The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 10, 1895, Page 4

THE SAN FREANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1895. [Copyright by J. H. Wythe Jr., 1895.] «Is Judas busted yet?’ solemnly in- quired Jimmie James, the chain-bearer. “They was jest a-gittin’ ready fer to 'ang ’im wen I ’'ad t'leave,” called back the miner as he passed on down the trail. Dejectedly the chain-bearer hastens up the mountain tow: Reason enough has he for sadness. Not that he is any friend to Judas Iscariot, but because of a cerfain blue-eyed maiden, Ellen Truson by name, whom despite the watck and dislike of her step- mother he Lopes to see alone long enough to hid farewell, while Colonel Bestor, the arveyor, is watching the execution new to leave the New Carthagena s to-morrow for the Boise district in Idaho. When he reaches the road the chain- bearer seats himself upon a log, waiti there, according to or for the new surveyor, whom he sees several hundred yards below riding on horseback up the zigzag road. “Wish ’e’d "urry,” Jimmie mutters, wip- ing the perspiration from his forehead on the sleeve of his jacket. b s yet quite a distance from the Mex camp, which is on the summit of the mountain; but the atmos- phere is so clear and still that he catches, occasionally floating down from the white church which be sees standing out near of the mountain, a note from the ir, grotesquely al- ain with the loud noises of the village and the intoning of the n priest celebrating the mass. “ar down the canyon a voice, once melo- d usage and hard fare, no menlegas tu resplendor-r-r-r. ollowed by a multitude of oaths, In shouts, Tepeated cracks of a blacksnake | whip like a rattling fire of musketry, and ending 1n a mixed mass of sounds rendered | indistinguishable by echo. “‘Hello, Jimmie!” cries Colonel Bestor, slackening the gallop of his horse, “what's zy Mig, sorr,” was the reply. m a-drivin’ of ’is pack mules Joaded with mesquite wood down t' the Hinglish camp; w’en I do go back to the top o' the b mules’ll be loaded with rrels of w e “I jes’ mu with Judas.” said the surveyor. ‘No, sorr,” Jimmie replied, adding what the miner had said abont the execution. Colonel Bestor, who had arrived at New Carthagena two davs ago, is an ex-artillery officer who had to leave the army on a count of failirig health, Itis not his cu tom to converse with his subordinat unless he is so inclined, and his chain- be: d not dream of initiating an un- conversation with superio: nce the colonel rides up the wind- followed on foot by Jimmic ntly from the heights, but mellowed by the distance, comes the sound of a brass band playing a gay waltz. At the church and the few houses of the Mexican camp visible from this side of the mountain pass out of sight, the surveyor and his attendant hear the report of a Chi- nese bomb that is fired as a signal. And now the firing of guns, the crackling of acks of firecrackers and bursting_of ombs, the barking of dogs, the shouting and the hurrahing and the universal hub- bub signify to Jimmie that the services of the church are almost done, or, in the opinion of the Mexicans, ought to be. The surveyor not so well informed. “Get up,” h ied to his horse. ’ shouted Jim- Ye needn’t 'urry, sorr,’ mie’ But fearing he would be too late, the colonel whips up his mustang. For on i breakfast Colonel Bestor had hisw the obsequies of Judas Iscariot, by no less & person than Judas lscariot himself. For a Spanish boy, riding more nearly on the tail of 2 jackass than any one who has not seen such riding could believe possible, met the surveyor coming out of the office and drawled out: ‘Plees-a Don Senor Colonel Bestor to geef-a money for Judas day 2" at the same time making an effigy of Senor Iscariot, which he was holding on the front of his saddle, bow profoundly and spread out his hands for a gift. Could words more plainly have asked ? $oghen he found he would have to pass throtighthe Mexican camp to reach the old Union prospect, the depth of which he had been ordered to measure, the new surveyor had delayed leaving the office until shortly before the hour set for the execution of Judas. And now, fearing he had waited too long, Colonel Bestor is urg- ing on his pony, determined if possible to be present at the death. But there is real{y no need of haste, as Jimmie James well knows. By fast walking and by taking advan- tage of short cuts the chain-bearer comes over the ridge, in sight of the plaza, but at a higher elevation, just as Colonel Bestor is dismounting from his yellow mustang on the opposite side of the jail from the crowd. As Jimmie hurries toward the sheif where, as though hanging in midair at his feet, the Mexican camp is mainly built, he sees the women coming out of the old, tumbled-down, once whitewashed Roman Catholic church and mingling with the throng in the tiny plaza. Itis a motley crowd. Mexican men in blue or maroon overalls and jumpers, some of them wearing bright-colored neckerchiefs and others with red sash belts; here and there a Cornishman dressed in Sunday broadcloth, and yonder some in workaday clothes; poverty- stricken pigs, some black and some a dingy, dirty white; dogs of every size and breed and color, but almost all of them curs; the jackass that had carried Judas, gayly caparisoned; bare-footed and bare-legged children, the ma- jority of them hatless; Spanish women, the most of them old and vellow and wizened, but.among them a few young women with the rich, brown beauty pe- culiar to them, but old and young alike dressed entirely in black, and with black shawls, which the old women wear as a cowl, from beneath which shine pierc- ing black eyes, nothing else being visible except their low forebeads and a narrow border