The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 10, 1896, Page 18

18 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDA Y, MAY 10, 1896. | o | 11/ y o ELD FIRST met Geo¥ge Francis Train just two days before I started with him on that sixty-seven day tour of the world --irom Tacoma to Tacoma. The start was made on the 16th of March, 1890. Going out of Commencement Bay by | special steamer to meet the Canadian trans-Pacific liner Abyssinia in the Royal Roads opposite Victoria, we rode into Tacoma by special train from the East on @7%5 /7 SRANATIC | on fourteen days across. // iy S W = Fripets O Gl S T 7/ SRAMATIC TNCIDENT AT-YOKOHAMA - TRAT-RESCUED THE SWIFTEST TOUR OF THE WORLD FROM FAILURE. ba y 57"%%1 D real way round the earth—the short way. Do you drink and carouse around ?”* Itold him I wassimply a plain news- paper man, but that I would do the best I | could. Train had been an irrepressible joker himself up to this time. Now he said: *‘On the contrary, Ido not drink anything myself, and we must keep our heads about us for this business. We will travel like princes, but we wii] be very busy atevery post. We must make absolute connection everywhere or the enterprise will fall flat.” For sixteen aays we plunged through bleak and stormy seas, with rain and snow accompaniment. We had counted There had been no plan beforehand, however. We knew nothing of the sailing days of ships west- ward in the Orient. It was simply a trast- ing to Train’s “*psychics’’—another name the afternoon oi the ,an interval of sixty-seven days between the farewell | waved to the gay crowd of excursionists on the steamer Olympian in the straits of | Fuca and the greeting to the other gay crowd with its other brass bands in the streets of Tacoma seemed, when 1t was | shi done, but a twinkling, and yet, seen through the experiences that had come between, seemed a decade. Figuratively, it was a cup of tea in Japan, *‘just one more’’ in China, a sniff at the spices of Ceylon for luck. The loss of two days on the Pacific did not disturb him in the least. | He was the same philosopher in mid- | ocean that he had been in Madison square. On the 2d of April, fourteen days out, a faint line of purple came into the western As Tramn and I stood at the s rail watching iv, he with a glassand his big fur-collared coat buctoned about | him, he said: *“Thatis Japan. In forty- eight hours we begin business. Running | forty miles an hour, once, across the | American continent—I was conducting a | party of notables over the first Pacific road and Araby, a glass of wine in Paris, a | —I touched a light to the prairie at night door. He heard his little Japanese maid pull back the bolts in the hallway, and ieard men’s loud insistent voices and her timid remonstrance that her master must not be disturbed ; he heard footsteps ap- proach bis own bedroom, and then an alarming knocking upon the panels of the door. He sprang out of bed. ““Who's there?”” he cried. “George Francis Train, sixteen days from Tacoma, bound round the world in sixty days. Come! let me in.” : “What do you want? I’m in my night- shirt.” “Very well; keep it on! Come, let me in, 'm” in a hurry! 1want to catch the Werder.” ; “The General Werder sailed two days ago.” K"Oh. come, open the door! Don’t you suppose I know that? I want to catch her.” Douvtingly Herr Leopold turned the key in the lock, and then the door was pushed open from the other side and three men walked in. He of the con- versation was a tall, large-framed man with snow-white hair and gray mustache, extremely rapid in_manner and speech, faultiessly dressed in a gray suit, brown overcoat, gloves and patent-leather shoes The line of argument was generally in- terrupted. “Where is the Werder now?"’ asked Train. ‘““At Kobe.” *“ WHAT!” SAID TRAI [Sketched by a “Call” artist.] “THREE DAYS!” momentary struggle with a London fog, and then New York and the crash of the brass band and cannons on the hills of Tacoma. Literally, it was sixty-seven days’ driving behind the world’s swiftest engine, sixty-seven davs churning the ocean and roaring over rails ! westward. And none of the peoples of all the earth will forget that sixty-seven-day visitation. It recurs to me like a torch- light procession, with unbroken ranks and skyrockets and red fire and a long trail of astonished natives. The Olympian and the Abyssinia lashed together in the Straits of Fuca and Train and I stepped from the one to the other. The one backed away, and while the band ti_ayed and the crowd yelled, neaded for Victoria; the other started her ponderous machinery with her nose pointed toward a stormy ocean and the Orient. W hat I had seen of George Francis Train up to that time was simply a man of un- usual vitality, a public speaker of unusual capacity to entertain, a man of apparently unusual executive capacity, thinking of a thousand details of his trip and keeping everybody about him busy with prepara- tions while he himself gave his time to every little tot that came into his room or crossed his path. To be sure when intro- duced he kept his hands to himself, fold- ing them together while bowing in the most courtly fashion. His “eccentricity” in this matter was well known, however, and taken in connection with his