The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 5, 1895, Page 6

- L] HE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 1895. CHARLES M. SHORTRIDGE, Editor and Proprietor. -SL'BSCF;IPTIO\' RATES—Postage Free: Defly and Sunday CALL, one week, by carrier.$0.15 Deily and Sund .. € Paily and Sunday CALL, six months, by mail 3.00 Daily and S Carx, three months, by mail 1.50 v CALL, one month, by mail .50 unday CALL, one year. by mail.. 1.50 WEEKLY CALL, oe ye 150 Selephone Maln—1868 Telephone.... BRANCH OFFICES: 520 Montgomery street, corner Clay 30 o'clock. 839 Haves street: cet: open until enth and M ion streets; open 2518 Mission street; open until 9 o’clock. 116 Ninth street; open until 9 o'ciock. OAKLAND OFFICE: 908 Broadway. EASTERN OFFICE: - Pacific States Advertisfig Bureau, Rhinelander duiiding, Rose and Duane streets, New York City. THE SUMMER MONTHS. Are you going to the country ona vacation * Tf #0, it §s Do trouble for u: rward THE CALL to wouraddress. Do s you for you will miss it. Orders Tier, or left at Business Office, eet, will receive frompt attention. et it iven to 710 Mark The defenders of the Solid Eight are willing to talk of almost anything except law. The deficit in the revenue is one phase of the money question which every Demo- crat dodges. ent seems to have ing and wait for The third-term mov finally decided to go an emergency. Tre Carv's published list of dens where white persons smoke opium should be in- structive reading for the police. The prevalence of Red Men at Redwood City has no reference either to the color of their noses or the crimson aspect of that city. The Hawaiian “‘filibuster’” has become a more thrilling object of interest on the Pa- cific Coast than the sea serpent on the At- lantic. Corbett and Fitzsimmons can hardly expect to get the undivided attention of the country until the international yacht race is over. A Mugwump organ in the East has been canght declaring that jingoism is a super- stition and the Americun flag a mere “textile fabri Theatrical Manager Dailey will have time in prison to reflect on the benefits which he secured from sensational news- paper advertising. According to Joseph Chamberlain the new Parliament will devote itself to *‘con- structive social reform in England,” what- ever that may mean. With contending police forces represent- jng in themselves al] the elements of riot, Omaha is presenting a delicious farce- comedy of the law to the country. Kansas furnishes the country with a mild sensation in the form of a suit brought by a Chinaman against an Amer- jcan girl for breach of promise of mar- riage. The prompt condonation and approval of Miss Flagler’s shooting of a small negro boy in Washington seems to have started 2 boom of that kind among the Japanese of the capital. “Sound money” men, both in Great Britain and Wall street, have accurately defined the present administration by an- | pouncing that they will pin their faith to Cleveland and Carlisle. RO It will be time enough to boast of the Defender’s superiority over the British champion when she has proved a better facility than she has heretofore shown to avoid disabling accidents. As a recognition of the generosity shown by Chicago in erecting a monument to the | Confederate dead, the people ot New Or- leans have started a movement to erect a monument to General Hancock. The coming of Democrats of National in- fluence to San Francisco would be an excellent opportunity for the Democrats of Californja to urge the holding of their next National cenvention in this City. New York has been indulging the hope that the Grand Jury will indict two great railway corporations having headquarters inf that city for killing eighteen persons within the city limits since the 1st of Jan- uary. Boston is sadly disturbed by a set of re- formers who wish to have a new State House as an ornament to the city, and are denouncing the present one as an “‘archi- tectural monstrosity with- ‘a squatty dome.” If the truth were known the Indian scare in Jacksons Hole may have been oc- casioned by an attempt of the braves to repeat the college yell they heard while the Princeton expedition was in the mountains. If the enterprising gentlemen who are working a section of the local press to se- sure fame as conspirators organizing a scheme to capture the Hawaiian Islands are not playing for a lucrative position in a dime museum we fear that we overrate their shrewdness. One of the expected effects of the Demo- ocratic system of an ad valorem tariff is reported from Philadelphia, where the Collector of Customs claims to have dis- covered gross frauds in the undervaluation of goods, as a result of which the Govern- :r}em has lost thousands of dollars in du- ies. One of th» results of the sensational booming of Holmes’ atleged crimes is the securing of the setting of the supposed tragedies for show purposes. Thus at Chicago, as well as at San Francisco, dime museums and melodramatic playwrights constitute able supports to demoralizing journalism. According to the Industrial World, a telegraph-operator to receive news is no longer a necessity to journalism, as, with the new type-setting machines, a skillful compositor can set up the reports directly from the wires. The scheme, however, overlooks the fact that telegraphic reports need a good dealot editing {;etore they 80 to press. | the responsibility upon them. " RAILROAD ASSESSMENTS, The State Board of Equalization meets to-day at Sacramento to assess the rail- roads of and for the State of California. The agents and attorneys of the Southern Pacific Company have been before the board during the past week with elaborate statistics and cunningly devised sophis- tries urging a decrease in the valuations of the railroads of that great corporation. The pecple of California have had no representative there to answer the argu- ment of the Southern Pacific Company or to point out to this new board the shame- less and disgraceful record of railroad as- sessments during the past ten years. In this emergency THE CaLn stands forth as the people’s representative and the guardian of the people’s rights. It pub- lishes in its columns to-day the truth with reference to railroad values and presents the