The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 27, 1895, Page 5

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1895. PREACHERS N EVOLUTION Dr. Spalding to Attend the Episcopal Council at Minneapolis. GREAT NEEDS OF THE HOUR. Congregational Ministers Differ on | the Manner of Belng Born | Again. value in speculation, and in time working hypotheses often become accepted facts.” Mr. Filben said in concluding the dis- cussion that his position in the matter was that evolution, as an ultra-scientific prin- ciple, was not proven. Its acceptance by the world would require a recasting of evangelical doctrines. " The wild analogies of “Natural Laws in the Spiritual World”’ were open to criticism. Altrunism had come to be the new battle-ground of evo- lutionists. Dr. Jordan’s last lecture was on that theme. He believed a thorough discussion would prove that all present oc- cupied the same ground. Chaplain Macomber will sPeak on “Re- gious Work in the Army” at the next | meeting. Father Waugh's Birthday. Every one who attends the Methodist preachers’ meeting receives a kindly smile and warm handclasp from Father Waugh. He is a white-haired but active octogena- The devotional exercises at the Metho- dist preachers’ meeting were conducted by h read an acrostic poem | seventh written by him on his rthday, and this effort ¢ > veteran | evangelist was greeted by applause | from his confreres. | Rev. Thomas Filben holarly re- | view of Drummond s Man.” | work an | able one, but pron statements ingeniou: than reliabl Incid Dr. Drummond had | evident he felt some | tic poem. ian whose zeal in religious matters has in- creased rather than abated with the ap- proach of the last of Shakespeare’s ages. He is generally beloved because of the { childish simplicity of his manners, the un- wavering character of his faith, and his remarkable geniality. A scholarly essay was read by a promi- nent Methodist divine yesterday, and a learned discussion followed, but it is doubt- ful whether there was the same warm in- terestin their words that was manifested in_Father Waugh’s acrostic, which he volunteered to read, and in which it was 3 commendable pride. He will celebrate the close of his eighty- seventh year on Thursday, and in prepa- ration for that event has written an acros- It has as many lines asare FATHER WAUGH AND H IS GREAT - GRANDCHILD, [Drawn from a photograph by Worthington.) i for heresy in the Scotch Free ch, and referred tc the author as a| ary wizard. He said it was guite pos- | he book might prove “‘merely a pre- | iring of a pet hcbby.” as were | s previous works. He doubted er the scientific world cared to be | esponsible for_the uiterances of Drum- | He had failed to find many refer- | ns from it in current continned: “The great jection to the book, in my | dent assumption that | n, teckmical evolution, the evolu- ultra science, is true beyond con- thatit 1s, as he said, ‘neither more | less than the story of creation as told | ose who know it best.” The last re-| volutio: is embryology, and it | y openly announced b evo- | sts pursuing this branch of sclence | t the demonstration of the theory is | lar here, and Dr. Drummond makes | <e of the claim. 1 must be allowed | wing has not been | that the semblances | ul ana the implications ed, and the appearances explained selves by the theory rather than the by them. theor: 3 “A " contemporary scholar says Dm/'wx_n was not so ambitious as Drummond. This \ark is called out by the fact that Dar- and indeed the body of evolutionists .r him, have contented themselves with Jiging it to organisms, while Drummond it fearlessly into the realm of mind e and s 3 - TGoodwin gave his hearty indorse- nent to the paper and said he wished that wherever the disease (Dr. Drummond’s doctrines) goes the remedy (Mr. Filben’s paper) might go also. Rev. Mr. Simons thought the work Natural Laws in the Spiritual World” had mischievous tendencies. Spiritual Jaws were on a higher plane than natural aws in bis opinion. : Dr. Case thought the paper in most re- spects an admirable one, vet he hoped 1t would not be given permanent form in wublication, for fifteen years hence Brother i‘x!ben might wish he had not written it. He: believed Dr. Drummond had done much good in the world by means of his thought in original lines. One of the au- thor’s best thoughts is that evolution re- quires involution and that involution is from God._ It is God’s method. Rev. F. D. Bovard considered the work under discussion an excellent one. He characterized Drummond as a strong man Jeading inguirers through the labyrinth of thought. e wae sorry the essayist bad condemned evolution in such strong lan- “I believe in the truth of evolution ®.c o description of the process of world making and of life proceeding from step to step. The proposition of evolution is gettling down to the pmpt”whexe the Christian world may accept it. Dr. Dille thought Drummond’s