of ebony-like hair; and several Cornish women and girls, all of them, ex- cept one, dressed 1n the brightest of colors and bedecked with ribbons and plumes. The one exception is no other than Eilen Truson, whose plain straw hat with a nar- row band of ribbon around it, and dress of simple white, seem almost as striking by the contrast with the others of her sex who are around her as her rare beauty would be anywhere; for she is of a fair complexion, with resy cheeks and lips and ei-eu of deepest blue, and fine, though jet- black hair. All these people moving among them- selves, against the background of the Mex- ican houses, once of various colors, but d the Mexican camp. | on the plaza; for Jimmie James | roughened and broken | rht it might have something to | long since tened down and harmonized with one another by that dun tint which only time and negleet and dirt combined | can give, and the entire scene still further | blended into unity by the mild_air and | cloudless sky, seemed to Colonel Bestor to | make up one of the most picturesque | scenes he had ever witnessed. But the chain-bearer has eyes only for | the fair girl who is dressed in white, until | a bend in the street hides her from view. Ina few moments Jimmie enters the laza. The crowd is gathered aronnd a | liveoak tree, standing outon the extreme | of the projecting point which makes the | little triangular plaza, the other angles | being marked by the chureh and the jail. | Suspended by a wire from this oak hangs Judas Iscariot, with his red devil’s face | and horns and tail. And the gaudily uni- formed Mexican brass band grouped on the porch in front of the church is now | plaving a solemn dirge for Judas. [t can hardly be the frightful execution of the dirge that drives Jimmie James from the plaza, excruciating though the blare of that minor strain may be. More likely it is because Ellen Truson is no longer there. But accountable or not, cer- tain it is that having made sure that she has left the plaza, Jimmie goes to the op- posite side of the church and seats himself a rock, where, although out of view of the crowd, he can see any one who may come “Q the single, steep, straggling street | of the Mexican camp toward the plaza | from the other direction to that by which he had entered it. The mountain slope at the chain-bear- er’s feet is so precipitous that it is almost acliff. Directly below, in the sunlit ra- vine, is a winding brook, with bordering bushes and lofty trees and a bit of pasture, where several cows are browsing, and on the edge of which is aruined hut. But, | although so clearly seen, the height is so great that everything appears, asit were,in | | miniature. Towering above the otherside of the ravine rises the loftiest part of the Coast Range Mountains, erough in the | shadow and distance to appear blurredand | smokily blue on their face, but immensein | | which did not have crape on its d.oqunob from Good Friday to Easter, and it is now the intervening Saturday. ‘When Colonel Bestor rode up to Mrs. Truson’s gate the chain-bearer had already said “Good-by.” Ellen wasin her room weeping, and her stepmother was standing in the doorway shrewishly berating the dis- consolate lover, who for his part did not look as if he heard a word she was saying. As the sarveyorand his attendant pass the saloon on their way down the street toward the old Union prospect Colonel Bestor is surprised to see Don Banchez,who stands just 1nside its door, angrily scowl at the chain-bearer. ““What’s the trouble between you and Don Sanchez, Jimmie?'’ asks the surveyor. jg{ellen's give um the sack, sorr,” he said. *“And ucce])tod you, Jimmie?”’ “No, sorr,” the chain-bearer replies, his lower lip quivering, ‘hern’s Steve Cle- mow’s, sorr.”’ “Ah, I'm sorry I spoke of her,” said the surveyor. ‘‘Are you sure?”’ i Tge chain-bearer aflirmatively nods his ead. ““‘Well, I am not,”” said Colonel Bestor. While the surveyor and his man are silently descending the hill toward the old Union prospect it may be well to say that Colonel Bestor is vet a young man, and that althouzh be had been but a lieu- tenant in the United States army he Lad been dubbed “colonel” by the manager of the New Carthagena mines because it was deemed that his title should greatly out- rank the bosses of the mine, who were called “‘captains.” ‘“Are we almost there?” asked Colonel Bestor. *Us 'u'd save time if I'd cut acrost ’ere, sorr,” said Jimmie, pointing toward a {footpath, ‘an you'd 'urry hup ver ’orse.” “All right,” assents the surveyor. In a moment the chain-bearer disap- peared in the chaparral. > Urging on his pony, the colonel is soon out of sight of the Mexican camp, the last vestige of it which he saw being the tree of execution and the fluttering remnants of poor old Judas Iscariot. : Meanwhile there is trouble in the Eng- lish camp. “Them men sez they won’t work no more on the four 'undred after to-day, sorr, an’ I can’t get none w'at will neither,”’ said Captain Black, the under- grouna boss, entering the office. “What do you think it is?”’ asked Mr. Rose, the manager. “I’ve no hideur, sorr, but you know 'ow the men 'ave been a complainin’ all ’long o’ the water w’at leaks on to 'em has bein’ pois’nus. Lots of ’em’s sick, or 'as sore heyes. An’yecan see by the timebook ’ow mauy 'as give hup their jobs rather’n work w'ere hit's so weakenin’ an’ sick- their mass and boldly distinet in their out- | line, and so near that they seem to Jimmie | | almost to overhang the Mexican camp, | | with its church and jail and the clack and clatter of its ni little plaza, while in | their invincibl ence and calm repose he | feels, what he is too ignorant to be able to | express, that there is something scornful | and stern