facts, figures and method by the aid of which an honest and just assessment of the railroads of California should be made. Jts communication is especially addressed to the members of the State Board of Equalization. They are pointed to the express language of the constitution, which commands that railroads shall be assessed at their actual value. They are shown the pitfalls of disloyalty and dishonor into which their predecessors have fallen daring the past ten years. They are plainly directed which way honor and official duty lie. Will they take heed to the dictates of reason and perform their duty to-day with the interests of the people of Cali- fornia rather than those of her greates corporation in view? The side of the taxpavers of California is herewith presented and the showing conclusively made that the railroad assess- ments should be raised rather than re- duced. With this presentanon of the truth be- fore them let us see what the State Board of Equalization will do m the premises to-day. BROKEN PLEDGES. It could hardly have been comforting to the Democratic majority of the State Board of Railroad Commissioners to read the opinion of them which leading mer- chants of this City have expressed in inter- views published in TRE CALL. A proper consideration of the duties of this com- mission does not permit an ignoring of the pledges which a majority of its members took, because it seems 10 be a rational con- clusion that it was these pledges which brought about their election and fastened ‘Whatever shrewdness Democratic candidates may display in securing election on pledges, they will have to understand that not only they themselves but the party which pledged and supported them wiil be held accountable. Mr. Williams of Williams, Brown & Co. declares that *‘there have been no material reductions in freight rates in California within the past twelve months,” and yet during seven of those months the Demo- cratic members, who constitute a majority of the Railroad Commission, have been under a pledge to reduce freight rates in California not less than 25 per cent. Mr. Michaels of Langley & Michaels has declared: ‘“We have never asked for a reduction, simply because such a proceed- ing would be a mere waste of time. Where there is no competition the question of rates on a certain article, to a given point, is wholly within the province of the rail- road.” That is a free sweeping aside of any interference or control which the Rail- road Commission might exercise under the law. Mr. Roussel, assistant manager of the Dairymen’s Union, has said: *“‘The rates are satisfactory to us at the present time, because we are not shipping anything. It is not our season for doing business in transportation. If it were, I should say that the rates would be quite unsatisfac- tory. It is not alone the rates. The whole service seems contrary to good business principles.” It remained for a representative of Well- man, Peck & Co. to express inferentially the supreme contempt in which the ma- jority of the Railroad Commission are held. Hesaid: “We are simply holding our breath and waiting for the completion of the new line. He know of no reduction in rates; that is to say, a general redue- tion. Now and then a rate ona certain commodity to a certain point will be re- duced by the Southern Pacific for the pur- pose of freezing out a competitor or work- ing some other trick of transportation. Usually the old rate is put on again after a few months or the charges are increased to some other point, whica evens up the thing. As for a general reduction on over- land or local rates no one with sound reasoning capacity ever expects to see this until the company is actually forced to a change by competition. The Railroad Commission, though pledged to areduc- tion, has taken no action at all, so far as we are informed. People generally under- stand what the pleage of a Railroad Com- missioner means. The duties of this body are clearly defined, but evasion seems easy and is no doubt profitable.”” The Democratic majority of the Rail road Commission is welcome to all the consolation it can get out of that. OREATING MONOPOLIES, The openness with which the Solid Eight of the Board of Supervisors are fostering monopolies against the interests of the City presents some interesting complica- tions. In their passage of the famous bituminous rock resolution, which shut out all such material for street pavements except that which the Southern Pacific can haul to the City, and in their frank viola- tion of the law in granting to a branch of tliat wealthy monopoly the right to run an electric road to the new racetrack at Ingle- side, no great difficulties of explanation present themselves. It is conceivable that these gentlemen might have thus argued with themselves: “Those who have proved faithful to the interests of the Southern Pacific have never been permitted to suffer for their fidelity. A public officer may be ever o true to his sworn obligations, but he receives no more than his salary fdr that. Should he betray these in the interest of the Southern Pacific what risk does he run? The condemnation of some independent newspaper, or the railing of some body of eitizens organized to secure honest government? How amusing! Do our friends think less of us for the betrayal? Isour credit in any way impaired? Are we not rather praised for our shrewdness in being able to loosen the, gathering string of a difficult sack? And if it should happen that some enterprising person attempts to bring the machinery of the law to bear in an effort to expose and punish us, are we not aware of the fidelity of the monopoly to its servants and its un- matchable power to counteract all move- ments to punish us? Surely you would not take us for fools blind to our interests, lacking in dependence upon our supporters and fearful of substanceless ghosts.”” It is conceivable that such an argument might be made by officers in whom the bump of self-interest dominates thnt_ of conscience. Such a process of reasoning would be borne out by history, however lacking in compliment it might be to the morality and intelligence of the com- munity. Thus far the situation seems clear enough. But when we come to other matters the