abun- dant good spirits was passed with a smile. Now, however, he and I were alone, o to | speak. For, although our sensational | entry into the ship had brought passen- gers and crew on deck, they stood aloof, and we were shown to our two big state- Tooms on the lower deck and for the first and awoke the sleeping train to see the sea of tire. You are rarely fortunate. You wil] witness the like again._ I am about to set the prairie on fire. I have the twist upon the worid. I shall enter the United States like Monte Cristo rising from the sea. I have found the riches and the world is mine.” On the morning of the 4th of April we rounded into the harbor at Yokohama. The day was beautiful and as we ran up the bay (hroth the moving life ana color of the harbor, dotted witn sampans and strange sea craft, with here and there “a big ocean liner, the roofs of Yokohama making jagged points along the rim of the sea, while Fujiyama lifted its white cone into the distant sky and the water about us spark]ingkv&i!h light and life. the sen- sation was like that of drinking wine. Train had been on deck since daybreak. With his glass ' e was studying the flags in the harbor, looking for the English or German, for they are fast sailers. We slowed down some distance out and a pilot came on board and told him that the General Werder — North German Lioyds—had sailed two dnfs before to make connections with vessels of its own line clear into the Mediterranean. There would not be another vessel south ina week. Do you think that rattled the chief? Not a bit of it. “Well, well, let us go to breakfast,” he said. **We will see about it when we get ashore.”” The 4th of April happened to be Good Friday, and in this land of Buddha was religiously observed. The town was prac- tically shut up. We took a rickshaw to the office of the Japan Gazette, enlisted the editor, wko led the way to the resi- dence of the agent of the German Lloyds. time =ized each other up as inseparable for the next two months or so. “We are going on an important mis- sion,"” said Train. ‘““We are to show the Arrived there we found the door locked ul:ndlho blinds drawn, The agent was still abed. He was awakened by a clamor at his THE AGENT TELEGRAPHS TO HOLD THE GENERAL WERDER. [From a sketch.] VY MAAAANGV AN I\ TELECRAPH OFFICE \ “Kobe is 300 miles down the coast and can be reached by rail?” “Yes.” “When will she sail from there?” ““To-morrow morninz.” he sails with the tide?"” “No. There is plenty of water where she lies.” “It is twenty-four hours from here. ‘What time does a train leave?’ *‘At 3 this afternoon.” “‘It would be too late. the vessel.” “Impoesible, sir. It cannot be done. Under any circamstances it cannot. The General Werder carries the German mail.” . But it was done. Asan excuse for say- ing all that he did say in the time he took to it Train explained that he was in a hurry. He told Leopold that 1t meant t-class passages from Kobe to the You must hold Imost a third the way round the earth—worth in money $800; in fame with- out price. This trip was history; he must get into it. We had a kodak with us; we would take a photograph of the agent in his nightshirt in the act of sending the message that held the Werder. It was effective. Mr. Leopold rang; his little Japanese eirliresponded; by his or- der she brought a bottle of yellow label. Having been won to the enterprise she be- came enthusiastic in it, and Anglin, the editor, was so delighted_that he hu ged and kissed the little Jlgnnen girF Te- veatedly. But he might have done that upon slighter provocation. She only smiled and was still demure. Then we jumped into the rickshaws again and rode to the Consul's office. There was a little rush of pleased excia- mation and reminiscence at the meeting with Consul Greathouse and then Train stated the business: “Iam on my every twenty-year tour of the world. I want passports for two.” “Ah!" said Greathouse. *‘That is red tape. You will have to see the American Minister, Mr. Swift, at Tokio,” “Very well. Can you tell me about the train ?" “It leaves at 11.” *And when return?” “At 2. *‘That will do nicely. It will give me thirty minuates in Tokio. Iam to catch the 3 o’clock train for Kobe.” ‘“The 3 o’clock train for Kobe!” The “You might as well sit Consul laugbed. down and be easy, for that is impossible.’ “Why? Impossible seems to be very lightly spoken in Japan.” “Well, it is imrouible," he repeated. “Minister Swift will have to see the Japan- ese Minister, and there is a whole lot of hocus pocus. Besides this is a Japanese holiday and I don’t think you could et one of them to move in the matter to-day even if they could be found, which is very doubtful. "A pass has never been ob- tained under the most favorable circum- stances and strongest pressure in less than three days.” ““What,” exclaimed Train, *‘three days to sign a paper? It is time, then, that I reduced the limit to about three minutes, You watch me.” Idid not go to Tokio, but between 11 and 2 o’clock saw Yokohama. At 2o'clock a little party of friends, invited, sat and stood about a table in the dining-room of the Grand Hotel watching the clock. The waiters stood by equally anxious. The guests tried their best to make it appear that they did not feel silly. Anglin, the editor, who had been shifting the respon- sibility of bis 200 pounas from one leg to another, made a mental note that the clock marked twelve minutes past 2, and that that was three minutes slower than his watch, when Consul Greathouse laughed outright, saying that if the dinner was to cook until Train came back with a passport, there would be very little use in l ordering anything rare. A banquet without the host would be 100 novel to attempt in the Orient and they might as well— A whirlwind swept some 4“’1?