The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 10, 1895, Page 6

THE SAN FRANCISCU CALL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1895. CHARLES M. SHORTRIDGE, Editor and Proprietor. SUBSCRIPTION RATES—Postage Free: Pally and Sunday CALL, one week, by Cur}t!l'.w.lfi y an . Sunday CALI, one year, by mail... 6.00 six montbs, by mall 3.00 hfee months, by mall 1.50 one month, by mail mail. and Sunday Ca Dafly and Sunday CALL Daily and Sunday CAL Sunday CALL, one year, WEEKLY CALL, ODe ye: .50 1.50 BUSINESS OFFICE: 710 Market Street. Main—1868 Telephore. ... EDITORIAL ROOM: 17 Clay Street. Telephone. ..Main—1874 BRANCH OFFICES: 520 Montgomery street, corner Clay; open until 9:30 o'cloc . H. street: open until 9:30 o'clock. 717 Larkin street; open until §:30 o'cloc SW. corner Sixteenth and Mission streets; open until 9 o'clock. 2518 Mission street; open until 8 o'clock. 116 Ninth street; open until 9 o'clock. OAKLAND OFFICE: 908 Broadway. EASTERN OFFICE: Pucific States Advertising Bureau, Rhinelander bullding, Rose and Duane streets, New York City. THE SUMMER MONTHS. Are you going to the country on a vacation ? If £0, 1t I8 no trouble for us to forward THE CALL to yoursddress. Do not let it miss you for you will miss it. Orders given to the carrier, or left at Business Office, 710 Murket street, will receive prompt attention. AUGUST 10, 1805 SATURDAY THE CALL SPEAKS FOR ALL. e The fair season is at hand. This is the day to leave orders for THE SoxpaY Cari. —_—— The Mechanics’ Institute exhibit will give home industries a good show. The Railroad Commission has opened its eyes and promised to look around. The Belvedere fete seems to have been profitable enough to set ’em up again. A marble ferry building would shine in painful contrast to the stucco finish of the City Hall. The introduction of the silent fire alarm system would be a blessing to the Fire De- partment of this City. That Whitney should decline a Pres- idential nomination is natural, for he be- longs to a declining party. With wine seiling at 12}4 cents a gallon against 6 and 7 cents last year, we getan idea of the value of intelligent co-opera- tion. The condition of the streets under the present cleaning system is the best certifi- cate of efficiency that the Merchants’ As- sociation could receive. The action of the millionaire owners of pig office buildings in excluding the icycle is an implied stigma of plebeianism which the wheel is indignantly reserting, The sort of wives that Pennsylvania men prefer is revealed in the fact that seven graduates of the Training School for Nurses were recently married inside of ten days. There is no Democratic candidate, no Democratic platform, no Democratic policy and no Democratic majority any- where in sight, so what becomes of the party? If there is any truth in the Texas story that a Populist down there recently kicked a mule to death in three minutes he must have thought it was the Democratic donkey. The threatened war of extermination in Chinatown has not yet broken out, but it is noticeable that the highbinder queue has very much the appearance of an angry cat's tail. It is no longer probable that the Demo- crats will hold a State convention in Ohio this year. There will be a Democratic gathering of course, but Brice will hold the convention. ——— The 200,000 cans of apricots which a single canner of Santa Clara is sending to London show that the finding of a market for Cahifornia products is merely a matter of looking for it. It is noted in the East that since girls took to bicycle riding many of {ne young men who used to ride with the raeing hump have begun to brace up and have some style about them. Itis interesting to observe the coincid- ence between-the rehabilitation of mining and thé'pasiing away of wild stock specu- lations and sharp practice in the market- ing of mining properties. It is now noted that Cleveland when he was first a candidate for President loudly declared no man should be a candidate for a second term, but he has never yet said anything against a third term. 1f the erection of a marble building at the ferry would result in the decent paving of Market street and the removal of super- fluous streetcar tracks therefrom, it wounld be the cheapest of all possible expenditures. . —— The Southern Pacific probably views with complacency the action of the State Board of Equalization in citing various counties, including San Francisco, to appear and show cause why their assessment should not be raised. —— The Inter Ocean says: “California con- tracting for $30,000,000 worth of new rail- roads shows that the Golden State doesn’t propose to put up the shutters.” And it might have added that we are showing a wide open gate. The Commissioners appointed to draw up & civil service law for Chicago, are said to have formulated a code of rules which will make it difficult if not impossible for any chief of department with a patronage mongering tendency to evade it. Thisis high praise, but Chicago will do well to still keep an eye on the bosses. The persistency with which ex-Judge McKinstry was shouldered out ' of the Hastings College of the law has roused the students, and aeain demonstrated the old fact that the spirit of independence which an American boy breathes from hisinfancy has a very vociferous way of showing itselt when things go contrary to his judgment. . From the vigor shown by the bimetallists of Germany there is reason to believe if the United States would lead the way in the remonetization of silver the German empire would soon follow the example, and as the co-operation of France and the Latin Union would of course be given, what ' further international agreement would be needed ? BUILDING STONES. In saying that “we are getting out of the wooden age of building in California,” A. Page Brown, the architect, has put in other words the declaration that Califor~ nians are beginning to learn wisdom and acquire pride. In spite of the fact that California has a greater variety of building stones than any other spot in the world, we have been constructing wooden houses for