great name had floated the book rather than that the work had stood_on its merit. He had bserved that the book wis not indorsed y either evangelical or scientific classes, Zoth object to it. : Dr. Case again spoke to the question, gaying that the work under discussion sowed the method of God in the long ewing of the ages. The author had not yet completely evolved his ,hnloso’fhy, It Dad not been completed. He had led up to theism but mot yet to Christianity, though it might reach that acme. He had a clew to God’s methods. The n of the weight of sympathy in the istian world was with Drummond. “I 1d for Drummond,” said Dr. Case. ‘I ve found his ‘Natural Laws in the ual World’ helpful.” i . P. Deunett said he considered it a great mistake for ministers to assume the ettitude of antagonism toward scientific thought. Brilliant minds are too prone to assume in that case the attitude of in- dorsing the latter rather than the former. Dr. Carroll thought the works of Drum- mond would not stand the test of logic. They contain the essence of skepticism. _ Dr.. McClish had not read the entire It had failed to *‘hold” him, yet the ion it gave of altruism was the ge. npre: reatest truth of the world. Altruism was %h(- truth that nature had_been whispering through all the ages. He believed the fundamental principles of evolution and the truths of Christianity wouid both live. He- was sorry to see ministers don war- paint and go out to fight evolution. They _Q"J\lm be sorry for it as those who had ught geology had become sorry for it. . Dr. Masters said he had no patience with materialisti¢ evolution. Rev. R, E. Wenck said; “There is a d in the legend, “This Is My ghth Birthday,” and is an auto- biography. He touches in passing upon the emancipation of the negroes and other contemporaneous events. He is a native of Virginia and has been engaged in the ministry in that State, in Ohio and Missouri. He'is the founder of the Band of Hope, a juvenile temperance organization, and has been prominently identified with many other temperance movements. He says he bas never used tobacco in any form, and thinks he owes his hale old age to that fact. CGongregational Mimisters, There are two elements represented at every ecclesiastical gatbering, one which is ready to cry ‘‘Heresy” at every innovation, and another which inclines to believe that all that is new is in the line of progress. These twoelements made themselves heard and felt in the discussion of Professor Lloyd’s paper read before the Congrega- tional Monday Club. The professor, who is a philologist as well as a biblical scholar of no mean attain- | ments, talked about ““The Figurative Mean- | ing of the Word ‘Born’ as Contained in the | New Testament.” Referring to the new | birth as used in an_ecclesiastical sense, | Professor Lloyd said it might be construed to mean development or growth in the line | of moral instruction. | Many took exception to this view, being of | the opinion that conversion was an instan- | taneous process, brought about by the | quickening power of the Holy Ghost. This class was disposed to cry “heretic,” and it was even intimated that the professor had come from the wrong seminary. He should have hailed from Andover. Rev. Joseph | Rowell thought these remarks would be ap- propriate from a Unitarian or a Universal- 1st, but not from a Congregationalist. Rev, W. H. Tubb said if those views were true he | was a natural fool, and rather than preach | them would leave the ministry. Dr. W. D. | Williams and others thought if the pro- fessor had had sufficient time to elaborate his views it would be found he was far from heterodox. Professor Lloyd said in | summing up the discussion tbat he had merely quoted the scriptures which were higher than creed. Rev. V. Boyer, recently from the island of Hawaii, was introduced, but declined to address the club. He is a graduate of Oberlin and spent the past year in Hono- lulu in mission work among the Europeans. He expects to take a charge in California. The club adjourned for two weeks, as many of the members will attend the Bay conference to be held at Haywards next Monday. The next speaker will be Rev. F. A. Armstrong and his subject *‘Eternal Pun- ishment.” Rev. F. V. Jones of Kansas was a visitor at the club. He has accepted a call to the 8an Mateo Congregational Church. Presbyterian Union, The Presbyterian Ministerial Union listened to a paper on “The Great Need of the Hour” by Dr. I. M. Condit. Dr. Condit said: “When we think of the corruption that exists in the body politic of our land we must realize that political reform is certainly a crying need of the hour. This corruption has become s=o fearful as to give force to the argzuments than nothing but the leaven of woman’s suffrage can save our country from the sad end which has’ been from "this cause the fate of all repukblics in the past history of the world. ““Another great need of the houristhe