The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 17, 1896, Page 9

FRANCISCO CALL, [ONDAY, F EBRUARY 17. 1896 RENEWED THEIR PLEDGES, General Gathering of the League of the Cross at St, Mary's Cathedral. SERMON BY THE ARCHBISHOP, Evils of Intemperance Graphically De. picted and the Work of the League Extolled. There were hundreds of vroud parents of the young members of the e of the Cross unable to gain en- e to St. Mary's Cathedral yesterday roon. The occasion was the first al renewal of the pledge by the mem- bers of the lea This organization has a total membership of about 7000 in the City, and the entire’ body of the church was reserved yesterday for the members, The galleries sufficed to hold only a smail quota of the vast number who desired ad- mjttance. "he seats in the central portion of the church were reserved for the cadets, who made a fine showing as, 400 strong, with natty uniforms and clanking swords, they marched down tue aisles to their places. Colonel William C. Maloney had charge of the uniform division, which was divided into eight companies, Father O’'Ryan, spiritual d league, led in the prayer f and civil authorities, and consecration. irector of the or the church the vprayer of T Aftera hymn by the con- gregation Archbishop Riordan ascended the pulpit. He said in part: “My dear members of the League of the Cross: My first words this afternoon are words of thanks to your spiritual director and to the execuiive council for their Leroic labors which have brought about this magnificent meeting this afternoon. It is a great consolation to me to feel that we have been able to gather together so many thousands of our young men to save them from the temptations of this great city. So much of our work to do good seems to go for nothing that it is encour- aging to see such great accomplishments on the part of your officials. *‘Now what is the object of your organi- zation? Itisto take you when you are young and train you in the habits of tem- verance and sobriety, so that when you are grown you will be so in the habit of abstaining from those things which are evil that there will be but little danger of your being led astray. “If you read th see that our_dear fond of children. On one oc the apostles would have driven them away, he said: ‘Sufferlittie children to come unto me, for of such as these is the Kingdom of Heaven.” You who have come by bap- 1 1to the famil Christ, how much T are you to him than those who lived r the old religious dispensation. You fav f the church and he es you rder childhood, work- upon will remai ke : Gospels you will Savior was particularly 1 your t 2 bro: are = of. Drunkards fin. has wound a 1 giit of virtue little by out from the soul and darkness alize as well as we do the rtance of this work. You are not contact day by day with in- nce as we are, but if you remain that you have been sober and temperate men and bo; I have never known a man yet when he came to die regret that he had taken a pledge and kept it. How many men when they reach that solemn point where they look back over their past life bitterly re- peut the years wasted in drunkenness. It is a great sin against God’s law. It de- prives us of our reason. It leads to other sins too numerous to mention. In tem- te homes there is peace and joy- “Meny people why all this parade in order to make people temperate? We answer, let us do our work in our own If we have saved ¥ way. to temperance a dozen boys who otherwise would have filled dru ' graves we have done a a noble work and our efforts have been rich- rewarded. *If we are good at all we owe it to God’s v boys, each day when you pray ask God for grace to r.pledg Ask it every day, for ed grace every day.” the conclusion of the sermon the hbishop pronounced the pledge of the of the Cross, and the members, ing up their right hands, repeated it him. The service closed with a n benediction. athers Yorke and Mulligan acted as chaplains to the Archbishop, and Fathers McGinty, O’Mahoney, P. Scanlan and Clark, C. 8. P., also occupied seats on the altar. The choir, which consisted of ung men, was under the direction of erome B. Hannigan. 5 MARINE JOLLIFICATION. The Boys of Division 2 of the Naval EBattalion Entertain Their Friends. In the days between drills and target shoots division 2 of the Naval Battalion planned a jinks, and Saturday night the event came off. It was as great a success as the efforts of the boys deserved, and certainly far beyond the expectations of those who were invited. The carpet was taken from the parlor floor and that and the floor of the assem- bly-room were well sanded. At oneend of the assembly-room a stage had been erected with electric footlights and other necessary accessories, and the officers’ and petty cfficers’ rooms were set aside for the “1alent,’” professional and otherwise, Of “talent”’ there was a plenty. There were ladies who sang and danced; there ere men who cracked jokes and ‘‘made J ng songs in which the audience Frank Cereni, the champion ght of the Reliance. Club, boxed with his friend, Dr. McCarthy, the centist. De Lasaux, Emanuel and fills, three of tne men from the division, ex- posed interesting bits of Naval Battalion history and sang verses, the theme of which was the woes of the boys at the Oak- land camp. John McCuliough recited, ¥ toid stories, and others did various turns until nearly 12 o'clock. Refreshments in the way of beer, sand- wiches, frankfurters and pipes were gener- Lended round, and under their joy- ous influence the boys started dancing as soon the programme had ended. The affair was under the management ofan en- tertainment committee, composed of Harry de Lasaux, Jjoe Emanuel, W. A. Peterson, Russell Reed and J. 5. Mills. The music was furnishea by boys from the division. ———— Dead on the Streets. Eugene Thevenet, once a prosperous jeweler, dropped dead from heart disease in frontofl ¥62 Howard strect yesterday morning about 5 