points. Both bands kept up a continuous strain of music, and the arks and bouses along the shore were crowded with guests. Not a single house on the island was dark. The little lodges and the big mansions dispensed good cheer, and those who got within gunshot of Bel- vedere encountered it. Promptly at 10 o’clock, as prearranged, every inhabitant of the place set off a uantity of red fire, and it was then that the perfect picture was framed in by a | wall of darkness made deeper by ‘the bright light within. The situation was like a dissolving panorama. Without warn- 1ng a tug would shoot out of the night, flash across an ?ipening, a handkerchief would be fluttered like a puff of steam and the picture would be gone. There is no more to tell. It was beauti- ful, idyllic and a credit to Belvedere and her people. To many it was an_all-night affair, and only the light of day drove the magnificence of the night picture from the sea and made it one of the unforgotten memories in spectacular history. SBT3 INCIDENTS OF THE THRONG Thirty Thousand People Visited the Island on the Boats. Never before in the history of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railway has such a crowd congregated in the ferry depot as was ready to take the first boat for the second annual Night in Venice at Belvedere. Thousands upon thousands jostled and dammed each other in their anxiety to be among the first to depart. At times the pressure of the masses of pleasure-seekers was so great that many were forced throngh the gates without presenting their tickets. It became necessary to close the gates once, but after that the passengers were allowed to file slowly through until the boat was comfortably filled, leaving behind a_number of disnppoime& persons with either a wife, husband, sister, brother.or sweetheart upon the depnrtin% boat. iburon, hundreds of rowboats, sailboats and a large number of the ever-ready gasoline E. A. Schmidt, Mrs, F. M. Bliven, Stincen, Mrs tincen, William fr. and Mrs. Schroder, Mr. i, Mr. ‘and Mrs. Irvin fr. and Mrs, F. Aureguy, Mr. an sac, Mr. and Mrs. John Lyons, Mr. rrier, ‘Miss Currier, Miss Wicks, lorence McGil hase, M. Derbic C. Nichols, Charles A. Hattie Moulton, Mr. and Mrs. Jos, Greenburg, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Greenburg, Miss Wolf, Mr. Broo s Brooks, Miss Burns, Miss Plon, T, ) Mr. and Mrs. Mrs. E. E Barry, M. Cutten, and Mrs. H. M. M Moulton, Mrs, B. Miss Charlotte McGill, . and Mrs. Charles LA SERENA ARK. Mr. and Mrs. George A. Knight, Fred 8. Knight, Charles E. Knight, Arthur Calahan, Ward Eaton. J.'W. McDermott, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Eaton, Mr. and Mrs, H. C. Wyman, Mr. and Mrs. Llovd Eaton, Miss McDermott, Miss Emma McDermott, Jim Snook, Charles A, Kelly, 8. A. Monseratt, E. Zimmer, Joe White, Miss Stencil, J. J. O'Connell, POLLIWOG ARK. J. R. La Rue, C. A. King, W. E. Beck, C. L. Cushing, H. L. Cushing and family, J. W. Right and wie, E. H. Hooper and wife, C. L. Plerce, H. L. Jackson, 8. L. Sale #on. James 'H. Budd, E. L. Colnon and wife, F. 8. Chadbourne and wiie, Daniel Cole and wife, W. L. Ashe and wife, D. H. Dibb and wife, Mr. Neyins, Miss Nevins, Mr. G. M. Hickman, Miss Hickman, Mrs. M. P. Berwin. GRACIE. Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Hill, Mrs. Ed Theller, Miss Lillie Sherwood, Miss Emily Wade, Miss Nettie Wade, Miss L. Hill, (.eorge Winterburn and wife, 'Andrew Clearey, G. H. Freiermuth, Charles T. Hill, George H. Winterburn, A. M. Jellison and wife, Thomas L. Hill and wife. ARK “NIEL ELDER."” Horace Stevens, Dr. Franklin Pancoast and A. D. Naylor, proprictors. U. S. Deputy_Mar- shal A. L. Farish, wife and daughter; L. H. Pockman and family; Miss Juliet C. Schulte; James S. Hawkins, Director-General of Belvedere’s Second Annual Night in Venice. i Manuel Azueta, commander of Mexican war- ship Zaragosa; Jose V. Dosal, Chancellor to Mexican Consul; W. Brad Thompson; J. C. Thompson; Hon. €. F. Gardner, Receiver U. 8. Land Office, Sacramento; F, Price; Colonel Tevlin, Miss' Williamson. CHISPA. Commodore Gutte, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bundschu, Miss Alma Bundschu, Carl Bund- schu Jr., Walter Bundschu, Mr. and Mrs, Solly ‘Walter, Captain Coolidge. ARK CUCKOO. F. H. Bushnell, Dr. Terrill, Mr. and Mrs. Bookstaver, Miss Donovan, Miss G, Hurney, Dr. and Mrs. Needler, Mr.and Mrs. Ottinger, Mr. and Mrs. Allison, General A. S. Bushuell, General T, McDuffy, Carl N. Koop, Charles M. Malick, Thomas Leacy (manager Mexican or- chestra) and_wife, W. L. Sabin, C. O. Blethin and family, Mr. and Mrs, W. J. Slocum, Manuel Eyre, Mise Nellie, Eyre, Miss Chrysudl Plum- mer, Mrs. Field, Miss Snook, Ed Williams. ARK WIGWAM. Mrs. E. J. Swales, F. W. Grimwood, Dr. H. C. Davis and family, Cojonel C. L. Taylor, James Margo and wife. ARK ATLANTIS. A. E. Wellinghouse, H. E. Pennell, C. B. Slogne, W. H. Crowell, David McLabghln, »\;hn. Balcom, J. H. Hawks, H. D. Hawks and others. MINNE HA HA. Mr. and Mrs. George A. Crux, Mr. and Mrs. J. Louls Frazier, Mr. and Mrs. Horace L. Brown, 3r. and Mrs Frank Seliridge, Edward Selfridge, Russell Selfridge, Miss Reynolds, Miss Hewell, Mr. Grace, R, K. Huie, E. M. Hule, Mrs. E. P Cole, Misses Cole, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Bancroft, Mr. Bancroft, Miss Bancraft, Mr, and Mrs. George W. Bpencer. COLUMBIA. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Howlanid, Mr. and Mrs. L. W, Seely, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Schmitt, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hart, Mrs, Edith Schmidt, Miss s: Nagel, Miss Johns, Miss Goff, Mr. r. Eidemuller and family, M. J. , Misses M. and E.Brougham, Mr. and Mrs, Youngberg, Eugene Davis, Attorney Mrs. Olita Luat, Hosmer, Joe Noll:kex, C. H. Wilson, Leonard Grover, Frank ' Smith, Frank' W. Marston, Joe Mazks, C, D, Platt, Ira Blshop, Sumber Hardy. Mrs. A. F. Benjamin, Miss Florence Benjamin, Mrs, Keith, Mrs. Dickey, Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Platt, Mrs. Bishop, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Francher, Mrs. Swain, Mrs. Carnshields Smith, Mrs. Marks, Mrs. Davis, Mrs. L. Groyer, Edgar M. Wilson. Among the passengers on the Ukiah leaving the City at 7:30, the guests’ boat, were: Warden and Mrs. Hale, Mr. and Mrs. Hall McAllister, Mr. and Mrs. P. E. Bowles, Joseph Nouges, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Taylor, C. A. Worth, Mr. and Mrs. V. W. Gaskill, General J. W. B. Montgomery, Judge !.elw;y. Joseph Naph- taly, General and Mrs. W. H. Brown, J. H. angels, Mr.and Mrs. Edgar A. Cohen, A, B. Williamson, * Mr. “a rs. J. M. Goewey, James E. Mills, Genetal and Mrs. Walter Turn- bull, Miss Turnbull, David Stark, Sir Henry Heyman, Mr. and Mrs. George Sanderson, Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Woodward, Jefferson G. James, H. P. Son! , A, Vo , George H. Caba- niss, Harry Barton . E. Miller, Mr, and Mrs. John Y r. and Mrs. "ayior. IS STILL DEADLOCKED. The Election Commission Divided Over the Position of Chief Clerk. The Election Commission metonce more yesterday, but the meeting so far asre sults were concerned was as useless as the last one. Balloting upon the candidates for the chief clerkship consumed most of the time, and the result was that no one was elected. The candidates were Samue! K. Thorn- ton, who has Mr. Castle as his voting strength, B. H. Patrick, backed by Foster and Denman, and James S. Reynolds, who controls Wellin’syote. Thornton and Patrick are the only real candidates. Wellin is voting for Reynolds only until the two ~Republican members agree upon their candidate. Den- man is votiu§ for Patrick because Foster voted for him for chairman, but Denman has no intention of elecnns Patrick by his vote nnless Castle an Toster agree upon Patrick for the office, The deadiock is still unbroken, and the commission, after two useless ballots, ad- journed until Angust 30, —_— MEYERSTRAUSS DEFENDED Resolutions in His Behalf Adopted at an Indigna- tion Meeting. His Excommunication RQeclared i~ legal-It Is Proposed to Ignore It. The decorous ladies and gentlemen who met at the home of Mrs, Frank J. French, 1617 Jackson street, last evening, would hardly have styled their conference an in- dignation meeting, but such it was, and the result was the adoption of the follow- ing protest against Meyer Strauss’ expul- sion from the First Congregational Church: WHEREAS, We learn with sorrow and lndly‘ nation that at the prayer-meeting of the First Congregational Church held Wednesday, July 31, 1895, the name of Brother Meyer Strauss was stricken from the roll of the church with- out due preseutation to him of the charges against him, in his absence and withouta hear- ing, by & bare majority vote of the members present, such majority constituting only one- fifteenth of the total membership of the church; therefore, be it Resolved, That we strongly condemn the above stated action as totally contrary alike to the broad and catholic spirit of Congregational- ism and tothe nnclfl\eu of common justice, Resolved further, that we hereby lender to Brother Strauss our heartfelt sympathy, assur- ing him of our deep and abiding confidence in his Christian character and of our desire to co- operate in any measures that may be taken to redress the gross injustice of which he has been made the victim. Resolved further, that the secretary of this meeting be instructed to transmit to Brother Strauss a copy of these re&oluuluns. Dr. McDonald presided and most of those present spoke in denunciation of the summary action of the,small portion of the church represented at the Wednesday evening prayer-meeting. It was declared to be the sentiment of last evening’s meet- ing that the action taken on Wednesday night was illegal and that it should be ignored. STRAUSS' EXPULSION. Ministers Averse to Committing Them- selves to an Opinion, but Generally Think It Was Uncalled For, It seems to be the opinion of the pas- tors of the principal Congregational churches of this City that the recent excommunication of Meyer Strauss by the First Congregational Church was unconstitutional and unpecedented. As yet no discussion of the matter has been entered into, because each congre- gation is supreme in itself, and if Meyer Strauss, an enthusiastic member of the First Congregational Church of this City for nineteen years, is to be reinstated the effort must properly be made by him or by his friends. And to his friends Mr. Strauss, the artist, looks for any action that may be taken in his behalf. = Excommunication practically means dishonorable expulsion from the whole chureh. Among the Congregational- ists it is a very uncommon occurrence. “‘In NEWS OF THE CHURCHES. Dedication Week at the Second United Presbyterian Church. ONE OF DR. CASE'S PRELUDES. Entertalnment at the Howard Meth- odist Church for the Finch Orphanage. The Bay Conference of Congregational Churches will meet on Tuesday, August 13, probably at Dougherty station. The chief theme of discussion will be “The Relation of the Christain Endeavor Society to Churches,” The relation to the churches in an undenominational sense will be treated by F. H. Mar; in a denom- inational sense by W. W. Scudder and to the local church by Dr. C. 0. Brown. An entertainment.yill be given at the Howard Methodist Church on Tuesday evening, August 13, for the benefit of the Fred Finch Orphanage. This is dedication week at the Second universities, has accepted the position of pro- fessor of mathematics in San . Jose Couo{ao! éh? University of the Pacific, at College Park, ‘al. v THE CAROLINA RICE BIRD. He Takes a Fourth of the Crop Regard- less of Gunpowder. The danger to which rice is subjected from the time of planting to the day when the crop issold are many, but probably the greatest enemy the rice planter has to con- tend with is the rice bird. It is said that this bird, which is known in different localities as Java sparrow, bobolink, reed bird and other names, destroys from one- fourth to one-third of the Southern rice crop. They are slaughtered in enormous numbers by the sentinels employed and also by sportsmen, but such is their greed that tgey will hardly fly when a shot kills the companions by their side on the same bush, but will continue to eat until they are themselvesslain. This makesa heaven for the sportsmen, and many take ndvnn; tage of this season to sut in a few days shooting in the rice fields. This, however, has its drawbacks. In order to get at the birds the hunter must leave the banks and enter the fields, and in doing so he meets with many obstacles. There are bog holes for him to become mired in, or he may fall into an old ditch and