“"’ to the floor and George Francis Train despatched seven waiters in search of oysters and snipe and wine, and b'!fvfld, his guests to be seated. “We have forty minutes to eat and drink and talk and catch the train,” he said. “The passports? Certainly. I don’t eat meat myself, waiter; bring me some Lyonaige potatoes and a biscuit, And speaking of passports reminds me of the last time [ was at Iokio,in '70. There was an Enghsh minister, Sir Henry Parkes, who moved in greater splendor than the Mikado. ‘‘His carriage was drawn by four white horses, and he had a more brilliant retinue than Thomas a Bechet. Herode through the streets looking straight beiore him, not noticing native or foreigner except of the higher order. He was the most mighty thing in all Japan—the English Minister —and that just after Commodore Perry and I had made it possible for him to come ashore. Isaw him drive by once, and my private secretary, George Pickering Bemis, now Mayor of Omaha, stepped to one side to make room for him. ‘Never do that again,’ said I. ‘To-morrow at this time you come here with white horses, and when you make this ambitions Minister turn out for you, he will probably ask you who you are. ‘Then tell him you are my private secretary.’ Waiter, some more wine for these gentlemen.” As a part of the singular luck that fol- lowed us round the world this train that We took that afternoon was the last that Wwas to travel over the road until the fourth day following. The Emperor had been reviewing his troops at Kioto, the demon- stration was over and the Government was to take charge of the road for the dis- tribution of the troops. The train ran into the station at Kobe a little after 3 o’clock. It had not come to a full stop when the door swung open and alusty German voice said, *‘Are you Mr. Train?” “Yes.” “Where is your baggage? I am the agent of the Norddeutscher Lloyd. We have been waiting for you and want to get you aboard as quickly as possible.” Our string of satcheis and trunks were piled on {wo trucks, we mounted the ever- present rickshaw and a beautiful race took place to the quay. There a customs offi- cer just glanced into one of the trunks, we tumbled into a sampan,and a few moments later stood on the deck of the Geuneral Werder, which, with steam up and anchor weighed, was standing in the roadstead. Thus, by the capture of the German mail, with its complete line of connections round into the Mediterranean, the swiftest tour of the worid was made reasonably certain. THEIR FAVORITE DISHES., Gastronomic Tastes of Some European Sovereigns. Ina recent issue of Cassell’s Saturday Journal 18 an article which records the gastronomic tastes of some of the reign- ing sovereigns of Europe. Queen Vic- oy %, &8, £ t Y o a8 “% & e L i % : e Lo, g - & by & 3‘ 72 = A . % % -« HE year 1872 can be set down as marking the beginning of art cul- ture in Ban Francisco. It was then that a little group of talented fellows began to form plans for getting some sort of study. They started the Graphic Club, laid the foundations for the School of Design and began a struggle that has led several of them to fame. At first these earnest young men used such rooms as they could afford to rent temporarily for the purpose of sketching from life. All worked at some sort of un- congenial business during the day, and could only draw a few hours at night. A number worked at painting in their own good in the way of impreasing the effect of the ocean on his mind. By the year 1876 the School of Design was on a iair basis, and Harrison went in for a course of instruction. He remained two years, but his studies were not con- sidered of any great importance. His studies from nature made at the time are also lacking in many of the things that go to make up a genius. The painting from which_the accompanying drawing was made is a very weak piece of work. The water is flat and dry, and the drawing of the boats 18 very poor. Alexander Harrison left S8an Francisco in 1879 for Philadelphia, where he re- mained for about iwo vears studying in the School of Design tnere. He then went to Paris, where he has practically re- of caricature. The ucnmpnnvin§ dr. ing of/Thomas Hill was made in 1 when {m had been working several . To give it all the credit it deserves it cap only be said to pbe very ordinary. Itshows a lack of the comprehension of form and also timidity in the way of handling pencil. Of course Palmer Cox can b be =aid to be a great artist, but there is denying the fact that he is a genius. The Brownies are the funniest caricatures human beings ever made, and his ab’ to weave them into peculiar incidents been one of the things that has helped 1o make him famous. Palmer Cox’s Brownies were drawn for St. Nichola