The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 30, 1897, Page 19

- < l THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, MAY 30, 1897. i of originality and of adaptiveness. A cu: of the same is show in figure 1. No. 2 of the designs, though from ‘the point of view of its conception it is wholly and radically opposed to the first, still possesses two features of California—the fruits and the flowers. In the upper panel is a row of eschscholtzias, while in the lower is to be seen the festive grape. A third design was that submitted by Mrs. Alice Curtis of Oakland. Itis of rare merit, but the lines are too fine and the details too numerous for successful reduction to the scale required. 1In the awarding, this design was placed first on the list of those receiving honorable mention. A fourth design was that of Miss Maud Wilkinson of Berkeley. ' The title of the publication is surrounded by eschscholtzia in bold lines, but in some parts it is so highly conventionalized that its relation to the original is lost sight of. While the design lacks balance and equal distribution, the ac- curacy with which the details are executed make it worthy of honorable mention. In the remaining designs offered, various other features of California life, places, events and prodacts were depicted. In one is a group of the university buildings, in another two grizzly bears supporting a medallion on which is inscribed the university emblem, on another is a Jesuit of 1770, and beside | prprer by g ) N e Y s o o S P NP e s o . o BT e s TEUNIVERSITY werd OF Lo CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE D P It was with the view of securing for a front cover a design symb olic of the Golden State that the University of California Magazine recently held a prize art contest. It was an absolute o ndit'on of the award that concention of the design be c I3 B gt gt 4 THE & UNIVERSITY 4QF 4 CALIFORNIA Californian in its tenor. A ready response was received from him & miner of 1849, with the Mission Church and the gold twenty-four artists with homes stretching from San Francisco to New York. A further condition was that the contestants be in some way, directly or indirectly, connected with the State University, and thus the contest was limited to the confines of the institu- tion. From the Mark Hopkins Art Institute came the greater portion of the work submitted, while from the class in indus- trial drawing at Berkeley a number were received. It wasa coincidence that in the sealed contest Sidney Armer of the Mark Hopkins school should receive the first prize and that L. N. Scammon of the Berkeley department the second prize, the San Francisco department being first and the Berkeley | MACAZ A fields behind them, while stili another has for its central features two students—a boy and a girl—representing co-educa- tion. Still others are wrought in fanciful manners, wherein figures of men, after the Aubrey Beardsley style, are the features. One particularly meritorious design represents the maiden *‘California’ springing forth full- grown from the neart of a beautiful zolden poppy. Taking the contest as a whole, it is the general expression of opinion that great credit is reflected upon the ari depart- ments of the State University. Both from the standpoint of originality and accuracy of detail, some of the designs offered rival closely the work of Eastern schools of longer standing and AL FRTTE school second in rank. On the whole the designs reflected much credit upon the originality and artistic conceptions of the competitors. Many that were meritorious from an artistic standpoint fell short of the stated requirements for pure black and white, some being colored, others being too fine in detail for reproduction, while others were too pictorial in effect to produce that restfulness to the eye that comes only from the simple and the unpretentious. The conception of the first-prize winner is excellently wrought and is a worthy creation both from the point of view greater facilities. Wirr C. Russ gas. Vienna Will Make Her Own Gas. Beginning November 1, 1899, Vienna will make its own The fifty years’ lease of the gas company expires then. The city recently proposed to buy the works, but the cornor- ation asked too high a price. municipal plant, and the company promptly capitulated. Vienna then arranged to build a From all that can be learned, 1t would seem as if theUn’ ed ates (?O\'ernm?nlts ! experiment of breeding reindeer in Alaska has turned into a failure. Certain it is that it bas proved to be a disappointment at one sta and the animals are known | to have not *“done wll” at the other, but the exact state of affairs cannot be learned