and threatening, | With the eye of an artist and the heart | | of a poet, circumstances had made Jimmie | James first a miner and now a surveyor's | | chain-bearer, and to be entirely indifferent | | | under any stress of anxiety or grief to the | influence of such a scene would have been | for him impossible. | *Hit makes a feller feel sorter Ione-[, somer,"” he said. Meanwhile Colonel Bestor has been dis- | covered. A fat young man, Don Sanchez | by name, hat in hand, comes to the side ~* the jail where the survevor is viewing i | scene. Placing his unemployed hand over his heart and making, beyond doubt, the | very politest bow in the world, Don San | ta chez asks, in a characteristic and ex- tremely soft, hmpid and musical voice, rendered the more interesting by its con- tinental but inimitable pronunciation and accent: | “Eef-a the Don Senor Colonel-a Ba-estor | weel be so kind-a as to geef-a heem the honorra of-a taken care-a of hges horse, while the Don Senor and the colonel-a should weetness the cerimonees?” The surveyor consenting, Don Sanchez sends a young man away with the horse and leads Colonel Bestor to the plaza porch of the jail, in plain view of the Judas tree. Here, aiter many apologies for so doing, { Don Sanchez leaves him, for Don Sanchez himself is to be the grand master of the ceremonies, *‘Stand-a back eet you plees-a, fiem;e- mans! Andar par abajo, senores! cries | Don Sanchez. “Back? back!” “Retirarse! retirarse!” many voices repeat. The crowd moves back and lines the side of the plaza where the housesare; while here and there down the side of the | mountain that is toward the English camp can be seen a youngster peeping from behind a bowlder. Then Don Sanchez mounts the platform by the side of Judas, and, after a short Spanish speech to which the crowd gives a clamorous assent, takes off his hat, and turning toward the effigy bows profoundly and with the utmost gravity; and inform- ing the victim that the hour of his execu- tion has arrived, asks if he hasanything he desires to say. Judas remains sullenly silent. After pausing a moment for a reply, Don Sanchez again inquires if he has not some last message. The red face of the arch-villain crimsons more_ deeply, if possible, and his great round eyes protrude more glaringly than ever; and swayed by the breath of a gentle breeze that had sprung up, he bends for- ward his head and looks savagelg straight up into the face of the young Spaniard; and his forked tail quivers wrathfully, but he answers not a word. Then Don Sanchez takes the traitor by the hand, and after asking his pardon for acting as his executioner and solemnly bidding him farewell touches the tip of Judas’ tail with the li5hted end of hiscigar. “/Cuidado, senores! Cuidado!” shouts the executioner as he bastily dismounts from the platform and retreats to the fur- ther side of the plaza. For that tail contains a fuse, and the effigy is full of Chinese bombs and other fireworks. “Fiz-z-2-z” and “bang!” it goes—and off flies one of Judas’ legs, and his head drops shamefacedly upon his breast. “Fiz-z-z—bang!”’ and off flies the other leg, and one of Judas’ arms is thrown over his head as it he was determined to keep that in its place at all hazards. JAgain! and again! and yet again! and finaliy a2 tremendous “bomb!!” and a few fluttering rags hanging on the tree are all that is left of Judas. The crowd rushes toward the tree of exe- cution. Don Sanchez remounts a part of the platform which has not been blown to pieces, and amid absolute silence, broken now and again by bursts of applause and laughter, proceeds to read in doggerel Spanish verse the last will and testament och departed. Millions were left to everybody, but so far as Colonel Bestor saw the only person who came into possession was a barefooted voungster down the mountain side who was knocked over by one of the boots of Judas, which hit the lad after having ex- hausted its greatest force by striking a near- by bowlder. The chain-bearer also saw this little ac- cident, and, unmindful for the moment of his own misery, ran to the assistance of the dirty bawling lad, whom he took ten- derl; in_his arms, “Youle' me go,” cried out the astonished box. “It bain’t nothin’.” nd before the will was read through the boy bad picked up the uninjured boot and ran off with it. Looking down the strect as he was re- turning to his seat Jimmie sees a solitary figure, dressed in white, coming toward the plaza. The chain-bearer springs to his feet and goes eagerly to meet the girl he loves. ‘When the reading of the will was finished the crowd on the plaza began to disperse, and the surveyor, having mounted his mustang, looked around for his chain- bearer. 7 Presently the colonel found Jimmy stand- ing at the gate of the little strip of ground which was honored with the name of “‘the garden’’ of the old adcbe which was the home of the Widow Truson, her daughter Ellen and a boarder named Clemow. This was the only house in the Mexican camp inhabited by English people, and was also noticeable as the only house enin’.” “See here,” said Mr. Rose; and going to the other side of the draughting-table he took from a drawera large map and un- rolled it. “This is one of the plans we got when we bought this property. Here,” he added, pointing to the map, ‘‘is our new chaft; and here three-fourths of a mile to the north is the old Union prospect. Now the men in the 'rnise'o;; the north drift of the 400-foot ievel of the new shait are about under the old Union; but you see by the plan that the old Union is only 270 feet deep, and that makes 130 feet bevween its bottom and the 400; of course it’'s nearly full of water, but it is certain it never could have seeped through 130 feet of the kind of rock we have there.” **Sartinly not, sorr.”’ *‘Nevertheless I nhave sent our pew sur- veyor to measure the old Union shaft on the chance that this map is incorrect.” “Mr. Rose!” excitedly exclaims the cap- rising from the table on which he has been leaning, “that’s jest hit.” “Oh, I think not,” answered the mana- ger, for—" “An this 'ere map,” continued the old miner, regardless of interrupting his chief, d forcibly striking the plan with his fist, no true survey, an’ the lives—"’ Colonel Bestor walks leisurely into the office. ‘‘How deep?” abruptly asks Mr. Rose. “Three hundred and forty-two feet to the debris.” ! “What!"” shouts the manager, ‘‘three hundred and for—"' The office door dashes open and Jimmie James drops into a chair, gasping out: “Haccident !—two men—dead hin—skip! ~~that’s hall hi knows.” Mr. Rose, followed by the others, rushes out of the office. “‘Hit's Tommy Davies an’ Jimmie Tay- lor.” And “They uns be hall dead,” the men in the shafthouse yard were say- ing. éeside the mouth of the shaft Dr. S8y- mons and tie bucket-tender, Don Sanchez, are vigorously rubbing the prostrate forms of Taylor and Davies. 2 R"How did it happen?” interrogates Mr. ose. “W'at’s hup?” inquires Captain Black. “Mine’s flooded,”” answered Dick Vivian, the surface ‘‘boss.” “How do you know ?”’ asks the manager. “Bell rung ’oist men. Skip comed hup ’alf full o’ dirt, an’ Taylor an’ Davies a-lyin’ hon it onsensible; showin’ hit must a-been suddent, has they uns was a-fillin’ o’ the skip. Us took ’em out an’sent fer the dector. Down skip goes agen, an’ hup she comes full o’ water, showing has the mine’s flooded.” “Do anything else?” asked Mr. Rose. “N'othin’ but keep the pump a-goin’, sorr.” £ *‘Good. Clear the yard and shafthouse!” orders the manager. “‘Jimmie,” said the doctor to our hero, who had just arrived, ‘‘go to the boarding- ho!uf an have them get two beds ready— uick !’ % Passing out the gate the chain-bearer met Mrs. Truson and Ellen, both weeping. “Oh, Jimmie!” passionately cries the girl, “‘save 'im! save 'im!"” “Hit’s Steve,” explains Mrs. Truson. “E’s hon the four 'undred.” **Hi can’t stop,”’ said Jimmie. “But Steve’s—" “Yes, yes! hi knows!” he impatiently interrupts. “I’Il be back soon,” he calls, hurrying on, “keep hup ’eart.”’ The men, their heads uncovered with in- finite gentleness and that peculiar care and reverential tenderness thatis uniformly characteristic of even the roughest miners under such circumstances, carry Taylor and Davies to the boarding-house. All day the gumps are at work and huge buckets, which have bzen rigeed up to assist in the emergency, are hoisting out the water; and inspection parties of the most experienced miners, exercising the utmost _eaution not to be suddenly over- ])owered by the deadly gases, are every ittle while descending and ascending the ladders in the shaft. As it is known that the 400-foot level where the men were at work is undera column of water reaching to the 200-feet level in the shaft, to say nothing of the gas that is above the water, the effort is, of course, but to clear the mine of water, and to recover the bodies for Christian burial, a matter of the utmost importance in the eyes of every California miner, however wicked and reckless. Graves are dug and coffins are made and mourning garments are pranred by the friends of those who were in the mine at the time of the accident, that at the last there may be no unseemly delay. At the noon hour on Monday, two days after the accident, Captain Black has gone to the office to report progress. The new shaft whistle is sounding and the men are wending their way wwar% their respective camps. The only persons at present in the engine-house are Colonel Bestor, Jimmie James, Joseph Tregaskis (the engineer) and, hmly visible through the furnace- room docr, the stoker. “Where did {uu say the captain put that plan?” asked the surveyor. # ‘“Hon that there shelf, back of th’ hair- comfressor, sorr,' Tregaskis replied. “I'll ’and it to e, sorr,” said Jimmie James. By standing on a box on tiptoe the chain-bearer manages to knock the ghn off the shelf. As it falls it strikes the ead of the surveyor, who wildly clutches the airin s futile attempt to cafch it. On their knees, Colonel Bestor and the chain-bearer try to reach the plan from the far corner under the air-compressor ipe, where it has rolled, which Jimmie James, being the longer-armed, succeeds in doing. {To be continued in next Saturday’s * Call.”] STUDY ON FRANCHISES, How Some Pay a Percentage on the Gross Re- celpts. AND SOME OTHERS DO NOT. The Art of Escaping Payment—The Latest Market-Street Acquire- ment Does Not Require It. Let us talk about 2 per cent. There are three street railway companies in San Francisco which pay to the City 2 per cent on their gross earnings or upon the gross earnings of portions of their lines built under the provisions of more recent franchises or extensions—as they are called in these more recent years. They are the Metropolitan (franchise of December 26, 1890), the California-street (franchise of March 3, 1889), and the San Francisco and San Mateo. Of these, the California-street Company has paid for four years, since 1802, $1i.