The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 2, 1897, Page 6

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, THURSDAY, DECEMBER o ke 1897. THURSDAY JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Proprictor. Address All Communications to W. S. LEAKE, Manager. OFFICE.. urket end Tnird sureets, 8an Francisco Telephpne Main 1868. EDITORIAL ROOMS... vees 017 Clay street ne Main 187 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL (DAILY AND SUNDAY) is served by in this city and surrounding towns for 15 cents a week, $6 per year; per month 65 cents. Tele THE WEEKLY CALL.... ..One year, by mail, $1.50 OAKLAND OFFICE.. .908 Broadway Eastern Representative, DAVID ALLEN. NEW YORK OFFICE......... .. ..Room 188, World Building WASHINGTON. . C.) OFFICE. ... o5 vl aisiiiensanss ...Riggs House C. €. CARLTON, Correspondent. BRANCH OFFICES—527 Montgomery street, corner Clay; open until 9:30 o’clock. 339 Hayes street; open untul 9:30 o'clock. 615 Larkin street; open until 9:30 o'clock. SW. corner Sixteenth and Mission streets; open until 9 o'clock, - 2518 Mission street; open until 9 o'clock, 143 Ninth street; open until 9 o'clock. 1505 2 pen untii 9330 o'clock. NW. coraer Twenty-second sirests; open 119 «elock. THE ALASKAN TRADE EATTLE and Tacoma, alert, vigilant and active, are giving every thought :nd exerting every energy to the task of winning the control of Alaskan trade forthe comingseason They are advertising m every form of periodical from the metropolitan magazines to the country weeklies, and in every advertisement they are claiming superiority over 8an Francisco as an outfitting point for all wuo propose to make the adven- ture to the northern gold fields. These energies incessantly emploved, these advertisements continually appearing, are baving a marked effect upon the public mind. - In the East they are learning that S8an Francisco is not the only pert upon the Paecific Coast. In the West there is beginning to be a doubt of the superiority of the metropolis over its emaller but more active rivals. It is inevitable that this should be so. We ¢annot live always upon a reputation acquired in the past.. People who are going to Ataska next summer for any purpose whatever are not concerning themselye. about which city on the Pacific largest, best, most atiractive or most picturesque. The one ng they wish 1o know is which city is the cheapest and most convenient outficting point. To acquire that informaticn they must perforce accept what evidence comes before them. T have no time to come out and make an investigation. They must b.se tbeir conclusions upon what they read, and the cities that are adveriising are the cities that are going to git the trade. We are to bave a mining exhibit this winter as a part of our semi-centennial celebration. That is well enough its way, but what will be the zood of it for trade parposes unless we advertise it? It will be a great attraction to all who think of engaging in mining either here or in Alaska, provided they hear of it, but it certainly will not attract those who never hear ofit. Tue little cities to the north are compelling the East to hear of ‘tiem, and. we.also mnust maks the East hear of our exhibit and our advantages of all other Einds. There is no good gained hy mincing words in a matter of this kind. The fact that San Francisco is a commercial metrovolis and an important financial and manufacturing cen- ter will avail her nothinz in a contest for a” new field of trade againstacuve rivals, who are dopendinz upon their energies instead of their reputarion to gain that tra e and hold it. The merchants and manufacturers of San Francisco, the capitahsts who wish north and begun. those who hope for successful business ventures there must comboine, encourage and inspire one another, and by their spirit animate the city with a new vigor and a new enterprise. There has been too much apathy; there shoull be ac ivity. There bas been tco much indifference; th-re should te determination. Thers has bsen too much criticism and talk; there should be harmony and work. The issue isnot one 1o be postponed. The season for the Alaskan spring trade is rapidly approaching. fIn fact, the ad- vance movements of the trade are already notable on the ose who intend to make the adventure have com- ieir preparations. The outfitting to some extent has We lose trade every day we delay in advertising our re-ources. Seaitle and Tacoma, so much smalier than our- selves, so much inferior in commercial advantages, are taking trade that should come to us. Not content with trying to get the Eastern trade, they are advertising their pretensioas to superiority over us even in Nevada and Arizona. Moreover, they will win if we remain idle. THE “NEW” HALL OF JUSTICE T a meeting of the Buiiding Commirtee of the Board of A Supervi ors on Tuesday the chairman announced that the contractors having in charge the construction of the new Hall of Justice on Kearny street would be given no more time in which to compléte the work. Our readers will not probably understand the full significance of this without ex- vlanation. Whether it means that the contractors will be given all the time they want, or whether it means that they will get only one more extension, cannot be determined ir.m the lanpuage used by the chairman. Similar announce- ments have been