The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 1, 1897, Page 6

6 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, JANUARY 1. 1897. S FRIDA IANUAWL 1, 1897 CHARLES M. SHORTRIDGE, Editor and Proprietor. P SUBSCRIPTION RATES—Postage Free: Dally and Sunday CALY, one week, by carrier. .§0.18 Daily and Sunday CALE, one year, by mail..... 6.00 Dally and Sunday CALL, six months, by mail.. 3.00 Dally and Sunday CALL, three months by mail 1.0 Dally and Sunday CALL, one month, by mail. .85 Bunday CaLL, one year, by mai 150 W RAELY CaL, oe year, by m 150 BUSINESS OFFICE: 710 Market Street, San Francisco, California. Telephone. Main—1868 EDITORIAL ROOMS: 517 Clay Street. Telephone. Main—1874 BRANCH OFFICES: #97 Montgomery sireet, corner Clay: open until ¥ :5C c'clock. ££9 Hayes street; open until 9:30 o’clock. %18 Larkin street; open until 9:30 o’clock. W corper Sixteentn aud Mission sireeis; open &1 6 0'clock. L1® Mission street: open nntll 9 0'clock. 367 Ml sireet; open nntil 9 0'CloCK. »Jumrkei sireet, open il 9 O'Clock OAKLAND OFFICE +U5 Broadway. Yooms %1 and 3 New York City. DAVID 1HE CALL SPEAKS FOR ALL. Al S e Happy New Year. Let us sll resolve. Here's luck to the world. Bryan should swear his jaw off. Resolve to patronize home industry. McKinley days will soon be With us. Tt will be a year of protection and pros- perity. Mr. Huntington should swear off the funding bill. Street improvement should wrestle with the cobblestones this year. The outlook is bright for all who are bright enough to look out Sacramento will swear not at ail. is on to nothing thatisn’t gooa. She All California wishes a bappy and pros- perous New Year to San Pe: Cleveland should go duck-shooting and get out of the way of Congress. The Weather Bureau should swear off on rain and keep it for a month. Make s home market for home goods and you will see the Staté flourish. Congressmen should make up their minds to s good Cuben resolution. The year promises you a good living, but you will have to hustle to collect it. The war cloud still hangs over Europe, but it has ceased to frighten anybody. The teachers have had a notable con- vention and the State is proud of them. The new street lights are good thingsto swear by, They show us the best ways. The free-traders have sworn themselves out of politics and politics has improved. The disappointments of the old year die with 1t and hope is born again with the new. The old year was a good one for Vene- zuela and this should be a good one for Cuba. There are good prospects that labor will find its opportunity and industry its re- ward. Politics will begm to boil over next week and then we shall know what is in the pot. We cannot have much prosperity until we get a new tariff, but that will come in the spring. The best spirit with which to set about the work of the coming twelve months 1s public spirit. Resolved to'send THE CALLto your East- ern friends, and they will thank you for the resolution. The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley road bas resolved on extension and will keep it We will realize many good things this year if we work for them with a realizing Bense of the value of work, The past year has shown what compet- ing railroads czn do, and for this time on we will profit by the lesson. Don’t ask your friend what you should swear off or he will tell you so much you will swear off his acquaintance. Salinas sees the sweetest thing of the year in her new sugar factory, and the whole State will share her sweetness with her. The reform movements of the season are less erratic and less voluble than those of last year, but there is more business in them. ‘We ought to begin this winter the fight in Congress for the appointment of a sec- retary of mines and mining. There is no use in postponing the inevitable. The welcome en to the New Yearat midnight is a striking proof of what a noise San Francisco could make in the world if we could all blow our trumpets in harmony. The propossl to erect at Washington an arch of Californis fruit over one of the avenues along the route of the inaugural procession is a novel one, but there may be meritin it. Afany rate it will be an- other means of surprising the East with our arch ways. The deep interest taken by Washington in the Mothers’ Congress to be held in that city in February inclines to the belief that the people of the capital have a fond hope the mothers will take the boys of the other Congress off their old tracks by & few well-applied switches. Among the Congressional novelties of the season is the mtroduction of a joint resolution to amend the constitution so that terms of Representatives shall be in- creased to four years, of Senators to eight years, and of the President to eight. 1lt1s supposed the business interests of the country will support the measure in order togat arest from frequent elections, but business will remember Cleveland and the cuckoo Congress and prefer to keep the right to make a clean sweep once in iwo years, | | | | | A HAPPY NEW YEAR. With glowing anticipations of better things and with resolutions so to act as to speed their coming, men and women of the civilized world will greet the New Year’s day. - It matters not if the sky be overclouded by storms of wind or rain or snow, it will be, nevertheless, to the great majority of us all & bright and happy new year. The day will draw its brightness less from any sunshine it may radiate than from the luminous prospects which the mind can discern upon the horizon. On this day pessimism will be banished and every intellect will seek only for those | signs which promise good to nations and tomen, Such signs Wil not be lacking in any country nor to