way is not so clear. Let us take the question of broken rock for macadam on the streets asan illustra- tion. Certain specifications, adopted by an old Board of Supervisors and readopted by the present board, require that a particular kind of rock owned by one company and obtainable in an out-of-the-way place shall be the only kind employed. This is clearly a premeditated exclusion of the rock most abundant in the City—the so-called red rock, with which all the thoroughfares of the park are macadamized, besides all the principal suburban drives, including Cor- bett avenue, the Ocean House road, McDowell avenue (a TUnited States highway, and, therefore, independent of City influences), and numbers of others. It is a sedimentary rock, carries a high percentage of cement, is easily - disintegrated, and if kept sprinkled forms a fine, hard and smooth surface, entirely free from sharp lumps. If it is not kept sprinkled it wears-off and sends abroad a disagreeable and injurious red dust, and yields, when wet, a discolor- ing mud. Itscolor in these contingencies is all that distinguishes it from the dust or mud resulting from the employment of any other material used for macadam. Itsmain advantage, in addition io its easier and cheaper manipulation, is that if is the prevailing rock of the peninsula, exists in numerous quarries, lies immediately con- tiguous to the places of the greatest de- mand for macaddm rock and cannot be manipulated into a monopoly. While it is not difficult to imagine an argument to explain a lively interest on the part of public officers for the concerns of the Southern Pacific and its branch, the Market-street Railway Company, what shall we do with the case of the broken- rock monopoly and the great increase of cost in street improvements which the creation of that monopoly entails? Can this young monopoly extend the benefits and guarantee the immunity which the more venerable institution has the reputa- tion of assuring? This might prove an interesting question for the Civic Federa- tion and the Merchants’ Association. A LETTER TO HOKE. It is known to all the world that Secre- tary Hoke Smith has recently swung around the circle in Georgia making speeches for the purpose of converting the people to what he called “sound money,” but which the irreverent Georgians have ever since been calling *‘Hoke money.” It has not been made clear, however, why he should have undertaken the campaign at this season—why he should have left hiss| cool summer home in the mountains of North Georgia to go to making speeches in the sweltering heat of South Georgia, where it is reported he was able to gather audiences only by making u free distribu- tion of watermelons. 3 Without assuming an intimate knowl- edge of the motives of the distinguished Secretary or pretending to know all the causes of his course, we believe ourselves able to throw some light upon his reasons for undertaking a July freak that bears so close a resemblance to a midsummer mad- ness. Shortly after Carlisle finished his campaign against silver in Kentucky, Sec- retary Smith began sending copies of the Carlisle speeches to the Postmasters in Georgia with the request that they would circulate them. His action led to protests from the free-silver press of the State, but for this he probably cared little. By and by, however, the Postmasters began to kick, and some of them kicked so vigor- ously that the exalted Hoke felt it neces- sary to get enough of a move on him at any rate to get out of range. The Postmaster at Lamaro Mill, Georgia, for example, is reported to have written to the Secretary, saying: *I apprehend that there are very few people in this section of the country who care to read Mr. Cariisle’s speeches on finance since he was appointed Secretary of the Treasury. If you can send copies of some of his speeches made when he represented the people of his State in Congress and was not representing aclass, as he is now, the people of this section will be glad to read them, or if you can send some of the speeches made by your honorable self a few years ago, when you were trying to make the Populists be- lieve that you and the Democratic party were more friendly to the free coinage of silver than the Populist party was, Iam sure the people would read them with pleasure.” As if this were not enough, the irate Postmaster went on to say the people of his section could not be ‘“focled, cajoled, bought or bulldozed by the powers of ‘Washington,” and wound up with the dec- laration: “Their manhood revolts at the idea. They are not fools, neither are they children. They will not be led from their time-honored prineiples by any traitor who, by accident, has got into power or wears the collar of his masters.” When language like this is used by &b Democratic office-holder to a Cabinet officer, somebody must act or Democracy must get off the earth. Secretary Smith rose to the occasion. He ordered a sup- ply of watermelons to meet him at the principle country towns and took the stump. THE COUNTRY BANKS. The semi-annual statement by the Bank Commissioners, covering 153 commercial banks in the interior of the State, shows the same condition of affairs which Tae CavLy has already noted with regard to the savings banks of San Francisco. That is to say, the total assets of the commercial banks of the interior have increased, loans on real estate have decreased and on per- sonal security increased; deposits have in- creased heavily, and the bank vaults are filled with money. Nothing more surely than banks reflect the business condition of a community. ‘We infer from the increase of bank assets and properties that the banks have been acquiring property by foreclosing on loans; from their reduced loans on real estate and other secured means of borrowing, either that they are afraid to lend money or that borrowers are afraid to venture loans in in- vestments for development; from the in- crease of loans on personal security that the stagnation of business and the cessa- tion of development have compelled re- sponsible men to ask for loans with which to meet current expenses, and that the heavy increase of deposits indicates an un- willingness to risk in business or the de- velopment of new indnstries