forty-five vears, having failed even to follow the wiser plan of the old Mexican residents in using adobes for buildings. The one excuse for wooden houses has been a fear of earthquakes, and the experi- ence of years has discovered this to be one of the most absurd of follies. It was the dominating idea in the construction of the Nob Hill “mansions” — if prodigious wooden shanties may be dignified by such aname. Flood was the first to show his contempt for the silly fear, but instead or using the fine stones of California he se- cured his brownstone from Connecticut and shipped it round the Horn. The variety of building stones in the State surpasses ordinary comprehension. They take every geological form, including lavas, infusorial rocks, sedimentary rocks and amorphous varieties without limit. Thus we have basalt, granite, innumera- ble varieties of sandstones, slates and mar- bles. The sandstones run in color from slate to a deep red and from pale yellows to shades of brown. The marbles are of a remarkable variety, from pure white through regular striations to the most grotesque and beautiful markings in all conceivable brilliant colors. The red sandstone, seen in the Chronicle and Cali- fornia Hotel buildings, is as handsome as Connecticut brownstone, fully as good and incomparably cheaper. Besides all these, we make superb brick and terra cotta. It is about time for those owning accessi- ble deposits of building stones to begin to think of their value. Bome incongruous things appear in the handling of building stones at present. For instance, while fine marble of many kinds exist in the moun- tains and foothills of the San Joaquin Valley, where it could be easily reached and delivered in 8an Franciscoat compara- tively small expense, we get the most of our marble from Inyo, whence it has to be shipped a great distance by way of Carson and over the Sierra Nevada to the City; that is, we ship it out of California into Nevada and then back into the State, tak- ing two railroads and the highest range of mountains for the task. It is not surpris- ing that so little marble is used. Very few of the quarries of any kind accessible to San Francisco have been opened. The superiority of many of these stones over the imported article is familiar to well-informed persons. A.Guise, a marble- cutter of this City, gives exceedingly valu- ble information in saying that the imported marble used exclusively in the Italian ceme- tery is vastly inferior to the California stone and that the California stone bears the climate better than any we can bring from a distance. A peculiarity of most of the sandstones is their softness in the quarry and their acquiring great hardness on ex- posure. This largely reduces the cost of quarrying, carving and dres\int. THE PROTESTING BICYCLE. The order 1ssued by the managers of some of the great office-buildings in the City prohibiting the bringing of bicycles within the houses has brewed a storm, as might have been expected from so extra- ordinary a ruling. Indignant owners of the machines are therefore deserting the buildings and seeking more accommodat- ing quarters. The questions involved in the matter are seemingly simple, and it might be well to analyze them. The fundamental idea is one of con- venience in all its aspects. Itis evident that the bringing in of a wheel by a tenant is a great convenience to him. It isan old principle, however, that we shall not be permitted to minister to our comfort at the sacrifice of others’ convenience. ‘Wheel-owners having offices in a building are clearly inferior in numbers to those who do not own wheels, including wheel- less tenants and practically all transient callers on the tenants. If the presence of the machinesin the corridorsand elevators is annoying to these persons we have a reason why the wheels should not be ad- mitted. But the question does not stop there by any means. It has first to be ascertained that wheelless tenants and callers are dis- commoded and have made serious com- plaint. If not, the question dies in its birth. More than that, the bicycle may now claim to have rights of its own, to which the great convenience that it affords its owner gives it a special patent. Sim- ilarly, horses and vehicles, though not only very annoying to street pedestrians, butan actual menace to their lives, are tolerated on the streets because of the right which they have acquired asa convenience. This right is primarily of a kind personal to the owner of the horse and only secondarily as a public conveniencein a few cases. The analogy, therefore, shows that the bicycle is entitled to the enjoyment of reasonable special privileges, even at the sacrifice of personal convenience, which in no event could be serious. It would seem, therefore, that instead of debarring bicycles the owners of office buildings should recognize them as a con- vemence which the tenants have a right to enjoy and make provision for caring for them. We cannotsee what objection there coulg be to the setting aside of a space on the ground floor or in the basement for the accommodation of bicycles and the em- ployment of a person to protect them. This expense could be borne by the ten- ants, for that matter, and the owner of the house might draw a revenue from the privilege. Apparently the wheelman has legal right in the premises, which he might enforce in the courts. The report that such an issue was raised in Chicago and that the wheel- men won the suit should be an encourage- ment to local wheelmen to raise the issue here. There dre some forms of meanness which the courts have power to correct. EQUALIZING TAXES, The Board of Equalization having seen no reason why railroad assessments should be raised to the valuation put upon them eight years ago when the railroad business was less and there were fewer miles of road, has now called upon eighteen counties to show cause why their assessments should not be raised. The contrast between the methods of the board in dealing with the railroads and with the counties is sure to cause no little adverse comment. It looks very much like