The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 3, 1901, Page 26

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1901. “IN OLD KENTUCKY?” AWAKENS OAKLAND-ADA REHAN IS COMING. By Guisard. o AKLAND is trying to be good. Oakland hain't always been good. Indeed, Oakland has had in the past an almost spotless | reputation, as the fascinating | widow in ““Henrletta” puts it— “all black and not a white spot in it"— with most of the theatrical companies that have wandered into its wilds. But a famine descended upon the land, the one | first class theater of the town has been closed for alm: a r and Oakland is repentant. Oakland more than repent- ant, reduced, in fact, to lively humility, and C. P. Hall has chosen the psycholog- jcal moment to reopen the Macdonough Theater, which he did on Halloween with “In Oid Kentuck: All the town was there and every seat was filled. If Mr. Hall succeeds in ing out his plans it is more than likel t our charming neighbors across the will continue to patronize the home th d regain its lost position in the managerial heart. ssoclated with C. P. I , the lessee of | are L. Robert San Jose, Fresno the- | long connected | e Macdonough. ter, as outlined by | the keeping open | 5 nights weckly as can be ha of prices. jous critic could | Mr. Smith, will in the. house from hardly deménd more for his money than | the initial offering of the new manage- | ment. “In Old is one of the | firlest of the mint julep dramas, and of all | the things that could, would or should happen in the Bluegrass State, not one is | left out of the bill. There is a horse race, a much darker villain, 0 three bonny horses, a dynamite explosio: end a shot a Minute among the leading es of the drama, and the audience | took it all in with a lavish enthusiasm born of long famine. The smell of battle incited the gallery to deeds of daring-do | and it outhissed, outwhistled and out- | stamped Morosco’s in its palmiest mo- | ments. Altogether, the opening of the | Macdonough Theater must be regarded as | a huge success. | We get “In Old Kentucky” to-night at the California, and it should be sald in | addition to the attractions catalogued above that it has some of the cleverest buck and wing dancing that is done; a rather charming little heroine, Alice Treat Hunt, and that the gyrations of Wood- lawn Whangdoodles, the clever pickanin- nies that play in the good band, are odd &nd amusing. aliih In “The First Duchess of Marlborough,” & play written about the first of the fa- mous Sarahs of modern history, Mrs. Sarah Cowell Le Moine seems to have found a fortunate outlet for her peculiar end individual genius. The drama itself is sald to be a well knit and ingeniously worked-out play, keeping well to the spirit if not to the letter of the time it repre- sents and is distinguished by consistent and realistic character drawing. It is by Charles Henry Meltzer, who is otherwise known to fame as a playwright, and seems to have achieved a success of rather high order since its introduction to the publics We shall, iowever, have opportunity of Judging it for ourselves to-morrow night 2t the Columbia Theater. Besides the distinguished actress al- ready mentioned, who is naturally found in the title role, there are other good play- ers in the cast of “The FirsteDuchess of Marlborough.” Joseph Wilkes has the handling of the part of Dr. Swift, also “‘said to be” a capital plece of work. Mr. Russell, a former support of Stuart Rob- son, has the role of the Duke of Marlbor- ough; Robert Harley, Mrs. Masham’s wily accomplice, i8 in the capable hands of Frederick Paulding, and there seems to be conscience and capability throughout the cast. Alice Nielsen's defection from the Frank L. Perley Opera Company does not ap- pear to have downed the plucky little or- ganization anything worth mentioning. Last Sunday’s Tribune of Utica, N. Y., has a glowing acocount of Mr. Perley's latest venture, “The Chaperons,” a new musical comedy composed by Isadore Wit- | | f MONDAY NIGHT. mark, with a book by Frederic Ranken. Here is a paragraph from the column and & quarter of description and praise that the Tribune devoted to ““The Chaperons”: Gorgeous costumes, tuneful music, and a book above the average in merit, are the prin- cipal ingredients of the new musical comedy, “The Chaperons,” which was served to Uticans at the Majestic yesterday in generous courses by Frank Perley's comedians. Lovers of this style of entertainment who missed attending either the afterncon cr evening pérformance have much to regret, for “The Chaperons” providef & most palatable feast of mirth and music. Perley won a reputation as e lavish profucer with the Alice Nielsen Opera Com- » but bis present effort shows an appar- g EASTERN THEATRICAL STAR WHO WILL APPEAR HERE cnt disregard of expense as to salarfes and stage_accessories! He has gathered together a company of comedians and vocalists that ought to make any plece go, especially one so well constructed as “The Chaperons.”” Isadore Witmark, who Is responsible for the music, has heretofore been known only as a composer of songs. However, he has proven his fitness to enter a broader field. While not what is termed catchy, the music of ““The Chaperons’” pos- sesses a charm that is extremely attractive. Frederic Ranken has furnished a