re- adjustment of our social relations. The object of government, of society, of the church, should be the welfare of tgne many, not of the few. Yet in the last half cen- tury tremendous forces have been at work in exactly the opposite direction. Fearful inequalities ure oppressing mankind. In our land are 13,000,000 families. Of these only one-fourth of a million possess an av- erage of $600,000, while 11,000,000 families possess an average of less than $1000. Of this number how mangown $500 or only $100! Only God knows how mn‘{ of these have nothing beyond their daily bread, and we dare not inquire how many there are who have not even that. A few control one-half the values of the country. Fewer still control the opportunities for labor and the avenues of profit. = ““Monopoly organization is rapidly de- stroying the individual, so that the inde- pendent manufacturer, merchant, dealer and workman are rapidly disappearing. The controllers of opportunities are becom- ing every day fewer and mightier. The strong are more and more ing advan- tage of the weak, -The masses of the peo-| ple are becoming more dependent on the few for their living, and to be thus depend- ent is to be half a slave. A right adjust- ment_of these relations is then the great question of the day.” Dr. Condit spoke of the futile attempts to remedy tnese evils, and said that ‘“no external plasters can cure sores which have their root in interpal disease. SoI believe,” he said, *‘that the at need of the hour is more of the divine spirit of God dwelling in the hearts of men, and a mightier demonstration of his power in the church and in the world.” In the discussion which followed Dr. Robert F. Coyle stated that he had no fear of swa%gering infidelity. The greatest danger lies in the fact that so many within the church are not tirm and constant in their beliefs. ‘‘There is a tincture of this and a touch of that in religion. People try to be broad. There should be a little garden patch, well watered and tended. The Presbyterian convention has been called for this week in order that the people might come in touch with God. There is a chaos of religion in California. Over in Oakland we have a little of almost every ism, and what isleft is labeled ortho- doxy. Christians should try to get away from the cloudland of religion.” Presbyterian Convention. The Presbyterian Convention called for the purpose of discussion of “The Holy Spirit,” will follow the following pro- gramme at Oakland: Thursday—10 a. M: Bible reading and prayer; “The Holy Spirit in the Old Testa- ment,” Rev. Owen Jones. 10:30 A Address, “The Person of the Holy Spirit,” Rev. 8, . Palmer. 11:15 A Address, “The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit,” Rev. Campbell Coyle. 2 P. x.: Bible reading and prayer; “The Holy Spirit in the Gospels,” Rev.H. B. Mc- Bride. 2:30 p.M.: Address, “Hindrances to the Spirit’s Work,” Rev. George Lyons. 315 p.x.: Address, “The Holy Spirit in Conversion,” J. W. Ellis, D.D. 4 p u: Address, “Sanctification by the spirity” H. A 7:30 ¥, . Ketchum, D.D. . 2.:_ Bible reading and_prayer; “The Before Pentecost,” Rev. F. H. Robinson. Address, “I'he Holy Spirit in Re- E.S. Chapman, D.D. 8:45 p. M.: Epecial prayer serviee, Hunter and Clarke. Friday—10 A. M.: Bible rudln% and prayer; e Day of Pentecost,” Rev. F. Rhoda. “The Holy Spirit in Rev. B. W. Perry. : Address, “The Holy Spirit in J.C. Burgess, le reading and prayer; “The Holy he Acts,” Rev. E. k. Fish. 2:30 P. M. Address, “The Holy Spirit in Bible Teaching.” James Curry, D.D. 1 .. Address, “The Holy Spirit in Win- ning Souls,” Rev. J, M. French. ‘The Holy Spirit in All v. F. 8. Brush. and prayer; “The in the Epistles,” Rev. R. Logan. : “The Holy Spirit Anointing for Ser- bert F. Coyle, D.D. : Consecration service, Rev. H. H. Revs. Lectares on Church History. A series of lectures on church history will be given at the Church of the Advent, commencing on Friday, the 6th prox. They have been inaugurated by Rev. John A. Emery, rector of thatchurch. Thesub- ject for September will be ““The Apostolic hurch,” and will be given by Rev. E. G. Lyon ; for October, “‘General Councils,” by Rey. T. J. Lacey; November, “The Church in England,” Rev. M. D. Wilson; Decem- ber, *‘ The Reformation,” Rev. F. J. Maynard and Rev. W. H. Moreland; January, a discourse by Bishop Nichols, followed by a lecture on the “Ox})urd Move- ment,”’ by Rev. H. Howitt; February, “The Church in America,” Ilev. John A. Emery. . A Deed of Gift. Professor Searby, in behalf of the Gon- gregational Associates, of which organiza- tion he is a director, presented a deed of gift of the new church site to the Rich- mond Congregational Church last week. A special meeting was held for that pur- pose. Professor gearby made a presenta- tion speech, and James E. Ager, also repre- senting the associates, made an address. Richmond Church is sanguine of & future of much usefulness. American