a deliberate attémpt to re- lieve the railroads from taxation as much as possible and throw mnearly the whole burden of the cost of government upon the other and poorer taxpayers. £ This sort of thing has been done before. It has become one of the old ‘familiar wrongs against which it seems hardly worth while to protest. The members of the board have it in their power to go on their way careless of justice, of equity, of campaign pledges and of the solemn oaths of office. We can hardly believe, however, that the present board will show itself ut- terly regardless of these things. It made an increase in railroad sssessments over those of last year, small indeed, but suffi- cient to encourage the hope that the board was trying to do right. To that hope the people will still trust, despite the appear- ance of what threatens to be anothercinch on the taxpayers. The board is required to make a fair adjustment of the burdems of taxation, and after it has dealt so leni- ently with the wealthy railroad corpora- tions, it would be too open an injustice to increase the assessments upon others. ] MECHANICS' INSTITUTE FAIR. The season of carnivals is about to give way to the season of fairs. We have laughed and danced at the carnivals amid the flowers of springtime and summer, and now that the fall approaches we are to gather togetler the fruits of our labor and industry and show forth what we can and have accomplished in the way of those material things whose production, trans- portation and sale make up the business of the world. The opening of the fair season will be made by the industrial exposition of the Mechanics’ Institute in this City next Tuesday. The circamstances of the time and the trend of the present revival of enterprise give to this exposition a special interest. It will consist largely of exhibits of Pacific Coast manufactures, and will therefore accord with the prevailing senti- ment of the people in favor of home goods. We have pushed the producticn of raw material to a point where we are not infe- rior to any State in the Union. In manu- factures, however, we are far behind our possibilities. It is for that reason that interest in manufacturing industries is so widespread and so keenly felt. The expo- sition of the Mechanics’ Institute promises to afford a fairly complete exhibit of what we have accomplished in that line, and accordingly it may count on a more liberal patronage from the public than it has ever known before. The directors of the exposition have not been unmindful of what is expected of them. The arrangements for the fair show material improvements over those of past years. The old form of displays, good in themselves, but hackneyed by repeated use, will give way to new and beautiful ones showing what has been accomplished by home industry and revealing some- thing of what may be, expected in the future. It is the determination of the managers to meet the expectations of the public and make this fair the best ever given by the institute. The occasion, the circumstanees and the men are therefore in accord, and we may reasonably look forward to an exposition that will afford us not only the enjoyment of a good show, but also the satisfaction of seeing evi- dences that our desire for the complete manufacture of home products isin a fair way to be realized. THE “SUNDAY OALL” Tre Suxpay CALL of to-morrow will be an ideal Pacific Coast newspaper. All the literary features will be by Western writers and the combination will form a galaxy of talent not to be surpassed by that of any other paper in America. Among the con- tributors will be Joaquin Miller, Charles Warren Stoddard, Madge Morris Wagner, Rose O’Halloran, Adeline Knapp, Miriam Michelson, Marcella, Mary Calkins John- son, Ernest C. Stock, Tom Gregory and Robert Stevenson, the well-known civil engineer of this City, who ranks among the ablest and most instructive writers on scieatific subjects in the country. Kahler, Joe Strong, Nankivell and other artists will contribute illustrations to the leading features. Joaquin Miller’s contribution, “Father Damien of Hawaii,”” is one of the best of his shorter poems and will give pleasure to all who delight in true poetry and the worthy commemoration of the deeds of noble men. Charles Warren BStoddard, “The Poet of the South Seas,” tells of “Golden Gate Park Revisited.” Madge Morris Wagner, the author of ‘Liberty Bell,” has a fine story of “The Woman With Feline Eyes.” Rose O’Halloran, the foremost woman astronomer of America, continues her series on “The Marvels of Modern Astronomy,” Robert Stevenson explains “Kinetic Stability,” Adeline Knapp furnishes an entertaining sketch, “The Altruist,” Ernest C. Stock continues “Colonel Strong’s Reminiscences” of early days in San Fraucisco, Tom Gregory has a humorous sea story in «“Phe Conversion of John Purdy,” Marcella has ‘A Page for ‘Women,” Mary C. Johnson gives glimpses “In Childhood’s Realm,” while Miriam Michelson deals with “The Drama.” Tee OaLn, as everybody knows, is the champion of Pacific Coast interests and Pacific Coast men. For that reason it gathers literary features on Western themes by Western men and Western women. It pays also particular attention to news of all Pacific Coast industries, en- terprises and events. It should be read by all who wish to keep informed on local affairs. TrE CALL can usually be obtained from any newsdealer, but on Sunday there is often a rush for the paper, and to make sure of obtaining it the wisest course is to leave orders to-day. THE PHYLLOXERA. R. P. Hayne, instructor in charge of viticulture and olive culture at the State University, said some things through yes- terday’s CaLL that demand serious atten- tion. He declares that phylloxera is spreading unnoticed in some of the vine- vard districts of the Btate, and that as the work of looking after this dangerous pest has been taken from the State Board of Viti- cultural Commissioners it has become all the more the duty of County Horticultural Commissioners and vineyardists to keep a strict watch on the vineyards for weak spots, and at once when one