money which has accumulated from the very sources to which it will not again be trusted. The substance of it all is that while the banks of the State, both savings and com- mercial, are finding their vaults filling with money and are thus safe, they are ex- ercising a powerful influence on the mate- rial condition of the people. Itisnot ex- pected of them that they will jeopardize the interests of their stockholders and de- positors by taking the smallest risk in the use of their own and their depositors’ funds, but it is contended that they may be underestimating their power to deter- mine and direct the business faith and in- dustrial activity of the State. For years, leaving the tariff aside, banking and forms of money have been the leading questions before the American people, and to-day these questions are paramount. The re- sponsibility of banks, of the banking sys- tem and of all its allied factors, are in- volved in the great problems which agitate the people. Whether the banks shall deem it their function merely to reflect rather than to direct in an encouraging sense the industrial concerns of the coun- try, and whether, in the exercise of such a power, they will display that wisdom which finds a balance between reasonable security and a moral obligation to pro- mote the industrial welfare of the people, constitute the gravest problem that they have ever been brought to consider. PERSONAL. T. F. Burgdorff of the nayy is at the Palace. R. Kaehler, a merchant of Merced, is at the Grand. Dr. Victor G. Vecki of San Jose is a guest at the Palace. . C. Theo Vogelsang of the navy registered yesterday at the Palace. Colonel William Forsyth, Fresno, is at the Occidental. A. C. McLean, a railroad contractor from Monterey, is staying at the Lick. W.P. Thompson, an attorney of Fresno, was one of yesterday’sarrivals at the Grand. Lieutenant W. S. Hughes of the navy came down from the navy-yard yesterday and regis- tered at the Palace. Senator E. C. Voorhies from Sutter Creek has just returned from a trip to Alaska with his family and is at the Baldwin. T. B. MeGovern, a New York commission mer- chant dealing in California products, arrived here yesterday and is staying at the California. W. R. Kelly, general attorney of the Union Pecific, arrived here yesterday morning from Omaha with his wife. He put up at the Grand for a few hours and sailed for Honolulu on the Australia, whither he is going on a pleasure trip. vineyardist of OUT-OF-TOWN PERSONALS. Santa Rosa, Cal., Aug. 4.—Colonel A. R. Hardin is down from his Nevada ranch for a few days. A party of cycless leit Saturday for the Geysers, to be gone several days. The party includes Major L. W. Juilliard, Elmont Brooks, Carl Lane, Ray Poat and H. G. Mathias. A.B. Swain and wife are visiting San Fran- cisco. E.L.Finley is spending a few days at Napa, visiting Hon. M. M. Estee. Miss Dot Ames, Miss Bessie Riley and Miss Ella Holmes are vilitmf friends at Belvedere. Judge A. G. Burnett is in San Fraucisco fora few days. Mr. and Mrs, R. L. Crooks returned from San Francisco Saturday. Hom. A. L. Warner of Hesldsburg was in Santa Rosa Saturday, attending a lfilrd party convention. C. N. Carrington and family, W. J. Heffelfinger and family, D. Behmer and family, and J. Swan and family have returned from a very pleasant camping and hunting expedition, which took them through Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties. Klamath Hot Springs, Cal, Aug. 3.— The weather has been perfectly charming the past two months and free from wind and fogs. General and Mrs. Hart, who have been here several weeks, have returned to the City. Mr. F. Thorne of the Grand Hotel leit a go Among the recent arrivals are: ichards, Miss T. E. Richards, F. H. family, San Francizco; W. W. Wil- liams, Professor €. G. Buck, San Rafael; H. A. Brisco and wife, Rév. E. Graham, Chico; Mr. J. W. Snowball, Miss Snowball, Woodland; Mr. and Mrs. E. 3. Coty, Mr. E. C. Weinich, Mr. James L. Tucker, Sa¢ramento. Sants Cruz, Aug. 3.—Among the(late arrivals at the Pixley are Jesse E, Friest, Charles Schles- inger, W. B. Ansel, Ban Francisco; Mr. W. A, 3 Mr. and Mrs, P. Musto, Mrs. ss N, B. Long, Miss Anna B. ss L. G. Le Noir, Santa Bar- Miss Jennie Farrell, Sara- Dora Briggs, M Long, Stockto i M. Farrell, Salt Lake, Utah, Aug. 5.—Mrs. arrd Mrs. O. P. Keene and Joseph Lendan of San Francisco are at the Knutsford. Mr, and Mrs. D. Butler of San Franeisco and T. H. Oxnam of Los Angeles are at the Walker. HUMOR OF THE DAY: Johnson—TIs this your boy, uncle? Uncle ’Rastus—No, sah. Dat’s only my step- chile. “How do you make that out; neither you nor your wife were married before? “No, sah; but, yo' see, sah, dis hyar boy was done lef bah somebody on our steps, sah.”’— Philadelphia Record. “Are you ready?” he asked. “Yes,” answered his wife, He paled, “This is so sudden,” he gasped. While they were working to revive him she blemed herself for not having apprised him of the new light that had burst upon her. She could see that it would have been better had she broken it to him gradually. For example, she might better have said, “In thirty seconds,” if she did not wish to say, as of old, “In & minute.—Detroit Tribune. Little Jack—Where are you going this sum- mer, Mr. Softchapp? Mr. Softchapp—Um—why do you ask? Littie Jack—Sis said when she found out where you was goin’ she'd know where to go, and I was wonderin’ where Sis wasn’t goin’. Mr. Softchapp—Is your sister still in the eity? Little Jack—Yes; but she’s goin’ away for the summer as soon as she finds out where you're goin’! Mr. Softchapp—In- deed! Bo she wishes to go where I go? Little Jack—XNo. She wants to go somewhere else!— New York Weekly. The bride—Papa has given us an awfully un- wieldy wedding present—a thousand $5 gold pieces. The bridesmaid—What are you going to do with them ? The bride—Oh, George thinks he can pawn them.