joliowed by vxtensions. Therefore it isrea- sonably safe 10 assume that Supervisor Sheehan in making his regular bluff is addressing us in a Pickwickian sense; that is, be really means to give the contractors all the time they want. But while we are wailing to see whether it 18 the intention of Bateman Bros. to ever complete the Temple of Jusiice we would respectiuily sucgest that an investigation for the pur- pose of ascertzining what they have done with the time al- ready granted would be in order. Bateman Bros. and the Supervisors have been working on this building since early in 1895, and thus far they huve barely succeeded in laying the foundations. At the rate they are progreesing it will be fifteen or twenly years before any justice will be dispensed in that temnple. Besides throwing lieht on the snail-like methods of Bate- man Bros. the suggested investigation might give the people an idea of why it usually takes a century or more to putup a Government building. Twenty-four years has been consum d in constructing the “new” City Hall ana it is not yet finished. The Federal authorities were over six years bullding the Appraisers’ offices, at the corner of Sansome and Washington streets. At one time, for upward of a year, they had seven superintendents and one man actively at work upon the structure. The site for the new Postoffice was purchased four years ago, and yet the officials of the United States Treasury Department are still disputing over the foundation. Of course, no resident of San Francisco now alive ever expects to see the Kearny-street Hall of Justice rear its stately bead. The great-grancchildren of Bateman Bros. will prob- sbly be called upon to complete their contract. But in the meantime we think it would pe an excellent idea to ascer- tain why it is that contractors for public works are proverbially slow. Do they wait for falling markets in which to purchase their material? Do they make their public contracts play second fiddle to their private ones? Why, in fact, do they imitate time, which introduces its innovations so siowly that they are scarcely perceptible 1o the most observing person ? e School Director Adams weeps and confesses that tithes have been exacted from Los Angeles teachers. There is some merit at times atiaching to the tears of the penitent, but in an instance of such flagrant meanness nothing less than a bucket- ful should be considered. If, as has been stated, San Francisco thieves are in ciover, the police ought to eut that clover even at the risk of incon- veni-ncing a few thieves. - To abolish every law forbiddding murder would have the effect of the present statutes without the attendant expense, to make profitable investments in the ! THE WHITE HAND OF HAWAIL HE report on leprosy published in yesterday’s CALL re- Tla!es in an important way to the annexation of Hawaii. That country is at present the principal seat of this sin- ister disease, which is the problem of the medical profession. Its spread there has been constant and it presents one of the barriers to the possession of the islands by a dense white population. - That it infects by contact is proved by obser- vation. That it appears spontaneously is also in evidence, and that the tropical climate of the islands is a favorable en- vironment for such appearance is also demonstrated. Isola- tion of developed cases has been rigidly -practiced, but *the white hand”’ has reached over all confinement and quaran- tine and touched the living flesh outside. The disease, introduced by civilization, has been a scourge of the native population; but it has to an equal percentage smitten the whites, whose constitutions are less capable of resistance through the enfeebling effects of the climate. Papers which now change and support annexation form- erly opposed it and put leprosy and climate high among the reasons for that opposition. The Chronicle said in 1883: “The day is not far off when we of the Pacific Coast will have to petition for a close quarantine against all Hawaiian sugar, rice and articles of domestic production unless that Govern- ment can obliterate leprosy. This is what would be done if it were cholera, plague or yellow fever, and the leprosy is worse than all these combined.” Again, in the same year, the Chronicle, rejoicing at the alarm its articles about Hawaiian leprosy had caused, said : “‘The subsidized sugar-ring press of Hawaii is in an ex- traordinary state of excitement over leprosy in the islands. When annexation schemes are getting almost ripe we learn for the first time that this terrible scourge is not a beneficent gift of God, cannot be properly used as an advertising dodge to attract visitors to these ‘summer isles of Eden,’ butshould be kept out of sight, left undescribed, and, in fact, grossly lied about, lest the knowledge do some individual an injury. If the sugar ring is hurt by exposure we are sorry for it, and would advise them to sell out and leave the infected region as soon as possible.