Mechanios' Meoting, Trinity Methodist Chrreh was crowded to the doors on Sunday cvening. Rev. W. S. Bovard’s discourse was a ‘‘Sermon on the Times,” and dealt mainly with an ad- vocacy of the use of the Bible in public schools. The Junior Order of the Union of American Mechanics were in charge of the services. Social at Central Church, The young people of the Central Metho- dist Sunday-school will give a social at the church parlors on Friday evening. Miss L. ‘Pn_\'lor. Miss Frances Joiner and R. B. Watt constitute the committee in charge of the arrangements. At the Olericus. Dr. E. B. Spalding addressed the Clericus concerning the constitution of the general church, which is to be revised at the con- vention to be held at Minneapolis in Octo- ber. Dr. Spalding will be a delegate from this diocese. Called to 8t. Mark’s. Rev. J. Swan of Indianapolis has been called to St. Mark’s, Berkeley, where Dr. Easton is rector emeritus. Visiting Pastors, Rev. Mr. Burroughs of Santa Ana and Rev. M. Miller of Bakerstield are in the City. Rev. J. H. Irwin Retarned. Rev. J. Hanson Irwin has returned from his trip to Alaska. Pastor for 8t. Peter's, Rev. Mardon Wilson has accepted a call to St. Peter’s Church. BENT ON A FRANCHISE. Behrend Joost Files Another Petition for a Road to the New Racetrack. Behrend Joost and his friends in the electric-railroad business don’t consider themselves out of the fight for the passen- ger traffic of the new racetrack by any means. They have just filed another pe- tition with the Board of Supervisors for a supplementary franchise to construct a double-track railroad along the following- named thoroughfares: Commencing at and connecting with the tracks of the San Francisco and San Mateo Railway Com- vany at the junction of Stanyan ans Sulli- van or J streets, thence along J street to Ninth avenue, thence southerly along Ninth and upon that thoroughfare to San Miguel rancho. Notwithstanding the leaning of the Solid Eight toward granting a franchise to the Market-street Railway Company Joost and his friends believe they have still a good chance to capture the plum. At any rate they propose to take advantage of every move that will likely give it to them, and the present petition 1s one of them. They believe that the recent suit against the Solid Eight by the Civic Federation had an admonitoty effect, and that there may now be a better chance of getting fair play. This matter of the different railroad franchises to the new racetrack will be taken up by the Supervisors next week. e e Bit by a Dog. Little John O'Rourke, through his father, has sued Mrs. Catherine Preston for $299 dam- ages on account of being bitten by her dog. The O’Rourkes claim that the animal -is ex- ceedingly-dangerous and that it severely bit & little schoolgirl several weeks ago. After the last biting affray O'Rourke proposed that the doi‘ should be killed. Mrs. Preston indignantl; refused to egree to any such end for her pe: Soon afterward she and the dog disappeared, according to the plaintiff, for he has been zealously looking for her in order to serve the summons in the suit. O’Rourke is a black- smith, with a shop near the corner of Fillmore and Post streets. ‘Wilson Pleaded Guilty. George Wilson, alias ‘Dink,” pleaded guilty in Judge Wallace’s court yesterday to the charge of grand larceny. Wilson is the man who was brought back from New York for stealing silk from Neuburger, Reiss & Co. ALKALL, SKYS WETMORE, What He Thinks Caused the Very Mysterious “Vine . Disease.” STILL A PUZZLE TO EXPERTS. Professor Newton B. Pierce Has Been Working on It for a Decade. The “California vine disease” referred to by Professor Newton B. Pierce of Santa Ana in his recent report to the Depart- ment of Agriculture needs some little ex- planation in justice to the viticulturists of this State and the wine interests. Indeed it is doubtful if it ever was a disease in the ordinarily accepted sense of that word, for it was purely a local phenomenon and was ephemeral in its character. There are only isolated cases of it now—few, if any, really fatal to the vines, and it is by no means contagious. Clarence J. Wetmore, the executive offi- cer of the Viticultural Commission, makes what growers will probably consider as being about the best explanation of it that has been made so far. Professor Pierce has spent several years in its investigation from a_scientific standpoint, and !in 1891 submitted a very exhaustive report to the Department of Agriculture, indicative of thorough and painstaking work, the con- clusion of it all being that the ‘‘disease” remained still an unsolvable mystery. Ne solution for it has yet been found by Pro- fessor Pierce. 