is discovered call in an expert. If he discovers the presence of phylloxera radical measures should be taken to check its ravages. It seems strange that, with the history of the Napa Valley before them, the vine- yardists should need such a warning, and it is hoped that the disaster there encoun- tered will not be repeated elsewhere. As the minute pest attacks only the roots and is invisible except under a microscope its presence can be detected only in the de- terioration of the vine. Railroads are its disseminating agency, the dust and cob- webs clinging to the under side of the cars offering it easy transportation. A remarkable coincidence disclosing another of the marvels of this country is that there are numerous native vines peculiar to California and Arizona which are perfectly resistant to the phyl- loxera. Any grape budded or grafted into their roots will thrive as well as on its own stock and will remain forever free from the pest. These roots are sent to France in large numbers for the replanting of the vineyards which the phylloxera has de- stroyed. They have been used to some ex- tent in this State, but hardly had the dis- covery of their immunity been made when @ depression in the wine and raisin in- dustry put a stop to plantings. The table- grape industry has generally remained profitable and some new plantations of thrm have been mad® but rarely on re- sistant roots. The folly of this heedless- ness has been already discovered in the Santa Cruz Mountains. ¥ When it is considered that the grane industry in all its branches in Cali- fornia must sooner or later be one of the most profitable which our peo- vle can pursue the importance of Mr. Hayne’s warning is obvious. New and ex- tensive plantations are bound to come and the neglect to use resistant roots would be almost criminal. There is no remedy for phylloxera, but it can be easily prevented. Itis easy to root the cuttings of resistant vines and bud into them the following year,.and if this be not done there isa reasonably sure prospect that in time the vineyard will be destroyed. PERSONAL. Dr. H. L. Deimel of Santa Barbara 18 at the Grand. 8. H. Rice, an attorney of Ukiah, is a guest at the Grand. J. P. Sheridan, & banker of Roseburg, Or., is at the Lick. T. W. Peterson, & contractor of San Jose, is staying at the Lick. E. J. Cote, a big vinegar manufacturer of St. Louis, is at the Palace. Allen Towle, large lumber man of Towle's station, is staying at the Grand. J.K. Dollison, a rcal estate man of Eureka, registered at the Lick yesterday. W.D. Campbell, a merchdnt of Los Angeles, registered yesterday at the Grand. F. P. Wickersham, & banker of Fresno, was one of yesterday’s arrivals at the Lick. V. Courtois, a leading wine man of Santa Rosa, registered at the Grand yesterday. Joha T. Farraher, a leading attorney of Yreka, and Mrs. Farraher are at the Palace. A.I. Lyons has gone up to his ranch above Stockton, where he will stay several months. H. D. Smith, & lumber merchant of Redondo, Southern California, is visiting his friends in this City. Herman Denhard, & prominent member of the Olympic Club, has gone for a tripin the norti about the sound country. Rev. W. L. Githens of Albuquerque, formerly pastor of the Church of the Advent in thisCity, arrived here yesterday and is staying at the Grand. §. J. Holsinger, attorney-atlaw and fruit- raiser, whose home is near Michigan Bar, in this State, is visiting the City. Mr. Holsinger was formerly engaged in the journalistic pro- fession. CALIFORNIANS IN NEW YORK. New York, Aug. 9.—The arrivalsat the hotels to-day were: San Francisco—Mr. and Mrs. G. R. Moore, Normandie; Miss M. E. Moore, Con- tinental: W. Booericke, Albert I. Bourke and G. 8. Patton, Sturtevant; M. R. Engel, Stewart; F.J.Regan, Grand Union; Mr. and Mrs. H. Rutlidge, Union Square; A. H. Hart, Everett; J. B. Canerly, Brunswick; W. H. Hall and Miss M. E. Ricord, Murray Hill; H.S. Dutton, Bar- tholdi; S. 0. Whitney, Gilsey. California—Mrs. Ralph, Jefferson. Los Angeles—W. B, Dunning and W. Harris, Sinclaire. SAN FRANCISCANS IN UTAH. SALT LAKE, UraH, Aug. 9.—At the Knuts- ford: F.G. Voss, R. 8. Moore and James L. En- dan of San Francisco. THE “CALL” AND THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC. The San Francisco CALL has called public at- tention to the almost forgotten fact that there is in California a certain Board of Railroad Commissioners; that said board is composed of three members, two of whom are Democratic patriots; that these patriots are under pledge to reduce freights 25 per cent, and that al- though they have been in office seven months, there has not been a “yip” heard out of their heads in relation to reductionsof freightrates. Well, what of it? The 25 per cent reduction promise was chiefly made by Mr. Budd, to be remembered “When I am Governor.”” It was & good promise and served its purpose, which was to get votes for the Governor, but every one who had a grain of sense knew that when, if it came to pass, “our Jim" became Gov- ernor, he would have no more to do with re- ducing freights on the railroads than with in- creasing profits on watermeélons. And the ‘commission! In the joy of its salary gathering it has no doubt forgotten the buncomte prom- ises & buncome party made to a bunkoed peo- ple. The Register does not blame it. Its hands are so tied by strings of judicial decisions that it cannot hurt the railroads if it would, and, ‘being made up of men altogether unfamiliar with railroading, it has not the power to ad- vantage the people and so contents itself with compiling dry figures to be printed at publie expense and consigned to oblivion, “Govern- ment is waste.”—Tulare Register. The San Francisco CALL is making an honor- able but most lonely fight for the honest as- sessment of the railroad property of the State. 