stofy, bright | in dialogue and one with a tangible plot that Goes mot get lost in the first act—as do the majority of musical comedy plots. Ada Rehan, brightest star of the Augus- tin Daly firmament, will come in the early spring of next year to the Grand Opera- house to play an extended engagement with the stock company. This is not quite what Miss Rehan has been accustomed to, but it will be a very good thing for the | Grand Opera-house, whose management is finding the policy of “star and stock’ an uncommonly good investment, by the way. Since Daly’s death Miss Rehan has done little, seeming to lose heart with the loss of the manager to whose genius she was so deeply indebted for her success. She left the stage entirely for two years, and since then has done but little. “‘Sweet Nell of Old Drury” last year afforded this brilliant favorite of old time a fitting op- portunity to find her way back to the hearts of her erstwhile worshipers, but there was competition in the role, an- other' and younger woman, Henrletta Crosman, playing the part to crowded houses, while Miss Rehan played to many empty benches. Her tour in “Sweet Nell” was cut short. IIl health added its unnecessary weight; and again Miss Re- han went into temporary retirement. But she seems now to have recovered some of her former bright spirit .and glowing health, and after a short tour during tho winter will be here to pleasure us jn the spring. [ Father Caraher to Lecture. An interesting lecture will be deliverei in St. Francis Church, on Vallejo street, this evening at 8 o'clock by the rector, the Rev. T. Caraher. The subject will b “Easter at the Holy Sepuicher.” The speaker will describe the extraordinary scenes _he witnessed a* the Latin and Tteek festivals. An excellent musical pro- gramme has been arranged in connection with the lecture. Besides an augmented choir, under the direction of Mrs. A. B. Collins, the following artists will sing: Miss aud F{a’. *J Salutaris’”; Mrs. Heuer Wilson, ““Hear Ye, O Israel”; Daisy Keane, “Laudamus Te"; Charles Hay, “The Holy City,” and special choir, “Praise Ye the Lord.”’ Tickets can be had for 50 cents at the parochial residence, 620 Vntlle]o street. Reserved seats are 25 cents extra. ———————— Civil Service Examination. The Municipal Civil # Service Commis- sloners yesterday extended the time for filing applications for the position of En- glneer's and -Surveyor's office_ assistant, Bureau of Engineering, to ednesday next, November 6, at 5 p. m. The exam- ;n:ttiosn will b_le_hhelfl’ ’!’hurlduymNovember 3 a. m. “There is sition, saiary of 3100 per month. Do om With & ———— ‘Walnut and Pecan Panoche. Townsend, * —————————— Cholce candles. Tonwsend's, Palace Hotel® ————— Cal. Glace Fruit 5c per Ib at Townsend's |’ — e Bt YO Look out 81 4th, front of barber; best specs, gold plated, 10c to 40c. * —_———— Bpecial information supplied dally to business houses and public men by the Prees Clipping Bureau (Allen" - Somery street. Telcphone Main/to 3" JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Proprietor. SUNDAY . Address Communications to W. S. LEAKE, Manager .NOVEMBER 3, 1901 Publication Office............... tesessessnnceciannates @.............. ................. Market and Third, S. F. N Friday night, Mr. Wells, you made some more speeches. You spoke out in the Rich- mond district. The questions asked of you were in the night air. Why did you say you would not have run if you had known the kind of Supervisor ticket that would be nominated with you? Why did you say you would go off the ticket if Flint didn’t go on? These and other burning questions followed you to Richmond Hall, and how did you an- swer them? ! Here is your answerp Mr.Wells: “A few years ago I had no idea that I would be able to “address a meeting at this place. At that time it was rolling sand. A great many people thought that sand never could be controlled. But they found that sand can be controlled.” Now, Mr. Wells, that was not z categorical answer, but was it an allegorical answer? No one cares whether years ago you foresaw that you could make a speech in that district, for you can’t make a speech anywhere. But speaking of sand and its control, you showed “sand” once, and people thought it could not be controlled. That was when you told the Bulletin: “As head of this ticket I have some rights, and they must be respected. If Flint is not put on the ticket, I go oft.” That was good sand, but alas! like that of the Richmond district it was controlled. You surrendered your rights, gave up Flint and did not go off the ticket! The Richmond sands are kin to your sand, Mr. Wells—they have both been controlled. But the people want to know who controlled your sand. That is the issue you raised yourself when you showed sand. You cannot evade the question by turning public attention to the sands of Richmond. The same night you spoke in IHayes Valley. The people still wanted to know who con- trolled your sand, But you said: “I am glad to greet you as Republicans. I have been so, many years longer than most of you have been on earth.” ; Nobody has denied your patriarchal age, Mr. Wells. You showed it in the next sentence of your speech when you said: “The Mayor must have good Sugerviscrs, and they are the legis- lators of the city. If those on the Republican ticket