- 999 77, as follows: For 1892, $3016 05; 1893, $3048 60; 1804, $3155 28; August 5, 1895, $2779 84. The Metropolitan Company for the year preceding October 31, 1894, §2576 17. The San Francisco and San Mateo paid for the year preceding December 31, 1893, $2356 21. Since that the road has gone into the hands of a receiver and is in arrears. This makes altogether the magnificent revenue of $17,185 §2 which the City has received in five years from its network of street railroads. It became the fashion about 1889-80 to tack this 2dper cent_clause to small and unprotected railroads. By unprotected is meant unprotected by those large lawyers and that dominating influence which is as much a part of a hig corporation asthe dividends themselves. Since that time this 2 per cent has cut an odd fignre in municipal legislation and street railway affairs. In 1889 the OmnibusCaltile Company was granted a franchise with the provision that five years after and annually thereafter a sworn statement was to beé filed showing the gross receigts on whieh 2 per cent was to be paid the City. This was an easy one for the railway, as will be seen. *‘Five years after completion of the franchise’’ isinterpreted to mean just that no donbt. Any high-salaried railroad lawyer would scarcély think it dignified to wink the other eye as he read it over to his client. He would lean back in his uphol- stered chair, giance up at the chandelier and say: “Let me see—is it absolutely necessary to complote this franchise?”’ And then the Market-street Railway Company wonld ygrasp the situation with- out looking at the chandelier, for the Market-street Railway Company is both very quick and very busy and as a rule does not look at chandeliers. The Market-street Railway Company has | absorbed the Omnibus line; six years has elapsed since the franchise was granted; the consolidation facilitates all things and, two portions of the franchise have been wholly abandoned—the portion on Leaven- worth street from Post to Jefferson end on Jackson street from Montgomery to Stockton. That settles that then — the franchise wiil never be, completed, and many a 2 per cent will be saved—by the biicompany. Ferries and Cliff House Railway fran- chise was granted to Moffatt, Reinstein & Eisner on December 23, 1890, the terms of which were that at expiration of one year from date of operation statement of gross receifiu under any and all privileges, whether heretofore or herein granted, to be filed, verified by the expert of the Finance Committee and 2 per cent to be paid thereon to the City. This road bas long been ‘“in operation’’ in the ordinary sense of the term, but a 2 per cent clause is very binding and the ordinary sense does not apply—it “don’t 0,”" 80 to speak. “The road was embraced in the consolidation, and at the office of the Market-street Company it is said in the politest possible fashion that the road is “not completed.” That is to say, there is a little strip of four blocks on Bay street, from the seawall to Powell street, which is not completed. The time limit on this will run out in August, 1896. It is not con- sidered important. It will not be com- leted before it is required to be. Possibly fore August, 1896, the kind-hearted Su- pervisors will allow the company to aban- don it. Then a question of law will stand forever in face of another 2 per cent. Now here is a more peculiar thing in 2 per cents than any of the foregoing, but not the most peculiar of all. A franchise was granted to the North Beacu and Mission Rallway Company August 2, 1889, Terms: One year from date of operation of any portion of the railroad provided for a statement to be filed showing gross re- ceipts under any and all privileges whether heretofore or herein granted. On these the company shall pay 2 per cent over and above the gross receipts of 1888. On July 26, 1889, this raiiroad company iiled a “statement showing the gross receipts for 1888 to have been $306,180 10, Since that time the railroad has passed into the control of the Market-street Com- vany. Thatcompany declared to a Cavn man at its office yesterday that the re- ceipts have never since reached those of That was by waieof explaining why no 2 er cent had ever been paid for that line. ther lines had been built since and the competitors had taken the nickels. It was 9vzful the way the business had been cut into. 1t was suggested that since the rehabili- tation of the line—electric cars on Kearny street runn(nf all the way to the beach— business would pick up materially, with a possible hope of some time reaching the standard of 1888, No, not much hope, th comfiennz lines—which all belong to the Market-street Company, mind you—were still domg their deadly work. And be- sides, the franchise of the Omnibus Com- pany now covered something of Kearny street and the electric line was being operated under that franchise. Yes, there was not much profit to be sure, The Omnibus franchise provides for a2 per cent ‘five years after completion” you will remember. And it is not yet completed. Now the most peculiar thing in 2 per cents is this, that with all these examples of possible revenue to the City, and actual ugglery and evasions before, the present oard of Supervisors—that is the Bolid Eight—had advertised a franchise to be awarded to the Market-street Railway Company, covering about seven miles of streets where there is no mention of 2 per cent at all. The Market-street Railway Company is a giant corporation with ‘‘im- mense resources,’”” as an official of the wm&nng stated yesterday. It is in no need of being ‘‘encouraged.” It only seeks those things that are valuable to it one way or another. The time has passed when the people are eager to give up the streets for no other consideration than see- ing a railroad built. That time had passed as long ago as 1889, when the Supervisors attached the first 2 per cent clause to a franchise. And yet at this late day the Bolid Eight ifinoru the long line of prece- dents—not all of which have been men- tioned—and proposes to give away another magnificent franchise for the glltry sum of $500, and the 2 per cent left off. e e Killed by a Train. A man upon whose person there was said, for the -nothing by which the Coroner could iden- tify him, was