1t is not supposed that an honest assessment will ever be carried out, a8 the Railroad Com- missioners, Board of Equalization and different Assessors are under too many obligations to the railroads. But perhaps with THE CALL for & leader a public sentiment can be worked up that will force the officials to do the duty they have sworn to perform. There is no good rea- son why the railroads should not be assessed to their mortgage value, just the same as the farms of the State. Besides, the collection of taxes is another hard point. The railroad is behind from three to ten years on its taxes, thus saving from 15 to 20 per cent on its money, and no penalty applied.—Petaluma Courier. IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. Mrs. Oliphant has written upward of sixty books since ehe was 21 years old. Eaward Nangle, a healthy and clear-headed resident of Reading, Pa., is 97 years old and has been an inveterate smoker since boyhood. Lady Aberdeen is the latest victim of Cana- dian discontent. The wife of the Governor- General ssks the servants of the households which she visits how they are treated, advises the malds to doff caps and other badges of servitude, and, awful to relate, shakes hands with all the servants, A new and popular nickname for the young Emperor of Germany is “William the Second- to-None.” The Emperor, by the way, hastaken to driving himself about Potsdam in alow cart. As his horse is elways very spirited and as he can only use his left hand those who drive with him are said to pe decidedly glad when the ride is over. Jim Fisk was worth about $2,000,000 when he was killed by Ed Stokes. To-day Fisk's widow livesin a humble frame house in the Boston tenemeut district on an income of $50 amonth. Even that is not derived from her husband’s fortune. It comes from property owned by her family. Fisk's estate has com- pletely vanished, The residents of Salem, Ga., claim to have had the prize father among them in the person of Moses Andrews, & colored man, who died there recently at the age of 104. They point with pride to the fact that the old man obeyed the scriptural injunction to such good effect that before his d2ath he was the father of more than 100 children, When William E. Chandler was Secretary of the Navy Admiral Meade was commandant of the navy-yard in Washington. They gotinto trouble somehow and the commandant was summoned before the Secretary one dayons matter of importance. The Secretary told the commandant that if he kept on, or words to that effect, he should be obliged to punish him by sending him to sea. *“Mr. Secretary,” said Meade, “I haven't anything to say except that when it is punishment for an officer of the navy to be ordered to sea what is your service coming to? I should like to go to sea, sir. Good-day.” MENU FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 11. uit. ‘Bolled Chops. ‘Toast. Coftee, DINNER. Roast Chicken, Giblet Sauce, Potato Croquettes. ? Li Mayonnaise of Tomatoes. ‘Wate TS Frozen Peaches. ot Lo SUPPER. Hot B “.h:xhcmn( Dish. Sponge ~Housabald Naws, ima Beans, THE LATEST IN BICYCLES. A mnew bicycle, with an original motor, sped up the hill at Riverside drive and Ninety- second street yesterday afternoon. The in- ventor asserts that the wheel will save its rider & vast amount of exertion aud give him a high rate of speed. ‘The most noticeable point about the working qualities of the machine was that while the motion of the wheelman’s feet was far slower than on the ordinary bicyele a high rate of speed Wwas maintained, says the New York Herald. The motor consisted of two radius beams, fulerumed, one on either side, to the rear of the frame. From the forward ends of the common fo them all, and smong fishes there is n .P'mu this that characterizes m.a’nd e % it from the other classes, as rept; s and mammals, to discover that ‘he whale resembles the last named, and differs from the fish. “The whale isas essentially amammal, 88 & cow or ahorse,” 8 na- turalist, “and simply resembles a xter- 1 nally, because it is adapted to inhabit thesame element, but it is no more on that account & fish than it is a bat.” THOMAS STARR K1Ne—J. W. 8, City. Thomas Starr King, whose remains are buried in front ot the Unitarian church, corner of Franklin and Geary streets, was born in New York De- cember 16, 1824. He died in this City March 4,1864. His father dled while he was prepar- LATEST MANNER OF BICYCLE. beams arms exiended downward, to which the pedals were attached. At the anglesformed by the beams and the pedals driving rods con- nected with the cranks, which were placed, as in the ordinary bicycle, diametrically opposite each other. The wheelman’s foot, instead of describing a circle, made an oblong curve. Riding a wheel geared to a hundred inches each time one foot was lowered the wheel covered a space of twenty-six feet twoinches. The rider, who was said to be a non-profes- sional, clalmed to have covered on this wheela distance of fifteen miles, and, when timed, made the last third of a milein forty seconds, OPINIONS OF EDITORS. Santa Barbara is a pretty place, where the very air is flavored with romance, but if the practice of calling its citizens ‘* Barbarians " should prevail, not the dim cloisters of its his- toric mission, not its golden sands caressed by wavelets dancing in the silver moonlight, net the tintinnabulations of castanets and serenad- ing guitars, not the bewitching glances of dark eyes from rose-hung casements peering—not even the traditions of love and conquest and princely hospitality of a hundred years can overcome the adverse influence caused by such & barbarism striking upon the ear. That harsh, discordant note will spoil the whole harmony. —Los Angeles Recor Those who laugh at Stockton’s aspirations to become one of the greatest cities of Califor- nia are not novelties. Justsuch people laughed in the same way when in 1850 it was predicted that Chicago would have 250,000 inhabitants before the century closed. There are nearly five years of the century left and Chicago has over 2,000,000 people, just because & majority of its people had foresight enough to perceive its possibilities and the ambition, courage, energy and confidence to labor to achieve them.