any class of people. The kinaly earth is full of promises to man, and Mother Nature gives assurance that these promises will be fulfilled to all who obey her laws and work in accordance with her rules. Bright, therefore, will be the day in every land—brighter in America than to others, and brightest of all in California. The happiness of the day will depend upon the heart which receives the in- flvences of the good prospects around. There are people who would be sad even in the halls of heayen, as there are others who would find cause of rejoicing under the most gloomy conditions. It is the latter class to whom the day will be a happy one, no matter whether the sun shines or the rain falls. They will see in the abundant promises of nature a thou- sand opportunities for their own advance- ment, and they will with resolute minds and cheerful hearts determine to make of them the best use and profit. Surely the pesple of California and of the United States generally have good reason to be well satisfied with the out- look. Qur country is to-day more pro- pitious to men than any other on earth, and our State offers more encouragement to industry ard enterprise than any other in our country. As a Nation we are so powerfal that we can not only command peace for ourselves but can go far toward securing it for others. As a State we are so prosperous that we can not only fur- nish our own people with abundance but out of the profusion of our crops can ex- port much of those produets of the soil which in less favored lands are counted as luxuries. Under these circumstances our people have a thousand inducements to the mak- ing of good resclutions. It neeas but lit- tle reflection to discern that wherever we have failed in the past the failure has been largely due to defects in ourselves In our individual undertakings we have | not put forth our full strength or exerted all the virtue thatis in us. In our public enterprises we have not co-operated with a complete cordiality or made use of the full force of our united strength. There- fore to attain in the coming year the re- alization of what we now anticipate there is needed more than anything else a de- termination to reform ourselves and to act n the work of the coming year with a greater individual vigor and more of pub- lic spirit and general harmony. TrE CaLL, speaking for all, wishes for California a Happy New- Year. It desires that the coming twelve months shall have more of realization than of disappoint- ment. It sees in the advantages of the State a thousand opportunities for. public and private advancement. It wishes all of these opportunities to be used to the fullest extent and the advancement to be carried forward to a degree of prosperity which shall assure the welfare of all, It therefore urzes tie adoption of good resolutions which will tend to promote every rightly directed effort of the indi- vidual will, and every enterprise which either civic pride, State interest or Na- tional patriotism may induce us to under- take. STREET IMPROVEMENTS, The impetus given to street improve- ments by the splendid accomplishments in street lighting during the last few months will undoubtedly be continued into the coming year and promises re- sults far greater than even the most san- cuine anticipated a comparatively short time ago. Progressive merchants and property-owners along a large number of our principal streets have shown an ability to co-operate which bas not only accom- plished much in the past but gives assur: ance of even greater things in the future. There is hardly any feature of our civic life during the past twelve months which can be regarded with more satisfaction than what has been done in the way of better street lighting. We have seen our principal thoroughfares almost trans- formed in this respect within a time com- paratively short. 'We haye seen moreover a manifestation of public spirit and a comprehension of the advantage of merg- ing individual profit into the general good which gives assurance that we shall never again, for some time to come at any rate, have to complain of a lack of public spirit among our people or of enterprise among the owners of our real estate. There is no direction in which this pub- lie spirit could have been more profitably directed than in that of street improve- ments. Our thoroughfares bave long been the main defect of our City. While we bave progressed in many ways and kept pace with the most important cities in the Union in many important respects we have fallen far short of them 1n the man- agement of our streets. We are still to a large extent in the cobblestone age of street work, while they have gone for- word to aspbalt or other pavements of equal merit. We need a new awakening on this subject, and the better lighting which progressive merchants have fur- nished us has prepared the way for it. San Francisco needs street improve- ments of all kinds. Oar thoroughfares should be not only better Jighted, but bet- ter swept, better paved and better sewered. We bave begun the work of some of these improvements and should not rest unii! we have accomplished them all. The spirit manifested by progressive citizens should show itself among those who are entrusted with municipal authority, The new year should begin amera of better street work, which will assure us thor- oughfares equal to those of any city in the Union. This is one of the hopes which will most strongly animate people generally with the beginning of the new year, and there will be zrievous disap- pointment if we do not approach near to a complete realization of it before the twelve months are over. OALIFORNIA PROSPEQTS. As far as California is