—Truth. TENNESSEE OENTENNIAL. A Celebration and Fair Will Be Held in Nashville Next Year. A letter to C. M. Johnson of the State Board of Trude states that Nashville, Tenn., is to hold & grand exposition next gear to celebrate the centennial of the tate, and the writer, Thomas J. Maslin, says: “From all indications I think we will nave a good one.” The exposition grounds will be_located near the old race- track at the end of West Bud avenue and will occupy about 175 acres ot land. The people of Nashville are thinking of invit- ing California to send an exhibit of its proaucts to the exposition. ——————— Eristling With Bayonets. The outburst of indignation in Brazil over the British attempt to seize an island 700 milcs east of the Brazilian coast ought to convince English diplomatists that the Monroe doctrine is mo abstraction, but a fact bristling with bayonets. Brazil is aroused throughout its M&nlui,“:nd Mlfi B“llll hnfifl:finded not 'Ot'—.éllk. off with any Braz t present. Louis Glob&yl)emoc (A s —_———————— A Blow to Poliijcal Agriculture. Secretary Morton has determined that the Government shall goout of the seed business and the date fixed for final distribution of the stock on hand is next October. This is ad un- fortunate ruling for a certain class of politi- cians. Almost from time immemorial free seeds have been a campaign document 88 nu- merous above as und d.—Philadelphia e lergroun 2 e No Syndicate Needed. Clearly if this country is to remain on & gold basts the United States Government will have tostepin and buy its share of the new gold. It could easily do it. Having unlimited credit the United States could buy the entire output of the mines of this country, not asking any help either from the Roth.:‘imn, the Morgans or the Belmonts.—Chicago Inter-Ocean. AR e A Singular Companionship. It is a singular feature of the silver issue that the silver monometallists, who are in favor of {ree coinage, and the gold monometallists are in full agreement on one point, and that is that there is no possible chance of interna- bimetallism and never will be.—Pitts- Dispatch. THE HEAVENS IN AUGUST. August is especially the month of meteors, as on the 10th, and for many days before and after, they appear in unusual numbers. Every night in the year a few of these lumi- nous bodies may be seen darting across the heavens, and occasionally showers of them ap- ‘pear, but in general this is the month that best repays a close watch for these celestial fugi- tives. Itisnoteasy to explain the little heed the astronomers of past ages paid to these nightly visitors. There are many accounts of the stones that fell from heaven in ancient and medieval times, but it is only in late years that the aerolite was recognized as the shoot- ing star that survives first contact with its earthly target. Our ethereal atmosphere acts as an efficient breakwater, and the perpetaal fusillade from interplanetary spaces drifts down in dust form to mingle with terrestrial soil. The meteoric stone so rarely found is the exception. Itis now known that interplanetary spaces, and probably interstellar spaces also, are thickly strewn with particles of matter vary- ing in size from a pebble toa hillock. Those in the solar system, attracted by its enormous mass, move round the sun in swarms of vari- FIGURE 1—CONSTELLATION OF PERSEUS. ous degrees of compactness. Too tar apart to shine as a whole by reflected sunlight, they might revolve eternally undiscovered were it not that the earth in its yearly journey round the same center daily eollides with some of these wanderiag myriads. The interesting questions in the matter are why we meet more of them than usual some- times, why they become luminous and of what they are composed. In the first case, if the swarm be so long subject to the sun’s at- traction as to be distributed over its entire orbit until it revolves, ring-like, without a break, if any point of the path of our planet crosses this ring, it necessarily encounterssome of the circling host every year, regardless of the time of revolution of the swarm. If the latter be not yet distributed uniformly round, but movesin a slowly elongating cluster, ‘when the earth comes punctually round to the intersection each year, the swarm may be mainly, or wholly, at some other point of its own path, though they would collide neces- sarily at long intervals. The first case is thatof the August meteors, and some others of less note. The second that of the November meteors, the main body of which are met with about every thirty-three years, though a few stragglers are seen every year. As the earth and the meteors are sometimes moving in opposite djrections, contact with the leagues of atmosphere that envelop our earth heat the cold, hard body more and more till the continued friction kindles itintoa blaze, while terrestrial attraction inclines it downward, and then thatsad sounding term, “a falling star,” describes the effect created. Phantom-like it springs from darkness and vanishes in darkness. No staris missing in the spot whence it flew, and no permanent gleam, however faint, marks the end of 1tslustrous flight. In a rare case the cosmical waif, when very large, outlives the friction of the atmos- phere, and, heated and sometimes detonating, it falls a captive to the earth. The museum is the prison of the fallen star, and no more interesting object is found there. They bear the stamp of their unearthly ori- gin, for though the elements of which they are composed include nothing that has not been also found here below, still the familiar con- FIGURE 2—CONSTELLATION OF SAGITTARIUS. stituents are not blended in terrestrial form. Iron and stone are the chief constituents and they are classified according to the relative quantities of each. The August meteors, like those of November, seldom yield any specimens for investigation, as though numerous they are reduced to pow- der In the upper atmosphere. Their long elliptical orbitis nearly perpendic- ular to that of the earth, and if the path of each shooting star be prolonged backward, orin the contrary direction to which it is moving, they would all intersect in the constellation Persus. This group may be seen toward midnight in the northeast, or, better yet,at 3:30 in the morning. They are named Pereids, though it is merely a matter of perspective from what constellation they appear to come. After full moon on the 5th of August the evenings will be favorable for observing this well-known me- teoric ring. Besides the appearance of these temporary visitors this season is also suitable for observ- ing the