The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 28, 1896, Page 13

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1896. i3 Interesting Report of Important Up-to-Date News Items in Alameda County DEATH OF JORN FARHNER, He Was Coroner and Public Administrator of Shasta County. PALOMARES WANTS A SCHOOL. Washington’s Birthday Celebration Committees Now Completing Their Arrangements. Oaxraxp Orrice Sax Francrsco CaLy,) 908 Broadway, Jan. 27. | Word has been received here by his family of the death of John G. Farhner of de Guatemala, where he went to the Government in October Iast. sides at 1001 Jackson street, San Jose work for oes s T in this Besides a widow, ke leaves two da Lora and Miss Myrta. The saa news has cast a gloom over the arge circle of acquaint- Farhner came to Oakland two vears ago from Redding, Cal.,, where he was County Coroner and Public Ad- ministrator for eight years. He also con- ducted an extensive furniture business there, but he gave it all up to bring his wife down to the bay, where he hoped she would regain her broken health. While here he conducted a blacksmith-shop on San Pablo avenue at the junction with Brush street, in partnership with William 8. Kingman The fan rhner rec written just i " He received a letter from Mr. ntly which must. have been re he was at D] did not the er quite a sum of money recting that it should be used in buying Christmas presents for all mem bers of the family. One sad feature of the case is that while his family was enjoying these gifts the father must have been dying all alone 1 Guatemalan hospital. ‘arhner’s death was here by Peter Smith, at Guatemala, and The news of M brought to the fam who worked h b who is now stopping in San Francisco. According to Smith’s account, before Mr. Farhner was taken ill several men dtopped ound them. Smith himself claims to have had a very narrow escape from the same sickness. He was able, however, to get away, and is slowly gain- ing stre h. He does not expect to re- turn to that country. 10 GUARD THE PIPE. The New Water Company Want Permis- sion to Dig a Trench. OAKLAND, Car., Jan. 27.—Ex-City En- eer Boardman was before the County s this afternoon to secure per- dig a trench alongside the em- of the Alvarado road across the h to keep it from pushing the pipes I3 ma of the Oakland Water Company out of line. The board desired to have him agree es three feet as soon as the d, but he would not accept ersation with members of the aid that the company contem- plated building an additional reservoir in as soon as the storm abated. would be loc: 1 be did nov , but said w pleted it would pacity of 10,000,000 gallons of his would be a reserve to be i onin any emergency, The supply of ws al do, he said, was as plen- tiful jnsth torm as at the wettest WANT A NEW SCHOOL. Palomares Parents Petition the County Supervisors. OAKLAND, Cav., Jan. 27.—Residents of Palomares school district petitioned the Supervisors to-c to form a new district by taking in a partof that district. It was claimed that at present a large number of children compelled to travel from three to five miles to school where if a new district was { ed they could be with- ine reach of the school. Accompanying th i rinten Garlick, in which had no f of the s of Instruction J. rther to go than the ool children of the district, with two exceptions, and they were accom odated by going to school in district. He claimed that school was now in good ng two teachers, but should Id not be s for two teachers and too many for one teacher. His recommenda- tion to deny the petition was adopted. NAMED FOR WORK. Washington’s Birthday Celebration Committees Are in the Field. OAKLAND, CaL.,, Jan he Wash- ington’s birthday celebration committee heid a meeting to-night and appointed the following standing committees: Ways and means committee—E. D, Lane, Fruitvale; Miss A. Jarvis, Alameda; G. A. Nor- tou, Lorin; J. Hopkirk, Oakland; C. A. Holton, East Oukland. Music—S. P. A. Humphries, C. A. Miller, n Gate; A. von Schmidt, Ala- meda Ida Gardner, West Oakland. Auditing—G. A. Norton. Lorin; E. E. Poul- son, Miss Anita Jarvis, a. tation—A. Hump ,J. A. Pomps, Mrs. Por ation Mis A. Humphries, C. A. and C, A. Miller, » W. C. Culvert, Alameda, ed to invite every patriotic county to participate in the xe! There will be an r concert in one of the public parks afternoon of February 22, and liter- ary exercises in the evening. THE YOUNG EURGLARS. They Are Children of Well-Enown Families A'cross the Bay. .. Jan. 27.