until the revenue cutters get back from the Arctic next fall. The experiments of breeding reindeer must be 4onceded to be the greatest enter- prise of a paternal nature ever dertaken by the United States Government. It | ranks in importance with the “Freedmen’s” schools which were establishea during the Civil War for the purpose of educating the negroes, althougn it is not likely that the cost ran 80 high. ‘There is no doubt, however, tha: both of them took vastéums | of money. A cosual estimate of the amount of money spent on the reindeer enterprise wou!d place it at about §: 0,000. It is to be hoped that all this is not lust, as in that event there would be great discouragement to such enterprises in the future. It is abont seven yea ince the reindeer experiment was first heard of and the | amount of attention and work that has been given to it sinco then is enormous. | Considerable mention was made of it in the newspapers for a couple of years after the enterpriss was started, but lately the subject seems to have been forgotten. The man who started the experiment so Lopefully is now the first to declare it a tailure, on one station at least. The cause which prompted the enterprise was, as everybody might know, the scar- city of draught animals in Alaska. Horses and mules couid not stand the climate REINDEER FARMS. need little food and appear to be indifferent to cold. In addition they are }rtc(lhle as horses, and always willing to work. To put it plainly they are just what is needed in Alask: Of course there was considerable red tape to be gone through with before Congress made the necessary appropriations, but after that was done the work went on smoothly. ; The revenue cutter Bear was detailed on the work, and started from San Francisco early in 1890, The work done in the summer of that year was simply to select points for stations, in which some assistance was given by the survey steamer Patterson. Five stations were selected, the principal ones being Port Clarence and Teller station, The following year, 1891, buildings were erected and a few reindeer brought to their new homes from the northern shores of Siberia. Crews were procured for these stations and left with enough provisions to last them until spring. On the Govern ment books the keepers of these stations had about the same standing as lighthouse-. keepers, although the pay was much smaller. Most of the crews were Esquimaux. In 1892 the revenue cutter Bear was in the north early. The reindeer that had been left at the different stations the previous fall were found in the best of condition, and if any change was observable it wasan improvement. The animals seemed good- natured and contented, consequently the officers of the Bear fell encouraged to pro- ceed with the work. During that summer the Bear made two trips to Siveria and came back each time loaded with reindeer. On ome trip 178 were obtained in Siberia and 175 landed in good condition at Port Clarence. Three died on the except in very few sections, and then they needed great care and comfortanle sabling, | trip, which is considered a remarkably smal! number considering how much the which two essentials are not easy 10 provide in a country that is frozen up during the greater part'of the year. Dogs, of course, were to be had in plenty and the little fellows were able to do good work, but not of the kind demanded. They could draga smail sled with a miner's out but when it came to drawing heavy machinery they were not equal to the task. Some other animal was needed. Oxen were tried, and failed werse than horses, owing to their weight, which made them sink deep in soft snow. animals were out of their element while on shipboard. The officers of the Bear had no trouble in obtaining all the reindeer they wanted on any of their trips. They got most of them in exchange for rifles, ammunition, t on it for miles and miles over hard, frozen snow; | provisions and articles of ciothing. Last fall when the U. S. cutters got back from the Arctic the officers stated that the deer were not doing very well. They had not bred as rapidly as was expected and seemed to be ailing in different ways. It is apparent now that the trouble must have The Government officials realized thatit Alaska were to be improved and event- THE REVENUE CUTTER BEAR WAITING OF AN ICE PACK. ; been serious at that time as the following dispatch, which has already appeared in the San Francisco newspapers, will show: TACOMA,Wasn., May 23.