milky way which extends from north- east to the southwest margin. The constella- tion of Sagittarius, The Archer, is at the south- erly curve, and the intersection in the diagram marks the point of the winter solstice, where the sun is December 21 when itis winter in the northerly latitudes. The planet Venus, the bright orb directly west, will attain its greatest brilliancy on the 13th; and on the 22d the young crescent will glide close by, as it has done during the past months, but this eonjunction will obscure the lustrous star very slightly as the moon will be in its most slender phase. August 26 Venus will be stationary and will begin to recede from the evening sky dur- ing the following weeks. RoSE O’HALLORAN. PEOPLE TALEKED ABOUT. Budrudin Tyabjee, a Mohammedan lawyer of Bombay, has been made a Judge of the High Court of the Presidency, in place of a Eu- ropean. The Rev. Dr. George Washburn, president of Robert College, Constantinople, and his wife are spending the summer at Manchester-by- the-Sea, Mass. The Rev. Dr. Blyden, the Liberian Minister to Great Britain, is visiting Baltimore to en- courage the emigration of colored people to Liberia. He believes that the American hegro is destined to civilize Africa. The French Consul at Malta, M. Rocher, has been appointed head of the mission which isto be sent out to Chiua by tie French Chambers of Commerce. He has lived for some years in Southern China. Dr. Alexander McFarlane, formerly professor in the University of Texas, has accepted an ap- nppointmeq;u lecturer in electrical engineer- ing in Lehigh University, and wiil enter upon 11::: %:fiel at the beginning of the year, in Sep- mber. Charles H. Cramp says the yacht of the fu- ture will be of steel, and that its motive power will be electricity. He has an order for a yacht mggt’zr :.m: hn;r Ctflnn the 1000-ton Giralda, e festest yacht afloat, and says thaf der will be filled. 5 el Allen R. Benner, who has recently been ap- pointed as the head of the Greek department at Phillips Andover Academy, with the rank of professor, is one of the youngest men among the preparatory schools who oceupy so respon- sible & place. He led his class at Harvard, :hhe;“ he was d;;muned in 1892, throughout e course, an b G € was considered a brilliant OUR RURAL HOMES. Two of the prettiest homes across the bay are those of Judge John Garber and James Palache at Claremont, near Berkeley. They are ou the sloping hillside commanding views of the bay and Golden Gate. The places adjoin and re- cently have been connected still more closely Dby the erection of an artistic villa midway be- tween the houses. In this reside Whitney Palache and his wife, who, as Miss Garber, was well known in sociel circles over the bay. Both places have large orchards and exténsive flower gardens. Mr. Palache is quite an en- thusiast in horticulture, and his Blenheim apricots, large and luscious, have long been the envy of all his neighbors. One of the landmarks of the Berkeley hills is the old Hamilton piace at the head of Dwight way, near the State institute for the deaf and dumb and blind. It was laid out by the late Dr. Laurentine Hamilton, who there made his home for many years. It comprises over thirty acres of hill and canyon, and is as beautiful & site as may be found. W. H. Smyth, now superintendent of the Mechanics’ Institute Fair, bought the place recently and is making many improvements. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smyth are wide-awake floriculturists, and the number of roses, chrysanthemums and pelar- goniums that place will produce next spring will likely surprise all the flower-show ex- hibitors. The development of the sweet pea and the consequent growth of the industry of growing the seed are matters of which the average citi- zen knows little. Within the past few years the industry has grown to tremendous propor- tloms in California, as well as in the Eastern States and Europe. This season seeds will be harvested from over 200 acres of sweet peas on the Hopkins and Morse places, between San Francisco and San Jose, and no one. can yet figure just what the profits from this crop will be. Sweet-pea growing has become a fad. Every few years some flower-lover takes the time and the patience to undertake the devel- opment by careful cultivation and cross-fertil- jzation of some special blossom, and these devotees the world has to thank for new and improved varieties. It was Henry Eckford, a Scotchman, residing at Shropshire, England, who took up sweet-pea study,and up to the present has produced over fiity distinctly tinted varieties. Last year the seed of some of these varieties sold for as wmuch as £320 a pound. Californians who wish early blossoms next spring should sow seed in December. Dr. Hutchins, the leading American authority, says the best twelve varieties are: Blanche Ferry, Blushing Beauty, Countess of Radnor, Dorothy Tennant, Firefly, Her Majesty, Lady Penzance, Mrs, Eckford, Mrs. Sankey, Orange Prince, Stanley and Venus. Not far from Hotel Rafa€l, in the best part of gay San Rafael, Professor W.F. C. Hasson, elec- trician, has recently fitted up a charming place and he is going in deep for floriculture and big strawberries. Professor Hasson was once in the navy and traveled over the seas to many lands, but he now disdeins a home on the rolling deep and thinks a California hill- side is a8 choice a spot for a home as can be found. Mrs. Hasson, a daughter of Paul Neu- man, Bohemian and chief adviser to Queen Liliuokalani, has been visiting her parents in Honolulu for three months past, but she is ex- pected here soon. One of the characters around Auburn, Placer County, & few yesrs ago was “Count” Feodor Closs, & German of aristocratic lineage, who came to that picturesque foothill town in search of health. He is there yet, many of his continental eddities having worn off. He is one of the most popular citizens and land- owners of the county. He found health, but he did so not by sitting on a hotel veranda after the manner of the idling tourist, but by pitching into hard work. He bought a tract of rocky hill land near town and to-day it is a money-making ranch. He made some mistakes and had many difficult tasks, but he vered and now he is as