5 i The Viticultural Commission itself had an expert go to the Southern portion of the State, in the person of Ethelbert Dowlen, at considerable expense. He used the microscope freely and went carefully into details and hy;gthesea, but he, too, left it where he found it—a mystery. Professor Harkness of the Academy of Sciences was also employed by the com- mission to make an _investigation, and the State University took a hand in the matter under Professor Hilgard’s direction, but, while all the symptoms of the so-called malady were described minutely and numerous cases were diagnosed, analyzed and compared, the problem still remained unsolved. The professor never could tell the cause. It was in 1884 that the phenomenon ap- peared first in the vicinity of Anaheim, and from this fact the commission called it the “Anaheim disease.” That year it spread to North Pomona and seemed to stop there for a while. There had been a very heavy rainfall that winter—some- thing between 40 and 50 inches, according to Mr. Wetmore’'s recollection,in a sec- tion which usually receives not more than 12 or 15 inches—and this was followed by a season of excessive heat. The subsoil there is mostly of a strong alkali nature. Next year it appeared in Santa Ana and the following one in Orange, Tustin, Ful- lerton, McPherson, Los Angeles, San Gabriel, Alhambra and Burbank. There were appearances of it later on in several other places, and finally a few cases were reported from Riverside and El Cajon, and the Sweetwater Valtey at San Diego in 1889. Since then it has been dying out, until only a few very isolated cases are scattered over this State and Arizona. The results at first were very disastrous, the vines on 20,000 acres mostly dying dur- ing the very first year. The fatal effects subsequently were less and less, though the phenomenon spread all the way to San Diego. & Proceeding upon the assumption that it was a disease and not a mere natural effect’ of excessive saturation of the soil followed by excessive heat and its influence upon the alkali of the subsoil in solution which it drew to the surface, Professor Pierce and Mr. Dowlen went lookindg about for para- sitic or fungus causes, and magnified into importance every experiment with drain- age, irrigation, soil, temperature and light to argue that the cause could not be found in climatic changes or soil ingredients. Mr. Dowlen in his report, submitted June 1, 1890, to the Viticultural Commission, de- scribed the “‘malady” very fully. Summed up it amounted to this: First the leaves became discolored, showing yellow spots and patches, which, beginning small, soon spread. In black varieties the yel- low patches turned red and eventually became brown and dead. In white varieties the yellow spots retained their color until they became brown and dead. The edges of the leaves first deadened and then curled up as if scorched or frosted, and eventually the whole leaf dies and falls_off, and afterward the lamina dropsoff 100, leaving the petiole attached to the cane. As the disease progresses from year to year the young leaves, after the vines have started, soon_ have thelr edges blackened and curled up; the blossoms become slightly affected; the fruit is attacked, shrivels and dries up, some- times, however, hardening and souring in- stead; and, ultimately, the canes are very much’'dwarfed or flattened and the vine dies. Some of the vines may struggle on for years. Some Mataro vines were attacked in August of one year. The leaves dropped and the fruit died on'the vines, and betore winter many of the vines were dead. Those that were left came out somewhat weakly the vear following, dying soon after the hot weather set in, and, practi- cally, the whole plat was dead before winter. Under the microscope the dried-up canes were found almost entirely devoid of starch, or it was present only in_scattered grains, which were smail in size, often eroded and discolored. Bacteria were found in_abundance, and also various forms of fungi, but no insects were met with which could have had anything to do with causing the disease, and it could not be traced to phylloxera, there being none in the district whatever. Oncein a while there had been an invasion of army worms or attack of cutworms. Mr. Dowlen found a great many points of resemblance between the phenomenon and the Sicilian disease of “‘Mal-Nero,” but there were also many points of differ- ence. Abundant fungi were present in both, but whether as cause or effect was not known. 