—Clarence iam Fountain, the two were captured by Officer 1 early Friday morning ar tools in their posses- urt to-day. The com- plaints will probably be filed in time to have the cases set to-morrow. They will be charged with carrying burglar tools and concealed weapons, and in all prob- ability they will spend a vear in prison. Turner’s father is a deputy market in- spector in San Francisco, while Fountain’s mother is an artist of note there. The young men have been chuins for years. both families having formerly resided here. The detectives have been unable so far to ect the young men with any of the t attempts to break into safes. They e heptapart, and have been plied with stious Lo see if a third party were not plicated, but to no avail. + Officers. young men who Ely single-nand with a lot of bur; con New A. O. OAKLAND, Cav., Jan. 27.—At the regu- lar meeting before the last of Court Tri- umph, No. 8350 tne following new officers were installed for the ensuing year by Hich Court Deputies McCracken and George A. Ricketts of Court Advo- cate and R. Smith of Court Sunset: Chief ranger, 8. Bachrach; sub-chief ranger, Gus Romer; treasurer. 8. Gordon; finan- cial secretary, J. Ennis; recording sec: retary, M, Barnett; senior woodward, S. petition was the re- | he held that the | Taylor; junior woodward, Jens Nelsen; senior beadle, M. Coleman; junior beadle, H. Buchman; trustee, C. L. dolvin; audit- ors—A. Davis, 8, Irving and_and E. Neu- baume; past chief ranger, M. J. 0'Gara; vhysician, Dr. Gray Smith. Young Horse Thieves Caught. OAKLAND, Cawn., Jan. 27.—Peace offi- cers of the country spent Friday and Sat- urday hunting for a band of horse thieves. Constable (laze was fortunate enough to overtake them near San Leandro Satur- day as they were retracing their way home, It appears that Theodore Wright, Alex McCabl and Clande Petrey, all under age, decided to see some of the world. They set out a-foot, but later decided this was too slow and other means must be providea. It was just as this time that two horses of Colonel Hewston were found grazing on his ranch, in the rear of Mills College. They were soon secured, and the boys made their way to Niles, but owing to the storm or other causes they decided to give “g their first project and return home. The boys were locked up in the County Jail, where the foreman of the ranch iden- tified them to-day. They are all members of good families, who are greatly dis- turbed over their actions. It is likely they will be sent to Whittier. Troubles of the Harmons. OAKLAND, CarL., Jan. 27.—Attorneys W. W. Foote and A. A. Moore met 1n Judge Frick’s court to-day and made things lively for half an hour. The former is counsel for Mrs. Frances K. Harmon and the latter for Dr. Louis C. Harmon in their efforts to be 2\ly separated. Attorney | Foote appiied for alimony, counsel fees and costs on behalf of the plaintiff, Mrs, Harmon. The discussion which followed gave a hint as to the lively times to be ex- pected when the suit comes to trial. Will Not Lose His Legs. OAKLAND, Car., Jan. 27.—Engineer James W. Stanley of the narrow-gauce road, who was caught beneath his engine at the Santa Clara wreck Saturday even- ing, is doing nicely at Fabiola Hospital, where he was taken on being brought to this city. It is now believed he will re- cover without any operation and be as use- ful as ever. Although well along in years, Stanley has a magnificent constitution, which stands him in good stead at.this time. There Was No Transom. OAKLAND, Cav, Jan. 27.—A private detective of this city succeeded in arrest- g J. E. Shirley yesterday. Shirley is wanted in San Jose for perjury in the cele- bratea Moore breach of promise case. He testified to seeing certain things through a transom in & room. It developed after- ward that there was not and never had been a transom in the room. He was taken back to Santa Clara to-day by a Dep uty Sheriff who came up for him. Gamblers on Trial. OAKLAND, Carn., Jan. 27.—S. A, Tur- ner, one of the four fellows convicted of gambling in O’Brien & Cahill’s saloon at Twelith and Webster streets, forfeited $25 bail in the Police Court to-day. The three other defendants, George Meader, P. Le- strange and John Cahill, have given no- tice of an appeal from Judge Woods’ deci- sion and their cases were continued until February 0. Hard on West Berkeley Juries. OAKLAND, CAL., Jan. 27.