have to swim across, and there is the danger of catching malaria, which at this season of the year is particularly danger- ous. Butreward sweetens labor, and if a couple of sportsmen kill from 500 to 1000 birds in the course of a day’s hunt it is not considered remarkable, When, however, what is left of the crop, after the frost, ey e ST THE SECOND UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH — TO BE DEDI- CATED TO-DAY, [Drawn from the architect’s designs by a “Call” artist.] United Presbyterian Church, on Guer- rero street, between Twenty-second and Twenty-third. Dr. M. M. Gibson will preach at 10:30 A. M. to-day. At 12:15 P. M. the members of the Sabbath-school will assembie in the lecture-room, where they will be addressed by B. B. Mc- Clellan and others. The dedication services will begin at 3 . »., when Dr. Gibson will give an address. There will bea union ser- vice of United Presbyterian Churches at 7:45P. M., and Dr. E. 8. McKittrick of Al- legheny, Pa., will preach. To-morrow evening there will be a social gathering, when there will be informal addresses by different pastors. On Wednesday at 7:45 P. 3. Dr. George McCormick of Salinas will ive an address on “‘The Relation of the rayer-Meeting to Personal and Con%resgnn tional Life.” Rev. W. W. Logan of San Jose wil) speak on “The Relation of the Young People’s Societv of Christian En- deavor to the Church’ on Friday evening, at the same hour. Four new members will be admitted to the Howard Presbyterian Church this merning, making the number of additions to the church membership since Rev., F. B. Farrand commenced his pastorate eight months ago forty-three. Mr. Farrand says the prospects for the new church near the park are very bright. He will preach this morning on the text, “Whom Having Not Seen I Love,”” and will answer the objec- tion of skeptics that it is impossible to love him whom one has never seen. His theme in the evening will be *‘The Face of Jesus Christ.” Dr. W. ¥. Day, pastor of the First Con- gregational Church at Los Angeles, spent a few days in the City last week en route for Alaska. He will preach at the First Congregational Cburch at Portland to- day, also on his return from the Alaskan fifty years there have probably not been nearly 100 persons excommunicated in this City,” said the Rey. Mr. Pond of the Bethany Congregational Church. “‘Members are received into Congregationai churches carefully.” The Rev. Mr. Will- iams of the Plymouth Congregational Church remarked: “I have been a pastor. for twenty years, and no member of my congregation was_ever excommunicated.” Excommunication is an extreme meas- ure and is usually resorted to only in cases of proven immorality, dishonesty or crime in its legal sense. There are other and quieter ways of removing a member from a congrega- tion, and when such a course is necessary they are usually employed. In order to be reinstated Mr. Straus or his friends for him must ask the con- gregation of which until last Wed- nesday’s prayer-meeting he was a mem- ber to form a “mutual council’ consisting of representative members of the church and of neighboring congrega- tions. chosen by the church and the ag- rieved one. Should this council be formed it reviews the evidence, but, while its findings are merely advisory, they are sel- dom disregarded. Ifa “mutual council’’ be not granted the excommunicated member randy himself select a similar representative body of church members called an ‘‘ex-parte council,” and if this council find" an injustice ~has been dcne they so advise, but if their advice is not heeded they may furnish a certifi- cate entitling the expelled member to honorable membership in any congrega- tion except the one fmm which he was expelled. he law of the Congregational Church strictly requires that the pastor must first speak to the accused of his fault privately, then with a committee; the last resort at reconciliation being the public note, and usually a written notice of the accusation must be sent to the acc: ten days before public action is taken by the church members. It requires a two-thirds vote of those members voting to elect dea- cons, to elect a pastor or to excommuni- cate a member. Mr. Straus was excommunicated