concerned, the prospects are exoantionally bright. It is the current phrase among farmers that thus far the season has bsen ‘‘made to order.” A larger acreage has been put in- to grain than ever before, and the crop prospects at present are brilliant. The rains have occurred at convenient inter- vals, aud there has been abundance of warm sunshine to help the plant along. Green grain fields are now showing all over the State, and if no untoward event occurs the crop of 1897 will be immense. Nor is this all. Present conditions extend a reasonable assurance that prices for { grain during the coming year will be first class, Wheat is worth $150 to-day and it is not expected to fall much below this figure between now and harvest. To those acquainted with the wheat trade $150 for wheat to-day is equivalént to $2 a few years ago, and when swheat sold at $2 the farmers were about the most prosper- ous class in the State. And everybody knows that when the farmer prospers everybody else does well. Nor does wheat alone extend encourage- ment. Fruit is expected to be a profitable crop in 1897, for last year's crop was not heavy, and dealers expoct that 1t will be wholly cleaned up when the new crop comes forward, so there will be no large left-over stock to stand in the way of good prices. The well-known attitude of the Republican party on wool, too, is more than encouraging to the wool-grower, who now sees light ahead for this grossly abused and almost extinguished industry. Wine, also, is bringing a better price than for years, and this brightens the outlook for the vineyardist, and raisins sola off like hot cakes during September, October and November at profitable .prices, thus reviving the drooping spirits of the almost discouraged grower. Mining, likewise, is remarkably active, and large amounts of capital have recently been invested in it. Money is abundant, and present indica tions are that it will be more accessible in 1897 than for some years past. Thus the State, as well as the Nation, is emerging from depression into prosperity. This is the outlook, and it bids fair to be realized. From allsigns atthe moment, the year 1897 will be successful to the capitalist, merchant and farmer, and thus to the State and country at large. THE OUTLOOK FOR 1807 It is the general belief among finan- ciers and business men throughout the United States that the 1st of January, 1897, will mark a turning point in the commercial record of the country. We bave lately passed through one of the most trying financial epochs in our his- tory. Prices for most commodities have toached the lowest point ever known. Agriculture and manufacturing have been depressed and trade has beenata standstill. That normal epeculation, reasonably confined, which aiways ac- companies a healthy condition of trade bas been diminished almost to the point of extinction. In fact, there has been no speculation of any consequence for several years, and while the mints have coined more money than usual and the vaults of banks and other financial. depositories have been heavily supplied with funds, 1t has been almost impossible to obtain capital with which to embark upon new enterprises. This gloomy state of affairs for several years was due to notuing else than a general want of confidence. But new conditions have arisen to change all this and create activity and confidence out of stagnation and distrust. For several months the outlook has been steadily improving. It was known, about the middle of last September, that the success of the Republican party at the polls would accomplish more in the way of stimulating commerce than any other agency, and assoon as the public became satisfied of this fact business improved as if by magic. Lines that had languished became active; a disposition to investin safe enterprises became manifest; money became more accessible and at more reaon- abie rates of interest; mills that had been idle for months started up; prices for many commodities advanced, and with this appreciation appeared a rush’ to buy goods and replenish depleted stocks;. and, in sbori, the whole financial and com- mercial complexion of the country under- went an almost complete transformation. The rising tide of prosperity was by no means confined to the more densely popu- lated sections of the East. It was felt in Ca'ifornia in unmisiakable form. It showed itself in renewed activity in wool, hops, dried fruits, hides, leather, provi- sions, wheat, barley and flour, and, in brief, in almostall of the principal staples. The purchases of wool, wheat, raisins and dried fruits were enormous, and this immense commercial current conunued until the approach of the holiday season, when business quieted down all over the world. But while it lasted we did a fine business. The lull is the usual December relaxa- tion, and is probably temporary. It is generally expected that the turn of the year will witness a revival that will usher in a new period of prosperity, which may last for some years. There is widespread confidence that the incoming administra- tion, if not fettered by pernicious partisan opposition, will place American trade on a permanently prosperous footing. Re- invigorated by this belief, the commercial elements of the country are already making their plans for lively times ahead. All signs point 1o that direction. The, balance of foreign urade, 80 long against us, is now in our favor, and London has actually been bor- rowing from New York by drawing bills against credit, the transactions on this account having footed up an enormous total. Indeed, these credits and the ex- port bills now held in New York make a total of $35,000,000. This is expected to offset the