—George Tate, charged with evading the payment of rail- road fare, was given fifteen days to-day by Justice Wood in the Police Court. He was about to let the man off when he ad- mitted to having been arrested in Berke- ley for chicken stealing, but was acquitted. The court said he remembered of the case, but thata West Berkeley jury was never known to convict any one. HISTORY OF A DAY. Alameda County Happenings Told in Brief Chapters. OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, 908 Broadway, Jan. 26. F. K. Shattuck, & prominent Oakland capi- talist since the early '50's, has been re-elected president of Berkeley’s two banke. After long waiting and considerable conten- tion Harmon street is now being opened up trom Adeline to Ellis, the obstructious to this work heretofore existing being now removed. Clerk Jordan has revoked the ap- t of all outside deputies prevmmfv appointed for registration purposes. When the new regisiration is commenced he will make new appointments. At & meeting of Washington Lodge No. 250, held January 18 at Cameron’s Hall, East Oak- land, the lodge raised one candidate to the Royal Arch Purple degree and received and re- ferred numerous applications for membership, A bench warrant issued upon the indictment of Albert Menzenmeyer for an assault to mur. der J. R. Perkins of Lorin has been forwarded to the officials at Victoria, with afidavits in evidence of the assault and & requisition for his return. A. L. Willey, & long-time resident of Berke- ley and & close observer of business opera- tions, states that he never did a better year's business than last year, and he is entirely con- fident that the present year will prove equally as prosperous. W. C. Moody, the young man who was seri- ously hurt on his yacht Friday night, is re- ported betler to-day. He is able to talk, but the doctors will not allow him to do so. He cannot bear, however. The docturs wili not venture an opinion about his recovery. Professor H. B. Pasmore will give his {llus- trated singing lecture Tuesday evening, Feb- ruary 4, at. Hamilton Hall, for the benefit of the Neighborhood Boys’ Club., He will be as- sisted by the following pupils: Misses W man, Werden, Olsson, Forester, Waters, and Messrs. Medley, Rixford and Edgerton Smith. NUCLEUS OF A MUSEUM. An Effort Being Made to Establish a k Free Exhibition of Curios in Onkland. 0AxLAND OFFICE SAN FrANCISCO Cu.x.,} 908 Broadway, Jan. 27. For several months there has been a de- sire shown in certain quarters to found a free museum in this city. Various parties | have attempted to bring the matter to a successful issue. Recently the matter has been taken in hand by F. R. Porter of Echoes, and he1s working enthusiastically, with every prospect of success. s “There is now an opportanity for this city to become the owner for a song of the celebrated Walter F. Beck collection of curiosities,” said Mr. Porter to-day. “That collection represents a financial outlay. of $20,000 or more. The whole inventory may be bought for $5000, on the condition that the investment shall be the property of this city. In the Beck collection is a Bible of the time of Martin Luther. There is a ‘Life of Christ’ dated 1603. Among the old newspapers is a Boston Gazette of 1725. great antiquity. There are flintlocks and blunderbusses, One of the swords was carried by the Emperor Maximilian, and the pommel has his imperial crest. The exhibit of Arctic curios islarge and varied. There are snowshoes, totem-poles and other queer things. The skin of a polar bear is thought to be the biggest one ex- tant., Itis matched by the skin of a huge grizzly bear. ¥ ] In the cabinets are ores and fossils which take hours toexamine. Even the Smith- sonian Institution can show no finer speci- In the armory are weapons of} mens. The display of corals ana crystals cannot be duplicated. Among other relics may be mentioned a moose’s antlers, pro- claimed to be the hugest to be s en there are many harned trophies and heads of elk and reindeer. The array of coins would make a numismatist revel. There are also numerous gems, such as opals, gurnets and rubies. Not long since a cash offer of §15.000 was made for the exhibit, which has taken hirty years of time, tal- ent and toil to get together. “We have many men of wealth, and there are ladies, too, who can afford to be benefactors. In addition to this beantifnl collection tiere areother collections in the City that could be devoted to a fine museum, and there have already been offers of help that make it look as though the affair will now be a success.” e — There are 13,000 different kinds of post- age stamps in the world, LESSON OF THE LIGHTNING California Will Have to Protect Electric Plants by Using Arresters. ENGINEER PUTNAM'S STORY Had He Been Near the Exploded Dy- namo He Would Have Been Burned to Death. OARLAND OrFicE SAN FRANCISCO CALy, 908 Broadway, Jan. 27. } The wrecking of the electric light com- pany’s dynamo by lightning at Haywards Iast night was a surprise to every electri- cian in the State. Although such acci- dents are not uncommon in the East, this to-day and a force of men were at work repairing that portion of B street that was washed away. The creek starts at the foot of the hills and rons through the town. When it reaches Haywards it is