about 1879, but his best work was done two years ago. It was a series of articles in the Ladies’ Home Journal entitled MORNING ON THE BAY. “LA CREPESCULE,” " ALEXANDER HAMILTON’S BEST [From a picture painted by Alexander Harrison in 1878.] toria, it appears, is devoted to oatmeal soup. She likes pickled cucumbers, and roast beef is always served. She drinks white sherry out of a silver cup. According to a custom instituted by George II, the name of the cook who pre- pared a dish is announced when it is vlaced upon the table. The King and Queen of Italy, when the royal guests are exclusively Italian, revel in spaghetti, garlio, onions and oil. Fritto is another favorite dish. It is made of artichokes, chickens’ livers, calves’ brains and cocks’ combs. The Grand Duchess of Baden makes her own coffee, while her husband grows his own wine and is his own head cellarman. Both delight in lentil soup, seasoned with vinegar, and Frankfort sausage. The Pope is very simple in his tastes. His breakfast consists of a roll and cafe au lait. For dinner, which is eaten at 1 0’clock, he has soup, meat, pastry and fried potatoes or other vegetables. At this repast he drinks a single glassof old Burgundy. At 6 o'clock he takes a glass of claret and bouillon, and at half-past 10 a supper com- Kgsed of cold meat and another cup of uillon. King Oscar of Sweden likes the national dish of raw saimon preserved in earth and a soup composed of boiled barley and whipped cream. In case he is deposed he A Brownie, the Creation of Palmer Cox That Has Brought Him Fame and For- tune. is well trained to conduct a boaraing- house, as all the remainders of roasts are made into hash, The Emperor of Austria likes spaetzle, a kind of macaroni, and apple wine; while the food of the Empress consists of cold meats, fruits, the juice of raw beefsteak and tes. She is very careful of her dlet, as she is solicitous to preserve her figure. The present Emperor of Russia is a man ©of moderate habits in eatinz. To provide for his simple wants he has a French chef, who ranks s colonel in the army. This functionary is profusely decorated, and has under his command at court banquets about 1200 subordinates. On ordinary oc- casions four head intendants, twenty-four sub-intendants, thirty-four lackeys, sixty | buffet moujiks, two chefs and four under chefs are in service, AND = MOST FAMOUS PAINTING. mained ever since. He studied with the best masters, and it was not long before he was able to make use of the vast amount of knowledge he had acquired while in the Coast Survey and when studying the waters of the bay of San Francisco, In 1887 a prize of $3000 was offered for the | best picture by an American artist, to be exhibited in New York one year later. | Harrison came back from Paris on pur- | pose to compete. He felt that he would have a good show, but his picture took the | art world by surprise and captured the prize. It was entitlea ‘La Crepescule,”’ and has been said by many emiment critics to be the finest and most realistic bit of water ever painted. This work is at present in St. Louis, but it has been re- produced so many times that it is known all over the world. To look at ‘La Crepescule” it is hard to realize that it is nothing but paint and canvas. Every wave seems to be dancing toward the | shore, and the light of the rising moon is reflected in a thousand points of scintillat- PALMER COX WHEN A STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL OF DESIGN. \From a drawing made at the time by Thomas Hill.] homes and when they thought they had enough “stuff’’ to exhibit they *“clubbed” in and rented a hall for one night. It was thrown open to the public and hundreds canie to look at the pictures, but in those days purchasers were mighty scarce. As the vears went by the artists became more and more strongly banded together. Everyboay with any talent_tried to make uvse of 1t and encouraged others. Ari never struggled against greater odds nor had less advantages than it did here in Ban Francisco, but the result is most grat- ifying and encouraging and still turther proves the old theory that genius can ex- 1ist anywhere and will not be suppressed. Three men whose fame to-day 1s world- wide did their first studving in San Fran- cisco. Two women have climbed high on the ladder of National fame, and several young men have taken rank with the best in America and promise greater things in the future. Tracy, the great painter of scenes in American hunting-fields, has been most strongly identified with the art growth of this City. Before there was any thought of orglu{ulion Tracy was a hard worker. He had no fundamental instruction at all. but simply worked from nature, painted such things as pleased him. When the Graphic Club and School of Design started he was one of the men who voted considerable of his time to study and also to the instructton of others not as far advanced as himself. Insome way Tracy seemed to know what was good in art, for he made steady improvement as the years went by. In the latter part of the “seventies Tracy moved to St. Louis, where he did well in a financial way, and brought his work to such a high standard of artistic excellence that it soon attracted attention. In 1883 he went to New