—David John- son, who has been in Northwestern Alaska for six years, has just arrived on the Sound en route to Chicago on a vaca- tion. He reports the Government’s herd of reindeer in the vicinity of Teller station dying at an alarming rate from **footrot."” Many that do not die have to be killed because of the decaying of their feet. Although the dispatch only refers to Teller station it is quite probable that the same or a similar state of affairs prevails at the other stations. The conditions are about the same at all of the stations. There are spring thaws that leave the ground wet. This causes all tne trouble, as the reindeer, accustomed to the hard ice and snow of Siberia, suffer from damp- ness. Itis to be hoped that something can be done to save the herds. It they could be removed to a place in the mountains where there is snow all the time the trouble might be overcome. This would, of course, cost large sums of money, but better spend that than have the enter- prise turn out a flat failure. FOR A CARGO OF REINDEER AT THE EDGE [From a photograph taken at the time by ome of the Bear's officers.] ually become a State worthy of a stand- i with the others in the Union some draft animal must be provided. As in every other new country the transporta- tion probiem here was of the first consid- eration, and when David Johnson advo- cated the importation and breeding of reindeer for this purpose his idea met with ready approval. Mr. Johnson was & man of vast experi- ence in the Northwest, and knew all about re.ndeer and where they were t) be ob- tained. They were not indigenousto that part of Alaska where they were needed, but there secmed no reasons why they should not thrive there. In fact, it seemed as if they should do splendidly, as the climate was milder than in Siberia, their Dative country. . The work done by reindeer in Siberia is wonce-ful. A pair of males in good bealth | bave veen known to draw a sieigh con- taining six people and considerable bag- gage over 30 miles tirongh a raging snow- *torm in & day, Th.y are not very heavy, KEEPERS’ HOUSE AT PORT CLARENCE 'RElNDEEIi STATION. ;e e~ %z ) aud A/ crd 4o ow One of the many valuable historical [ documents which the late Frank McCop- pin had in his possession was an order establishing the office of Postmaster-Gen- eral in California in 1848. Very few people are aware that Calilornia, a mere Sta ever boasted a Postmaster-General. Wil- liam V. Voorhies was his name, and, by virtue of the commission he held from the chief ofthe Postoffice Department at Wash- ington he was authorized to establish and malntain a postal sysiem west of the Rocky Mountains. This was nearly fifty years ago. The result of his labors has been practically obliterated by the rapid growth and development of the Pacific Blope and his identity lost sight of, until a historical document came to light the other day which on its face shows the re- sponsible and stupendous task he under- took to perform. The document referred to is the com- mission of ‘William V. Voorhies from the then Postmaster-General, €. Johnson, “to act as agent for the United States Government in making arrangements for the establishment of postoffices and for the transmission, receipt and conveyance of letters in California.” Tt isdated No- vember 1, 1848, and subsequent events show that “Agent’”’ or Postmaster-General Voorhies was not long in getting into the field. The interesting old relic came recently into the possession of Postmaster McCop- pin, it having been sent to him by a gen- tleman living in S8onoma. Where the com- mission has been snce the time of Mr. Voorhies wonld be hard to tell, the last owner merely writing that he found it stowed away in an old trunk, and had no knowledge as to how iong it had been there or where it came from. It is a curious old document, written in a girlish hand, upon legal cap paper, and neatly tied with gre ribbon, from which the luster has long since faded. They did not have typewriting machines in those days, but there can be no rightful com- plaint on that score, for the chirography is exceedingly legible, despite its age. The commission itself is interesting reading, as it outlines tne establishment of a postal system in Californla that could grow and expand willi the growth and ex- pansion of the country without entailing an extra expense at any time on the country. The document reads as follows: s g %%Ww-u 40 i1 POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT, ) November 1, 1848, '§ Sir: Being authorized by an act of Congress approved 14th August, 1848, to employ an agent in making arrangements for the estab- lishmentiof postoffices and for the transmis- slon, receipt and conveyance of letters in Californis, I hereby appoint you such agent. The duties with which you are to be charged will not be confined to any one brsnch of the department. They will embrace whatever may appertain to the operations of the ‘con- tract, appointment and fiscal bureaus of the department in California. A Toute having been created by law and the same being put in operation by the employ- ment of steamships extending along the whole coast of California, your first duty will be to proceed to the selection of suitable per- sons for Postmasters at San Diego, Sen Pedro, Santa Barbars, San Luis Obispo and Monterey and at such other points on the Pacific at which the United States steam mail packets shall touch as may need such appointments. For San Francisco a Postmaster has already been appointed—Samuel York At Lee Esq.