conveyed into a big wooden culvert that is covered over. Right abreast of the schoolhouse the top of this culvert was burst off yesterday afternoon and about two feet of water washed across the business partof the town and on to the bay. The bridge across the creek used by the children in oing to school was lifted bodily and 5oabed across the lot, where it was brought to a standstill by a couple of stout trees. About one hundred feet of the culvert is destroyed and the dairage amounts to about §4000. All the creeks running across the county road to the bay were running freshly to-day and several crews were at work in_the orchards building sandbag bulkheads to prevent the soil being washed away from the roots of the trees. e LIGHTNING LORE. Hallstones Descending From Great Helght May Have Caused the Haywards Disaster. The flash of lightning Sunday which paralyzed the electric light plant of Hay- a wards and left the town in darkness caused 10 CANCEL THE REGISTER A Plan That Is Strongly Opposed by Many Influential Politicians. WOULD DISFRANCHISE VOTERS, An Expense That It Never Was Intended an Officeholder Should Bear. OARTAND OFFICE SAN FrANcIsco CALL,). 908 Broadway, Jan. 27. | An influential body of politicians headed by ex-Postmaster A. W. Bishop is strongly opposed to the canceliation of the great register of Alameda County at this time, Engiue-R0m at the Haywards Electric Light Works, With the Dynamo That Was | Wrecked by Lightning. ! [Sketched by a “Call’ staff artist.] 73 is the first case that local electricians have heard of in California. The result of it will be that all owners of valuable electric plants, of whatever character, will be forced to use lightning arresters, a precau- tion which has hitherto been considered needless. The damage to the electric light plant by the storm was twofold, for after light- ning had destroyed the dynamo the heavy downpour of rain caused the flooding of the pit and did further damage. The story of Electrician Putnam shows that the lightning that was carried to the dynamo was powerful enough to destroy life instantly. A bole was made in a por- tion of the cast-iron work big enough to insert several fingers. “I was not more then twenty feet away from the dynamo when the crash came,” said Mr. Putnam this afternoon, “and it seemed as if the lightning filled the whole building. The flame shot out from the dynamo about eight feet,and the magnets, wires and mica were thrown all over the lace. I instantly ran to the switch- oard and disconnected the wires, and there was no more light that night. The accident was a very simple one, and one that will be guarded against in the future, The lightning was conducted to the ma- chine iy one of the wires, and of course the dynamo was instantly overcharged and burst. Of course, it is impossible to tell how many volts the shock was, but its force can be estimated by the manner in which it burned away some of the iron. There is one hole that was burned away instantly, and there is not a trace of any of the missing metal. The wires that sur- round the magnets were so highly charged that they flew in all directions, and when the mica was free it fell around in showers. “In the East all electric plants are pro- tected by lightning arresters, but we never considered there was any use for them out here. The lightning is generally of a mild sort, but yesterday xroved that we are likely to get some wild flashesat times and should guard against them. Of course we are not likely for years to have a storm- center pass over us and burst as it did yes- terday, but miles of electric wires are be- ing used every month, and a flash of light- ning carried along one of these wires is liable to cause untold damage. I had seen similar accidents in the East, but they are not expected here. A force of men came over from San Francisco this morning, and we shall have the durlicata dynamo run- ning to-night. It will take several daysto fix the wrecked machine. 1i 1 had been oiling that dynamo when the lightning struck it 1 should have been charred to a cinder as rapidiy as that piece of iron was burned.” Daniel Chisholm, president of the light company, said to-day that he will not run, any risks. “This plant is too valuable to be at the mercy of every stray flash of lightning that comes here,”” said Mr. Chis- holm, *‘and we will resort to arresters rizht away, Inone way this accident has been valuable. It hastaught a lesson that will be of benefit to the whole State, Nobody, after this, will leave electric lants unprotected. I am mighty glad gmn-m was no nearer to the dynamo when it burst, as [ am afraid he would not have been superintending the repairs to- day,” ’the effect of the shock to the plant