0'clock. He was & widower, 56 years of age, &nd a native of France. He has been living receéntly et the Pelmer House. He leaves 8 0 Was employed until recentiy at the drugstore, corner Washi K ees iy Washington and Kearny ——— BALFE-MOORE CONCERT. Irish Music and Song to Be Discoursed To-Morrow Night. The first concert of the newly organized Balfe-Moore Club will be held in Metro- politan Hall to-morrow evening. As a memento of the occasion a beautiful pro- gramme in green and gold, with the por- traits of Moore and Balfe in an ornamental design on the cover, will be distributed. The iollowing programme of Irish music and literature will be presented: Remarks, T. R. Bannerman, president; organ selections (Balfe), R.J. Harrison; tenor solo, :“There Is a Flower” (Wallace), W. J. O’Brien; cello, “Fantasia of Irish Airs” (Paque), Dr. A. L. Regensburger; contralto solo, * Moyle” (Moore), Mrs. Carroll-Nicholson: ing, “A Melalogue Upon National Music” (Moore), Miss F. M. Estabrook; soprano solo, “Tho’ the Last Glimpse of Erin” (Moore), Miss ie Flynn: piano, “Irish Diamonds” (Pape), Florence Burke; vocal quariet, Back to Erin” (Claribel), Mrs, Carroll-Nichol- son, Miss M. Sullivan, D. Manlioyd, G. V.Wood ; address, “‘Balie and Moore,” Will Harrison; bass solo, ‘A Father's Early Love” (Wallace), harp accompaniment, G. V. Wood; harp, “The Last Rose of Summer’ (Moore), Miss M. L. Kimball; tenor solo, “Let Me Like & Soldier Fail,” by request (Wallacej, D. Man- lloyd; cornet solo, “Killarney” (Baife), A. P. . “Meeting of the Waters ilivan; violin, “The Har, hat Once Through Tara’s Halls” (Moore), H. Kayton; vocal trio, ““Thro' the World” (Balfe), Miss M. Flynn, D. Manlloyd, G. V. Wood; organ, “Star-spangled Banner,” Harrison; Sidney Hopecrait, accompanis The proceeds of the concert will be given to the Sisters of the Holy Family of St. Charles parish. 10 FOSTER NATHE: ART, The Association Prizes for His- torical Pictures of the Bay. List of the Books in the Free Pub- lic Library That Treat of the Subject. The San Francisco Art Association’sthree prizes (aggregating $1000) for the best can- vases descriptive of the discovery of San Francisco is attracting attention from the best artists on the coast. The contest closes in April, by which time all the paintings must have been submitted. The first prize is $800, the second $150 and the third $50. It is known that Keith, Pissis, Mathews, Coulter, Robinson, Stan- ton and others are painting pictures for the competition. The Art Association, in order to supply the artists with accurate historical informa- tion, requested Librarian Clark of the Free Public Library to prepare a list of books bearing upon the discovery of Cali- fornia, the discovery of San Francisco Bay ana the Pacific Ocean, and also the en- trance of the first ship, the San Carlos, into the bay of San Francisco, the subjects of which the artistis to treat. In reply he has collated the following list, which shows the practical value of the Free Public Library, which the public is begir- ning to use very extensively both for en- tertaining reading and special study. DISCOVERY OF CALIFORNIA—CABRILLO. Bancroft, H History of California, v.1, catalogue numbe Forbes, : 18. Frost, J., History of Calijornia, .25, Greenhow, , History of Oregon and Cali- ory of San Francisco and Califor : Hittell story of California, v.1, L., History of California, 9772.25. nd others, Annals of San Fran- orical Summary of Lower (in Browne, J. K., Re- ¢ Const), 549.30-6 Tuthill, F., History of Califoruia, 97 . Venegas, 3., Natural and Civil History of Californis, v. 1, 9772.141. Winsor. J., Narrative and_Criti America, v. 2 (illustrated), 970.1 DISCOVERY OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY. Bancroft, H. H., History of Californis, v. 1, 970.82. Blackmar, F. W., Spanish 1 rated, 970.13 Northwest, 1llus . Hittell, J.S., History of San Francisco, etc., 977121, Hittell, T. H., History of California, v. 1, 9772.108. cal History of 7 Palou, F., Life of Junipero Serra, 922.401. Soule, F., ‘and_others, Annals of San Fran- cisco, iliustrated, 977.25. Wi J., Narrative and Critical History of 8, illustrated, p. 210, 970.127-8. THE SHIP “SAN CARLOS. Bancroit, H. H., History of California, v. 1, p. 128, 970.82. Hittell, Pp. 39, 45,9771.21. : Hittell, T, H., History of Californta, v. 1, pp. 309, 315, 108. Palou, F. T, America, Tife of Junipero Serrs, p. 31, DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN BY BALBOA. (sketch of) Balboa (Littell’s “Liv- 46), p. 492, 51.78. ¥, J. T., (sketch of) Balboa, illus. (Har- per's Magezine, y. 18), p. 467, 51.413. Irving, W., Balboa. (In his “‘Life of Colum- ' v.5), . 167, 830112, Balbos and Pizarro (Blackwoods ne, v. 32) p. 859, 52:130. Robinson, C. Discoveries 917.81. Venegas, M. Natural and California, v. 1., p. 119, 9772. Verne, J. Exploration of the World, fllus., 910.615. Windsor, J. of America, bus, L in the West, Civil History of 141, Narrative and . 2., illus., St, Bris, T, de. Discovery of the Origin of the Namé of America, illus., 970.185. COSTUMES OF THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES.- Geschichte der Costume (colored plates), 890.12. Critical History 27.9. .127-2. Kretschmer, A. Costumes of all Nations (colored plates), 390.23. Plauche, J. K. Cyclopedia of Costume, v. (colored plates), 390.17. & Racinet, M. A. Le Costume Historique, v. 2 (Mexicen end American eborigines), colored plates, 390.39-2. Racinet, M. A. V. 4 (Arms and Armor. pain and Europe general, sixteenth and sev- enteenth centuries), colored plates, 390.39-4. Racinet, M. A. V. 6 (Costume 'in Spain in Eighteenth Century), colored plates, 390.39-6. ———————— THE POWER OF YOUTH. The Dille Lectures to Young Men at the Y. M. C. A. Building. The Rev. Dr. Dille delivered a lecture yesterday afternoon to the young men at the Y. M. C. A. building. He spoke from tne text St. Mark x:17— those verses which Jesus speaks to the affluent young man who had lived a stain- less life and who desired to come into the life eternal. “Jesus looked upon the young man and loved him because he was young. There is a charm about youth, its grace, fts purity, and its unspent energies. “Jesus called his disciples when they were young men. All were under thirty. There was a_profound reason in this. It was the work of Christ to entirely reform and renovate society. This could only be done by the fresh and strong young heart and minds. ‘A man who hasnot fixed his career by the time he is 25 stands little chance of making something oi himself, and a man who is not converted before he is 30 will spend tbe remainder of his days in dark- ness. ““Happy is the man who can make a re- cording angel of his mother. We must have the best type of man before we can have the best type of Christian. There is a knowledge that comes from God and that shows.the way to perfect manhood and Christianity; but how many there are who care nothing for this knowiedge and say unto the Lord, ‘Depart from me; I care not to learn of thy ways.’ Turn to the Lord and you will receive a life that is abundant and eternal.” o nstitutions of the | 9. ., History of San Francisco, ete., | GREAT LIBRETTIST'S WIFE Mrs. Harry B. Smith Talks of Her Husband’s Methods and Workshop. MIGHT LIVE DOWN ROBIN HOOD. | Author of “Rob Roy,” “The Fencing- Master” and “Wizard of the Nile”—A Bibliomaniac. Mrs. Harry B. Smith, the charming | young wife of the prince of American l librettists, is in the City, and may soon be joined by her gifted husband. Mrs. Smith arrived yesterday, accom- panied by their three-year-old son, Mgster Sidney Reed Smith, and will be the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Reed, at 1002 Bush street, jor four weeks., She is a dark-eyed blonde, with vivacious man- ner, tempered with a dignity that sits well upon her, a fine conversationalist ana a criticof no little merit. Mr. Smith met t | the world at Chicago in 1893, and was sister, Gertrude Sidney Smith. He i preparing a volume of society verse that will be published next winter. The following stanza in “A Book~love_r‘s Vision,” one of the lyrics, Mrs. Smith pronounces characteristic of her husband’s ruling passion for books: But I've sort of heaven in mind That's of a very different kind, The which I hope some day to find It T of sin am wary; I dream of an cternal place Whose wails as far as eye can trace Are one vast marvelous bookcase— One endless grand library. BRIGHAM YOUNG'S DAUGHTERS. Mormon Prophet's Offspring Among the Singers to Visit the Coast. All arrangements have been completed for three concerts by the Mormon Taber- nacle choir in this City early in April. The representation it will send to the coast consists of fiity trebles, forty altos, forty tenors and forty-five bassos. There- will be ten vocal soloists, one organist and the director, Professor Evan Stephens, making a grand total of 182, There will be four stringed instruments for accom- paniment. There are 175 other singers in the famous choir, but these remain at home to furnish music_for the tabernacie. Several of Brighem Young’s daughters will be among the singers. The Mormon prophet was a great musical organizer, and many of the members of his family are the possessors of decidedly musical talent. The choir competed with the choirs of awarded a cash prize of $1000 by the her in Chicago, and there they spent the | World’s Fair judges of music. The Mor- mon singers won the cash prize of $500 at LIBRETTISTS. earlier years of their married life. Later | they removed to New York, and are es. teemed members of & coterie of the nobility of Gotham’s Bohemia. The wife of the author of “Robin Hood” makes no secret of her pride in her hus- band’s deserved success. She has a most intelligent comprehension of the aims and scope of his work, yet modestly disclaims any credit for aid in the way of sugges- tions or inspiration. “My husband wrote the libretto of ‘Robin Hood’ in less than four weeks,” she said. *‘Indeed, that is quite charac- teristic of him. He ‘dashes off’ every- thing. He never breaks an engagement with & publisher, If hie promised tg finish a libretto by to-morrow night, he would do so. ‘‘He is much given to underestimating the literary value of his productions, He | was very despondent when he witnessed the first dress rehearsal of ‘“Robin Hood."” I think it was at the Columbia Theater, Chicago. T remember it was badly put on, and that Mr. Smith’s artistic sense was offended by the fact that chorus girls wore satin corsets instead of bodices. The | costumer assured him that the strings and | other objectionable paraphernalia would | be covered by tiowers, but he was not sat- isfied. As we rode home he sighed and said, ‘Well, perhaps I can live it down.' To this day he says he cannot understand | why audiences enjoy “Robin Hood.” “His favorite opera? Tne one he is| working on, always. When he finishes it his interest in it practically ends, I have known him to leave before the close of the first performance of his new opera. “He is under contract with Mr. de Koven for five years and their productions will be put on at the Herald-square The- | ater, New York, before being sent out. That playbouse is to be known in the fu- | ture as the Smith and De Koven Theater. Mr. Smith’s lyric and dramutic work will be confined to the contract with Mr. de Koven except as to adaptations and prior contracts. “He isengaged just now on an adaptation from the French’ for ¥rancis Wilson, the comedian, so popular in the BEast. It was he who made ‘Erminie’ famous. The music is by Lubig Englander, a composer who, I think, can scarcely be excelled. Indeed, Mr. Smith is at work on two operas for Mr. Wilson. Oneis ‘The Caliph.’ “‘Robin Hood’ is very po}{)ulur here, I | understand. Its successor, ‘Eob Roy,’ ran for eight monthsin New York. It isof ihe romantic class of opera. ‘The Wizard of the Nile," which is more of a comedy, bas just closed a successful season at the | Herald square Theater. It had been run- ning since the second week of October, JJorotn'y Morton made a captivating Cleo- atra.” @ Mrs. Smith describes her husband’s workshop with charming naivete, ““The whole house might be called his workshop,” she said laughingly. “His lbrary occupies the front portion of the house, his ‘den’ the rear and the walls of the intermediate rooms are practically lined with books. Think of a dining-room with books along two sides. Such a one is ours. The walis of the den are red. The pictures, I tell him, are more interesting than picturesque. There are Gueer old prints, for instance, of the Drury Lane Theater and autograph photographs galore. There are books, of course, almost innumerable, and a piano, a fireplace and the desk which is his work table. ‘“‘His recreation? In books. “I fear his pleasures and' his toil lie in too nearly parallel lines. Heis a veritable bibliomaniac. He is still fond of news- paper work, a fact which 13 gratifying to me, forit tends to draw him away from the books to which he is too devoted for his physical weil-being. ‘“‘He thinks of the time when he will no longer write operas, but Pluys, and then when he will not write plays but books, finally he will no longer write, but read. I told you he was a bibliomaniac.” ‘The popular librettist commenced his literary career as a newspaper man. He has been connectea with the Tribune- Herald and other Chicago papers, chiefly as musical and dramatic critic, aithough he was a notable interviewer. He has supported himself and others by his pen since he was 17. The Chicago fire de- stroyed the wealth of his family and he became its mainstay. He numbered among his closest friends the late Eugene Field. The tie between the two was of much the same nature as that that bound Damon and Pythias. .The latest of Mr. Bmith’s productions, { Christians have suffered from persecution, he greatest Eisteddfod ever held in Amer- ca, that of October last in Salt Lake, and they expect to enter the lists at the Eis- %eddiod to be held in Denver next Septem- er. THE PENITENTIAL SEASON Father Wyman Preaches an Ap- propriate Sermon at St Mary’s Church, Says the Spiritual Life Withers and Dies Unless Renewed From Time to Time. Rey. Father Wyman preached a special sermon relative to the approaching season of Lent at St. Mary’s Church on California street yesterday miorning., The text was: “Love not the world, nor the things that are 1n the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father 1s not in him”—First St. John ii:5. Father Wy- man said: ‘“‘Great as have been the evils which those which have been inflicted upon them by what St. John calls the world are greater. The torch, the sword, the teeth of wild beasts could not overcome many who have been conquered by pride, avarice and pleasure, The former are sharp, quick and decisive; the latter like the cor- roding rust, the decaying wood, the evap- orating mists, are slow, but are not less effective on this account. We are so mixed up with the world 2nd so affected by its influences that it is only by great eifort and watchfulness that "we can es- cape its blighting tendencies. Knowin this the church, following the oxnmplge of her founder and guided by the Holy Spirit, has appointed forty davs out of every 365 or 366 in the year to repair the ravages made by sin upon our souls. Just as every material work of man, if left to itself, decays and crumbles to pieces, so the spiritual life, unless renewed irom time to time, becomes dead. “The history of the people cf God from the beginning of the world, it seems to me, reveals the fact that inconstancy has alwayvs been the great obstacle to spiritual advancement. Divine impressions are like the prints just taken from the photogra- pher's negative, If exposed for only a short time to the sunlight they become dim and gradually are effaced. God, who is the giver of light to our understand- ings, has also provided means by which, with faithiul co-operation on our part, these impressions may bs retained. ‘‘Besides constantly thinking on these truths, and thereby keeping them vividly before our minds, we must also take measures to prevent_outside influences irom marring them. We keep pride away by voluntarily humbling ourselves; we degtroy the passion of avarice by generous almsgiving; we restrain our inordinate love of pleasure by bodily mortification, This is the object of the holy and peni. tential season 1n which we are soon to enter.” ———— Manners, Old and New. oLD sTY LY. Gentleman — May I bave the exquisite de- light of being your lady- ship’s humble cavalier, in the coming country dance? Lady—Oh, sir, you are’ vastly polite. "L am overwhelmed by your request! Geni—Do I then make| too bold 2 Lady—Oh, sir, I would| Lady (laughin; not have you miscon-| funny old cripple sirue my words! a ks I'm not sure Gent — May I then about. reckon upon your tread- Gent—A polka. That's ing the measure withmy form. Well fire your devoted servant? right into the brown of Lady—1 may not say|’em, and have a glass of you iy, sir. [Curtseys.|the boy niterward, o * Gent—Madam, you are| Lady—It's a bet. too -~ condescending. Gent—Done. So 10 ng will not fail to claim (Strolis of, humming G music-hall air, NEW STYZLE. _Gentleman—An, Lady lorence, got an’ entry eft, or s your book full’? looking at cara —Wel l—gnm oy qum2 rille running lopse. hang qnad- @ not out for walking exercise. Not on-the square, twl; Voug . 