proud of “Quisisana, as he calls his place, as Mayor Sutro is of “Th Heights.” He has health and strength, and to-day he is as good a Californian as any native son. He has made a specialty of olive oil and his brand is on sale at several of the best City dealers, and a number of shipments have been made East, It is something of an indication of the vast importanee the horticultural industry in Cali- fornia has assumed when an ordained clergy- man like Rev. A. T. Perkins of Christ Episcopal Cburch of Alameda gives up his charge for the purpose of devoting his entire time to his de- vice for long-distance fruit-shipping. This, Mr. Perkins, who has been experimenting with his patent compressed-air treatment for some years, has done. He will go East to demon- strate the value of his system of cars. Mr. Per- Kkins is a cultured gentleman, and for a long time has devoted himself to horticultural work purely for recreation. Now he will makeita business. He has an extensive apricot and prune orchard near Fruitvale, but this will be cared for by others while he is working else- where with his invention. Two years ago & carload of {ruit packed and treated by his sim- ple process was sent to New Orleans and back ‘with most satisfactory results. I tasted some of the fruit taken from that car on its return after two weeks of travel, and it was as edible as if just picked from the tree. C. 8. A, A New Style Bowery Boy. The mere factof the existence of a Street- cleaning League, composed of boys under six- teen years of age, is exceedingly suggestive. If boys can be taught early the importance of keeping the streets clean, especially by not throwing rubbish into them, it will be & mo- mentous gain for the city. It is especially in. teresting that the field for the League's work is the district between Houston and Catharine streets, the Bowery and the East River. There is room for like orgrunflzltlmu in all partsof the city.—New York Tribune. A New Set of Cyclers Needed. The bicycler who passes through the country sees only a streak of dustyroadway ahead of him. He looks neither at the clover on his right nor at the corn fields on his left. Itis to be hoped that bieveling will, so to speak, re- cover its breath; that it will become what its early sdvocates predicted, But as now pur- sued, it is far from the ideal exercise popularly supposed. What we waut is a generation of leisurely, upright, broad-visioned riders, in- stead of ‘‘scorchers” and faddists and bloomer- ites.—Iowa State Register. ———— Electric Fire Extinguishing. As the old hand-worked fire engine gave ‘way to steam, the steam fire engine must suc- cumb to the universal wave of electricity. The day cannot be distant when horses drawing 6000 pounds of steam apparatus shall no longer rush panting through the streets, to be followed by an egually irenzied attendant carrying coils of indiarubber. An electrical fire exnnsulshlnx plant must be one of the in. cidents of the coming year. g St g year.—Chicago Times- - Now That It Is Over. A gentleman of an inquisitive turn of mind wrote to the Globe-Democrat a year ago to know what its editor considered to be a few of the great essentials to the conduct of a first- class newspaper. The editor promptly re- sponded that the first enenunr was & big waste basket and the second was a man who was not afraid to fill it. This will account for {)):a gon;appn\;nce of the‘hflorr-l-hrvey de- n these columns, now that i —St. Louis Globe- Democrat. i ———— Why We Die Young. If America can show no such record of old people as Britain it is not unreasonable to sup- pose it is because, notwithstanding the greater incomes and luxuries of the average family, our ple are not content with simple food— or if they are, select and cook it badly, living, for instance, on rk and soggy bread—and because, either owing to climate or beredity, they destroy all chance of being benefited by habits of placidity.—~New York Tribune, -Consul Waller. { Ex-Consul Waller's statement, which the French authorities refused to hear, throws new light upon his conviction and affords new rea- son for the United States Government to insist upon an ex{hnuien. More important yet is the fact thai the French court-martial refused to allow Mr. Waller to present any defense. Such an arbitrary proceeding is utterly con- trary to all principles of in s Pittsburg Dlgplwh? i ————— Bacox Printing Company, 508 Clay streat. * T e The largest salt mine in the world isat Wieliczka in Austria-Hungary. ————— Ocean Excursions. Steamship Pomona, to Santa Cruz and Mon- terey, leaves Saturdays, 4 P. i, due back Mon. «ll‘nrz:,'_ 54.x Ticket office, 4 New Montgomery ['army for Generak Winfield Scott. ANSWERS TO CORRESFPONDENTS. ScHOOL OF DESIGN—A. E. M., City. The Cali- fornia 8chool of Design, affiliated with the Uni= versity of California, and whose classes meet in the Hopkins Institute of Art, is not a free school. There is no entrance examination. The evening classes are those in architectural drawing, which meet Monday and Friday dur- ing the term. The £chooi year opens on the 15th of. August and closes on the 15th_of May. The tuition fees are $6 per month, $24 from January 2 to May 15, and $48 for the full term in the antique, life class (nude model), portrait class (draped model) and modeling class. The fee in the painting ciuss (still life and portrait) is $8, $30 and $60. In addition to the above there are special classes. The hours are from 9 in the morning till noon, and from 1 in the afternoon ill 4. BrITISH SUBJECTS—Subscriber, Duncan Mills, Sonoma County, Cal. Wheaton on interna- tion law says of British subjects: N h subjects include not only eIr‘s::l':usmb!n‘:?n"!lnBEr!il;sfun S mimpna but also the Mhiidren and the grandchildren of British subjects born out of the legiance 0f her Majesty, unless the father was at the time of ghe child’s birth outlawed of attatnted for treason. Such persons are there- fore entitled to claim British protection unless they have been naturalized in some other couniry, or unless they have ceased to-be British subjects by reason of her Majesty’s once dominions in which They continue resident ceasing o belong to the crown of kngland by division or succession. THE GAME LAW—G. H. W., City. The