—Stockton Independent. Judge Ross’ decision declaring the California irrigation law unconstitutional has been sharply criticized by one portion of the press, but another portion expresses its amazement that any one 8hould eriticize the decision of a Federal Judge. These objectors ought to go to school somewhere and learn what liberty means. The idee of pretending in these days that the decision of any court may not be eriti- cized is monumentally absurd.—Seattle (Wash.) Times. The system of vertical style of penmanship which was recently introduced in the public schools of this eity, as an experiment, has been a suceess, and should be made permanent. ‘With the vertical system there are ten scholars who will make good penmen where there would be but one by the old Spencerian style. There are hundreds of good penmen who have become so onily after changing their style to the vertical system.—8an Jose News. If any improvement over its predecessors was expected from the present State Board of Railroad Commissioners, it is doomed to disap- pointment. It is published that there are eleven railroad companies in the State from which the prece ling boards never required a report,and that this board, ater being seven months in office, has taken no steps to have the omission made good.—"~kland Enquirer. The stories about fiustering organizations in San Francisco to make a descent upon Hawail appear to have been celored out of all semblance to the truth. Men who form con- spiracies do not publish to the world what they are going to do. It 1sthe vaporing fellows who indulge in this kind of bombast.—Oakland Tribune. The fact that the imports of France to the United States amount to about $70,000,000 per year, and are larger than those of any other nation, is interesting in view of the re- mote possibility that retalistory measures will ‘be necessary to obtain § ice on account of the outrage to Waller.—Portland Oregonian. ‘Young man, if you are a true American and have any love of country, interest yourself in politics, from municipal to Natfonal. If poli- tics are corrupt, doall in your power tocleanse. Be an American citizen and do #l1 within your power 1o make legisiation more just and pure. —Chico Chronicle-Record. Men may by chicanery and double dealing deceive the men they call friends for a time, but truth, the naked, unpalatable truth, soon strips the oloak of deception from the shoulders of these sycophantic hypocrites and leaves them exposed to the gaze of their dupes.—Phoenix (Ariz.) Gazette. Throw wide open the doors of our courts in all cases! Those who fear the sunlight should never commence divorce proceedings.—Sacra- mento Bee. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, THE AMERICAN Frac—C. P., Alameda, Cal. One who studied the history of the American flag says: The stars and stripes gradually grew; it was a creature of circumstances; there is no record of its birth. Among the colonies the British was, of course, the recog- nized standard. Here and there were minor modifications, but the retention of the “union’ with its two crosses of St Andrew and St. George marked all as essentially British. Even after the beginning of the revolution the union was retained to show that the war did not mean separation. Congress made at first no effort to fix a national standard. There were two classes of flags in vogue in the early days of the revolution, the *“pine tree” flags of New England origin and the ‘‘rattlesnake’” flag, more National in its make-up. The latter was white, with a rattlesnake out into thirteen pieces, each marked with the initial of a col- ony, and the legend “join or die.” The need of "a National fll% became evident in 1775. The stripes were first used by a Philadelphia light-horse troop, and Congress ad em in 1775 on the recommendation of a com- mittee consisting of Franklin, Lynch and Har- rison, still retaining the iish ‘*union.” This flag was raised over the American head- gu-mn at_Cambridge, Mass., on January 1 or anuary 2, 1776. Aftet the declaration of in- cpendence Cony on the ldth 1777, resolved “ the flag of the thirween United States shall be thirteen stripes, alter- nately red and white; thatthe union shall be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, represent- ing a new constellation.” It was first dis- rl-yed at the battle of Brandywine, September 1,1777. On the admission of ‘mont and Keatucky, in 1794, two new g« ‘were sdded, but by the act of April 4, 1518, the numper of siripes was limited to thirteen, the :‘n?-be“rl of stars increasing with the number THE WHALE—E. J. 8, Occidental, Sonomsa County, Cal. The cetacea, or whales and dol- phins, are fish-like in shape, which coinci- dence in form, joined with a similarity of habitat, has caused énd still causes them to be popularly regarded as fishes. To realize the of this notion, one simply has to con- r what a fish reall; AT AR v s pe ing for college, and that event changed the course that had been laid out for him. He be- came a clerk and taught school until he was 20 years of age. In the meantime his atten- tion was directed to theology, and in the sum- mer of 1845 he preached at Woburn, Mas: and the following year he was settled over U church in Charlestown, Mass., in which his father had formerly preached. In April, 1860, he came to San Francisco to assume the pasto- rate of the First Unitarian Church, and re- mained aé its pastor until the day of his death, He was an uncomg;omulng Union man during the War of the Rebellion. HOoMESTEAD ENTRY—E. B., Gardener, ouglass County, Or. Henry N. Copp of Washington, D. C., one of the best authorities on land laws of the United Btates, says in The American Settlers’ Guide: As the law allows but one homestead privilege, settler reilnquishing or abandoning his claim can- Dot thereafter make a second eniry, but where an entry is canceled as invalid for some reason other than abandonment, and not the willful act of the party, he I8 not thereby debarred from eutenng again, if in other respects entitled. No credit is now allowed (1894) for fees and commissions al- ready paid, on a new homestead entry. Brue PRINT—S., Presidio of San Francisco, Cal. Photographers who wish to make blue prints, white lines on blue ground, use in