by a vote of 61to49, and the letter that ca the action against him became public I than ten days before his expulsion. Earliest National Banks. National banks were established in the United States in 1816. The highest de- nomination of our legal-tender notes is $10.000, and our circulation of paper mone{ is the largest in the world, bei 0%5 $700,000; 000, while Russia has $670,000,000. Imp once meant a_child. _Shakespeare, :Eeakmg of the children in the tower, calls em imps. Jeremy Taylor, in one of his sermons, speaks of ‘“the beautiful imps Itnn sang hosz .nas to the Savior in temple,”’ . trip. Dr. G. R. Wallace, the incumbent of that church, will fill Dr. Day’s pulpit during his absence. Miss Minnie and Genevieve Oveatt, members of the Howard Presbyterian Church, will sail for China the first week of September. The young ladies have been appointed missionaries to the Chi- nese, The committee appointed by the San Francisco Presbytery to consider plans for the organization of a Presbyterian Sun- day-school Institute in this City met at Calvary- Church on Friday evening for a conference on the subject. Dr. Mathena presided. A committee was appointed to confer with the officers of the various l{resbf'terlnn Sunday-school as to the prac- ticability of such an organization. . Dr. Case’s views on the propriety of bloomers for feminine attire have attracted some attention in Chicago. An evidence of this is the fact that he has received a circular from the Chicago Cycling Ladies’ Skirt Company, calling attention to the modesty and usefulness of its goods. Rev, H. H. Wyckoff, who represents the Congregational ‘Church Building Society as coast secretary, is devoting all his energies to raising money to discharge the debt on the Turlock Church. There will be a council of recognition at the Congregational chapel on Pierce and Green streets on Tuesday evening, August 20. The council will be " participated in by a minister and delegate from each of the Congregational churches, The chapel isa branch of the Pif'momh Church. Dr. W. D. Williams will preach on the text ‘‘Are There Few to Be Saved ?”’ at the morning service at Plymouth Church. It will be a communion service and four new members will be admitted. In the even- ing he will speak of the recent Endeavor convention by request. s Hon. J. W, Fairbank, superintendent of the Puget Sound Chautauqua Assembly, gave an interesting lecture on the striking incidents of “Ben Hur,” illustrated b; stereopticon views, at Plymouth Churcl ngdafy evening. It was given for the ben- efit of the Boys’ Brigade. : The Methodist ministers will resume their meetings, which were adjourned for a month, at the usual time and place on onday. Miss Anderson, the Swedish evangelist, will oocu{y Dr. dhpse's pulpit at the How- ard-street "Methodist Church this morning and evening. = The Woman’s Auxilary of the Epim&% Missions has received a legacy of $1 from Mrs. Caroline L. Johnston of San Rafael, I The Guild Hall of Grace Church, Mar- tinez, has been secured for use by a new emy. A College Appointment. _ Mr. B. L. Remick, A.M., of Waverly, Iowa, & graduate of Cornell College and recently a post- graduate student of Johns Hopkins and Chicago freshets and rice birds have had a turn at it, is stacked in the barnyard to cure, it then falls prey to an enemy second only to the ricebird—the blackbird then appears. These ravenous birds will settle upon the stacks in great numbers and as the sheaves are stacked with the head, that which con- tains the rice, outward, they have no diffi- culty in appeasing their hunger, and oftentimes even a gunshot within a few feet will fail to drive them away. Sports- men stand on one end of thelong rows, and, sup_yoning their pieces on the end stack, will fire along- the line, and more than 200 have been known to be killed at a single discharge.