— who will repair by the first opportanity to that place. Of course, you will not take steps for appointing Postmasters at any of the above named places on finding that the ap- pointments would be inexpedient or unneces- sary by reason of not having & mail supply or for any other cause. On making such selection you will report the same to the department at Washington for appointment, in the meantime placing the nominee in the performance of the duties of his office by a temporary letter of appoint- ment, signed by yourself, to cease on receiv- ing & commission from the Postmaster-Gen- eral or official information that the appoint- ment has been refused. With your report of the nomination of any postmaster you will forward his bond, duly executed by himself and sureties, certified by you to be sufficient and filled with such an amount as you shall deem adequate for the case. You will also cause him to be duly sworn on entering upon h1s duties. You will make report by every mail of the condition and prospects of the business under your charge, and will be careful at the expira- tion of each quarter to render those official returns which will show the state of sll pecu- niary arrangements of the department in Cal- ifornia, and the indebtedness and credits of each party, whether postmaster, contractor or others; and to keep the Postmaster-General advised from time to timeof the tate and prog- Tess of settloments in the country, and what routes should be created by law to furnish them with the mail. ‘The postage for California is 40 cents on each single leiter (which is & letter not ex- ceeding halt an ounce in weight) between any place in California and any place on the At- | Samuel Backus, May 14, 1890; Frank M &/m/%z ClonTio Coadtscomd (24 Cold efie ekl 1,08 cittls shaine te Ll Gl ts A Postmaster-General in the Golden State. lantic coast, andf 125 cents between any places on the Pacific. Double, treble letters and so on, will be chargable with double, treble and the like increase in rates. spectfully, your obedient sérvant C. Jom: Iam re- , Postmaster-General. WiLLIAM V. £sQ., Present. Evidently when Mr. Voorhies arrived in California’ he found that his chief in- formation on the needs of the country was incorrect, for although he established nine postoffices in this State during 1849, only one point suggested by Postmaster- General Johnson was included in the list. Of course the rush of gold-bunters which occurred about that time must have had some effect upon the selection of settle- ments that could support postoffices ac- cording to the Postmaster-General’s ideas. The points at which offices were located in 1849 are as follows: Monterey, Salt Lake, Vernon, Stock:on, San Jose, Colo- ma, Sacramento City, Benicia and So- noma. It was not until April, 1849, that San Francisco had a postmaster. Samuel Yorke At Lee, the gentleman mentioned in the commission, refused to venture into the far West, as did also Stephen J. Dallas, who was appointed twelve days later and@ John W. Geary commissioned January 22, 1849. Jacob B. Moore finally accepted the appnintment of Postmaster at San Francisco, assuming the duties of office April 18, 1849. He served until March 26, 1853, when he was succeeded by Thomas J. Henley. Since then the fol- lowinz postmasters have served in this City, the date of appointment being after their name: Charles L. Weller, July 10, 1854; Sam- uel H. Parker, April 4, 1861; Richard F. Perkins, January 25, 1864; Hotland Smith, July 25, 1868; James Coey, May 31, 1869; N. B. Stone, May 17, 1870; James Coey, March 30, 1874; Samuel Backus. May £2, 1882; W¥Wsam J. Bryan, June 21, 1886 Coppin, August 4 1894, who held the office until his deach last Wednesday. Wiiliam V. Voorhies served as Post- master-General of the Pacific_Coast until 1860, when he returned to tne East, finally settling in Ohio, where he died a few years ago. Colonel J. D. Frye, now presi- dent ot the California Safe Daposit and Trust Compony, was connected with the Pacific Coust department of the postal service and served eral years under Mr. Voorhies.