struck and killed by the San Mateo theater train of the Southern Pacific 7:15 o'clock at the viaduct at the corner of Dolores and Twenty-seventh streets. T deceased was to all ap; Tices 8 tramp, as he had with him two suits of clothes, the pockets of which contained the regula- tion hobo paraphernalia, which were his only effects. He was apparently 35 years of age, was five feet alghg inches tall and looked like a German. The skull was badly mashed and the bones of the arms, chest and legs were badly broken. CYCLING KILLS TENNIS. Osakland’s Fashionable Court Is Leased After a Year of Use- lessness. The fashionable Oakland Tennis Club exists at present only in name and the once popular courts on the corner of Fiith avenue and East Twelfth street have been leased 10 a plebeian bicycle instructor. An electric light has been suspended in the spacious bitumen square and for a petty pittance the boy who was formerly pleased to gaza at the social throng througha knot- hole can now enter and make figures of eight on a wheel. The leasing of the grounds became a matter of necessity, as the elub is in debtand taxes have to be paid, and the treasurer has long since ceased to be troubled by any phase of the monetary question except its absence. Four f;enn ago the club was in its glory, and in thechange from the original quarters to the large courts and handsome and commodious clubhouse it was thought that tennis would boom. Hardly had {bo novelty of the new gronnds worn off when the membership decreased rapidly. There were no resignations sent 1, but the rule against delinquencies played havoc with the roll. For over ‘a vear the four courts have been practically deserted. George Mason, a leading member of the club, and the best posted man on tennis in Alameda County, said yesterday that the club was forced to do something to raise some funds, and so the place was leased for a cyclery. The Lakeside Tennis Club still shows signs of life, and next week a class tourna- ment has been arranged for which three prizes are offered. The entries are not yet complete, but there is a promise of excel- lent sport. 2 o PAULIST - MISSIONARIES Two More Priests Coming to the Pacific Coast From New York. The New Branch House In This City to Broaden Its Fleld of Mission Work. Rey. Samuel B. Hedges and Rev. Fran- cis B. Doherty, Paulist fathers, are coming to this City from New York. Their pur- pose is to continue the missions of their society on this coast, west of the Rocky Mountains. There are three members of the Paulist order in San Francisco at their house at St. Mary's, California and Dupont streets— Rev. Fathers Wyman, Clarke and Otis. But their work has necessarily been con- fined to the parish of St. Mary's, and con- sequently themission of the coast had to be abandened for some time. Now, however, the comparatively new community here has its parish and plans fully organized and established, and the Pacific Coast house is to be made an im- portant headquarters of the Pauliste, the only one indeed outside the large estab- lishment founded in New Yeork by Father Hecker. Two more priests are to be added to the house, and if the future should bring a field for more they will be sent hitaer from New York. Fathers Hedges and Doherty will travel continuously through Oalifornia, Oregon, ‘Washington, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Ari- zona and probably some of the Stateslying immediately to the east. They have en- ed to give missions at Nevada City, filoililter, Carson City (Nev.), Monterey, Marysville, Visalia, Bakersfield, Pasadena, Riverside, 8t. Vincent’s Church at Los An- gelez, Tacoma, Seattle and many other places on the coast. After they arrive missions will be held more frequently in the larger cities, and particularly in the archdiocese of San Francisco. Father Hedges is spoken of as a most effioient missidnary. e began his novi- tiate in 1880, and’ for the past eighteen months has been the head of one of the largest missionary bands of Paulists in New England and the Middle West. He is a native of Circleville, Ohio, where his father was a prominent lawyer and Iudge. Like the majority of the Paulisis Father Hedges changed from the belief of his fathers to the Gatholic_faith before en- tering the main house in New York. He is a man of education and refinement and gifted with strong intellectuality. Father Doherty joined the Society of St. Paul in 1874, He is a native of Boston, and though young in the priesthood, is a very successful missionary. Both the new priests are said to be eloquent and im- pressive preachers. ——————— READY FOR THE FAIR. The Board of Trustees Meet and Dis- cuss Plans. The board of trnstees of the Mechanics’ Institute met at the Pavilion last night and finished the business of preparation for the fair, which opens next week, There was considerable routine work done and a number of communications disposed of. The programme for the opening exercises at Columbia Theater on Tuesday, August 13, at 2 P. M., was reported and adop as follows: March of Progress (Schleicher), dedicated to Mecuanics' Institute; address, President A. 8. Hallidle; comic song, Ferris Hartman; recita- tion, Carroll Smith; oration, Hon. James G. T Sntt Qg 1. Moroing (Allegretto “Poer % 4730 g pntornleyfi .