0 ek us iy vour hand. {itetires awieh ~ courteous humility. —Punch ————— The last recorded suleof a seat in the except those dramatized, is the collection of poems entitled ‘“Lyrics and Sonnets,” which is dedicated to the memory of his New York Stock Exchange realized $16,000. g:ona)o were selling one year ago at about [ REALTY MARKET REVIEW. Comments Upon the Torrens Land Title System by J. J. Dwyer. REVIEW OF THE RECORDS. Architectural Tastes as Expressed by Public and Private Build- ings. Architectural aspect is beginning to as- Sfume a most important place in determin- ing real estate values. Owners are taking vast interest in the cleverness and ability of architects. The merit of a plan and the dignity and simplicity of the composition | of an elevation receives distinguished con- sideration in this day and generation. Apropos of the new municipal building to be erected upon the site of the old City Hall, attention is directed to that quarter of the City once more. Time was when it was the City and Market street was a se- ries of sandhills. During the period of its original prosperity there were erected within its precincts many buildings of good architectural design. Some few, the old Globe Hotel for example, have not been surpassed ‘as far as correct principles of architectural composition are con- cerned, by even our newest and latest buiidings uptown. It is & curious and an amazing study to trace the development of popular taste, as expressed by public and private buildings erected at different pariods in the progress of the improvement of the State. The earliest efforts were, of course, the Old Missions. Their charm rests entirely in the fact that their builders recognized the vaiue of simplicity and were influenced, as far as detail was concerned, by the Mex- ican and Spanish classic renaissance. Next came the buildings of the pioneer days—mostly well designed and undoubt- edly owing their origin to the influence of French renaissance. Then came the bo- nanza days, when pure and simple lines fell into disrepute and vulgarity reigned St his phase was quickly followed by the bay-window. Queen Anne, Eastlake, old colonial, up-to-date nonsense. All this ill- considered, hastily constructed and izno- rautly designed work has had its effect upon real estate valyes. Thoughtless peo- ple who have blindly copied and imitated the grotesque mistakes of others are suf- fering the consequences. Itisunparalleled in the history of the world that a fad should influence building to the detriment of architecture to the extent that it has in this country. Within the last twenty years a succession of fads have swept over the country, leaving erotesque ruin and absurd desolation in their wake. The Cen- tennial Exhibition of 1876 began the craze and it remained for the World’s Fair of 1893 to break its back. At last, however, it is beccming the fashion to consider architecture. as some- thing more than a fad. However, for sev- eral years to come we must exyect to see occasional survivals of the “*ignorant age.”’ It will die bard, because it brought into existence an_army of imitative builders ana speculative owners. Many of them take their ignorance seriously, so it is nat- ural to expect them to give way stubbornly. As for converting them, that is a matter of education, and itis hard to teach an old dog new tricks. THE TORRENS LAND-TRANSFER SYSTEM. J. J. Dwyer, an attorney of this City who has given the subject of land titles a great deal of study, in the following commnuni- cation on the Torrens land-title system, takes issue somewhat with Warren Greg- ory, whose able article upon that system as adopted in Cook County, Ill., appeared a week ago in THE CALL in the real estate review: The principles of the Torrens system may be eummed up as follows: In the first place, & judicial examination and determination of the present status of a title. Secondly, the registration of that title in the suitable books in a public hall of records. Thirdly, the transfer from hand to hand of such registered titles under the supervision of an oficer whose duty it would be at the time of each tri the validity of all guestion. This sysiem is some for place where it was devised, Its working features are very little known in America, except by & few specialists who have investigated the matier; and I see by compe- tent authority that even in Austiralia the sys- tem has not yet come into generel use. L have scen the statement made by compe- tent authority in a report that was made by the House of Commons in England by a com- mittee that wes appointed to investigate the perticular workings of this system in Aus- tralia “that the anticipations which were formed when the act was passed of benefit that would likely accrue from its general adoption have in no sense been realized; and running through & period of thirteen months out of ten or fifteen hundred transfers only seven, or a littie more than one in two months, were made under the act, and the act might therefore be considered a dead letter.” The system has never been tried yetin any American State so far as I am aware, although it has been introduced in several of the Legis- atures of different States. The system wes dopted in Cook County, I11., last year and of ourse any one interested in the workings of he same will watch its operation with great ttention. 1do not mean to say that there is no virtue in the system, as adopted in that county, but I do consier that there are various restrictions imposed by the National and State constitu- tions. If any statutory legislation in the United States” should adopt the Australian statute as Torrens devised it, it would be de- clared unconstitutional by our courts, and in order to make it a working system bere it would therefore be necessary 10 alter some of the fundamenial principles of our constitu- tional law. Under the Torrens system, when a title is once registered it passes to & purchaser by en- try on the proper register, and the act of the Registrar is regarded as conclusive against the claims of all third parties; but such a system would not be ope- tated here for the reason that the proceedings would be had withoutour jurisdiction, which provides thet a man should not be deprived of his property without due processof law; and it is my opinion thatif you want to avoid that constitutional violation, it must oe done either by