3 Two months after he sent in his report he lp%enfled a statement to the effect that drought and sun heat had each played an important part during the hot spelis of June, July and August of that year. At the same time Mr. Dowlen gave the result of his investigations, which had been carried on under Commissioner J. de Barth Shorb’s supervision at S8an Gabriel, Professor Pierce, who had spent several vears examining into the phenomenon, with headquarters at Santa Ans, and bad devoted a six months’ leave of absence to a tour of countries along the Mediterra- nean, mainly France, Italy, Sicili and Algeria, to make comparisons, sent his re- port to the Department of Agriculture. He could not say that Mal-Nero or Rougeot or Folletage had anything to do with the ‘“Anaheim disease,” anda taking the results of experiments from eighteen vineyards from this State doubted that the excessive rainfall of 1883-84 or the charac- ter of the soil had anything to do with it. Bandy soil, however, preserved the vines best.” The effect of shade on them he thought important, and he discussed the influences of light and temperature. Some varieties of grapes he found much more capable of resisting than others, the Mission and Sultana varieties being most easily affected. Thus, stocks which had come from imported p:renugle succumbed easily, while the hardy native vines re- sisted’ to the last and died hard. He divided the varieties into three classes, according to their resistant qualities, as follows, the first being the weakest: Class 1—Mission and Svltana. Class 2—Muscat of Alexandria, Malaga, Zin- fandel, Golden Chasselas, Berger, Kleber, Rose of Peru, Traminer, Riesling, Black Morocco, Victoria, Hungarian, Mataro, Rose of Italy, Catawba, Concord, Ives, Isabellaand Delaware. Ciass 3—Flaming Tokay, Malvoisie, Lenoir Vm‘u”' Vitus Californicus, native vines, itus Candicans (Mustang). Conditions varied greatly on the differ- ent soils; the wine grapes fell an easy prey on account of their tenderness; the cause could not be traced to either para- sites or bacteria; and the whole thing was still 8 mystery—such were his conclusions in brief. The report wound up with the following deductions: First—The observed phenomena would be mostly explained if we consider the disease to be due to an epidemic caused by an external glnsine arising after the wet season of 1883- 4, and spreading with groatest virulence {rom the vicinity of Anaheim. This parasite must be capable “of working during the most heated portions of the year, and must exist at the present time, thou%h working with less in- tensity than at first. Uncinula spiralis is the only parasite yet known in the region, which even approximately satisfies these conditions, but more than normel virulence would have to be nisigned this fungus toexplain the observed results. Second—The observed phenomeria would be in the main explained if there were a form of miero-organism within the vine capable of altering the normal physiological relations of the plant at the heat of the season, and which orfilnum began to spread in the Santa Ana Valley about the year 1884. Third—A weakened condition of the cell con- tents, acquired under exceptional local condi- tions at some single period in the past, and which is persistent and cumulative irom one rt explain hot season to another, would in %fl the observed phenomena. ‘The objections to this explanation are: (a) The cause and nature of such a weakness are not fully apparent; (b) it does not account for the death of the vines rown from unaffected cuttings since the isease npgen.red; © it poorly harmonizes with the health and normal productiveness of old vines for several years subsequent to the death of the first vineyards. Various forms of fungi, parasitic diseases like phylloxera and non-parasitic diseases like chlorosis, pourriture, mal-nero, rou- geot and folletage, were all excluded as in | any way being able to account for the con- ditions of the affected vines. Professor Pierce is still working on this subject for the Government. Alexander Craw, the entomologist of the State Horticnltural Society, said yesterday: Iam not surprised that the disease still re- mains & mystery to Professor Pierce, for it is so complicated. Professor Pierce is one of the ‘best-posted men in the country, I think, on the subject of vine diseases. Tdo not think it is so virulent now, and I do not think there are any casesof it at all north of Tehachapi. It seems to be peculiar to South- ern California. Tt is a matter which is outside of our depart- ment. Of course, if any cuttings come to this State which we think are infected with insects we do not allow them to be used. The Mission variety, which appears to have been the first te_be affected, came originally trom a seedling, I believe. Being a black grape and having meny points of similarity, there are some who think it came trom the black Alicante of Spain. If the scientists, however, have failed to find the cause, Executive Officer Wetmore is satisfied that he has been more success- ful. The key to the solutiom he finds in one word, “alkali.”’ Said he yesterday afternoon: 1 think there need not be so much mystery about the thing if the ordinary causes and effects of things are considered. In the first lace there was a very heavy rainfall sun before this so-called disease appeared; in the second, the subsoil is strongly alkaline; in_the third, the unusual rainfall was tollowed by a period of very excessive heat that season. Now, put these together, and what might be the conclu- sion? I would say that the water saturated the soil to such a depth that the alkaliin the | subsoil was in solution and the heat drew the alkeli te the surface. The vines were then poisoned with the alkali. I was at Livermore last week exlminins some vines of & man who thought they ha been attacked with phylloxera, but it was nothing of the sort. The water there had accumulated into a sort of basin, s0 that the ground had been well saturated. We dug down and found that the roots were all dead and decayed where they were down deep in the ground, though they were not affected at all near the surface. This is why I think aikali-poisoning was the cause of the “‘Ansheinrdisease.” Professor Pierce in Lis report had said the roots furnished no clew to the true cause. A Marine Problem Solved. To the Editor of The Call—DEAR StR: In your fssue of recent date I observe in “‘Eastern Edi- torial Comments” a statement that winds are damper and hence heayier on a yacht's stabil- ity in English waters than American weather off New York. This idea has been much com- mented upon here and abroad and yet the main reeson never mentioned. Being & prac- tical seaman, as well as yachtsman of expe- rience, I can state from personal knowledge that the main effect of dampness in the airis the canvas, hence 10 close up the meshes of rfectly and the sails hold, the wind more thus increase the lEplmn! force Respectfully, DWARD A. VON SCHMIDT, Of California Yacht Club, 1402 Santa Clara avenue, Alameda, Cal. MRS, DODGE'S LITIGATION The Supreme Court Decislon Was Not on the Merits of the Case. ANOTHER SIDE OF THE STORY. The Clalm Made That George W. Dyer, a Brother, Was In Fact the Trustee. There is another side to the story of Mrs. Josephine H. Dodge’s lawsuit. Attorney Leggett, who has been the widow’s counsel in the suit brought by George G. Whitney and Minnie A. Durgin, infants, by their guardian, James P. Sweeney, says the case could have had no influence in causingthe despondency which resulted in the some- what sensational attempt of Mrs. Dodge and her son to commit suicide last Wednes- day night at their home in San Rafael. And this would seem to be the more cor- rect view of the case, for it is evident that Mrs. Dodge has not possession of the $12,000 she sued for, and Mr. Leggett says she never did have the money. ‘When James Dyer, her father, died, he named Mrs, Dodge as trustee for the $12,- 000 he left to the heirs that are now suing. But Mrs. Dodge’s brother, George % Dyer, an attorney, took charge of these funds, and upon his death some years ago his executors made a settlement with the guardians of the heirs named in the present litigation. This, at least, is the sworn statement of Mrs. Dodge. ‘When the suit was first entered against Mrs. Dodge Attorney Leggett adopted the shortest way out of the matter—or what seemed the shortest way then—by entering a demurrer to_ the complaint. In his de- murrer he claimed not only that Mrs. Dodge did not act as the trustee and had never the control of the sum named, but that the facts cited in the complaint did goc constitute a cause for action against er. So astute and discerning a jurist as Judge Wallace sustained Mrs. Dodge’s de- murrer and ruled the case out of court. Now it appears, however, that tue Su- preme Court has overruled Judge Wal- lace's decision, and the case will probably be tried. But in its decision the Supreme Court made no ruling concerning the merits of the case and stated as much in its ruling. It is true that Mrs. Dodge comes from a well-to-do family in Maine, and that she inherited some property upon the death of her father. Unfortunate speculations, how- ever, have long since imnoverisbed_ her, and in her present penniless condition there was probably reason enough—added to the demented condition of her son—to account for the rash act of last week. MoMURTRY'S WILL. The San Franciscan Who Died in Paris Left Most of His Estate to His Sister. The will of William 8. McMurtry, who on August 14 died at Paris, was filed for probate yesierday. It was written on June 1, just before Mr. McMurtry started for Europe. The valueof the estate is un- known. Mrs. Nellie S. Flourroy, the testator’s sister, is the residuary legatee and will re- ceive the greater part of the property. The other bequests are: To Mamie 0., Katie A. and Belle 8. McMurtry, half-sisters, George S. McMurtry, a half-brother, and Joh}:\ Flournoy, a brother-in-law, $5000 each. Mr. McMurtry provided a trust fund of $15,000, from which his father, Dr. W. S. McMurtry of Los Gatos, is to receive an in- come of $200 per month. At the death of Dr. McMurtry his widow, who is the testator’s stepmother, is to receive $100 a month while she remains unmarried. HE RISKS To save his loved ones. HIS LIFE He exhausts his mental and physical strength to give them food and happiness. No sacrifice is too great if it but adds to the pleasure of his doting wife and his beautiful cherubs. How great