the preparation of the paper a solution of 20 parts of red prussiate of potash dissoived in 100 parts of water and 10 parts of ammonia citrate of tron in 60 parts of water. The solution should be mixed immediately before using, and the operation performed in the dark. The paper is floated on this solution and applied ‘with a broad camel’s-hair brush and then hung up t dry. If well dried and caretully pre- served from the light the paper will keep for some time, INTERNAL REVENUE—A. B. C.; Marysville, Cal. There are two internal revenue departments in the State of California; the hesdquarters of one is in this City snd the other at Sacra- mento. In San Francisco the Collector receives & salary of $4500, in the other district the salary is $3500, with certain fees. Each is re- quired 1o xive bonds in the sum of $600,000. he Collector in this City makes & settlement with the Government every day. CrrOME—F. 0., Oakland, Cal. Chrome or chromium is found and mined elsewhere than in New South Wals d Canada. It ismined in the Shetland Islands; in the department of Vars, France; in Tuscany; in Silesia; in Bo- hemis; in Roras, Norway: in the Urals; in the United States near Baltimore, Md., and many ol:lel places. Asa metal it possesses no inter- est. DE KOVEN — “Incof City. Reginald de Koven, the composer, was born in Middleton, Conn., April 3,1859. His father was the Rev. Henry de Koven of the Protestant Episcopal church, whose ancestors run back to the time ot Captain de Koven of the English army, who came to America in the seventeenth century. His mother descended from the Leroys of early English history. THE AvprroriuM—A. K. H., City. The stage of the Auditorium at Chicago is: Width from wall to wall 98 feet, depth from footlights to rear 69 feet, the stage room being 6882 square feet. That of the Grand Opera-house in this City 15 108 feet wide by 88 deep, giving 9504 square feet of stage room. The seating capacity of the Auditorium is 4050, of which number 1500 is in the parquet. FErrY-BoaTs—W. B. H., City. The following is a list of the principal ferry-boats, which, with the exception of the Solano, are on the bay of San Francisco. The length of each is also given, Solano 407 feet, Transit 815, Ukiah 271, Oakland 265, Tiburon 220, James M. Donahue 219, Garden City 208, San Rafael ?gg, El Capitan 194, Alameda 193, Tamalpais Jusior—E. B,, City. The word junior, ab- breviated Jr., is used to distinguish the v{nung" of two persons of the same name in he same family, as John Smith and John Smith Jr. When the elder dies there is no further need for the dl-m&nuhing word, for then the younger becomes the only one of the family bearing the name. QUEER DEAL IN LUMBER, Some Side Lights on a Harbor Commission Contract. How a Syndicate Managed to Up= hold the Price of Timber for a Long Time. Inside intelligence regarding the meth- ods employed by Harbor Commissioners Bassett and Cole at a time when Commis- sioner Chadbourne was in-a minority makes spicy reading at tkis time. The story of a lumber contract is told by Mr. Chadbourne, who had. access to the true history. The Golden Gate Lumber Company had _the contract for supplying lumber at $12 8 thousand. Mr. 8lade concluded that he could supply it for $6 and sent a communication to that effect in writing to the Commissioners. This offer did not result ina change of con- tractors, but for & while the Golden Gate com- any put in lumber at $8. » Al le‘;‘ I came into office Slade asked to with- draw the offer made in writing to supply the lumber for $8, and the lequest was granted. Commissioners Bassett and Cole did not want the Jumber-dealers to furnish material for less than the market price and neither did I de- sire to impose this herdship. The offer was ermitted to be withdrawn, and presently the olden Gate firm put up the price to $12, where it remained for a long time. One day William Talbot of the firm of Pope & Talbot came to me and said: “What's the reason we canunot lllp%y the State with some of the lumber used? © are in the business and want some of the patron- age. B“All right,” I said to my friend Talbot, “I will see what can be done.” Nothing was done at first, and Talbot called attention to lack of diligence in the matter. Here I inquired deeper d pressed a little harger and everything was smooth. After a lapse of some time [ went to Talbot and suggested that the price of lumber should be reduced: that the firm of Pope & Talbot should supply it for §11. Then it came to light that &E Golden Gate Company had taken Pope & Taloot into camp by giving them one- third of all the lumber supplied to the State at the rate of $12. Talbot perhaps preferred that arrangement to the business of supplying all the lumber at $11. Meanwhile Commissioner Colnon had come in the office and consulted him. Talbot was informed that if he did not prefer to send in a communication offering the lumber for lower figures, the question of supply would be thrown open to all bidders. Of course Pope & Talbot Frefemd to maintain the pleasant business re- ations with the Golden Gate people, but at the same time did not want to plunge the lumber market into confusion; so the firm agreed to the $11 proposition. In due form the offer was sent to the board. Colnon and I kept very quiet and seemed to be both surprised and gratified when the offer was read. We proceeded to figure, and finding that the ofier would save the State $900 a month I moved to award the contract to Pope & Talbot. “What's that! What's that!” exclaimed Com- missioner Cole, but befcre he recovered from his surprise the motion to amend had pre- vailed. One Commissioner voted against the change, ;;ui the Golden Gate Company fully sustaine m. A SPANISH GIRL'S ESTATE. Permission Asked in Court to Transfer Property to Seville. Senor Arsenio Isidoro de Igual y Fol, guardian of Donna Francisca Herrera y Car- rascasa of Seville, Spain, has applied to the Superior Court for permission to re- move his ward’s California estate to Spain. Donna Francisca inherited from the estate of Senor Jose Carrascasa de la Cuesta, who died at his home in_Seville last year, 800 shares of Spring Valley stock and 400 shares in the San Francisco Gas Light Company. The donna for whom the petition is made belongs to one of the wealthiest fam- ilies in Spain. B PICTURE cards. Roberts, 220 Sutter. = B e — CALIFORNIA fig and apricot bars. Townsend’s.