&‘he% th of Ase (An ll‘Delo- 1050); 3. Anitra’s Dance (Tempo Di Mazurka); 4. Dance of Imps in Hallsof the MountainKing. Recitation, “Oh, Sir,” Miss Freda Gallick; Knickerbocker Male Quartet, ‘“Rosebud Fair'’ (Macy), D. M. Lawrence, R. P. Evans, D. B. ‘rane, L. A. Larsen; Heinzelmanncnen, with bell solo (Fritz), Miss R. Sagerand L. Becker's Lyra Zither Club; overture, ‘Festtval” (gnhm-); music by Fritz Scheel’s orchestra. Mr. Kendrick objected to what he termed the "rickex-mckety-bm -bang” number designated the ‘‘March of Progress.” He was joined by other members who wanted the original march, which was to have been written, or which was written bs Professor Bcheel. Everybody wantes Scbeel’s music until they came to vote on a motion to adopt the programme as it stood. The vote was 9 for and 3 against the programme. The music committee also reported that Professor Scheel had given the following list of names of members of his band of thirty-two mus:- cians: Scheel, Rodermann, Paulson, B riel, Dickmann, Kneupfel, Devenheim, ‘enzel, Bruse, snutpcon Ritzau, Wevand, Ritzau, Apel, Hell, Horst, Mahood, Rumrherfi Hopes, Pro- bansky, Tobin, Hopps, Belman, Keiter, Dierke, Heinzer, Pn&;ke, riach, Siegel, Bluenber, Adelmann, Overbeck. The four lower boxes atthe Columbia on that occasion will be occupied by the president, vice-president, recording secre- ur{ and orator. The np&r eight boxes will be distributed among the members of the board. ’.ll.!'ho subject of decoration was considered y. A Murderous Chinese. Xup Doc, & Bartlett-alley Chinaman, was hacked with a cleayer last night by Lee Hung, a roommate, in & _dispute over rent and may die. Hung is under arrest. last evening. The accident occurred at| fy. Srengtli.—u.s. Governmeat Report. DR, DILLE HAS RETURNED. He Talks of the Christian En- deavor Convention of 1897. TO MEET IN SAN FRANCISCO. Fully Twenty Thousand Delegates Expected to Visit This Coast From the East. Rev. Dr. Dille has returned from his Eastern trip, and is greatly pleased with the result of his visit. While there he, in company with others from this coast, at- tended the Christian Endeavor convention in Boston, and the doctor had the honor of responding to the address of Governor Greenhalge, who welcomed the delegatés to the State of Massachusetts. “I think,” said the doctor last night, “that we will bave no difficulty in getting a very low rate from the Atlantic sea- boara to the Pacific Coast, so that the Christian Erdeavor convention to be held here in 1897 will be well attended. Mr. Horsburgh assured me that it would be possible, and Mr. Stubbs, assistant passen- ger agent of the Soutnern Pacific system, told me it would be as cheap as the rate from the coast was to the East—some- where in the neighborhood of §80. We had a hard fight to get the convention in San Francisco, as Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles made a very good showing. We presented the fact that, by coming to San Francisco, they could come here by the northern route and go back by the southern route, thereby visiting all the Pacific Coast cities of importance on one ticket. This, I think, is_ what carried the day. California seems to have a charm for the Easterner, and I am of the belief that there will be at least 20,000 delegates from the Eastern States. Rey. Dr. Way- land Hoyt of Minneapolis told me that there would be fully that many, and he is probably the best-informed man on that question there is. In Philadelphia the Endeavorers began to save their money last year for the purpose of visiting the coast. “Portland offered the sum of $15,000 for the convention, but I am assured by George W. Gibbs, Rolia V. Watt and other such men that the monrsfly will be supplied from San Francisco sufficient to meet the immediste wants, so we are at rest on that point. T look forward te an immense as- semblage and we hope to do some good work in the meantime.” e Speaking of the work of the Civic red- eration Dr. Dille said he had observed dur- ing his absence that a great deal of work had been done in the maturnf.getting things in readiness to purify the City, an that he hoped it wouFd go on_until San Francisco could lift her head and feel proud of her standing. ‘‘We have a good many things on hand that require atten- tion and hope to get at the bottom of them in a short time.” After the Christian Endeavor Convention Dr. Dille took an extended trip through Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and up the St. Lawrence, from Quebec to Toronto, merely for the pleasure of traveling, and visited some of the historic parts of that locality. He will preach from the Mission-street church to- morrow morning and evening. HATE TO LOSE A DIME. Creditors of Alameda County Persist- ently Evade the New Fee Bill. COounty Clerk Jordan has put a sign up on his office, which says that the new fee bill compels him to collect 10 cents from every person who swears toa claim against the county. Thisnotice has been rendered necessary by a peculiar exhibition of a desire to cheat the county of its dimes that has just been partiall lwp{ped. In order to avoid paying the 10 cents contractors, Justices of the Peace, con- stables and others have taken advantage of the law that declares that a deputy official is a proper person to administer the oath. Men whose claims amount to as much as $500 per month have frequently sworn to their claims before some of the county officials or their deputies rather than go to the Clerk and be required to deposit ten cents to pay for the stationery. }Hia has been going on for several months and the first one to oppose the practice was Treas- urer S8anford. He refused to be an abettor of such small business and so the penuri- ous creditors had to go elsewhere. On one occasion forty men with claims varying from $20 to $800 were refused the privilege of saving ten cents a head by the Treas- urer. Other officials are following the ex- ample of the Treasurer, but still not more thazx one-half of the creditors pay the ten cents. —————— Mrs. Beretita’s New Move. The Beretta family troubles have been brought up sgain by an order clting Angelo Beretta to appear before Judge Slack and show eause why he should not pay to his wife, Delia Beretta, $1500 to provide for her support, with $100 » month alimony, $500 for medical at- tendance and $250 for counsel fees. Mrs. Beretta, who was declared mentally in- competent some time ago, recently aplplled 1o be restored to competency and the application was denied. She says there iscommunity prop- enyd’worl.h $100,000. A suit for divorce is pendin; SOUTH SIDE, Bet. Fifth and Sixth, Five doors above Hale Bros. UT PRICES —IN— Eyeglasses and Spectacles! We sell you Glasses at One-half Opticians’ Prices. Don't Pay Fa_n_cy Prices for ELECTRIC BELTS! OUR PRICE ..