>” While the Chrovicle may have taken then an extreme view of the matter, we must commend Its foresight in discern- ing at such a distance a valid reason against the annexation | of a leprosy problem instead ot ‘““the summer isles of Eden.” | The Board of Health of this State has recently considered ; leprosy and has ed the danger signal, and the current re- port to the very efficient ¢i v Board of Health of San Francisco brings the matter again before our people. Itis an important makeweight to our contention that the islands cannot be populated by Anglo-Saxon people in such | numbers as to justify the faintest hope that Anglo-Saxon in- stitutions can bes maintained there, and this republic should never take jurisdiction where this is by nature made im- possible. | . California already suffers by the presence of an Asiatic population which breeds this disease, and with Hawaii comes the addition of as many more Asiatics free to come and go from an environment where it flourishes destructively. It is well to pause before we rush into such relations as increase contact with infection, and we should reject all attempts to adopt into our system a region where such a disease is endemic. THE FOLSOM BOULEVARD. ITHIN two days the voters of Sacramento County wil be called upon to decide whether or no the Folsom boulevard shall be constructed, and by the result of the vote the State will learn whether the county of the capital city is animated by the spirit of progress or stagnated by the torpor ol silurianism. Never have the people of any county in California had an opportunity to accomplish a great undertaking of general ben- efit upon mose sdvantageous terms than are cffered to those of Sacramento in tiis instance. They bave evervthing to gain und nothing to lose by the enterprise. The cost will be com- paratively slight in proportion to the benefits certain to resuit, and if the voiers refuse to authorize an issue of bonds todefray the cost it will be a proof that they haveeither very little publie spirit or very little desire to manifest that spirit by good works, Sacramento is one of tle counties that cannot afford to allow any opportunity for highway improvement to be lost. She has hardly enough realiy good roadway within her borders to serve as an example of what the rest ought to be. As much ! as any county in the State she needs an object lesson of that | kind before the doors of her peopie. A well constructed high- | way to Folsem will sbow all who drive along it the advantage | of gocd roads over bad ones, and by creating a popular desire | for better roads will lead to their construction throughout all parts of the county. It is gratifying to note thatall reports from Sacramento | encourage the hope that the enterprise will be supported by the | veople and the bond issue voted for by a large majority. The | promoters of the project have bad the cordial aid of the pro- | gressive element in all parts of the county and the opposition | has been confined to mere silurianism, or to a narrow sectional spirit which has led some people to object because the proposed 1 road does not pass directly in !ront of their homes. The cam- paign for progress has, however, been vigoronsly made and the | prospects are SBacramento will bave Folsom boulevard and the State another county with a rural highway we can boast of to Eastern visitors or use as a model for further improvements in other localities. Perhaps the new father ol triplets may be pardonea the display of unwonted emotions, but when these take the form of beaiing his wife and trying to reduce the triplets to twins by | throwing the odd ore through the window, it seems almost a pity that police interferences should result in a discharge from custedy. It can only be boped that the mext policeman who | arrests Peter Kennedy will find occasion, inadvertently, for 5 killing bim, during the process | Yeilow journalism is certainly peculiar. It is fond of a sensation that can be promulgated at the sacrifice of trutn, but its hatred of truth is so profound that rather than permit this virtue to trivmph it will sacrifice the joy of reveling in sensa- tion. The Klondike threat of famine is an instance. The baid statement of conditions along *he Yukon would be a tensation; but it would be true, and yellow journalism for this reason re- jects it. Fecretary Alger says Le is ‘‘delighted’ that the trouble concerning San Pedro is over and that initial work can pro- ceed. So are the people of California, not on'y at the principal circumstance but at learning that Alger shares with them the | emotion of delight. His 1 reliminary symptoms did not indi- cate that he was likely to feef this way. According to a Police Commissioner we may sleep soundly when Captain Lees is on duty, knowing that the city is safe, There is a grain of comfort in this, but supposing some mis- creant should ascertain the Captain’s hours of slumber and take advantage of them to steal the municipality; there’s the fly in the ointment. With all his faults the Mayor of San Jose seems to have certain elements of a sport, and this would be regarded by some veople as a redeeming trait. - His frank offer to bet that he was nota liar lacked dignity, but it certainly showed a sort of courage. There is certainly enongh monev in the big football games to permit the management to indulge hereafter in something more substantial than yapier-mache grand stands and to be accommodating to the point of actual civility, Bome of the boys at Ione must naturally yearn for the time when they sball Le graduated frcm the rigors of a reform schoel into the comparative luxury of a real penitentiary. It would seem that some law bearing upon th abating of | at the