* e —— Bacox Printing Company, 508 Clay streat. * e ——— GENUINE specs, 15¢ to 50c. 8114 Fourth st., nr. barber. Sundays, 738 Market (Kast's shoestore.)* ————————— “I thought when I married her that her heart was a mine of love.” “And is it not?” “No; it was salted to effect a sale.’’—Detroit Tribune. . Ocean Excursions. Steamship Pomona, to Santa Cruz and Mon- terey, leaves Saturdays, 4 P. M., due back Mon- days, 5 A. M. Ticket office, 4 New Montgomery street. . — Advertising extremes don’t always work. One enterprising restaurant-keeper in town surprised his customers and many others, a few weeks since, by displaying in his window this sign: “Our Icecream is HotStuf.” He worked in his slang ail right, but wondered ‘why trade fell off. —Syracuse Post. PURE blood is absolutely necessary In order to have good health. The best remedy for all biood diseases is found in Hood's Sarsaparilla. Its re- markable cures are its loudest praise. e Dr. SIEGERT'S Angostura Bitters is known all over the world as the great regulator of the di- gestive organs. HUMOR OF THE HOUR. He—Is there anything I can do to prove my affection, so that you will not doubt it? She—There is. Marry my sister. Bhe is ten years older than I, and memma is determined not to 1et me marry till Sophia is disposed of.— Household Words. “Doan’ be too skaht ob gettin’ left,” said Uncle Eben. “De chicken dat sleeps a leetle ways back in de coop may be de las’ ter git 'is breakfus’ in de mawnin’, but he ain’ so easy grabbed off de roos’ at night.’—Washington Star. “Algernon, dear, we must take up some kind of reform this year. Now, if I take up dress reform, what will you teke?” “Chloroform.”—Funny Cut. In a New England restaurant: What can I get here? The Matron—We have coffee as mother used to wmake ft. The Guest—Well, gimme tea.—Pittsburg Dis- patch. The Little Minister—~How well you're look- ing, MacCallum. The Big Farmer—Weel—I'm weel in but I'm ower muckle to be weel all ower at ain time.~Punch. He—My love, we have been married two years. She—Yes, darling. ‘He—Upon our wedding day you were 24; to- day you tell the census man you are 31. She—Dear me, how time flies when one is happy!—Detroit Tribune. “You have been a good while getting up- stairs,” said Mrs. Smarte, who with her lord and master was stopping atene of our hotels, ‘‘Yes,” replied Smarte, “I stopped to take an elevator.” “Oh, you need not have taken the trouble to tell me,” sald Mrs. 8., tossing her head, “I smelt your breath the moment you entered the room,”—Boston Transeript. “Pe,rey—non’: two negatives make an afirma- ve Papa—Yes, Percy. Percy—Then I'm awful smart., Papa—Why? Percy—Because the teacher says I'm 8 “know-nothing.”’—Harper's Round Tabl “They may talk about their iron age,” the cashier softly murmured as he altered the combination and shut the door, “but what.is that compared with the age of steal?” Saying which he put a large dark-colored incognito in his valise and boarded a steamer for SBouth America.—New York Record Don’t you feel it rather lonely here, €holly,” “with nobody to talk to?” ““Yes,” she replied, with a vacant look into w, “and it's getting worse every minute.”— ‘ashington Star. She—My great-grandmother lived toan enor- n;ul age. - e—Indeed. Now there we have atavism, to be sure,~Detroit Tribune, The Guest— asked REAL ESTATE FOR SALE BY Thos. Mages & Sons, REAL ESTATE AGENTS And Publishers “Real Estate Circular.” 4 Montgomery Street, UN:0¥ TRUST BUILDIG, CORNER MARKET. INVESTMENTS. Reduced to $16,000; Sutter-st. investment; north side, bet. Mason and Taylor: ¥2:6 feet front and fine dwelling, 15 rooms, 1n fine order. Larkin-st. (nvestment, having twocorners; stores and dwellings: renting for $497; lot nearly a 50-vara in size; on one of the best portions of the street. Brick warehouse and lot 187:6x125; on Bluxome, bet. Fifth and Sixth; only $25.000; or 275 on Bran- nan by 250 to Bluxome, and 275 on Bluxome and ‘warehouse; §83,000. 500 Uwy,sr.. north side, near Hyde; 25x87:6, and very good 2-siory. Fourth at.: business lot; bet. Bryant and Bran- Dan; 26x80; $5150. PACIF1IC HEIGHTS RESIDENCES AND RESIDENCE LOTS. Pacific Helghts; magnificent view: residence ana large iot on Washington st.; 37,500, Pacific , N. side; best situation: not far from Laguna st.; 60, 70 or 120 feet front; panoramio View which cannot be shut off. Pacific ave., N. side; any size; 25, 50 or 75 feet front; price reduced to $200 a foot: marine view. ‘Residence and_corner, Pacific Heights; magni cent marine view never to be shut off;' NE. cor. Broadway and Fillmore; 68:9x137:6; $41,000; or 84:4x187:6. HOUSES AND LOTS, $3000 UPWARD. O'Farrell st., near Jones; 22x68:9, and house of rooms; $7800. -; 3 finie nearly new bouses and lot 37 6x 105 bet Golden Gate ave. and Turk st.; will be ve ms_each; Broderick and Baker; street bituminized and ac- ; rents $40. e e R side, bet. Frankiln and_Gough; 27:6x68:9 dnd story, in o tenements; §8200. $3000: rents $80; 2 flats and lot 20x78; Pacific st., bet. Hyde ana Larkin. 3800; flats 6 rooms each and large lot; £ fronts; 26:3x120 ou Hermann si., N. side, bet. Fillmore and Steiner, through to Germania. LOTS $2000 TO $4500. v st., N. side, bet, Walnut and Caurel; 2 lots, 7:8; §2775 each: fine view. Reduced to $4400; cheap: 160x114; NW. cor. Sanchez and 98th; both streois sewered, graded and macadamized. £ A bargain; oniy $4200 for 181 feet tront; 50 feet on Washingion, 81 on Jackson, running through bet. Cherry and First ave. Devisadéro, nesr Washington; 25x110; reduced to $3750; street paved; electric-cars pass; fine lot and neighborbood. 7 Jones and Chestnut: 38x137:6: fine view and fine neighborhood; street work done; reduced to Very oheap: lot 87:6x96:: ‘Waller, one block from Market; on! Cheap; only each: 3 lol slde Sacramento, bét, Spruce and. Pass; easy terms, Cl 25x1.