—Philadelphia Times. THE STRANGEST INSECT. It Xs Half a Plant and Is Found in New Zealand. The aweto, as the Maoris or natives of New Zealand call it, or Hipialis virescens as naturalists term it, is found in New Zea- land, and is a vegetable caterpillar of from three to four inches in length, and, so far, science has not been able to say whether it is a vegetable or an insect. It is always found at the foot of large myrtle trees that havye beautiful red flowers on the stems, and a beautiful cree})ing clematis as white as the snow. The Maoris call this tree b; the name of rata. The aweto buries itself among the roots of the rata, a few inches below the ground, and there lives until it is full grown, when it undergoes a most wonderful change. The spore of a vege- table fungus, termed by n-tura]i?‘ts Sophoe- ria Robertsii, fastens itself to the neck of the caterpillar, just between the head and the first ring, and then grows upward to the height of from six to eight inches. Many people assert that there is never more than one stem, but such is not the case, for some have been found with two stems, although very rarely, says the Bos- ton Transcript. The stem shoots up out of the ground, above where the caterpillar isliving, about two or three inches; below the earth it grows into the aweto, until it fills up every possible space within the outer skin with- out changing the form of the insect the slightest way whatsoever, but simply sub- stituting a ‘vegetable matter for animal matter. Assoonas this takes place both the plant and the caterpillar become dry and die, but retain exactly the same form as when alive. The whole has a brown color and the insect appears a wooden caterpillar, with a huge horn_standing up from the back of its neck. How the cater- pillar manages to propagate ite species no one can tell. Usually the caterpillar be- comes a chrysalis, the chrysalis changes into a moth, the moth lays eggs, and those eggs again become caterpillars, and so on without stopping. Many reasonsare given why the plant shoots up from the back of the neck of tne aweto. One is that the aweto hasa slimy substance oozing out from its neck, which, while the aweto is boring at the foot of the rata tree for its only food, catches the seeds of the fungus and holds it fast there till the latter begins to grow. When it has sucked sall the vege- table life out of the aweto it must namrafly die, for it finds no further nourishment. The aweto is often found in large numbers. —————— .. When an aerolite strikes the atmosphere its temperature is instantly raised to from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 degrees. So says Pro- essor Ad SHOULD GROW ALFALFA A Few Pointers to San Joaquin Farmers on Its Culti- . vation. MORE PROFIT THAN WHEAT. Large Meat-Packing Concerns In- terested In Alfalfa as a Food for Stock. The Southern States hdve crowned cot- ton as *‘king” for many years, and corn in the West is king, then why should not alfalia be crowned king of the San Joa- quin Valley? 4 California, that part of it embraced in the big 8an Joaquin Valley is, in thestrug- gle of wheat.raising, competing against padrone labor of Argentine, ryot labor of India and ex-serf labor of Russia. Our State is generally recognized as an Ameri- can State, more observably so than many of the older ones and, of course, it is Amer- icans in California who are now competing against the pauper labor wmentioned en- gaged in wheat raising. It 1s inevitable that in the end we will surely go to the wall unless our wheat-raiser will live as his competitors do, which it is to be hoped may never be. Grasses are the most im- portant of all the agricultural products. Statistics show that there is no one crop grown out of the earth that equalsin value the grass crop, and one who cares to in- vestigate the wonderful productiveness of alfalfa in the San Joaquin Valley must be struck with the conditions that prevail with the idiotic effort to raise wheat at present prices, and will naturally propound the question, Why don’t you grow alfalfa and raise cattle? All that country lying between the Mariposa River and the Rocky Mountains is becoming less and less productive, and tame grasses are not being started with much success. All that country is overstocked with cat- tle on the big ranges now. The physical and natural conditions that prevail in that part of our country are not conducive to the growing of tame grasses. A scarcity ot rainfall and an almost impossibility of irrigation will surely throw the business of cattle-raising into such favorable loc: tions as this big San