Grana, | of Los Angeles is here. | able between Saxon and Ceitic word values, nuisances might be stretched to cover the case of old General Cassius M. Clay. FERSONAL. | Dr. J. R. Gregory of Healdsburg is at the Russ. Judge Ansel Smith of Stockton is at the Grand. Attorney John A. Rhodes of Stockton is now in this civy. Arthur L. Levinsky, a lnwyer of Stockton, is A. Silver, a Los Angeles capitalist, 1s regis- terea at the Palace. Ex-Judge N. F. Cleary of New York is a late arrival at the Palace. { W. A. Davis, a merchant of Brentwood, is a late arrival at the Grand. A. F. Gartner, an insurance man of Portland, | Or., is staying at the California. James McCormick, a Sonora mining man, is a recent arrival at the California. Dr. and Mrs. L M. Cann of Seattle, Wash., are guests at the Grand, with Miss Cann. W. E. Duacan Sr,, a mining man of Oro- | ville, is making a short visit at the Lick. J. R. Reed of Reedley, Fresno County, a grain-grower, is registered at the Grand. William H. Cornwell, the well-known capi- talist of Honoluly, is a guest at the Palace. | Mr. and Mrs. Alfred W. Du Bols of this oity | were at the Palace last night on their bridal | tour. William P. Veuve, a lawyer of Los Gatos, is a guest at the California, accompanied by Mrs. Veuve. James Whitaker of Galt, who has publishing interesis in this city, is & guest at the Occi- deutal, Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Drake of Tucson, Ariz., are guests at the Palace. Mr. Drake isa merchant. J. Wertheim, a cigar-manufacturer of New York, 1s at the Palace. Mrs. Wertheim accom- panies him. Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Fuller of Marysville are at the Californfa. Mr. Fuller is one of the State Bank Commissioners. T. W. Woodford, & New York racehorse fancler, arrived here vesterday from the East and isstaying at the Palace. Mrs. Woodiord accompanies hini. Among the recent arrivals at the Palace are C. C. Jackson, a Boston banker, who has writ- ten considerably on the goid standard, and James T. Rice of Boston, & nephew of C. G. Perkins, president ot the Chicrgo, Burlington and Quiney Railroad. Mr. Jackson is a Iriend of Johu Valentine, presideut of Wells, Fargo & Co. CALIFORN AN . (N NcW YORK NEW YORK, Dec. 1.—At the St. Cloud, S. Stafford; Manhattan, E. C. Denigan; Grand Union, J. K. McLean, Mr. and Mrs. Vanderook; Stuart, M. C. Helwie; Metropole, D. A. Hulse. D. B. Lazarus and G. D. Mendel lett the St. Cloud and <ailed on the Peris for Southamp- ton. Mr.and Mr. Anton Rulfs arrived on the Karisruhe fr m Bremen. Miss Lucy Beur, Miss Marion Bear, Miss Elise Burkhardt, Miss M. £. Doody, Comsul J. C. Zimmerman atd wite and servants arrived on the Spres from Bremen. CALIFORNIAN N WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.— Diego is at the bitt House. S. Luce of San Houn. J. Fuller MISTLE.OE. The poet-soul can see you, dear, Lost in the maze of one <Hort year, Awinin: the mistletoe bere Pensive and stiil hop ful and true, Whi e memory sweetly siugs to you, £oita dlow as & vesper prayer. And one awar o1 life's strong sea, Where manhood’s ship riies high and free, across e ug ide, And bears the -ame swee. s 1g, my dear, That comes to you adown the year— Lcoks cu. (0 you, his star and guide. e sees you in the L rliliant glow of Christmas, 'nea h the mistletoe, and breathes the p rfume of your halr; He loves you as he .oved you whea He t0/d you 80, and kisse’ you then— Ha secs you sitiiug, pensive there. Then do not sigh agair, He i es yon truly; Tha aughi may Wile his heart from you, He'll come withone m re « bristmas day And Kiss your anx!ons lears away As sunshine docs .he dew. From cut the half-light—slmost gloom— That grays the prese o 1 your room, He'l bring tae ight of long sgo, ABd WIth Y0ur head u on his broast, In lov ’s deiight, and yeace, : nd rest, He'll kiss you fueath o e mistlecoe. | WILLIAM 1 IGHTFOOT \ISSCHER in December Woman’s lio e Compation. FLA>-E> OF HUWOR. | The Little Rock News, commenting on an itom about & New York girl kneading bread | with her gloves on, says: “We need bread with our pants on; we need bread with our | boois on, aua if our subseribers in arrears | don’t pay up pretty soon we shall need bread | without anything on.” “Why,” asked the curious person, “do you mansgers always take your shows out of town for their first performances ' “Because,"” said the manager, “we know that if an outside town wili stund a show without killing the company, New York will be per- | fectly delighted with it.”’—Indlanapolis Jour- nal. A Swede came into a lawyer's office one day, and asked: “is hare ben a lawyer’s place 2" I'm a lJawyer.” “Weli, Maister Lawyer, I tank I shall have a paper made.” “What kind of » paper do you want?” “Well, I tank Ishail have s morigsge. You see, I buy me a piece of land from Neis Peter- son, ana I want a morigage on it." “Oh, no. You don't wanta mortzage; what you want is a deed.” s “No, maister; I tank I want mortgage. You see, I buy me two pieces of land before, and I got deed for dem, and ’notoer fellow came | slong with morigage and tike the land; sol tank I better get mortgags this time.” CERTAIN IKisH SiORIES. Cornhill Magazine. A Roman deacon was sent for to baptize a baby. In the cabin be could find xo water, but there was a pot of tes. *Tes,” he rea- soned, “contains water; the rest Is but acei- deut,” and he proceeded