The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 19, 1896, Page 19

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, JULY 19, 1896. Honoring the Fo remost Scientist of Scotland A San Francisco Pastor's Graphic Descrip- tion of the Banquet to Liord Kelvin at Glasgow GLASGOW, ScotrAND, June 24.—It was a very kind thought on the part of the Scottish societies of Sau Franciseo that 1 should represent them and convey their congratulations to Lord Kelvin, whose jubilee was celebrated in Glasgow June 15, 16 and 17. The sluggishness of the Berlin threatened to prevent my doing #0. We landed at Southampton the morn- ing of the 16th. The London papers of that morning had glowing accounts of the brilliant social reception the evening pre- ceding. I wasdetermined to execute my commission as far as possible, and so I sent from London to the jubilee committee a telegram at some length, expressing the congratulstions of his Lordship’s fellow- countrymen in San Francisco and inti- mating that I would reach Glasgow that evening. Nearing the Scotch metropolis, I learned from the evening papers that the jubilee exercises were still going on. Upon the arrival of the train at the great St. Enoch’s station, a dapper young man inquired for me and upon my an- swering he informed me that Lord Kelvin had sent him to meet me and take me at once to the banquet, then in progress at St. Andrew’s Hall. ft will not be hard to make you believe that at the end of a 7000- mile journey 1 was scarcely in plight to respond without delay to his gracious Lordship’s order. Hurrying to St. Enoch’s Hotel, however, as guickly as possible, I garbed myself in appropriate apparel and soon found myself In the carriage with the private secretary of the man whose achievements and renown were at that moment the talk of the scientific world. He said that Lord Kelvin desired that im- mediately upon my arrival I should be brought to him and personally presented. St. Andrew’s Hall seats 4000 people. The floor was crowded with tables for the banquet, and those tables were surronnded with 600 of the most illustrious scholars of the day. The galleries were crowded with lookers-on. It was a spectacle to behold. The banquet was given jointly by the cor- poration and the University of Glasgow, the Honorable Lord Provost, Sir James Bell, in the chair. The guest of the even- ing sat at the chairman’s right on the high platform. Besides these there were half a hundred of the most distin- guished present on the platform. Led by the dapper young man, I made my way to the center of interest, and presented my regrets and reasons for delay, together with the cordial congratulations of the Scottish societies of San Francisco. Lord Kelvin’s manner is simplicity itself. If one could forget his titles and the dozen or so of letters affixed to his name, with the vaguely suggestive “etc.” superadded, one might easily imagine him a good-natured old professor of the old school. He told me that he had requested thata plate and place be reserved for me, and in a few moments I found myself seated among the banqueters, immediately in front of Lord Kelvin and beside ex-Lord Provost Muir. Iknew I was out of my element among such lordly earls and titled savants, but for S8an Francisco’s sake I resolved to look wige and to behave myself as if such bril- liant events were the most commonplace affairs in our California social life. It so happened that my tardy arrival was precisely at the turning-point of the evening. The menu was exhausted and the eloquence was now to be turned on. First of all, of course, a toast to her Majesty the Queen, whose congratula- tions the Lord Provost read. The guest hall became a bediam for a few moments and Lord Kelvin blushed, beatified. Then “The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Other Members of the Royal House.” Congratulations were read from Moscow, Montreal, from the Academy of Sciences of San Francisco and many other places. My telegram haa been presented at the university in their meeting in the afternoon. *‘The Houses of Parliament’ was proposed by the Right Honorable the Lord Justice-General of Scotland, a man keen, causlic and subtly sarcastic. Undoubtedly there was a great deal of learning there, but everybody knows that great learning does not always mean good speaking. Our last commencement at San Anselmo beat the whole lot of them for that. Over here they seem to regard it as one mark of greatness in a speaker to ig- nore his hearers (?), and it must be said that if that is a mark many of them are like Alexander, ‘very great.” But there was no doubt about the aver- age intellectual caliber of that company. The worst thing for me was that while [ knew Iwas surrounded by greatuness, there Was 1o one 10 tell me who was who. Max Muller was at my table. The Right Hon. Lord Rayleigh, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., etc., the discoverer of argonm, spoke. Professor Gairdner, with all the letters, the highest medical authority north of the Tweed, spoke, but no one heard him more thgn twenty feet away, and finally the crowd 1in the distance choked him off. General Amibale Ferrero spoke in Italian and I followed public sentiment in choos- ing the proper places for applause, At the table next to mine, surrounded by gowned professors from everywhere, quite a spirited gutturai quarrel arose as to wh ether it was Amibale or Amibale. 