should be elected yow will have a good gov- ernment. I do not think it necessary to touch on the issues.” That shows that your sand is under better control than the sand of Richmond. You said in the beginning that the Supervisors on your ticket were so bad that you would have refused to run with them had they been nominated first. You demanded that Flint go upon the ticket in order to have one man on the board upon whom you could depend. And now you say if those same Supervisors are elected we will have good government! We fear, Mr. Wells, that your sand is not merely under control, but that it has run out of your political gizzard entirély. The same evening you said to a German club that you had formulated your policy, and it would be published for everybody to read. But, Mr. Wells, you have done that before. You formulated your policy in an ultimatum that did you great credit when you said, “Either Flint goes on the ticket or I go off.” The people read that and liked it. But_you did not 'stick to it. You did not do as your formulated policy said you would. So what is the use of formulating an- other policy,'when your sand is under control? Who knows that you will stick to it any better than you did to your other ultimatum? Your sand then was no better than sawdust. Mr. Wells, take our advice, answer those questions or quit. Do as your first policy re- quired, and get off the ticket. Don’t wait to be put off next Tuesday, but get off now, and fall back on your O. P. S., your various “vicinities,” and your large house up the avenue. THE DATE IN CALIFORNIA. HE date palm grows all over California. Along the side walks in our towns where people throw date seeds the plants spring up, and the tree is among our most valued palms on lawns and avenues. Only at a few places, however, does it ripen its fruit. The Woliskill grove, in Yolo County, produces edible dates, and so do trees in Oroville. But in no case has there been any demonstration of the commercial value and importance of the dried date. Now, however, there seems a prospect that the date may become of commercial importance in this State and be added to our export fruits. Mr. Walter T. Swingle, a gentleman who is likely to rank with Burbank as a benefactor of the agriculture and horticulture of the United State$, has been making a specialty of the intro- duction of the date. He is one of the explorers employed by the section of seed and plant intro- duction of the Agricultural Department at Washington, and has already had much to do with the introduction of the blastophaga, the minute insect that pollinates the Smyrna fig, and has now in hand the introduction of the large variety of the pistachio nut, which by reason of its late bloom promises to add an important feature to our nut production. This pistachio is eaten like the almond, and has not the fault of precocity which causes the almond bloom to be caught by spring frosts in many parts of the State. He is' also interested in domesticating here the truffle oak, Quercus ilex, under which the finest truffles grow. But his most important work is with the date. 3 The Agricultural Department has lately issued his illustrated report on “The Date Palm and Its Culture,” which is of literary, scientific and practical interest to Californians. All date- eaters will read it with profound pleasure, and all rural economists who desire to see the great capacities of California all in action will hail it as a promise of great things. The date is one of the oldest cultivated plants, but many will learn for the first time from Mr. Swingle’s admirable paper that there are dates and dates, the varieties being as distinct as the different varieties of apples, peaches or grapes. Mr. Swinglé says that of the three principal types of dafes cultivated by the Arabs only one is exported to Europe and the United States. This is called by the Arabs the soft date, 60 per cent of its weight being sugar, and the fruit being so full of sweet syrup that it has to drain off before shipment. The second type has a less percentage of sugar, does not dry readily, and is, therefore, usually eaten fresh from the tree. The third are called dry dates, unknown outside of Arabia, but highly esteemed by the Arabs. They are not soft when ripe, and keep for years in dry storage. This type will never be popular here. Each of these general types has several varieties. The Wolfskill dates on Colonel Sam Taylor’s place at Win- ters are of the second type, delicious as a fresh fruit, and Mr. Swingle says that several varieties of this type may flourish in Northern California. But the Rahrs, Tedella and other sugary sorts require great heat and dryness of air with copious irrigation. The Amreeyeh and Seewah have borne near Phoenix, Arizona, 300 and 400 pounds of fruit, which sold readily for 40 cents a pound. But Mr. Swingle regards the Deglet Noor, or “date of the light,” as the king of the dates. It is of medium size, translucent, with soft flesh of most exquisite flavor. But few of these dates reach the United States, because they are so eagerly sought in Europe. These are only a few of the thousands of varieties of this ancient fruit whose cultivation began in the valley of the Euphrates by a race long extinct. Mr. Swingle made the camel back journey to an oasis in the Sahara