changing fundamentally the consti- tutional system of the United Siates, or else there must be vxl’l.unlxa’ & lawsuit over any trausfer of property under this system, whic would make it s0 expensive that it would ‘break down of its own weight, The statute proposed, based tpon the Tor- Tens system, for enactment by the last session of the California Legisiature would practically bring about exactly that state of affairs, viz., a Jawsuit in any transfer of property under the ‘Torrens system, which, of course, would reduce the thing to an absurdity. ‘There fs one feature of the Torrens act which commends itself to everybedy instantly, and that is that it presents certain methods of giving & title what you mignt call a start, be- hind which it wolld otherwise be neces- sary to go in examining the validity of the title. : In this City, for example, for almost every iece of., g’°§:"" searchers must run the title Back 1o the inning of the American occupa- tion. That, of course, seems a very long time, but when compared to what searchiers must do in other States where titles are very much older, it is quite & short period—only about forty-five years—but in this City it isa very great expense, especially with small lots, to run the title back to 1349. Very frequently abstracts of a_twenty-five- foot lot worth about $1000 or $1500 wiil cost from £30 to $50. Add to this a lawyer’s fee for passing upon the title and it brings the ex- I;ensn up to from $50 to $75, which of course s & very great burden upon the small prop- erty-owner, and if some means could be de- vised 10 do away with & very elaborate abstract of title, and save the necessity of going back to the beglnnlng of the title, it would be a very good thing, for in that event it would cheapen and facilitate the searching of titles, and the Torrens system does this. 1t provides for & judicial investigation into the =tate of any title. It proyides for = judicial investigatioi upon the application of anybody who aesires to bring his property under the act, in which notice 1s given 10 everybody who claims an in- terest in the property, and the judgment of the court is then regarded as final ‘and tonclusive on all the world, and from that time on every- ody investigating the title need not go fur- ther back then the judgment itself. This is an admirable thing, but it isnotan sier to determine conclusively unon involved. Australian invention. It has been an Ameri- | can law for 100 years. It is a well-known principle of the American law that in an | Action of partition on real property, all claim- ants to the property, known or unknown, ean | be joined as parties to the suit, and the judg- I ment of the Court is conclusive as to title in | all respects, both as to known claimants and | unknown claimants, end it is just as valid a Jjudgment, and just as good a start for & title as anything proposed by any of the American 1 ased upon the Torrens system. This seemns to have occupied the attention of most | of the advocates of the Torrens system, who | Seem to regard the Australian idea of givinga | Judicial start as a novel invention. | If a law were passed by our Legislature con- | taining that language in terms that would make 1t pldin to the people that the object of the law was to determine how the title of &ny particular property stands at the present mo- | ment, and that from that time on the title be onsidered as judicially final and conclu- | sively determinea, all the benefits of_the Tor- | rens system that 1 think are applicable to our system would pe operated. Itcan bedone now | in partition proceedings, but as that is not looked upon generally as a means of giving validity to titles, it would tend to make the system intelligible. Possibly a law could be passed in terms making it plain to the people that an action in the matter of partition pro- cedure should be a means of establishing the | title of any piece of property so that it would ROt be necessary from that time on to go be- hind the judgment in searching records. Then this could ve done in an ordinary judicial pro- ceeding. ‘The title of a lot on the corner of Market and | Montgomery streets could be determined to- day, and the judgment would be conclusive on all the world, and it would not be necessary 10 go behind that judgment in order to find oul what adverse claims there might be if one should want to buy this property; and further- more, instead of calling it pariition proceed- ings, if we had a law that would provide for “establishing proceedings for title,” or some such thing as that, it would do away with four- filths of the labor and cost of searching tifles. It thatone principleof establishing judicially how the title stands at any particular time found embodiment in our laws we would have more than half the virtues of the Torrens sy tem as practiced in Austraiia, and all tue that I think can be derived from it. The fault with the Torrens system in is that we have written constitutions that pre- vent its workings. The Federal character of our Government offers this obstacle to the full operation of the system. If the constitution of the State were amended $0 as to permit it to be put into operation here, nevertheless the title could not be held conclusively valid as against any lien that might be imposed by the Federal | system of taxation. To illustrate: Under the Torrens system if a_piece of property is regis- tered in the neme of Mr. Smithand & judgmen is obtained against n, and the Sheriff should sell out the property of eunother Mr. Smith, making a mistake as to the identity of the judgment debtor, the title of the purchaser under the Torrens system would be good, even | though the Sheriff levied upon the property of the wrong Mr. Smith. That 1s the state oi the law in Austraiia, and in order to compensate all possible errors of that kind an insurance or indemnity fund is provided by the act, and if a man, uhiortunately, should have