Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-09-07

Hhih raulus OF twenty-five miles IRON the
Cliff House it is estimated there are some 25 0Ot
seals and sea lions. and their destruction of fish i,
becoming such serious matter that it is propos ed
to have the State give g bounty for the killing Of
all seals and lions found within a certain dis
lance Of the Golden Gate. l have heart mar
say that they probably destroyed over forty ton.
Of fish daily, principally salmon.
The bay and river fishermen are Chinese and
Italians, principally the former, who are found nv
hundreds, pursuing their vocation on the beaches
and for miles in the sloughs of the Sacramento
They, as well as the tslans, are fragrant violaors
of the fishery laws. The Chinese use small, fnel y
meshed nets, and their hauls include the TIMES,
fish. The Italians never return the small FRY they
catch to the water, but leave them on the beach
to die, and AS the result myriads of the fnny
tribe are unnecessarily destroyed. The Chinese
6shermen however, dry the small Ash and send
them to China, while they sell the large ones here
The principal dried fish they send to China are
sturgeon and shrimps. They send to the Flowery
Isle some twenty five tons month, smoun tiug to
some 100000 year. They sell some two tons
of shrimps in this market daily.
Deer, elk and antelope are becoming scarcer in
this State every year. and there is fear Of their be
coming exterminsted unless they are better pro-
tected by law. These animals are hunted re-.
morselessly, especially deer, which are killed
mostly for their skins which are used 10 this mar
ket for the manufacture Of gloves. Deer and
bear bunting constitute . favorite amusement
There is plenty of game to be flushed not day' .
ride from here. There is scarcely q day passes
but what see party of Nimrods starting Of
with their chsssepots, and acco npsnied by packs
of well-trained dogs in leash. believe there are
more disciples of the rod and gun in thi. city than
can be found in any other city 10 the Union.
NATURAL WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA.
In Sonoma county are to be found . collection
of geysers They are great resort for those in
search of health and pleasure. These natural
curiosites are elevated about LOO feet above the
sea 10 Q romantic mountain region In one An in
valid can enjoy . natural medicared sulphur bath.
The waters OF another are so acid that, with .
little sugar, delicious lemonade is afforded. 10
Plumas county there are more geysers One
throws boiling water twenty-five feet high, and
as clear a. crystal, while the water Of another
changes alternate years to a blood.red color. 10
canyon for three hundred feet steam is con
stantly escaping from the ground, while . mile
away is small boiling lake whose waters are OF
the consistency and color of sospsuds. There are
between 200 and 800 boiling springs or whereabouts
containing almost every kind Of mineral aud no
two alike, within distance of three humid red feet.
Further up the canyon are nearly one thou,s nd
different kinds Of mineral and "pant" spnngs
In the county Of Nspo there are numerous min
eral springs which invite visitors from all part, OF
the world
Much has been written about the big trees OF
Mariposa and Calsvsras counties. But there are
other monsrchs of the forest to be seen in Calfor.
mia Of which little is known. In fact among the
lofty peaks Of the Sierras largest trees of the
earth can be found, and they are not confined 10
any particular locality. Within year or two up
in Fresno county a new grove of these monsters
have become accessible to the tourist, near the
south fork Of Kings river. A gentleman who has
them tells that there are thirteen of these
giants, all within radius of eco feet with several
others outside Of these limits. The largest one
called "Grant''is forty-fve feet in diameter aud
some four hundred feet 10 height. NO of then
have been cut down and when they fell they sunk
from four to six feet in the earth. Both have
been burned out hollow, and visitors can ride
through one of them on horseback. six and eight
abreast, while the other is used for the storage OF
bugges and other vehicles. None Of the bark OF
any Of these trees is less than twenty to twenty
eight inches 10 thick ness.
SAN Francisco FIRE DEPARTMENT.
/ am told that the fire risks in San Francisco
greater than in any other city Of its size in tie
country, on account Of so much combustible ma
al thotA ;nto tha
aud the utter recklessness of the Chinese popula
ton 10 the of ,al oil lamps and fires 10 THEN
habitations If destructive ERE should threate n
the city unlike New York, Boston and other
Eastern cities, San Francisco could not draw up
on neighboring towns for assistance, but wou Id
have to rely eatirely on her own FIRE department
She would De as isolated burning vessel 900
miles from land. OF late years San Francisco h as
enjoyed comparative immunity from fire. For
tie past ten years the loss has been about $500 O0O
yearly. Should big confaeratou take lace the
Ere department would be unable to cope with it
There are only some dozen or fourteen steamers
with but really one that is first class in size In
her fire department San Francisco is far behind
our Eastern cities. The supply Of water is SO
limited that it would be entirely inadequate to
meet . great emergency, and this increases the
perilous situation to which the city would be ex
posed in Dig fire. I believe there are abou,
1000 hydrants and some so cisterns To main
tain the fire department costs the city abou
1887 900 . year. There are 100 miles of fire
alarm and 1877 signal boxes in which are con.
nected with oil the public institutions There i,
also Ere patrol conducted on the same priucpl,
~ the one IN New York city. The fire dera
meut is . powerful machine 10 party politics, ate
gallant spirit that they show in eStinguishing
| FIRE. TOBY CANDoR.
CONSUMPTION CURED.