was felt most in the Haywards Hotel, which is lighted with electricity. In the hotel are over 200 incandescent lamps. When the lightning struck the dy namos every wire in the hotel felt the full force of the shock. Of course the power was only in the wires during the duration of the flach, but its effect on the incandescents was remarkable. Each lamp was charged for an instant with many thousand candle- wer, The effect of the force shook the otel heavily and as soon as the dynamo was destroyed the lambps went out. This same effect was noticed on every lamp in the town, and it was just thesame as a distinct flash of li{htninz. The effect of the cloudburst near the head of Sulphur Creek was correctiy noted | the weather experts to exchange thunder- | storm reminiscences. In the KEastern States, where the summer clouds on a hot, | sultry day are highly charged with elec- tricity, a single vivid flash of lightning and one peal of thunder similar to that | which startled the inhabitants of Hay- | wards would hardly be taken into account. | In Localities subject to electric storms ap- | pliances are used to protect light and | power plants from the lightning. Plugs | of soft metal are put in which will melt if | the current is too powerful, and the force is thus diverted. Lightning rods also are used as conductors to carry the electricity i to the ground. Mr, Hammond, the officer in charge of the United States Weather Department in | California, cailed to mind yesterday that the Government in preparing lighthouse plans for stations on the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico provided lightning rods. Under the same general plans the lighthouses on the Pacific Coast were sup- plied with lightninF rods. Subsequently it came to the knowledge of the authori- ties at Washington that the rods were not needed here, so they were taken down. Singular as it may seem, the lignthouse at the Farallones h been struck by light- ning twice since the rods were removed. The conditions of the earth and air in | California, especially along the coast, are not favorable for the gravitation of elec- tricity to the explosive point. Mr. Ham- | mond is inclined to believe that the light- ning which did some damage at Haywards Sunday was caused by the friction of hail- stones. The hailstones were meited be- fore they reached the earth, but in passing through the air high above they caused the explosion. Yet this is only a theory, but it is a theory sustained by observation here and elsewhere. Large drops of water may produce the same effect as hailstones. The moisture of a cloud attracts the elec- tricity and the friction of the water drops or hailstones produces an explosion. The lightning may ran from one cloud to an- -other or descend to the earth. The weather observer does not subscribe to the belief that thunderstorms so called are on the increase along the Pacific Coast. Rails and wires connecting San Francisco with the East produce a contrary effect, if any effect at all followed. To convey to the rising generation of California some idea of real storms of thunder and lightning reference may be made to the electric cloud July, 1864, in Georgia, which launched a hundred thun- derbolts into the Fifteenth Army Corps. Sixteen men and many horses were killed, caissons were exploded and stacks of mus. kets knocked down. The storm burst on | the army corps just after the troops had crossed the Chattahooche River and gone into camp for the night about ten miles from Atlanta. For fully one hour the cloud, heavily charged with electricity, appeared suspended over the camp. The vivid streams of fire and the terrific peals of thunder came simultaneously. Even the drops of water seemed to glow with the electric light. The flashes followed in such quick succession that there was scarcely an interval of darkness, HARNESS THIEVES. James Leo and Mike Swift Arrested on the Charge of Burglary. James Lee and Mike Swift were booked at the City Prison last night by Detectives Cody and Graham on the charge of bur- glary. Recently numerous complaints have been received at police headquarters from the Mission of stables being broken into and harness and other articles stolen, Cody and Graham were detailed on the case and they soon traced the thefts to Lee and Swift. The detectives found that Lee and Swift had been selling their plunder to John I. Holliday, fruit-dealer, at Haight and Fill- more streets, and at Meyers' junkshop on Mission _street, beiween Twelfth and Ridiey. Lee is a well-known petty larceny thief, but noth:ng is known about Swift, and is using its influence to have the Su- Wbtrs Lghinims EnrinepPATE i Jr‘! 