$5.00 to $15.00 TRUSSES. .. L $L75 to $5.00 -$3.50 One of our Customers. NEW TO-DAY. Phillips Brooks Says: “To do a splendid_thing is simply to do a common _thing bet- ter than othersdoit.”” That is just what we are doing. We are making just as good picture frames at a moderate price as can be made any- where. We give employment to over 100 sober, industrious hands in the making of frames and mold- ings alone, which shows that the ple are willing to patronize ome industry, providing that home factories give as good an arti- cle at as low a price_as can be ob- tained elsewhere. Six years ago, when our factory was initsinfancy, thirty-one traveling salesmen, rep- resenting thirty-one picture-frame molding factories in the Eastern States, arrived in this city (one each day) during the month of January. During January of 1895 only three came. For the THINK- ER, comment is unnecessary. Our factory is equipped with all the best and’ latest machinery and can turn out moldings for the mil- lion just as good in quality and lower in price than it can be landed from factories on the other side. Our pine lumber is cut to size and to order in the mountains, and our lain and quarter-sawed oaks come n carload lots from the millsin the woods where the oak tree grows. In buying of us you not only give employment to a large number of your own people, but you getevery- thing at first hands and at lowest rices. The things we make besides mold- ings for picture frames are room- moldings, mirror frames, drawmg- boards, wood easels, artists’ stretch- ers, palettes, T squares, pine back- ing, plain and ornamented cornice- poles, screens, hat racks, towel racks and swinging mirrors. Visitors always welcome. SANBORN, VAIL & GO, 741-743-745 Market St. STATEMENT = OF THE —— CONDITION AND AFFAIRS —— OF THE —— ROYAL INSURANCE CO. F LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ON THE 81ST day of December, A. D. 1894, and for the year ending on that day, as made to the Insurance Com- missioner of the State of California, pursuant to the provisions of sections 610 and 611 of the Po- litical Code, condensed as per blank furnished by the Commissioner. CAPITAL. Amount of Capital Stock, pald up In cash. 4 $1,878,510 00 ASSETS. Real estate owned by company. $4.738,176 78 Loans on bond and mortgage. 7,516,411 69 Cash market value of all stocks and ‘bonds owned by COmpAany......... 25,882,690 87 Amount_of loans secured by pledge ‘of bonds, stocks and other market- able securities as collateral . 8,100,419 78 Cash in company’s offic X Cash in bank: 1,918,155 00 Interest due an; stocks and loans. 813,700 94 Interest due and ac and mortgages. . _.7384868 Premiumsin due course of collection 1,158,028 13 Total assets...... 847,757,036 49 LIABILITIES. Losses adjusted and unpaid, losses in process of adjustment or in sus- pense, and losses resisted includ- ing expenses Gross premiums on fire Tisks run- ning one year or less, 87,711,255, reinsurance 50 per cent. . = Gross premiums on fire ning more than one year, 36,7 187 86, reinsurance pro rata... Amount deposited by the insured on 8737,585 00 8,855,627 50 8,504,376 44 perpetual fize {osurance policies... . 312,267 56 Liability under life department. 25,141,724 79 Cash dividends remaining unpax 26,009 62 All other demands against the col PADY.ue.. eeesees 184,78012 Total 1iabIIUES. ....0essesessas... 835,612,341 03 INCOME. U Net u‘sh actually received for muo 150,035 reminms. .$10, Received fo s it on bonds, stocks, loans and from 671,750 00 275 00 . 62617000 Total income.. . .$11,848,220 00 EXPENDITURES. Net amount paid for fire losses . $5,889,205 00 Dividends to stocknolders. 1,095,797 50 All other 'ments and ‘tures, 8,332,270 00 Total expenditures.. .$10,367,272 50 Losses incurred during the year, fire $5,939,205 00 RISKS AND PREMIUMS. Fire Risks. Premiums. N 'l:k. mr: un ‘d of) risks writtendur- ingtheyear...... $2,507,008,152 $10,005,229 03 lr: lk am Ol ‘rle:'d of sks cxpired dur- Tng thegear. ... 2,507,008,152| 10,005,229 03 Net amount In force mber | 2,789,685,731| 14,413,442 86 CHARLES ALCOCK, Manager. J. BEAVAN, Sub-Manager. Subscribed _and sworn to before me this 8th day of April, 1895, HENRY GLYNN PIERCE, Notary Public. ROLLA V. WATT, Manager Pacific Department, 502 and 504 Montgomery Street, 8, F 8@~ Agencies In all the principal cities and towns n the coast. 7. D. MAXVWELL, CITY AGENT, 421 CALA. ST.,, SAN FRANCISCO. ke o S el b Courbitto ittt oot NOTARY PUBLIC. (HARLES X PHILLIPS ATTORNEY-AT Notary Public, 638 Market st., 0) Hotel, Residence 1620 Fell st ‘F:l‘:' MA tionofa or an are not #1502 bars e fx $5.0%, by matl. - Bend MEDICINE DD RESTOR St e e d ed if six R S AR “CUPIDENE" alserabopem YA Pains In t:: Back, Seminal lmldou, Nervous Debility, n. 1t stopa all losses b; ness. harge, which if. 211 the hoerors of Im) norgheck kidoeys and the u d restores Varicocel SR S toncy. CUPIDENKE cleanses tho Liver, the ol 3 rin; l"f."kfll"'ldlfl organs, hout ah operstion cent troubled with ration. wlfl“l:lmnnl- not s permanent cure, €0, P, O, Box 2076, S8an Francisco, Oal. For Sale by BROOES' PHARMACY, 119 Powell street. b o