where the Deglet Noor is cultivated, and succeeded in exporting a large number of the trees. They were wrapped, loaded on camels on May 19, 1900, and began the long journey across the African desert to Biskra, where they were freighted by rail to Algiers, whence they were shipped to New York, arriv- ing July 3. The Southern Pacific Railway gave them free transportation to Arizona, where they were planted near Tempe on July 235, 1900, just two months and six days after they left the casis in Chott Melrirh. It is remarkable that in the following October 93 per tent of the trees were alive and that over 70 per cent are now growing. Mr. Swingle made a complete study of temperature and climatic conditions necessary for the growth of these dates, and finds these exactly reproduced on the Colorado Desert in this State. He says that California has two great regions where dates will become of commercial im- portance, one being the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, the other the Colorado Desert. He says that with the exception of one tree at'Nice, in France,in latitude 43 north, the Woli- skill palms at Winters, latitude 38 north, are the northernmost date palms in the world that ripen their fruit, but the same variety will ripen much farther north, as proved by his stu:dy of the climate and temperature at Orland, Corning, Vina, Tehama, Red Bluff and even Redding, in lati- tude 40. He also gives a list of the varieties that will be suitable for atl this region. But the Deglet Noor may cover a thousand square miles in the Colorado Desert, where the temperatures are as high as on the Sahara. Using the water of the Colorado River for irri- gation, that desolate region may be made to produce the finest dates in the world, and add a large value to the fruit export of California. We advise Califorgtians to get Mr. Swingle’s report, and we - promise that they will not lay it down until it is read through, and that they will turn to it again and again. Its author is now i\n this city, at the California Hotel, where he is arranging for the in- troduction of new forage plants and other things of value to the State. It is stated that the woman who went over Niagara in a barrel has received a hali doze offers of marriage, so any woman who wishes to get a husband has only to follow her example. ;| There have been many a; MUSICAL RECITALS FOR CITY’S SADLY WANTING. By Blanche Partington. POOR ARE PR, +* + ERE is what “W. M." thinks of the musical situation in San Francisco. As he says much that is in need of saying, I give his letter—too long held over for lack of space—in its entirety: ‘Wil you kindly use your influence toward the organization of a series of weekly popular con- certs this coming winter in San Francisco? By “‘concerts” I mean instrumental recitals of all accepted kinds, choral or oratorio perform- ances, as well as vocal recitals. But in par- ticular the real need I should like to emphasize is that of high-class music at popular prices. I now the disheartening and pessimistic re- ply that nine out of every ten people give when the above subject is broached; that it has been tried and found a failure, that mo ome will go to such concerts at 10, 15 and 25 cents (the prices for admission at existing popular re- gorts).” May I ask when the last experiment was made upon which these objections are based? I have been In the city five years and have kept an eye on the advertising columns, but have failed to hear of any concerts other than the exclusive and fashionable soclal func- tion, the price and very often the hour of which are evidently fixed with the intentién of keeping the “hol pollol’” out of range. Surely the immense and orderly audlences that attended several days in succession at the Mechanics’ Institute to hear the free retitals on the Stanford organ rebut the contention that the “‘people’ of San Franeisco are non-musical and unappreciative of such possibilities as those recitals afforded for the lover of sweet sounds. Agaln, it is inconceivable in & city where so many thousands of the inhabit- ants are from Eastern citles or European coun- where popular music is almost part of the air they breathe, that it can be said truly there s no demand for the cheap evening con- cert, an essential and most precious element among the legitimate recreations of & great city. That San Francisco, with its 400,000 popu- lation, is without a municipal art gallery may not be a reproach, but that there is no place in the remotest degree resembling a music hall seems to me to indicate a strange hiatus in the catalogue of local attractions. Where are our public-spirited and wealthy citizens? It does not take a musical enthusiast to appreciate the high moral and Intellectual value of good music given under appropriate auspices and brought easily within the means of the masses. Any one who has seen any- 'thing of the world in its holiday and leisure 1 moments cannot but desire (it he has any in- terest at all in the community’s welfare) the falsing of the average standard of recreation (so-called). It is unnecessary to specify; in San Francisco the places and resorts are only too numerous and prominent where our youth and country cousins are invited into drinking dens or dives with apparently no attempt made by others than the exploiters