2 ya pervisors of the county rescind their ac- | tion canceling the great register on and after Feoruary 17. In this effort he is ably assisted by some of the best politi- cians in the county, who can see nothing gained and everything to lose in such a move. “The cancellation of the great register of Alameda County this year,” says Mr. Bishop, “‘with no provision for the ex- pense of re-registration, will result in the disfranchisement of at least 25 per cent of the voters of the county. Experience has shown in the past that witbout effective and persistent work a large class of voters will not take the tronble to go to the County Clerk's or Assessor’s office to have their names placed upon the great regis- ter, and more particularly will this be the case if a voter is to havea politax bill thrust under his nose s a condition prece- dent to registration. The polltax 1s ob- noxious to nine-tenths of the people gen- erally and ought to be abolisheg. ‘‘It is claimed that it is obligatory upon the Board of Supervisors to order the can- cellation of the old registers, The matter is left wholly to thediscretion of the Board of Supervisors. The law reads: . “ “Ihere shall be in each of the counties, and cities and counties, in the State, where registration is now required by law to take place previous to each general election, and in other counties or cities or counties, when required by the Board of Super- visors, a new and complete registration of the voters of such counties, and cities and counties, who are entitled thereto, and who npply with the proper proof.” “‘The law, it will be observed, leaves it discretionary with the Board of Super- visors of Alameda County to order or not to order a new registration of voters, and under the circumstances it would be the exercise of bad discretion at this time, with no provision or authority provided or conferred by the law for an appropriation to meet the expense of such new register or registration. “‘The election the present year is a very important one, and to disfranchise voters by canceling the great register, without ample provision for re-registration, would be an outrage upon the voters of the county. It is the duty of the CTounty Clerk to cancel the names of all voters not appearing as having voted at the last general election, also the names of all who have died or known to have removed from the county. If this is done the bulk of the great register will be materially reduced and_voters saved the trouble of re-regis- tration. The former action of the board in ordering the cancellation should be reconsidered in the interzst of the voters of this county, as I can find no law re- quiring a new registration this year.” Joseph Henscher of San Leandro, who was the Republican nominee for the posi- tion of County Treasurer at the election two vears ago, says he indorses the posi- tion taken by Mr. Bishop, and believes it is the sentiment of voters throughout the county. Many others in the city and throughout the county have sent him word they thoroughly indorsed the posi- tion which he takes on the question. County Clerk Frank C.Jordan has dis- missed ail the Deputy County Clerks throughout the county named for registra- tion purposes, and intends to await fur- ther sevelopmenu before he does much work. He stands ready, however, to go ahead and carry out the requirements of the law, should the Supervisors insist on a new registration. The leacers of every party unite in declaring that it is an im- osition on a county official to compel Bim to do out of his private purse the work that has heretofore been a charge against the county, and prefer to let the register go over until the Legislature can cure the defect which makes it his duty to bear the cost of the new register. M Charge Against Diaz Ignored.! The charge of counterfeiting against Alfred Diaz of San. Jose was i%nured by the Federal Grand Jury vesterdav, Diaz passed a bad dol- lar at Mrs, Delmanly’s bakery. corner of Santa Clara and Vine streets in ‘that eity, but has since “squared” himself. He1s to be turned over to the Chief of Police of San Jose to be prose- cuted for burglary. He is accused of breaking into a place and stealing some clothes. A PLUMBER DEAD. John W. Gray, Whose Place of Business ‘Was in San Francisco. ALAMEDA, CaL., Jan. 27.—John T. Gray, a plumber doing business at 230 Sut- ter street, San Francisco, died suddenly yesterday morning at his home, 1414 Lafayette street. He had been ailing for two weeks and the doctor informed him some days ago that his heart was affected. At 9 o’clock this morning he began to feel badly and at 10 o’clock a neighbor callea and remarked his pallor and apparent ill- ness. He said that he felt badly and al- most immediately became insenslble and expired. Mr. Gray was a native of Man- chester, England, aged 63 vears. He had four children here and four by a former wife in San Francisco. He was a Mason,a United Workman and a member of the El Nido Club. Municipal Advertising. ALAMEDA, CaL., Jan. 27.