1was giad I was at another table. Sir Joseph Lister, presi- dent Royal Bociety, whose name is familiar to every physician, made the sudience glad by saying professionally that he saw no reason why their guest, the greatest living scientist, should not live and enjoy the best of health for years to come. Professor Simon Newcombe spoke for America, and while his famed scholar- ship gave him attention, the apprehension he expressed was not wholly groundless that any reputation his country might have for oratory would suffer by his hands. But what of Lord Kelvin himseli? .No one can question his title to greatness. He is the idol of Glasgow. The London Times called him the ‘‘greatesi living Scotchman,” Hisachievements have been as remarkable as they are varied. It was said by the Lord Provost that his inven- tions in aid of navigation alone had saved thousands of lives and millions of prop- erty. He perfected the mariner's com- vass. He had an important part in laying the Atlantic cable. It would Tequire a said to be a great teacher. He was made a Lord in 1893, He had been Sir William Thomson before that. He was born in Belfast plain William. [ In 1889 1 heard him in London, presid- ing at the annual meeting of the Society of Christian Evidences. He then said that for forty-seven years he had been studying the laws of inorganic matter and he had never found a single fact that did not precisely harmonize with the early chapters of Genesis. He is a good Scotch Presbyterian and, of course, neither the Scotch nor some of the rest of us think the less of Bim on that account. This jubilee’s congratulations were enough to turn any head less steadily balanced than his. Almost every scientific society in existence had sent its congratulations. Many of the great universities of both worlds were there bearing greetings. His Queen had signally honored him. The most brilliant and cosmopoliten company of scholars in physical science ever as- sembled, perhaps, was there to do him reverence. These Britons indulge in what Americans call “palaver” sometimes, and one cannot rid oneself of the idep that many hasten to pay tribute because the court has smiled that way. Stil! the hero sat, unflattered and un- spoiled! When he rose to speak the time- honored pin might bave been heard to drop. Heread every word from manu- script. No suggestion of conceit marred the simplicity of his greatness. With gal- lant loyalty, he toid the world that it could never know how much of his suc- cess was due to the helpfulness and sym- pathy of Lady Kelvin. With mingled love and pride the fair partner of his fame sat in the gallery with tears in her eyes and smiles on her face while the whole throng rose and cheered. With evident sincerity his Lordship went on to say that he was bewildered at that moment. He could not understand why all this was done. He had simply tried to do his best, and that was what every man should do. Soldiers go to war and risk their lives in herdship, but he had done his work in the places he loved best—his laboratory and his study. He had one word to express his feelings as he looked back over these fifty years, and that word was failure. (All over the house, *“No, no, no!”) He must say that concerning ether and electricity and the atoms he did not know any more to-day than when he began. He had simply iearned a few of their tricks—that was all. His ignorance appalled him. His life work had only made him more sensible of it. One was reminded of Sir Isaac Newton’s notion that his knowledge was to the un- known as a handful of pebbles to the sands on the seashore. Striking remark indeed for such a man! It is the last year’s sprig of science that makes Old Truth to tremble. The Faradays and Newtons and Kelvins are humble, modest in their greatness. I wonder if that is not why they are great. ‘We are afraid of sophomores and skeptics who know too much to believe; we rather like the modest learners and believers who know too little to doubt. The band played “God Save the Queen,” but just as the evening closed the Lord Provost said that it was Lord Kelvin’s special request that we all join hands and, led by the band, sing together ““‘Auld Lang Syne.” Hexry C. MENTON. Queer Complaints Lodged With the Board of Health “Well, I've been called npon to abate some curious nuisances, -but this beats them all,” said Health Inspector Duren a few days ago, as he gazed reflectively ata sheet of paper held in his hand. ‘“Here is a man living at Seventeenth and Guerrero streets who says his neigh- borhood is infested with mosquitoes and that he wants them cleared away as soon as possible. He says he has been reading up on the duties’ of the Board of Health and finds that one of its functions is to abate nuisances wherever found. He de- clares that there is no doubt that the swarms of mosquitoes that hover about the neighborhood are a nuisance and that therefore it is the duty of the board to see that they are abated ai once. I suppose we will be expgeted to see that the flies do not annoy housewives after a while. “But the funny part of this compiaint is the cause to which this man attributes the invasion of the pests. He calls attention to the fact that s Chinese laundry is located a few blocks down Beventeenth street, and says that he has come to the conclusion from investigation that they breed in the laundry. Of course this is preposterous, as the chemicals Chinese use in their washing would drive the insects away rather than invite them to stay long enough to breed. “However, jt's a fair guess that the laundry may need a sanitary overhauling, as such places generally do, and perhaps our complaining friend may be satisfied with that and believe that the insects are decreasing in numbers in consequence. “This complaint is on a par with one that came in some time ago from Capp street. A man out there has a big weep- ing willow tree in his front yard that sends its branches out over the street. ‘We received a complaint that the tree was a menace to the public health and I went out to investigate, I found that some kind of a black bug had made a breeding- place of the tree and that large numbers had fallen to the sidewalk. This was the nuisance complained of. I couldn’t see that the Board of Health had any partic- ular jurisdiction over the matter, but I had a talk with the owner of the tree, in- duced him to have the tree trimmed so that the insects woulid not fall on the side- walk, and the peace and comfort of the neighborhood were restored. “We get dozens of complaints that originate in little neighborhood quarrels, one honsewife trying to make the other uncomiortable by having her premises overhauled by a Health Inspector, but they are usually easily settled.” —————— Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark, Teview article io catalogue his contribu- tions to commerce and civilization. He is