York and at once took a position as one of the reat painters of this country. Since then {il fame has constantly been on the in- crease. Evn;ly Eicture he paints is sold before it is off the easel, and there isa con- stant demand for reproductions of them. His “Hunting Grouse” is perhaps his most famous work. The landscape is full of light and color, and the figures of men, dogsand birds are painted in a masterful manner. When Tracy wasin San Fran- cisco bis work sold at any price he could Pet—from $5 10 $25. Now he seldom gets less tLan $1000 for even a verv small work. His “‘Autumn in the Fields,” one of his late works, sold for $5000. Alexander Harrison is conceded to be one of the-frelwsl marine paitters in the world to-day. He is also an old San Francisco art student, who began his career on his own account. He first made sketches around the bay, and realizing that he had talent he joined the Coast Sur- vey for the purpose of studying water. ‘This undoubtedly did him a great deal of ““The B rownies’ Trip Around the World.” Theodore Wores was one of the first students to attend the School of Design. He showed a strong inclination toward still-life subjects, and always selected those with plenty of color in them. After about two years of study he went to Munich and ‘worked under a number of the best masters. He then made two trips to Javan, and is, perhaps, best known by the work he did there. Mr. Wores’ work is very well known in this City, but whenever he has exhibited in the great | art centers of the world he has always had | the most favorable criticism. He was one | of the Fior}eers in Japanese subjects, and many of his pictures have been sold for large sums. At present he is in New York, engaged on some important orders with which he feels greatly encouraged. Julian Rix is also an oid 8an Francisco art student. He worked in the School of Design for several years, but demonstrated to himself that he would dobetter in land- scape than anything else. Hesoon ranked as the best in bis field in the State. All of the grand California scenery has been painted by him, but he did not achieve fame until he went to New York abouat tive years ago. He ai once sprang into prominence, and to-day is at the head of his profession. Some of his later work has been declared to be magnificent in tone and, at the same time, having an originality of execution that places it on a level with that of the great masters of the world. His work is reproduced to a large extent and sold all over the country. Miss Lotz was one of the first pupils of the School of Design. She worked there for nearly six years before going to Europe. Her talent was discovered by Dan Cook, who provided several years’ instruction for her under the famous animal painter, Van Mark. She produced several good pictures that sold readily and has been constantly improving. Allof her work has been confined to animals. It is of a hich order of merit and gives her a strong position in the art world, but asyet she has not produced a real masterpiece. Miss Lizzie Strong bears a high reputa- tion *in _the world of art as a painter of dogs. She went to the School of Design about 1876 and remained there for over four years when she went to Paris and studied in the schools and under different masters. Her work is known all over the world and several of her pictures are owned PORTRAIT OF From a drawiny made by Palmer Cox when he was a student at the School of Design.] THOMAS HILL. > ing brilliancy. One forgets that one is in an art gallery, and seems to hear the low murmur of the surf pulsating through the evening atmosphere. Harrison has never stopped in his art, but is constantly mak- ing improvement. He exhibited a picture about a year ago that the great Mesdag de- clared to be a masterpiece. . Palmer Cox, the creator of the Brown- ies, is known to aimost every person in America and England. He began his art career in this City about 1872. At the time he was working at his trade of jeweler, but found occasional opportunities to attend the Graphic Club and School of Design. | He was very industrious and worked from | life a great deal, but_did not show any ex- ceptional talent. He did not shox any trace of what he was going to build his fame on. His great effort was always to draw portraits. It was a difficult matter for him, however, and his career shows that his strong point lay in the direction in this City. It is strong in color and the drawing is exceptionally good. She also manages to get a great deal of sentiment in her work that gives it an individuality sure to lead her to the highest round of the ladder of fame, The well-known water color painter, Harvey Young, got his_first knowledge of art in San Francisco. He was a member of the Graphic Ciub and did work in the S8chool of Design#: He is best known to-day as a vainter of Mexican scenes. He never attempts anything large, but gets good prices for all the small things he can paint. His studio is in New York, but most of his work is done out of doors, so that he spends most of kis time in Mexico. Of the artists who have achieved local fame nearly all obtained their first instruction at the School of Design. In fact the best artists in California are en- tirely the home product.