—The Board of Municipal Trustees last night opened proposals to do the city advertising for one year from February 4. The contract was awarded to the Daily Argu: HONOR FOR A FRESHMAN Charles Fryer Gets a Place on the Carnot Debating Team Against Stanford. Damage Done by the Rains—Street-Car Conductors Carry Ladies Through the Streets. BERKELEY, CaL, Jan. 27—R. 8. Wheeler, one of the three seniors at the | University of California who were chosen | last Wednesday evening at the rinal pre- | liminary debate to represent the U. C.in | the coming Carnot medal contest, with- | drew from the team to-day and Charles O. Fryer, the substitute, was appointed to succeed him. Fryer’s election to the place is consid- ered quite remarkakle in debating circles, as he is only a freshman and has not yet passed his twentieth birthday. In the de- bate last Wednesday evening he stood up against five older men, further advanced in their university courses, but when the judges presented their decision as to the men who made the most creditable show- ing both from point of argument and de- livery the names of three seniors were announced, with a freshman as substitute. This was considered an _extraordinary occurrence at the time, a3 in no previous intercollegiate debating contest in which the U. C. and Stanford were principals has a freshman participated. Itwasremarked at the time by one of the professors that only his youth and status at the univer- sity prevented him from taking a place on | the trio. | Fryer is the son of Dr. John Fryer, the newly elected professor of Oriental lan- | guages at the university, who is now in | Shanghai, China. He prepared for college | at the Oakland High Bchool, and was | editor of the Fgis during his senior year | there. He made the address in behalf of | the scholars at the dedication of the new High School building last year | Preparing for the Lights. | BERKELEY, Car., Jan. 27.—The work | of lighting the university grounds and li- brary by electricity is now fully under | way. Itisexpected that the work can be completed so that the lights may be turned on in about one month. Poles have been setup and the positions of the lights lo- | c;ue£ The dynamos are already in posi- tion, and consequently all that now re- | mains to be done is to put up the wires | | and lamps. In hgncinE the ls:\'ounds twenty-five arc iights will be used. They will be placed on poles high enough to &void having the trees trimmed. At every entrance a lamp will be located, and the patbs and roads will be well illuminated. The people of Bergely will thus possess a magnificent park for evening promenades, | The library will beilluminated by means of 300 incandescent lamps. Around the | circle, below the balcony railings, will be | placed studded lights about two feet | apart, there being in the three tiers about 150 lighis in all. Pendent lights will be hung in each alcove, Besides these, there level. Men were comgellsd to precede each car which passed through the water in order to keep the tracks clear from gravel. 2 The south-line sewer at the crossing of Shattuck avenue has caved in, leaving a large and dangerous hole. y The immense culvert which carries the waters of Strawberry Creek from the uni- versity grounds was taxed to its utmost capacity during the entire night, so great was the torrent which came down from the hills back of the university reserva- tion. Presented His Report. BERKELEY, Cir., Jan. 27.—Manager North of the Eastern athletic team has filed his report with the Athletic Associa- tion. The finaucial statement shows the team to be nearly $2100 in debt. The re- sponsibility of these debts will be assumed by the Athletic Association, and an at- tempt will be made to liquidate all claims. There is a disposition on the part of the college organizations and individual stu- dents to cancel the claims which they hola against the association, because of the financial failure of the trip and on account of the honor which the team brought to the university and State. The talk of sending another team across the continent this summer to meet Yale bas caused much interest to be aroused, but the more conservative elewment in the student body does not favor the idea antil the present debt of the association is liqui- dated. Captain Merwin stated yesterday in rela- tion to the prospects for sending on an- other team: ““The outlook for a first-class team this year is much more encouraging than it was at a corresponding date last year. As for going East, I shall by no means favor the plan unless we have posi- tive assurance from the clubs we are to meet of at least encugh money to pay our expenses.” Delinquent Assessments. BERKELEY, Cavn., Jan. 27.