not a scientist simply for science’s sake. His most profound researches have a practicai value. He is immensely rich, disproving _the remark that inventors TEVEr reap the profits of their own inven- the eldest brother of the Princess of Wales, is 53 years oid. He has seen all his sis- ters and one brother attain more brilliant positions than his own. His sisters are the Princess of Wales, the Dowager Em- press of Russia and the Queen de jure of Hanover, and his brother is King of the tions. He hasa Scotchman’s eye to busi- ness. He manufactures in Glasgow the instruments he invents. l Like many other greats cholars, he is Hellenes. The youngest of the family, Prince Waldemar, married one of the richest heiresses in Europe in Princess Marie of Chartres. Happily for most of us, riches is not the exclusive gate of enjoyment, and poverty is not a continuous bar to pleasure evensin this era of Groverian dullness that has bred so much distress in the homes of the lowly. Here 13 a scene on Van Ness avenueand another in an alleyway south of Market street. The background of one is a palace; of the other, a hovel. The population of the latter is larger than that of the palace; the rich are few, the poor many. Here the story of conditions is told by the children. The Van Ness-avenue youth is probably not afflicted with any material wants. His stomach never knows the cravings of ne- cessity; his limbs are covered with fine linen, rare cloth and lace, and his shoes are things of elegance. He has choice books and papers and magazines to read; parlor and lawn games to play; a bicycle to exercise upon, and an instructor to aid him in mastering the wheel. His home is bright and alluring. Putachild of poverty in his place and the surroundings would be considered a veritable heaven. Put the Van Ness youth in the place of a child of Can the poverty, however, and he might be lost in the race where grit and endurance are the winning elements. There are many pretty pictures on Van Ness avenue; but you must seek the tene- ment district to learn the hard lessons of life. The young ones there find amuse- ment 1n pictorial papers blown from boot- black stands. They have sport with home-made rag balls, which they bat around with fence pickets. They can ap- preciate bread that is a stranger to butter, and none know better how to. get full value in food out of a nickel. They ride bicycles—the old-fashioned kind—that the rich have cast away. They sing street songs, yell at odd characters and play games that cost no money; they have factions and cliques among them and they fight for supremacy. Their clothes are ragged, their feet bare or encased in leathers that have done service for their elders. Their locks bear homely evidence of sttacks from the maternal shears, and their faces are mingled sunshine and dirt, with the latter very apt to predominate. These children have circuses in barns, theatricals in sheds; they make music with tin whistles and harmonicas, combs and clappers. They crack jokes that are funny and admire originaiity. They fill the tenement district with laughter, and there is often more merriment in the midst of these shanties of the very poor than there is up on Van Ness avenue. But, of course, the moments of merriment must sober down into the severe time when realization of want returns with hunger’s pangs after the excitcment has passed away. These poor boys do mere thinking than the Van Ness youth. They listen to street-corner taik, philoso- phize on events, take sides in politics and have warm debates in the street or in the back yards on the burning issuesof the day. What does the child on Van Ness ave- nue know or care about politics? He is pampered and petted and regaled on dainties and delicacies and Iife to him is a paradise. What does he wish for? He has everything be wants and is satisfied. People who talk of miseries and hardships do not move in the same sphere with him. A~ 3 It is different down in the tenements. There the little heads areloaded with poli- tics. Start the subject in a crowd of those urchins and you will be astonished atsome of the things you will hear. You will learn that the 10-year-old boy thinks there is something wrong in the conditions that have kept the mill closed that used to give employment to his father. He has heard his father and his elder brothers railing against dull times, enforced idleness and low wages, and he carries out to you the -contention that the Gov- ernment is to blame for the want in most of the wretched houses. Why, this youngster talks like a man. He tells you that affairs were all right five or six years ago—machinery was running on all sides then. What’s the matter with the country? The boy’s father has declared to him that free trade has wrecked busi- ness, and that protection is the thing that will bring good times back again. If your hear the boys in the tenement distriet singing McKinley songs, you know the reason why. They, as well as their elders, look forward to an improvement in Studies of Child Life in the Streets of San Francisco. their lot when Grover and his bond syndi cate give place to an administration for. the people. With changed conditions—or, rather, with a return to those conditions which were known but not sufficiently valued before the monarch of corpulence threw his weight for a second time upon the country, the children of the poor district would hardly change places with the youth on Van Ness avenue. With enough clothes to coyer them decently and enough food to eat, they would laugh derisively at the idea that a boy on the avenue with few playmates, and with a governess to hold him in check—a boy who has to keep his face and hands clean, who wears red gloves, and who wouldn’t geta spot on his white waist for anything; a boy who is afraid of black eyes and who will run before he’ll fight—they would laugh de- risively at the idea that such a boy got half so much gemuine, unadulteraated pleasure out of life as the least of the arabs whose fortunes are pitched in the district of the toilers, down back of the long lines of mills and factories. Gulf That Yawns Between These Two Be Bridged?