Joaquin Valley pre- sents, with its four and five crops of alfalfa every vear. It s not intended to conve the idea that beef cattle raising on al- falfa is a bonanza, but it certainly is a more profitable enterprise for the farmer to engage in than the one of wheat-raising at the present prices with but little possibility of its being much higher for many years to come. Take the extensive areas of land in Kern and Tulare counties, now lying under a water system, that can be used the entire year for irriga- tion, and, if partly planted in alfalfa, there is no doubt but what the stock-raiser, on such land as that, will become well-to-do in a very few years. Three of the neigh- bors adjoining the writer’s fruit ranch near Visoliaare conducting their farms on the alfalia idea and they are the only farmers near by whose lands are not blanketed with a mortgage. There are many of alfalfa ranches in Tulare County, also in Kern, and in every instance their owners are free from incumbrances, and generally they have money to loan. Wheat farming can hardly put up such ashowing as that, anywhere in our State. In particularly mentioning cattle-raising in connection with alfalfa, it is not intended to advise the giving up of hog-raising; if there is any one feed that pigs can be brought up on better than aliaifa the discovery has not yet been made. It is equally as good for chickens, turkeys, ducks or geese-rais- ing, All of our domestic animals are fond of itand they will get fat and keep so on it alone. Is there any earthly reason why packing-houses for curing meat on this coast couldn’t be kept supplied from the product of our soils and thus turn the trainloads of packing-house products of Chicago in another direction? Let Kansas City and the “windy’’ city supply the ¥ast, but let California supply the West. Her fruits are now going to London with success, and there is no reason why her pork, bacon and beef should not supply our Pacific Coast. ~ Major C. J. BERRY. MAKING TOYS. The Art Descending From One Genera- tion to Another. Miss Amielia B. Edward, in her “Un- trodden Peaks,” mentious many an in- teresting visit to the homes of the working people of St. Ulrich, where so many toys are made. *In one house,” runs the account, ‘‘we found an old, old woman at work, Mag- dalena Paldauf by name. “She caryed cats, dogs, wolves, sheep, goats and elephants. She has made these six animals Her whole life long, and she has no’idea of how to cut anything else. She makes tHem in two sizes, and she turns out as nearly as possible a thousand of them in a year. “She has no model or drawing of any kind to work by, but goes on steadily, unerringly, using gouges of different sizes and shaping out her cats, dogs, wolves, sheep, goats and elephants with an ease and an amount of truth to nature that would be clever if it were not utterly me- chanical. “Magdalena Paldauf learned from her mother how to carve those six animals, and her mother had learned, in like man- ner, from her grandmother. , Magdalena has now taught the art to her own granddaughter, and so it will go on being transmitted for generations.” In another house Miss Edwards found the whole family carving skulls and cross- bones for fixing at the base of crucifixes, for the wood-carving of Grodner That is religious in its nature as well as amusing. In other houses there were families that carved rocking-horses or dollsor other toys, and in still other houses there were fami- lies of paingers. “In one house we found about a dozen girls painting gray horses with black points. In another house they painted only red horses with white points. Itisa separate branch of the trade to paint sad- dle and headgear. A good hand will paint twelve dozen horses a day, each horse being about one foof inlength; and for these she is paid 55 soldi, or about 2s 3d English.” e e Tariff was the name of the Moorish chief- tain, Abou al Tarifa, who had a fortress near the Straits of Gibraltar, and levied toll on ships and merchandise passing through. LA BELLE CREOLE CIGARS Manufactured by S. HERNSHEIM BROS. & CO., New Orleans, La. RINALDO BROS. & CO., Pacific Coast Agents, 300-302 Battery Street, S. F. Branch Store—29-31-33 South First St., San Jose, Cal,