to pour out a cup. | Butiit was strong, even to blackness, so he went in search of water and, having found some, watered the tea down to a more reason- eble color, christening the baby with it, and reported the circumstance, us's Case of con- science, to his superior. It had not occurred {0 him, having found the water, to use it by taels. v A tutor’s letter of condolence sent to a be- Teaved parent. This was unkindlv artributea to Oxford. The tutor wroie: *{ wm sincerely | gricved 1o hear the sad news of your son's death. But I must inform you he wou!d have had to go down in any case, as he had failed ;;1 satisfly the examiners in classical Modera- tions.” One other story 1 may add here, as it serves 10 illustrate a certain disparity often notice- and also the way in which Irish orators dis’ | count their rhetorfe. A home-ruler was har- | aoguing on Euglish terrorism, and dnwln, a horrid picture of babies the points of bayon ewc, he 3 “If that’s your civilization, you may keep it. 1call it most imyroper. TALK MUCH AND LIVE LONG. Answers. Talk as much as you can. This is the theory of an eminent English doctor, bec: talking is the best possible way in which to exercise thie lungs. The man who talks much, the little chila who shouts all day in glee over trivial amuse- ments, the young woman song-bird who mnkes herself obnoxious to the other teuanis of a fiat- | York like a huge colossus after his succe: GHARLOTTE SMITH'S AFFLIGTION. Idouotknow that I would have Charlotte Smith confined in a lunatic asylum. The ferment of ideas has simply gone to her head like wine. violently insane. She is not She thinks she is under the necessity of thinking, and she has nothing 10 think with. When all the world—or rather all the world’s wile—went a-wheeling, the spectacle sent & shiver of disgust through poor Mrs. Charlotte Smith’s conventional brain. With that beauti= fully simple logic that distinguishes the medi®val, commonplace mind of all ages, Mrs. Smith vromptly deciared that évery woman who rode a wheel was lost utterly; that here below no social position might be ners, and that in the hereafter no mercy should b? shown her. easy, so natural for a crude, shallow mind to condemn the thing it disapproves. iss It Mrs. Smith is quite capable of declaring that all women who drink green tea—if she prefers black— | have no reputation whatever and are thoroughly abandoned females. Of course, Mrs. Smitn's opinion is of no conseguence. She is merely a narrow-minded woman, lacking in judgment and good taste, and with all the fool’s bravado atiempting by & sort of Draconian policy to settle questiors which all the world’s philosophers and all the customs of the worid througn centuries and centuries have been powerless to decide. Now, Mrs. Smith has declared lor compulsory marriages. There is to be fine and impris- onment, aceording to the fmith code, for the rebellious man or woman who fails to conform. If Mrs. Smith prefers to wear red she might in the same spirit declare that a!_ | choose blue should be hauled up before a justice and fined—for differing in opinion with Mrs. Smith. To demand the impossible is the unmistakable sign of weakness and error. like a child whom the very absurdity of his scheme tempts into excess. women who Mrs. Smith is Other miadless, irre- sponsible people have plans for the improvement of the world, and Mrs. Smith nas the privi- lege of believing as she sees fit, provided only she allows others the same freedom. If one is only eccentric enough nowadeys it's an easy step to publicity. One cannot pre- vent the Mrs, Smiths of the world from concocting absurd plans for its redemption; but in depriving these intolerant, ridiculous schemers of notorfety the presswould go far toward relieving an innocent, wel-intentioned people of the longing to re-establish lettres de cachet and other antiquated, despotic instruments, which are the proper weapons to be used againsy such antiquated, despotic reformers. MIRIAM MICHELSON. MUSIC AND MUSICIANS The company of fiddlers and blowers of in- struments of wood and of brass from the Hub of creation known &s the Bosion Symphony Orchestra nave “come and played and con- quered” in New York. It is hard to make Gothamites acknowledge that anyihing good can come out ot Boston, but Manhattan has gone into ecstasies over Emil Pauer's Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Brooklyn has done it homage. The cities of greater New York have exnausted their superlatives over the music of the visiting orchestra and its con- certs have become so suddenly fashionable that the opera-house ena the Brooklyn Acad- emy of Music have looked like the Metropol- itan Opera-house during last season’s swell grand opera nights. Evening dress for women has been uniformly m evider.ce, aud most of the men in the stalls, 1n addition to wearing evening dress, have appeared in white waist- coats and gloves. The New York furor cre- ated by the Boston orchestra is & great trust wiil be buttressed by & nigh tariff on for- eign instruments. Maurice Rosenthal's American tour was nipped in the bud last spring by a severe at- tack of typhoia fever, and ever since then the public has absolutely refused 1o look upon the great Roumanian pianist in the light ot a well man. Bo annoying have the rumors of his continued ill-health become that Vert, his munager, before