adverse balance of trade that usually appears in the first quarter of the year, hence it is not expected that we shall expért any quantity of gold during the next three months. Every business man understands what this means. It signifies that more gold is coming into the United States than is going out. 1t means that we are selling more goods to Europe than Europe is sell- ing to us. It means just so much more ‘money in circulation in the United States; just so much more confidence, and conse- Qquently just so much more willingness on the part of capital to lend itself to new enterprises. The effect of this will be far- reaching. Trade will be stimulated in all quarters of the country, and not a nook or corner will fail to feel the electric thrill of renewed confidence. b EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, The sanguine-hearted men and women among the peoples of Europe can doubt- less find in their environment a multitude of reasons for expecting a happy and pros- perous New Year, They can hardly con- ceal from themselves, however, that gra: dangers threaten the permanence of the existing truce among the nations, and that before the close of the year all Europe may be involved in a war which will carry ‘mourning and grief into thousands of households. The Turkish erisis, which a few weeks ago seemed near a solution, was never in a more dangerous condition than at pres- ent. After years of disagreement the three great powers, Great Britain, France and Russia, have succeeded in uniting upon & vlan of reform in the Ottoman empire, but now the Sultan of Turkey positively refuses to accept the terms of- fered him, and finds, either from some European nation or his own despair, a strenzth to defy the allies and to insist upon holding the course which for so long a time has been an offense to humanity. ‘Whetber the Turk isrelying upon prom- ised aid from Germany, or whether in his barbarism he has resolved to die fightin rather than yield tamely to the domin: tion of his enemies, matters very little to the crisis which confronts Europe. In either case the fact remains the same. The allied powers who have the greatest inter- est at stake have demanded of the Sultan certain concessions, and he, for the pres- ent at least, has positively refused to con- cede them. The issue therefore is one of imminent war, and this constitutes a heavy cloud over the welfare of the world on this New Year’s morning. The diplomacy of Europe is conducted mainly by a hidden hand. The world had a startling proof of that a few months ago when it was made known that even at the time when the triple alliance was formed between Germany, Austria and Italy Prince Bismarck haa entered into a secret treaty with Russia which bound him to be false to his Austrian and Italian allies whenever it was necessary for himselt.and his secret Russian friend to act together for their mutual interests. With this revelation fresh in the minds of men there can be no great degree of confidence in the permanence of the present alliances. Germany, while professing to be the friend of Turkey, may be really co-operat- ing with other powers, and Russia, while avowedly in alliance with Great Brit, and France, may be preparing schemes directly hostile to their interests. It is conceded that every nation in Eu- Tope desires peace, but nations no more than individuals can attain theirdesires unless the policy of their conduct is wisely directed with a full understanding of all the conditions around them. It is more than doubtful if there exists a single statesman in Europe to-day who knows or even believes that he knows all the forces that are operating in the direction of war. This condition of affairs leaves almost everything to chance and the be.t that | thoe statesmen of Europe can do is to put their nations on guard and strengthen their forces for the coming conflict. PERSONAL. E. B. Kittle of New York s at tne Palace. H. A. Blodget of Bakersfield is at the Palace. J.W. Bowen of Los Angeles is a recent arrival here. George W. GIIl of Watsouville is at the Grand. L. Morrison of Chicago s at the Cosmo: politan. E. R. Thompson of Virginia City, Nev., is at the Russ. Thomas Duncan of Bt. Louis arrived here yesterday. W. E. Gilbert of Topeka, Kans., is hereona Dbusiness trip. John Nourse, a business man of Stockton, 1s on a visit here. 2 . E. D. Knight of Virginia City is one of many recent arrivals. The Rev, E. McClish of College Park, Cal., is at the Occidental. C. M. Hartley, the well-to-do {rult-grower of Vacaville, is in town. William H. Devlin, an attorpey of Bacra- mento, is at the Lick. 'W. J. Feron, a wholesale druggist of Chicago, 15 visiting in the City. Superior Judge E. A. Bridgeford of Colusa is here for & few days’ stay. Senator 8. N, Androus of Pomona {s in town, on his way to Sacramento. F. J. Mason, the extensive fruit-packer of Neweastle, is at tho Grand. The family of Mayor 8. H. Friendly of Eugene, Or., is at the Occidental. J. A. Stroud and L. J. Shuman, business men of Selma, arrivea here yesterday. Dr. J. E. Bingham and Miss Bingham ol‘ Waila Walla are at the Occidental. John Swett came down from Martinez last night and is registered at the Lick. C. N. Béal of New York City, interests at Bukersfleld, is in town. Henry Dittenhoefer of New York reached here last night and is at the Palace. Dalziel Meyerstein, s prominent resident of Eureks, i3 & guest at the Cosmopolitan. E. M. de Marnis and E. P. Enders, of Paris, arrived last night and are at the Palace, John Markley of Sacramento, secretary ®f the State Board of Equalization, 13 in town. R. F. Lewis, a mining man of Juneau, Alaska, was among the arrivals at the Grand yester- day. William Robinson, owner of mining prop- erty at Mokelumne Hill, is registered at the Russ. i E. Twomey, wife, three children and nurse, from Portiaud, Or., are at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. 