—The Cali- fornia Bridge and Construction Company to-day commenced proceedings against those property-owners who are delinquent in their assessments for the south-line main sewer. Several suits were filed, but the bulk of them will be entered to- morrow. The remainder of the delin- quents will be given until 5 o'clock to- morrow afternoon to pay, and if they fail to do so0 by that hour legal action will be entered against them. There are about 100 delinquents in ail. The sums due range all the way from $1 50 too $100. DEATH OF W, A, ENGWER The Pioneer Manufacturer Passes Away From Heart Failure. Came Here in Early Days Round the Horn and Built Up a Large Foreign Trade. W. A. Engwer died at his home, 820 Lombard street, Sunday night after a lingering illness. He was a well-known pioneer of San Francisco, and toward the end of his busy career a prominent manu- facturer, whose name was familiar all over the Pacific. His death was expected, and the family were present at his bedside when he passed away. About four years ago Mr. Engwer broke down in health, but recovered in a measure until six months since when his vital forces began to fail steadily. At last coliapse came in the shape of muscular nervousness and heart troubles, and for eightdays before his death he sat upright in an easy chair without a moment’s sleep or rest. Mr. Engwer was born in Poland in December, 1834, and lived sixty-one years. At the age of 13 he left his nafive country for Hamburg, where he studied for six years. After finishing his education in that city he traveled for a number of years in Europe, and in 1855 married and came to California with his wife on a sailing vessel round Cape Horn. The first occu- pation he found was that of chief baker in ingelberg’s bakery, which position he held for some vears until he associated bimself with the Standard Soap Company. For eight years he remained with that concern, and then started the Alta Soap Company in 18 Applying himself: in- dustriously to his new enterprise Mr. Engwer built up an extensive business which be managed up to the day he re- tired, when he gave over the conduct of affairs 1o his eldest sons, William A. and Edward A. Engwer. He found a Jucrative field away from home, and bent his energies toward trade with Mexico, Cen- tral America, Alaska, the South Sea ) CHARLES FRYER, THE FRESHMAN O RATOR AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY, [From a photograph.] will be a large chandelier in each of the re ading-rooms. The power will be genarated in the me- chanics’ building, where the plantis ready for immediate use. There are complete duplicate plants, either one of which can be used for lighting the grounds, The only thing now lacking is a duplicate boiler, but Professor Corey is hopeful that one can be obtained soon. Damages by Water. BERKELEY, CavL., Jan, 27.—TFhe heavy rainfall last night and to-day caused con- siderable damage in various parts of Berke- ley, particularly the south end. This morning conductors of the spur line of the Telegraph-ayenue system, which runs down Alcatraz avenue to Lorin, were com- pelled to carry lady passengers in their arms from the cars to the stations on ac- count of a veritable lake which had formea at the end of the line. The block at the corner of Shattuck and Asnby avenues was last nicht almost com- pletely surrounded by water, which cov- ered the car tracks and ran into the stores, ‘which are almost two feet above the street islands, Japan and Hawaii. In this way his business became almost exclusively ex- port. The deceased was a_member of Parker Lodge No. 124, A. 0. O. F., Magnolia Lodge No. 41, I. 0. U. W., and of the American Legion of Honor, in which so- cieties he took a deep interest and had numerous friends. Beyond his active con- nection with those fraternal organizations he was a man of domestic habits, hardly ever having participated in public move- ments. is charity was liberal but of the unostentatious kind. It is related of him that the donation to some wonh{ object which he had made with a bountiful hand was often entirely forgotten when brought to his notice shortly afterward. Everywhere he turned there were friends of his, {m never an enemy, for his kindly disposition, like tbat of many another whole-souled pioneer, only engendered ties of friendship. He leaves a widow and several children in comfortable circumstances. The fu- neral will be held to-morrow at 2 r. M. from his residence and the remains will be interred in Odd Fellows’' Cemetery.