law of this State as it applies to the open season for deer in every county of the State was Dmel.ldu‘d at the last session of the Legislature, and it is as follows: Every person who, In the State of California, t. pursue. take, kill, or destroy any male :l‘;:‘r’l:‘e‘::;ee‘:‘me 15th day of October and the 15th day of July of the following year shall be guilty of e oereon In the State of California who shall at any time, bunt, pursue, take, kill or destroy any female deer or spotied fawn, or any antelope, elk or mountain sheep, shall be guilty of a misde- meanor. Ustversity ExTeENstoN—H. B., City. The classes of the university extension will begin late in April or early in September and the course will be held in the lecture-room of _lhe Mark Hopkins Institute of Art in this City. The subjects have not yet been decided upon, nor can they be until_after the opening of the university on the 12th of August. No especial qualifica tions for admission are required; any one willing to_do the work is welcome. Nor are any fees charged. The announcement of the course will appear in THE CALL as soon as issued. Further information may be had by applying to William D. Armes, secretary for the niversity Extension, Berkeley. HARRY OF THE WEST—S. H. N., City: “Harry of the West” was a term used by the admirers of Henry Clay in writing and speaking of him. It is used in the following extract from the work on “Public Men and Events,” by Sargent: Where had been General Harrison during the preceding twelve years, the period of bitter war- fare between the Jackson party, headed by the obstinate, sagaclous, indomitable old hero. and the opposition led the whole period by thé eloguent, ever-magnetic, the faithful Harry of the West? Had Harrison’s voice ever been heéard during all this dark and trying period, when midst the thicKest gloom and smoke ail looked up to Mr. Clay, sure that he was at his post doing the duty of & patriot? THE NATICK CoBBLER—S. H. N., City. “The Natick Cobbler” was Henry Wilson, an Ameri- can statesman, who was born in 1812 and died in 1875. In 1840 he appeared in the political campaign as the supporter of William Henry Harrigon in his race for the Presidency. He addressed more than sixty meetings and was everywhere introduced as the Natick cobbler, he following the business of shoemaker in the city of Natick, Mass. DIVORCE AND DIvorcE—E. R., Salinas, Mon- terey County, Cal. In this Stateif a decree of divorce be granted on the ground of adultery the community property shall be nssigned to the rTespective parties in such proportion as the court, from all the facts in the case and the conditions of the parties, may deem just. Separate property is not affected by a decree of divorce. LITTLE GENTLEMAN IN VELVET—E. W., City. “The Little Gentleman. in Velvet” was a Jacobite toast in the reign of Queen Anne. The reference is to the mole that raised the hill against which the horse William I1I was riding in Hampton Park stumbled and threw his rider. The result was a broken collar- bone, a serious illness and the death of Wil- liam early in 1702, TAcOMA PAPERS—Juno, Stockton, Cal. The following is a list of the papers published in Tacoma, State of Washington: Bulletin, Die Wacht am Sund, Electrician and Mining Re- view, Ledger, Masonic Review, News, North- west Horticulturist, Pacific Dental Journal, Pacific Templar, Reveille, Sunday Herald, Sun, Tacomian, Tribune and West Coast Lum- berman. TRACING A SOLDIER—E. M. W., Berkeley, Cal. In order to ascertain the location of a soldier of the United States army, write to the com- mander of the post at which it was last known he was, asking where he is stationed. In the Jetter give the name, regiment and company he belonged to and date when last heard of at the post. Fuss AND FeaTHERs—S. H. N., City. “Old Fuss and Feathers” was the nickname in the x v t. It was also n?pliedw him during the political campaign 011852, when he ran for the Presidency. fis ‘was so named because of his punctiliousness as to dress. THE OCEANIC—W. A. C., West Oakland, Cal. At the time the Oceanic and the City of Ches- ter collided in the harbor of San Francisco and the last-named vessel went down, the Oceanic sastained some damage. AN EscorT'S ARM—A. 8., City. It is proper thata lady should accept a gentleman’s arm when he is acting as her escort to and from an evening’s entertainment. PURE blood and a vigoreus organism offer no foothold to disease germs, the seeds of the giant evil, Take Hood's Sarsaparilla to purify the blood and give you new life and vigor. “Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup* Has been used over fifty years by millions of moth- ers for their children while Teething with perfect success. It soothes the child, softens the gums, al- Iays Pain, cures Wind Colic, regulates the Bowels and is the best remedy for Diarrhmas, whether arising from teething or other causes. For sale by Druggists in every parcof the world. Ee sure and sk for Mrs. Winslow's Soofhing Syrap. 25 a bottle. * ~ “FROM THE LOWEST LEVEL" A STORY OF MINING LIFE IN CALIFORNIA. By J. H. WYTHE JR. TrE CALL has secured the right to pub- lish this charming story in serial form, and the first chapter will appear next Saturday. is customary to publish such contribu- tions in the Sunday edition of Tue Qavr, but the author has conscientious scruples against having any of his productions pub- lished in the Sunday edition of any paper, and in deference to his convictions Tue Cavny has agreed to print this story in the Saturday issues only, beginning next Sat- urday. ~ y THE SAN FRANCISCO And San Joaquin Valley Railway Co, THE, SUBSCRIBERS TO THE CAPITAL stock of The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railway Company are hereby notified that the trustees’ certificates are now ready for delivery. Plose present thio treasurer’s recelpis for the firal and second instaliments to DANIEL MEYER, 214 Pine street, who will deliver the certificates. By order of THOMAS BROWN, Chairman Trustees. Y \ IS THEVERY BESTONE TO EXAMINE YOUR eyes and fit them to Spectacles or Eyeglasses with instraments of his own mvenlloz, sv‘vhulo superiority has not been equaled. success Deen due to the merits of tay work. ~ . Office Hours—132 to 4 ». 0.