3 Mrs. Henry Rosenthal of Coolgardie, West Australis, is among the arrivals. at the Occi- dental. ? D. Muir and daughter of - Montreal are visit- ing the Pacific Coast and are registered at the Cosmopolitan. o5H George R. Cleveland of Chicago, who 1 in- terested in some gold properties in this State, arrived here yesterday. Captain W. W. McMinn, the wealthy pioneer settler of Mission San Jose, came to the City yesterday and is at the Lick. } Ex-Superior Judge J. M. Walling of Nevada, who is conspicuous in Grand Army and other circles, is & recent arrival here. - Superior Judge John Hunt and Mrs, Hunt have been at Tamalpais for several dayson who has holiday outing. They are expected home in a | day or two at most, W. L. Goodwin, editor of the Pomona Times, is among the arrivals at the Grand. Heisen route to Sacramento to sttend the opening days of the Legislature. . M. Armstrong and Mrs. Armstrong of Woodland are at the Grand. They were re- cently married, Mrs. Armstrong is Superin- tendent of Schools of Yolo County. George E. Baldwin of Los Angeles and one of the principal officials of the Bell Telephone Company in that citg, has arrived here and is to take an important position with the com- pany here, He is at the Grand. CALIFORNIANS IN NEW YORK. NEW YORK, N.Y., Dec. 31.—At the Plaza, H. 0. Little; Netherland, Miss Rockwell; Broadway, J. G. Gardner; Bt. Denis, M. G. Clay. J. F. Eisenbaum is here buying. PARAGRAPHS ABOUT PEOPLE. An unmarried woman has made areputa- tlon in Gage County, Nebr., as & corn-husker, doing seventy-five bushels a day. William A. Wilde of Boston has presented to the Acton Memorial Library marble busts of Washington and Lincoln, the work of the sculptor, T. Ball, now in Italy. A copy of Tzaak Walton's “Complete Angler,” first edition, 1653, sold in London recently for $2075. At the same sale an Amerigo Vespucei letter, four unbound leaves printed in Gothio characters, brought $880. - The Due d’Orleans has bought York House, Twickenham,where the Comte and Comtesse de Paris resided at the time of the Duc’s birth; and he and his wife will make it their head- quarters while in England. F. A. Bridgman, the well-known American artist, lives in Paris, His home is luxuriously furnished and his atelier issaid to be one of the most interesting in the French eapital. He is visited each .week by a score of Ameri- cans. Thomas W. Wheat, who lives on the Oostana- ula River nine miles from Rome, Ga., dresses 1n an 01d Confederate uniform, and says that he is the person who loaded the first cartridge that was fired at Fort Sumter at the outbreak of the War of the Rebeilion. Captain C. B. Blood of Tennessee, who acted fora year as drillmaster for the raw insur- gent troops under Gomez, has just returned to his home. He brings buck the startling in- formation that General Weyler is a native of Ohio, and a son of parents of German origin. His father 15 at present a farmer in the Buck- eye Siate. AROUND THE C(ORRIDORS. Professor H, A. Ward, the scientist who has been exploring the Great Barrier Reet off the coast of New Zealand, and who arrived at the California a few days ago, bas had a curlous career. He came to this State in the early days and examined different places for gold. Finally he got a stampmill made at the old iron foundry of which the Union Iron Works is the outgrowth, and set oft with it to Utah. He did not make a sufficient fortune to en- able him to withdraw from the pursuits of an active life, but having scholarly tastes ne set- | tled down’ as professor of natural sciences at Rochester University in New York. A little later he got tired of holding this position and proceeded to establish a sort of museum of natural science. This was over forty years ago. and the insti- tution has been open and running ever since. It was to help keep it going thatthe scientis now gray-bearded, made his long trip to the Great Barrier Reef. He was collecting corals in and about there, and was particularly for- tunate in getting a large lot. The professor also got shells, warclubs and various other things which he picked up along the coast. Itisa new and unique coun- try for explorations, the veteran traveler says. The bronzed natives, who dig holes in the sand and hunt for bugs and worms, were in- teresting to him, though he says that they are noways high in the intellectual scale. However, they are exceedingly cunning and handy withal with their boomerangs. They propel them a wonderful distance and with great accuracy, The professor visited New Guinea while ab- sent. The natives of the southwest shore are much like those of West Australia about Cook- town. The scholar had no use for any of them. “When we were away on the coast we never ventured to them,” he said, ‘‘unless we had loaded revolvers in our hands. It would not do to do otherwise. The natives ‘were too treacherous to trust. They frequenty kiil white men and on the slightest provocation. Robbery 1s one of their principal objects.” Professor Ward has already been away from home a long time, 50 he will not tarry here long. He will soon go to Rochester with the aggregation of queer things that he has gathered. NEWSPAPER PLEASANTRY. She—Have you meny poor relations? He—None that I know. She—Many rich ones? He—None that know me.—The American, Bobbie—Mother, were all the bad men de- stroyed by the flood? Mother—Yes, my son. Bobbie (who has just received a whipping from his father)—When is there going to be another flood ?