sending him out on an Eng- lish tour, has published the following bulietin von Ziemssen of Berlin: “I hereby after careful examination, that Herr Moritz Rosenthal, with the exception of a slight nervousness, is in fuil heaith, and is perfectly fit to undertake the tour planned for him.” There used to be some unhappy differences of opinion about Nikisch when he was. in Americaas conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but Nikisch has proved himselfa EMIL PAUER. triumph for Emil Pauer. the conductor. | When he succeeded Nikisch a few years ago Bosion did not take to him, the subscribers objecied to the way his hair was cut, his re- served, unimpassioned style of wiclding the baton was commented on with general dis- favor and many peopic predicted mournfully that the unsympathetic ways of Pauer would be the ruin of the Bos on Symphony Orches- tra. Pauer is taking his present triumph mod- estly. The marked success of the Boston Sym- phony Orchesira has somewhat taken the wind out of the satls of Anton Seidl. That great man might reasonably have been ex- pected to bestride the musical world of New conducting grand opera at Covent Garden iast summer and his still greater success in cap- toring the taste of the musical pilgrims who went to worsnip at the Waguerian temple at Bayreuth. But with the laurels of half musical “Eurrup” still fresh upon his brow Seidl has not created the stir in New York that his fri-nds expected. The critics have praised the work of his orchesirs, but they have reserved their superlaiives for the Bos- ton Symphony Orchestra. The Seidl sub- seription concerts given in the ballroom of the Astoria Hotel are necessarily sweil, It is rumored that full evening dress is as much de riguenr as was a wedding garment in the para- bie of old, though no one has been found dar- ing enough to put this rule 1o the test by de- manding admission in common street attire. The belief is current that the Seidl subscrip- tion concerts are modeled on taose given in the court circle of Vienns, and many of the gowns and jewels worn are certainly gorgeous enough for a court drawing-room, The Paris opera Is preparing to add one of the finest chefs-d’ceuvre of the Frencn school to its repertory. IL is *“Joseph,” by Mehul, created ninety yearsago at the Opera Comique, thus imitating what it has siready done by another work of this master, his incompursble “Stratonice,” played lor the first time at the same theater. “Stratonice’” was played for the first time at the Theater Favart May 3, 1792 Twenty-nine years afterward it was moved to the opers, the dialogues were re. placed by fine recl atives, which were written by Daussoignc-Mehul, nephew and adopted sou of the composer. It now remains to be done for “Joseph” what was formerly done for “Stratonice,” and this grand work is worthy of it. Iiis an admirable dramsa with an in- spiration so high, a style =0 noble and so severe, a musical language so vigorous and so pure, and of whith the ‘ubject would be more suitable to the opera than to the opers- comique. Berlioz had an idea of this trans- formation and inteaded himself to write the necessary recitatives. Berlioz is not here, but the opera has confided this honorable and difficult task to a taiented musician, M. Bour- grult-Ducoudray. It is fortunate in any case thatthe glorious name of Mehul wiil at last appear upon bills of the. opera-house and re- vive the remembranceof this admirable artist, Who remaius one of the greatest of the great. There is no time like the present for buying apiano if the indications that a big piano trust is being formed prove true. According to present arrangements the trust is to absorb all the 200 concerns making instruments. house, the fat mun who inughs vocierously until his sides tremble, the maid. who signs &nd the woman who weeps as if her heart would break, the bored individual who yawns inehurch wien the sermon is dull, ali do so in response to an inward demand for the ex- pulsion of a certain nervous energy which would find vent in no oulier way. Talking is not only good exercise for the mind but for the body also. In fact, persons who do much talking In their business or pro- fession, such as lawyers and auctioneers, can dispense with other exercise, for in talking they not oniy expend much neuro-muscular euergy bui they experience aclive respiratory movements. Therefore much taiking is cou- ducive to longevity. It is also beneficial in heart disease. Low's norehound cough syrup for hoarseness, price 10c, 417 Sansome st. * Some idea of the magnitude of the proposed en- terprise can be gained from the fact thut after the death of Willam Steinway, an English syndicate offerad $5,000,000 for the Steinwey plant, and was to.d that the figure was not high enough. The Chickering. plant in Bos- lon covers two entire city blocks. The Sohmer factory is also very large. The idea is 1hat the trust will manufacture only four gradesof pianos. Scoresof factories will be taken into the trust only to be closed. The makers hope by this means to do away with the competi- tion of to-day. The trust will have branch houses in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Cleveland, Cincin- nati, Chicago, St. Louls, New Orieans, Denver, San Francisco and perhaps a few other large cities. As with most other trusts the piano | veritable wizard of the