is flesh ? the affection of man for his own And yet men harbor in their bodies a stealthy curse which is eating away both physical and Nervous, Sexual or Physical system. irritable. mental strength. weakness grows slowly upon the It destroys the vitality, makes a man fretful, peevish and It makes home unhappy, wife and children miserable. Have you rot seen evidence of this growing evil in your own system ? Don't you notice your strength waning ? Don’t you think you are missing the best part of your life by living it in misery ? less folly. All because of some past mistake or reck- You can regain your vital and manly strength. Thousands of vigorous men to-day owe thei families to Dr. Sanden’s Electric It offers you new, fresh proof of its cures. new ones, and right at your doors. r happiness and that of their Belt. Every day brings Would believe it if your closest friend told you of his cure by a certain remedy ? : Read the little book, “Three Classes of Men,” which has names and addresses of hundreds of your neighbors, cured and well. You can write or talk to them. They are glad to help you to regain the strength and health which can only be found in this simple remedy. Dr. Sanden’s Electric Belt can now be seen in San Francisco. Call and see it if you can. Test it free, or if you live out of town, it will be sent to you for examination free of any charge. Address SANDEN ELECTRIC CO., 632 Market St., San Francisco, Cal. - NEW TO-DAY. PHILAI]ELPHIA SHOE CO, STAMPED ON A SHOE MEANS STANDARD OF MERIT. WE HAVE NOT MOVED! The tearing down of the building at Third Market streets and the erection ()? the fence 'hnl= more or less interfered with our trade, and we know it; but we are after business and we are golng to get it. We will sell shoes at such & price that it will be money in the pockets of our oustom. ers to trade with us. Al we want is a trial, and & vislt to our store will more than_convince ‘aecus- tomer that we are in earnest. Call and examine our styles and prices, and you will receive courteous treatment, even if you do not buy. We are now making & special drive of Ladies’ Extra Fine Don- gola Kid Buiton Shoes, with either kid or cloth tops, circular vamps and heel foxings; Razor Toes and Long Pointed Patent Leather Tips, which we will sell for $2.85 These shoes are the very latest in style and are guaranteed for wear. The cloth is a fast black and will not fade, while the soles are pliable and require mdb;%nl;{!‘nx in. These shoes retail regularly for $3 We are also making a special sale of Ladies’ Fing Russet Goat Oxford Ties, with pointed toes and tips and stitched French heels, which we will sell T By These Ties are nobby in appearance and are neat- fitting and guaranteed to wear. They have hand- turned soles and are free from tacks and nails. Their regular price is $3. 23-Country orders solicited. B Send for New Illustrated Catalogue. Address B. KATCHINSKI, 10 Third Street, San Francisco. PHILADELPHIA SHOE CO. oLDENRY CBAZARS SPECIAL SALE THIS WEEK —IN— KITCHEN WARE! MRS. VAN DEUSEN’S CAKE MOLDS, ‘The only practical Cake Mold made. They re- quire n greasing, because they have an open- ing near the bottom through which a knife is inserted and the cake loosened from the mold. 7 Pieces, Including Cake Receipts, $1.50 SET. Magic Mittens, with Daube; Oil Stoves, 4-inch wick Gas Stoves. Asbestos Gridirons. . Eureka Cleansing Fl! . & H. Soap. Nickeline Stove 718 MarKerSt SEAWALL LOT TO LEASE. OTICE 18 HEREBY GIVEN THAT BIDS will be received by the Board of State Harbor Commissioners at their office, No. 10 Cahfornia street, in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, up to and including the 5th day of September, 1895, for the letting or leasing by sald board of fractional block number seven (7) in said city and county of San Francisco, and bounded by Chestnut, Francisco, Montgomery and Sansome sireets, in said city and county. The bids must set forth the purpose or purposes_for which the bidder desires to use sald lot. Said_property will be et to the highest and best bidder for a term not exceed- ing twenty-five years: subject, however. to_the right of the boagd to reject any and all bids. Bids to be opened the oftice of the board, as above designated, on THURSDAY, the 5th day of Sep tember, 1895, at 2 o'clock P. 3. 1. J. KEEGAN, Secretary Board of State Harbor Commissioners. Dated August 22, 18¢5. THE GREAT MOISTURE ABSORBENT “HUMIDINE” Keeps Refrigeratorsdry and sweet, preserves meats, butter, milk, etc., economizes ice, removes ‘‘ re ator taste” and odor. Sold by PENN. grocers and druggists. A, SALT MFG. CO. Also.Mfls.Iawh‘pm 98% Powdered Lye, Philadel] C. W. BEALS. D. A. CURTIN. CURTIN=-BEALS’ Mercantile Collection Agency. MILLS BUILDING. Room 24, Third Floor. Telephone 1467. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL ALLIXPERIERS RENTED LEO E. ALEXANDER & BRO., i 218 Sansome Street. Weak Men andWomen STiae PN PR "hE