—Tit-Bits. " Aunt Dorothy—How many commandments are there, Johnny. . Johnny (glibly)—Ten. Aunt Dorothy—And, now, suppose you were to break one of them? Johnny (tentatively)—Then there’d be nine. Spare Moments. Mr. de Rich—What &, sad, ‘sweet face Miss Psyche has. Shé neversmiles. She must have mét with some great loss. Miss Desmart—Yes, she was in & railway accident some weeks ago and she lost a front tooth—Spare Moments. A MODERN MINERVA. SHe !s fair in form and feature, quite an airy, fairy creature, and of art a leading teacher; she can talk and play, and sing, too, In a manaer quite divine. She is up In Frenth and Sanskrit, can survey with chaio and transit, name a dance and she cawdance f, and in gol? aad tennis playlng she is always first in live, She can drive a flery tandem, troll for bass and neat!y land ’em, and sbe never talks atran- dom, for she has good stores of knowledge upon which she loves to draw. She- is quite a politician, is a well-versed rhetori- cian and a very keen logiclan, and she knows the hiaden secrets that are wrapped up in the law, She Is very literary, very keen of wit, yes, very; and she's what all foiks declare a very wonder- ful young lady who has wisdom without stint. She s versed In Greek and Latin, paints on can- vas, plaques and satin; quoting poetry she's pat in, but she cannot bake a biscult that s half as soft as flint.—Omahs World-Herald. Letters From the People. NO ANCHOR LEFT. How the Ship America Went Ashore at San Pedro. To the Editor of the San Francisco Call—STR: In your issue of to-day I note asiatement over the signature of C. F. Swan, master of bark Theobald, where he says the ship America went on shore at San Pedro with one anchor on the bow and no crew on board. When the gale came on from sontheast, knowing the ex- posed position of ihe ship, every precaution was teken to hold her to her anchors. The second anchor was let go with a good spread, and not foul, as the captain stated. As the | gale increased the stream and kedge anchors were let go with hawsers attached. In the height of the gale the port chain partcd and the ship begen to drag. In gving more chain on starboard anchor the compressor lost con- trol of the windlass and the chain going out with great force carried away the two-inch bolt which fastened it to the keelson. Of course, the chain went overboard. When the ship struck the reef she had not an anchor left. The crew consisted of fifteen men, offi- cers included (her sea complement being twents-0ye) a force sutlicient to handie the anchors. The writer's experience of twenty- five years as wiaster has taught him better than to jeopardize the ship's insurance and owners' property by such a_lubberly trick as letting his ship drive on shore with his an- chors on the bow in a port Iike San Pedro. J. R. HERRIMAN, late master ship America, santa Clara, Cal.,, December 29. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, Christmas in CHRISTMAS, 1849—M., City. 1849 fell on Wednesday. 8Nxow—M. M. H., City. During the winter eceding the pi nt one, snow fell in San Francisco on the 24 and 34 of Mareh, THE CARNIVAL—M. J., City. Tnere will bea Golden Gate carnivalin this City in the month of April next, commencing on the 19th of that month. NITRATE OF SILVER—E! P. D. P., Alcatraz Isl- and, Cal. Nitrate of silver that has been dis- solved can be by chemical process restored to 1ts original form. NEW CALEDONIA—W. M., San Diego, Cal. New Caledonia isa French penal colony and the Government is entirely in the hands of a governor. lis area is 6000 squsre miles. REVENUE LICENSE—L. J. M., San Leandro, Cal. An Internal Revenue Collector is em- powered to_collect license from “a restaurant. keeper who serves at the option of the cus tomer native wines, the sald keeper not carry- ingon a bar.” BoLIVAR—A,, City. There never wasan Em- peror of France called Bolivar or Dolivar, but there was Simon Bolivar, who was called “El ibertador” for having rescued South America rom the gglnhh. e was born in 1783 and died in 1830. PRISONER OF ZENDA—P. C., City. The com- Ppany that played “The Prisoner of Zenda” in this City some time ago, was recently in Ciu- cinnati, Ohio. Hackett, who piayed the lead- ing pari in this City, has separated from the company and is now in New York City. ‘THE SHORTEST DAY—A. 8, City. The shortest day of tae year does not always fall on the 21st of December; it may fall on the 20th or the 22d of the montn. " The length of the three days named is almost eq but after the 22d the days commence to lengthen. LEGAL OPINTON—J. F., City. As it has been stated on & number of occasions that thisde- tment does not give legal opinions, and for that reason cannot er the question asked, you should consuit an attorney, who will ad- Vise you as to your rights in the premises, THE AMES MOUNTAIN—E. B., City. What is known as the “Ames Mountain,” though not down on any atlas by that name, is located in the eastern portion of the State of Wyoming, thirty-three miles east of Cheyenne and 1315 miles east of San Francisco, according to rail. road measurement. There is no record of the exact altitude of this mounitain, but the Ames monument, erected to the memory of Qakes -house department h | was shortly after that revol builders of the Union Pacific éflf,‘.;"?,?‘..