baton since then. As conductor of tne Berlin Pnilbarmonic Society he some months 8go ook liis or-anization to Paris and performed the marvelous feat of winning unstinted applause for & band of Ger- mans in that most chauvinistic of French cities. Since his victory in Paris Nikisch has been sighing for fresh worlds to conquer, and itis now announced that in the spriughe will bring his Berlin Philharmonic Society to America for a series of concerts in New York and other large cities. Tite fetes of St. Mariin were celobrated No- vember 13 at Tours with incomvarable soi- emuity. More than 3000 people were unable to gain admission to the Metropolitan Chureh, where, in presence of the bishops, the ora- torio “‘Bellator Domini,” the work of a young composer, was spleidiily performed by 200 singers. It is supposed there were at least 60,000 piigrims in the town. For the benefit of the charitanle organ: tion, La Croix @'Or, Puccini’s “Manon Les- caut” is to pe playea shorily at Vienna under the patronage of the Archduchess Stephanie and the Countess of Kielmause:g. M. Ricordl of Milan has ioaned ail the scores neces-ary, and the artists of the Opera &md the Vienna Choral Soclety will give cheir assistance to the number of 200. Although it is not yet known at what thea- ter Mascagnt’s “Iris” will be produced, the house of Ricord! has already announced a nes, opera by this young Italian composer. The new work will be named “Commedia deil ’Arte,” and deals with the popular Italian theater. M. Leoncavallo is now working on two operas, “Trilby” and “Roland of Berlin.” The libretto of “Trilby is written by Leoncavallo himself; that of “Roland” fsdueto M. Machi, a journalist, and M. Butti, a novelist. The idea of “Roland de Berlin”’ comes from the Em- peror of Germany, who has also designed the ¢ stumes for the new opera, of which the first representation will take piace at the Opeora- house, Berlin. Mme. Saville made her debut at the Imperial Opera-house, Vienna, Noyember 24, in “Romeo and Juliet.”" M. Van Dyck piayed Romeo. In order to play ‘“I'he Youth of Louts XIV,” in Paris, twenty foxhounds were imported from England for the hunt, and they are im- vatiently waiting at the Jardin d’Acclimata- tion for the first periormance. Several Viennese artists and amateurs have joined in offering a present to Max Bruch on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday, which falls on January 6, 1898, — DON'T TALK OF YOUR ILLS. “Every one of us has his and her own ail- ments,” writes Edward W. Bok 1n the Decem- ber Ladies’ Home Journal, decrying the un- plessant habit many peopie have of discussing their bodily ills. “It 1s enough for us all to keep well ourselves; to be compelled 10 listen to the ailmenis of others does not mnke that task any easier. Besides all this, these un- necessary narratives of personal ailmeu s are positively injurious to ourselves. Physicinns ail agree that many of the slight ilinesses of which some people make s0 mueh could be cured if they woud but take their minds from themse'ves. Too many people work themselves .into iliness or vrevent themselves from getting weil by talking about & petty ailment, which, if forgotten, would right itself. will not say that women, more than men, are proue o tils evil. But as the majority of women heve more leisure than the majority of men, they are more likely to let their minds dwell upon very lit- tle ill that assails them, and talk about it, It seems 1o me that one of the most important lessons we can all learn with the close of the year is to refrain from inflicting upon others what is purely personal to ourscives. Let us cease this tiresome, this inconsiderate, this unnecessary talk about our ailments. ' Cold and hard as it may seem, the fact is neverihe- less true, and will ever remain so, thst the vast majority of people are interested in what is pleasant in our Iives, but not in what1s ane pleasant. Pains and sorrows are elements in our lives which are sacred and i only to ourselves,” 5 Aty ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Isk—Nimrod, City. Not knowing the in- gredients that compose the ink you uave, it 1s impossible to tell you what would turn it jet black. QUOTATION WANTED—A correspondent wants to lucate *’Tis astrange world we came by, you anda I, but stranger still from whence we came and whither we go. EvcHre--Constant Reader, Vacaville, Cal—.d Hoyle lays down the rule in the game of sonre that no player has the right to see any but the last one turned. RAILROAD TIcKETS—D. J. L., Castroville, Cal, An unlimited first-class railroad ticket is goo | until used. A limited first-class ticket iy good only if used wituin the time specified upon it. GODDARD-MAHER—O. 8., Susun, Cal. Peter Maher und Joe Goddard had but one fight. That was on December 8, 1892 and in that )ll:gll,‘:)t*tom the Coney Island Athletic Club, Maher wus knocked cutin three rounds. As SEPARATE CoNPANIES—E. R., Oakland, Cal. The Central Pacificand Northern Calic fornia are under the control of the Southern Paciic, but are cperated ns separate com- panies. Tue headquarters of these compsnies are iu the Southeru Pacific buiiding. City HALL Lots—P. H., City. The property known as the City Hall iots were sold for £953,900. The assessed valuaiion of the same au this time is $2,356,500. The city could bring & suit in condemnation (o regain