nis prop- erty sold over his head by the mistake of min- isterial officers in that way, his only recourse would be out of this indemnity fund. O course, such a procedure as thatisa impossible in‘the United States. Itis | all constitutious, State and Federal, to take a man’s proverty awey without due process of law, and how they are going to get around this objéction 1 do not see. 1f the law were compulsory, it would at least have the benefit of bringing about a uniform system of land transfer; but even | | its most ardent advocates are agreed that it is absolutely useless to try to make the law compulsory. They have not done it yet in Australia, and as I understand it, neither have they done it un- der the Cook County law. Certainly, if any system was to be such as 10 mnke the records all uniform, its advantages ought to be so per- | ceptible and so demonstrative that we could | afford to adopt t it as a compulsory law. In | my opinfon thatwe do not know enoug| bout this system to try it, and it is purely wisdom of law to let some other community try it. There is a greater need of a change of other words, the law of land transfer in the older settled communities than we have in the West, where our titles only run back about forty or fiity years. Of course, in older communities, where they run bac 100 years, it is very necessary, but here, the title runs back to United States patents, it is only from fifteen to twenty years, and so the abstracts are very briefand very chean. Itis true, in larger cities, where thiere has been much registration of large proverty, the book of abstr is correspondingly increased, be- cause it is mecessary to set forth all the pro- ceedings and litigation in insolvency and other court proceedings, and it makes a very buiky book and a very expensive ene, but under the | Torrens sysiem it is my opinion that the ab- stract would be quite as expensive as it is un- der the present svstem. I have examined severalof the statutes based upon the Torrens system and 1 do not think that its adoption would tend to lessen the ex- pense oT the simplifieation of abstracts because 1 do not see how it is ever possible under the method to save the necessily of setting up probate proceedings, insolvency proceedings, and in short all court proceedings affecting the title. 1t is & very simple malter, in the opinion of people whohave had no experiencet in transierring property, because they only hear of it as a mere matter of deeds. The expense and the difficuity of passing on titles arise from the fact that tnere is so much litigation necessary—litigation in the transfer of titles, both because of judicial sales and because of probate and insolyency procecd- ings and such things; and no system that hyman wit can devise, so far as I ¢an see, will do eway with the necessity of & lawyer at some stage of the proceedings. Thereis & notion prevalent in some guerters that the Torrens system if established in this State would so make abstracts that a buyer and a seller could 20 to the record office and transfer the property without lawyers, Well, {f itshould be adopted we would get into trouble that would be found more exvensive to getout of than the present cost of passing on titles. Perhaps no community affords a better illustration of the possibility of giving a fair start to titles than our own, because particu- larly now, for outside land titles in San Fran- cisco, people are satisfied to rest upon the City deed. ' Very few searches uow aro made back of the City deed, and if a judicial procedure could be relied on as & record, that would give & start to & title now, or any time in the future. In other words, there is plenty of force and virtue in our system as it stands to-day, with a little remodeling to do away With most of the costly and tedious and laborious work of making abstracts. REVIEW OF THE RECORDS. There were seventy-seven real estate loans made last week aggregating $201,014. The most important were: By the Hibernia Savings and Loan Society, | for one year, at 634 per cent, $5000 on properis at the southwest corner of Waller and Scott, 82:6x116:3; by the Security Savings Pank for 0,000 on lot on the north of Post, 23:10 0; by Edward G. Butler for one year, at 7 per cent, $16,000 on a lot at the southwest corner of Bush and Fillmore, 100x47; by the Mutual Savings Bank for one year, at 7 per cent, $15,- 000 on a lot on the south line of O'Farrell street, 112:6 east of Powell, 25x137:6, and by the California Title Insurance and Trust Corm- any for one year, at 614 per cent; $18,000 on a | lot at the northeast corner of Bay and Stock- ton, 275x275. There were sixty-one releases granted | last week amounting to §226,725. Among | the largest recorded were': By the Equitable Building and Loan Asso- ciation $18,000 to Isadore Schwartz on & lot on the west line of Polk, 90 feet south of Hayes, 30x100; by Henry Wadsworth $20,000 to Thomas S. and Mary L. Merchant on prop- erty at the northeast corner of Pine and Brod- erick, 110x55; by the same to Thomas S. Mer- chant $20,000 on the northeast corner of Pine and Broderick, 110x55, and property on the south line of California, 137:6 east of Scott, 68:9x137:6; by Walter M. W tt $10,000 to Matilda and Andrew J. Wester on a lot on the east line of Scott, 100 nortih of California, 65:214x81:3; by the German Savings and Loan Society $20,000 to John Hinkel on prop- erty at the southesst corner of Washington and Leavenworth, 137:6x200; and $11,000 on the southeast corner of Leavenworth and Washington, 22x115 partial, and_property on the north line of Bay street, 137:6 west or Dupont, 137:6x275. Deeds were recorded the past week to the number of 136. There were ten builders’ contracts filed, representing a pledged outlay of $43,345. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Mayor Sutro has given orders to 0. F. von Rhein & Co. to_put twe blocks in the vicinity of the Cliff House up for anction. A large force of men will be put to work in o few days to prepare the property for the sale. The terms to be oifered will be easy and the sale peremptory. The date of the euction has been fixed for Thursday, March 5. Headquarters were opened a few days agoin the Mills Building for Dingley’s Addition _adjoining the townsite of Lemoore, Kings County. The plan of sale adopted is one of the most novel yet pro- posed in connzction with the offer of any sitbdivision property in California. It is proposed by the promotersto distribute over a $1000 in prizes. The town of Lemoore is reported to be very prosperous and it is predicted that some day it will be one of the leading cities of the San Joaquin Valley. Its prospects are undoubtedly as good as those of Fresno were a few years 3 8go and with the aid of a few enterprising k { J. Larke men may possibly grow equally as fast, When one remembers that Chicago wag offered for a pair of mules less than three« score years ago, he may reasonably look for surprising developments in many o our coast cities now comparatively small and unknown, Baldwin & Hammond report the sale of a $1500 cottage, the past week, to Henry J. Collindin the Castro-street addition. " In his tract a number of neat residences werd recently completed, and the prospects are good for considerable activity this season, Bovee, Toy & Sontag have fitted up a splendid auction-room in the rear of theiz s at 19 Montgomery street. Sol Getz & Bro. report the purchase of another block on the south side of the park, and the following recent sales: 20 on east line of Twentieth aves south of Point Lobos, for $8003 n west line of avenue, 500; _lot Ninetee! for $200; lot 253130 on 100 feet rorth of A street, for $9 5x120 on_west line of ighth avenue, 150 feet north of I street, for §1200; lot 52:6X100 on_southwest corner of H street and lot elfth On March 11 Shainwald, Buckbee & Co. will sell at auction the remaining portion of the property of the Morgenthau Come pany, between Potrero avenue, Hamp- shire, Twenty-first and Twenty-second streets. Within the next month they will also sell at auction the realty of the Stry- bing estate, comprising income properties on Market, Montgomery and Kearny streets, and residence propertieson Laylor, Sacramento and Lyon streets. 0. G. May & Co. of Berkeley report the following sales: Lot 50x164 on Dana street, versity grounds, $1500; lot 50x1 avenue, $800, and two lots each Harte street, near College avenue, COURSING AT CCERN VIEW Flashlight and Yreka Divided First and Second in the Main Stake. Kilmore, Faster and Faster, Lord Clifton and Electric Shared the Consolation. The largest crowd that ever assembled t Ocean View Coursing Park witnessed the running yesterday and saw races that brought forth the utmost enthusiasm. Eight pairs of dogs ran undecided courses betfore the flag 1t up, and the excellence of the sport tended to make the betting beavier than ever before in the history of the resort. The run between Fla bird was pronounced by ali to be a clinker, the points being equal in a race twice across the field, uniil the kill gave Flash« light the edvantage and the flag. Both the regular and consolation stakes were divided, the grueling courses pre- vious to the finish making the owners of the dogs unwilling to put them o further exertions. Following is the result of the rundown m the regular stak: J. McBride’s Flashlight beat P. Ryan’s Kitty Pease, J. Thompson’s Anything beat D. Bur- fiend's Tricks, A. Merrill's Snowbird beat C, Shortstag's Happy Day, kennel’s Gol. King beat Vici kennel’s Captain Jack, T. Nee- nan's Yreka beat J. Sexmith’s Mission Boy. J. Bradshaw's May Bel i ight and Snow- Evan’s Dasi away, J. Quane’s ¢ beat Villa kennel’s Tempest, W. Lord Clifton beat A. Merrill’s Faster and Faster, P. Ryan's Magpie beat Villa kennel's Electric. First ties—Flashlight beat Anything, Snow- bird beet Gold King, Yreka beat May Beile, pinaway beat Ceptain Morse, Magpie beat Lord Cliiton. Second ties—Flashlight beat Snowbird, Yreka beat Spinaway. Magpie & bye. Third ties—Flashlight beat Magpie, Yreka & bye. Final—Flashlight and Yreka divided first and second, $40; Magpie third, £10. The consolation stake resulted as fol- ion Boy beat Flambeau, Lord Clifton opest, Kitty Pease bent Sontag, Kel eat Ben, Dash y beat Happy Day, Faster and Faster beat Marvelous, Mayo Boy beat Susie, Electric heat Firsy ties—Lord Clifu Kilmore beat Kitty Pease, Faster and Faster beat Dashaway, Electric best Mavo Bo; Lord Clifton, more, Faster and Faster and Electric divided the purse. Ju Canavan; slipper, John Cranston, On Saturday next—Washington’s birthe day—a number of match races will be de~ cided, and on Sunday an all-aged stake at $1 50 entrance will be run, t Mission Boy, JOE GLICKSMAN. PORTLAND, Oregon, Feb. 11, I called upon the head of the Glendova Wine Co. to learn the state of the wine trade and incidentally I heard the praise of Cglifornia, and the great Californian remedy, Joy's Vegetable Sarsaparilla. Mr. Glicksman deals in Californian wines and takes an interest in Californian products, He has just recovered from a bilious fever. The attack lasted more than a week. Dur- ing his sickness he used nothing but Joy’s Vegetable Sarsaparilla and now he is sounding the praise of this great remedy. He told me that Joy’s Vegetable Sarsapa- rilla was recommended to him by a lady who had suffered from constipation and kidney trouble. Certainly it is pleasant to hear a good word of one’s native State and to come in contact with so many people who praise the products of Catifornia. Itwould be no difficult matter to collect here one thou- sand testimonials for Joy’s Vegetable Sar- saparilla. No one tries to substitute Joy’s Vegetable Sarsaparilla. Ibave tried every druggist and each one was only too glad to wrap up a bottle for me. How different itis in some parts of San Francisco. You need an ax and the price to get Joy's Veg- etable Sarsaparilla,