‘._“.fi the apex and the altitude of that is about 8300 feet. A GawpLiNG DEBT—A. G., City. A person who puts up his money in & poolroom must take chances of being robbed thereof afier the result of an event has been declared. l“l‘ e case you mention you have no remedy &t law for the reeson that such transactions are sgainst public morals. A WrINKiE—A. M., City. If nature has placed o wrinkle berween your k‘iye.c;:n:‘tl; have to remain there, for wrinkles stay and there is no known method to remove them, though it s claimed that certain prepar- ations sold by druggisis will, but such this de- partment cannot advertise. CrviL ServIcE—C. L. L., Tracy, Cal. Thetime for the holding of the mnext examination under the civil service rules for the Custom- not yet been fixed. Ad- mmission, San Francisco. relation (0 dress Civil Service Custom-house Department, in blanks or other iniormation. THE Copes—W. J. B., Navarro, Cal. The Code Commissioners are at work and have Deen for some time on a revision of the Codes of the State ot California. If the amendments proposed by the Commissioners are adopted by the Legislature the work of printing the codes, a8 amended, will be proceeded with as rapidly a8 possible. PROHIBITORY LAWS—W. M., City. There are prohibitory laws in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Kansas, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota, and in this State there are pro- hibitory laws in various localities, but this department is unable to discover that in any | plnce is iiquor soldonly upon a prescription rom & physician, AREA OF ISLANDS — W. M., an Diega, Cal. Borneo, which next to Australia and Papua, is the largest island in the world, is about 800 miles long, with & breadth of 700. Its area is between 285,000 and 300,000 square miles. The portion ruled by the Dutch has an area of 212,737 square miles. The area of Cuba is 43,319 square miles, and that of Newfound- land 1s 42,200 square miles. GoAT IsLAND—L. M., City. Willlam Heath Davis, in his book on carly Californis, glves the following as the manner in which Soat Island received that name: In 1842 or 1848 two men named Spear and Ful- ler, who came here on the Thaddens in 1823, cb- talned five or six goa's from Captain Nye of ‘the Fama and placed them on Yerba Buena Isiand, having obtained permission to do so. They found subsistence there, multiplied raplaly, and in 1848 or 1849 they numbered several hundred. From | this clrcumstance the islaid derived the name of Goat Island. BENEDICTINE—A. R. M., Clity. There is no record of the precise date when the cordial called “benedictine” was first placed on the market. This liqueur, Which _resembles Chartreuse, was originally prepared from herbs by Benedictine monks at Monte Cassino, between Rome and Naples, and- in some of the monasteries of France, but since the French Revolution it has been manufactured by 8 secular company at Fecamp, Normandy. * 1t ution that it be- came an article of general consumption. ELECTION BETS—W. J. B., Navarro, Cal. This department will not decide elcction bets, but will say thatin the case cited if the man who Teceived the money before the official result bad been declared, which has changed the conditions under which he received it, does not return it to the stakeholder he lacks in the principles of & gentleman and a man of honor. A person who is paid money put up on & bet under a misapprehension, should, when he discovered that he did notacquire the meney under the provisions of the bet made, return the money to the stakeholder. NEW ZEALAND—W. E‘A. San Diego, Cal. The area of New Zealand 18 104,471 square miles. The land area of North Island is 45,687 square miles; that of South or Middle Island is 57, 879, and that of Stewart’s Island 665 square miles. The North is separated from the South Island by Cook’s Strait, eighteen miles wide at the ea-tern end, ninety miles wide at the w and two and a half miles wide at the narrowest point, slmost midway between the east and west ends. The South is separated from Stew- art’s Island by the Foveaux Strait, averagiig about twenty miles in width. To THE IsLANDS—The exports from the United States to the Hawalian Islands during the year ending June 30, 1895, amounted to $3,723,057, during the vear ending June 80, | 1896, the amount was $3,985,707. The ex- ports included animals, books, bread and breadstuffs, carriages, chemicals, cotton, fis, flax, fertilizers, fruit and nuts, glass and glass- ware, gunpowder and.explosives, indiarubber manuisctured, iron and steel, manuiactures of gold and silver, leather, boots and shoes, lime and cement, malt liquors, oils, paints and colors, psper, provisions, bacon, ham, beef corned, butter, cheese, lard aad pork. A GIRL'S GOWN. This design is destined to be popular for ‘wash gowns, as when made without a lining it launders easily. For dresses of woolen fabrics a fitted lining is used. It fastens in the back. The yoke may be made seamless and hooked at the shouider or buttoned in the center. ‘A figured mohair of brown had a blue silk yoke with embroiderea grass-linen in the natural color over it. Blue velvet formed a belt. The collar was of embroidery. ‘A dress of woolen novelty goods of brown and green had a plain green cloth yoke and flat belt. Plain ‘natural colored linen with yoke of embroidered linen, with turquoise-blue satin or olive-green ribbons, makes & charming combination. The new gayly colored ginghams are pretty combined with yoke and lawn sleeves of a plain color. Colored piquet with white yoke edged with a rufie of white embioidery makes & dressy combination. LOWER BATES FOR PILOTAGE A Reform Will Be Agitated in the Next Legis- lature. Problems in Navigation Dis- cussed by the Committee on Commerce. Clauss to Exempt Steam Craft With Spceisl Pilots Frem General Pi.otage. A An important and enthusiastic meeting of the committee on commerce was held yester afternoon in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, the vice-president, Huch Craig, presiding. The secretary, Charles E. Naylor, gave an extended report of the work of tho officers during the past