of the frail side of humanity to provide satisfaction to the natural instincts of the toiler seeking needed changs after a hard day’'s labor. Where are our churchmen and philanthro- plsts in this matter? Even if the wealthy, who are provided with their own forms of amuse- ment, stand aloof, I am sure the musical eir- cles of the city, co-operating with the churches, could, if they would, set about directing pub- Nc and civic sentiment toward the establish- ment not only of a grand central music hall, with halls for chamber concerts and choral fes- tivals on occasion, but also of smaller halls in crowded districts for weekly musical enter- tainments. Branch libraries are all very well, but reading does not always flll the vold, and I maintain that the feelings and emotions need at least as careful atiention and cyitivation as the intellect. If funds at first came in slowly volunteer ef- fort could be called for and would no doubt be forthcoming. S In fact, there must be many local amateurs who would regard it as a pleasure and privilege to devote an evening oceasionally toward a pub- lic entertainment, without fee being desired On the whole, perhaps it would be wiser to begin In this way, with a weekly concert in some central hall such as the Metropolitan on Saturday or Sunday night preferably. That such a series, if conducted by an able and en- ergetic'committee, would form the nucleus of & benefice§ft and prosperous civie institution is the conviction of the writer, For the credit of San Fran glad to say that the case ’:“c" I am %0 black as “W. M.+ o not quite s (:nm it to be. Sust wuch’ aconcert serteg oo L0, ound es as that for which he pleads,- th reason and b lough - for one another they have always g 4 ¥ TWO OF THE CLEVER LITTLE ACTORS IN JUVENILE OPERA COMPANY FROM AUSTRALIA. - fallen through. The last attempt of the kind, and one of the most notable, was the series of popular conecerts inaugurated last spring by the Twentieth Century Club at Metropolitan Hall. These concerts were under the direction of Professor Hermann Genss, who provided a high- class popular programme at prices from 50 cents down to 15 cents. The first con- cert, for-which 5000 free tickets were dis- tributed, was crowded. Coupons admitting to the second concert on payment of 15 cents were distributed at the first con- cert, but only seventy-five of these were the Twentleth Century Club was from $73 to 3105, including everything from talent to printing. There were five in the series all told. Nome of the concerts “paid.” The third was so sparsely attended that the Metropolitan Hall was given up. The remaining entertainments took place In a smaller hall. Now these concerts were well adver- tised, they were high in tone, yet not above the heads of those to whom they made their appeal, they were popular in price and given in the most central hall in the city. Yet they fafled and one con- tinues to wonder why. « e e To-morrow night the Pollard *“kiddies,”™ the cleverest youngsters that have hap- pened here for some time, will hold the fort at the Tivoll in “The Belle of New York.” The Pollard Juvenile Opera. Com- pany, to give the band of light-hearted, glib-lipped, restless “kiddies™ their chris- tened name, contains about fifty children, whose ages range from § to 14, and who have a repertoire of twenty-odd lght operas. They wilf give at the Tivoli dur- ing a four weeks’ season “The Belle of New York,” “A Galety Girl,” “The Gei- sha™ and “In Town.” This is their first American appearance. &5 o4 ‘The Damrosch lecture-recitals and little Enid Brandt's piano recitals are the chief musical events of the weel. Mr. Damrosch’s lectures are certain to attract a considerable contingent among the music lovers, who will rightly estimate the important advantage of hearing his lueid and comprehensive interpretation of the great Wagner works that he has this year chosen for his subjects, before their production at the Grand Opera-house. The | first recital on Tuesday afternoon at the California Theater will be on “Puarsifal,” the last of the Bayreuth monopolies: on Thursday afternoon “Die Meistersinger” will be given, and on the following Tues- day “Tristan and Isclde,” the latter two of which will both be heard here. Enid Brandt will play at Sherman & Clay Hall next Tuesday. Much interest is manifested In the recital of the wonderful little child. e e} e It Is very good news that Creatore, with his splendid band, will be again heard here this week in six concerts, beginning ‘Wednesday evening, at the Metropolitan Temple. Popular priced matinees are to be given on Thursday and Satupday after- noons, and no ong who has the oppors 'tunity to hear this excellent band should miss it. BREAKS UP CATARRHAL COLDS A Cold partly suspends ani= mation, the spirits droop, languor displaces energy; this is the effect of a Cold on the stomach, liver .and nervous system—numbed vitality. The use of Dr. Humphreys’ Specific ““Seventy-Seven” re~ stores the numbed vitals, makes the blood tingle, re- lieves the congestion, arouses the Sluggish liver, permits tl:nJ system to cleanse itself, ane®. “‘breaks up”’ the Cold. At all druggists 25 cents, or mailed on recelDt e e Homeopathic Medicine Co., dor l-n-w and John sts., New ¥e . ADVERTISEMENTS. R turned in. The cost of these conceérts to y