pos- session of the property on the ground that such is needed for the public use. RAILROAD BoNDS—E. R., Oakland, Cal. If you read carefully the commercial columns of the San Francisco CALLyou would not have asked the question: “Why are Central Pagific and Northern California” railroad bonds not quoted in Stock and Bond Exchange?” When- ever there are any sales of suchstock that fact is reported in that department of the paper. CORBETT AND SHARKE H. City. You can secure back numbers of THE CALL contaln- ing accounts of the Fitzsimmons-Sharke fight and" the Fitzsimmons-Corbett fight by making epplication to the business office. The price for such papers is §1 20 for a paper thatis one year old, decreasiug 10 cenisa month toaate; thatis, a copy of the monih of March containing the account of the Fitz- simmous-Corbett fignt, being eight mouths old, would be 80 cent oLD FOI;KS‘ CHfi(ST:flAS GIFTS. Iz the Chbristmas s’ Home Journal Edwara W. Bok writes that he “would not be surprised if the dear oid ladies of our land shou.d rebel at the customary presents which pecple send them at Christmas-time,” gifis that are severely practical and ever a re- minder of their years. *I wish at this Chri mas iide,”” he continues, “every young girl might bring her mind to hunt out some aged saint and bring new brightness into that life by some holiday thougit or attention. A bunch of bright flowers can bring a year's sunshine into a sunset life. Letthe gift be everso simple; the sttention ever so smali; but let it be bright; let it be suggestive of cheer, of hope, ot ness, of youth—some- wning thut will bring the sparkle -to the eye, the tinge of coior tu the cheek. It will be a double " Christy for you; & fresh, new Christmas for the old, while to you, my girl, it will me 0 more than vou think. Wé always guinmore than we give by essociating with ol Tue poorest old lndy in the land n Lknow edge for a young girl. It ays does n girl good to Come in contact with an old lady. . The girl may be the most ant coliege graduate who ever addressed a vaiedictory 1o her class, but in the comfort- able cnair betore her sits (ne who has learned irom experience what the girl has learned irom books. Asamantakes off his hat 0 a woman, s0 I think & young girl should always Dow with resp an oid Iady. Let our young girl. this with the approacn- ing holidays and s brignt ray of sunshine inio some e. Let every girl who can, see to 1t that it shall be uo longer sa:d that young people care very little for o d people these days. . There are hundreds of dearold ladies 1n our 'and whose lives would be lengthened by some fresh, bright Christ- mas thought from the hand and heartof a voung girl. For many such it would be & new Lhristmus—a sunrise at sunset.” CALIFORNIA glace fruits, 50c Ib. Townsend's." e e SPECIAL Information daily to manufacturers, business houses and public men by the Press / Clipping Bureau (Alien's), 510 Montgomery. *~ GUILLET'S potato, mushroom, filbert cake. 905 Larkin street. e S Mark Hopkins Institute of Art. Open daily, Sundays included. Grand eon- cert every Thursday evening. Admission 25¢.* R NOTES ABOUT NOTABLES. Henri Rochefort refuses to make peace with Zola, though the great novelist has expressed a desize for a reconciliation, Secretary of Siate Sherman and Mrs. Sher. man will celebrate their goiden wedding next year. King Humbert of Italy is the inost heavily insured man in the worid. The amount of in- surance he carries is over §7,500,000. President Faure has already sent presents of scaripins and photographs of himself to Rus- sian officers and othess as souvenirs of his visit fo their country. He now intends to send brooches to & certain number of Russian ladies who were very altentive to him and kept him well provided with bouquets. The refining tendencies of Nicholas II are indiceted by hisrecent reseript pardoning 200 Lutheran pastors of the Baltic provinces who had been deported to distant parts of the Rus- stan empire for various offsenses sgainst tho ecclesinstical laws as enforeed by Pobiedonost- seff, the procurator of the Holy Synod of the Greek Church and the evil genius of Alexan- der 1L An Opportunity. You can have the good cheer, open-faced, $7 50, now $5 50, 8 25, during our giit sale for seven days. No. 20 heats room 12x14; No. 30, room 13x20; costs 1 to 2 cents per hour. Buy them at Myers’, 947 Market, or Montague, 315 Market. . —————— The Duke of Beaufort has transferred all his property to his son, the Marquis of Worcester. The Duke Is in very feeble heaith, and this transfer of the estate enables the Marquis to escape the enormous death duties which he would otherwise have to pay on succeeding 10 the estate; Myers Oil Heater No. 2 No. 30, $11, now § THE MOST SIMPLE AND “A¥E REMEDY fora | Cough or ‘Throat Troudle is * Brown's Bronchial Troches.” They possess real merit. Ean e No Obristmas table should be without a bottle of Dr. Slegert’s Angostura Bit-ers the celebrated appetizer of exquisite Aavor. Beware of imitations. . FLASHES OF FUN. “The lips that touch wine Shail never kiss mine,” The new woman cried anc what do you think? Kre the sun had gone down Every man in that Lown Had bezome a viciim of drink! The Roval is the highest grade baking powder known. Actual tests show it goes one- third furthier than any other brand. Absolutely Pure FOYAL BAXING POWDER CO., NEW YORK.