eight months, which has been entirely educational and preparatory. The treasurer, George E. Plummer, rendered a financial statement showing a large sum of ready cash in the treasury and no liabilities to meet. The main business of the meeting was the consideration of proposed legislation in the interest of ocean shipping. A re- port on the pilotage question by a sub- committee was read and tne following recommendations were referred to a special legislative committee with instructions to prepare suitable bills for presentation to the Legislature: First—Reducing the maximum rate of pilot- age from $5 to §3 per foot draught. Second—The number of general pilots to be reduced to a maximum of ten. Third—The masters of a1l tug boats regularly cruising the waters of this bay and the ap- proaches thereto, the masters of all steamers and steam craft regularly irading with thi port, and the masters of all American sailin vessels regularly trading with this port, to be examined by ihe Pilot Commissioners and licensed as special pilots. Fourth—Any sailing vessel or other eraft in tow of a tug having as master a licensed special pilot, to be exempt from all pilot fees unless a general pilot be actually employed. Fifth—Steam craft under the command of a master licensed as a special pilot to be exempt from all pilot fees, unless & general pilot be actually employed. Sixth—Any. sailing vessel under the com- mand of a master licensed as special pilot 1o Dbe exempt from all pilot fees, unless a general pilot be actually employed. Seventh—Every master examined by the Pilot Commissioners and granted a special license to pay a fee of $10. Eighth—A " special pilot license granted to the master of any tug, steamer or sailing ves- sel shall entitle ihe holder to act as pilot for the vessel for which the license is granted only; masters duly licensed to act asspecial pilotafor one vessel may, howsver, nave thelr icense transferred to act for another vessel n the payment of a fee ot $1. Ninth — A provision making it & misde- meanor, with proper penalty, for pilots to make any discrimination in ihe collection of pilot fees, or to puy any rebates exceptsuch 8s are expressly provided for by law. Tenth—A provision requiring the Pilot Com- missioners to make each year to the Governor of the State a full report ot all the pilotage collected, with other necessary statistics. After the pilotage question was dis- posed of the meeting adopted a resolu- tion asking the Legisiature to submit to the electors of the State a constitutionul amendment removing the State atd local tax from ocean-going ships, and directed that a petition be circulated for signatures of business houses favoring such a meas- ure. A resolution was also adopted favoring the repeal of State guarantine laws for the reason that the Federal Government has a complete inspection system at this port, ana provides a station with every safeguard against fhe invasion of infec- tious diseases. The legislative committee will prepare bills and make a vigorous effort to have them passed by the Legislature, a major- ity of the members of which ‘they leel sure will not be influenced by the silvery arguments generally presented by the op position to pilotage reform legislation. FRENCH nougat & fruit glace. 905 Larkin. * e California glace fruits, 50¢c & pound, in hand- some baskets. Townsend's, Palace bullding.* —— e EPECIAL information daily to manutacturary, business houses and public men by the Press Clipping Bureau (Allen’s), 510 Montgomery. * —_————— He—Mrs, Parker can read her husband likea book. She—Yes, and she can shut him up like one, 100.—Chicago News. ——— Phillips’ Rock 1sland Kxcurslons Leave San Franclaco every Wednesday, via Rle Grande and Rock Island Kallways. Through tourist sleeping-cars to Chicago ana Boston. Man- sger and poriers accompany thess excursions ta Boston. For tickets. sleeping-car accommodations and furtber information, address Clinton Jones, General Agent Nock Island Raliway, 30 Mone gomery street. San Francisso. s “Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup” Flas been used over fitty years by millions ot mothers for thelr children white Teething with per fect success. It soothesthe child, softens the suma, allays Pain. cures Wind Colic, regulates the Bowels and 18 the best remedy for Diarrhceas, whether aris- ing irom teeshng or other causes. For sale by drug- gists In every part of the worid. Be sure and ask for Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup. 25¢ & bottle, ——————— CoroNADO.—Atmosphere 18 perfactly dry, sott and mild, belng entirely free from the mista com- mon further porth, Kound-trip L:ckets, by steam- ehip, Inciuding fifteen days’ board a: the Hotel det Coronado, $65: longer siay $2 50 per day. AP 4 New Moutgomery st., San Francisco. O S ————— PHYSICIANS Tecommena Ayer's Pills for dys- pepsia and lver complant, and for general family use, Sce Ayer's Almanac. ————————— Friend (ss victim goes out)—I don’t under- stand how you foretell future events the way you do. Fortupe-teller—It did trouble my conscience at first. I'm used to it now.—Boston Traveler. NEW TO-DAY. KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE! In selecting your CHRISTMAS PRESENT buy somathing your WIFE, DAUGHTER or SISTER REALLY NEEDS and which you will evantunll; have to buy. Kindly pay us a visit an thing that will be JUST THE THING. d we will assist you in finding some= We still have a few left of those LADIES' RAINCOATS with $2 35 Cape at. LADIES’ CORDUROY WAISTS, dres: throughout, regularly $6, now at LADIES’ KERSEY JACKETS, sllk lin never sold less than $15, now at. smaker mada”fi'ld“ ""“f $4_75 ed, vslvet on collar, an'd. $10. 25 g