New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-13
PACIFIC COAST TOPICS.
DEATH OF FREDERICK MACCRELLIsH AND J. W.
sIMoNToN-FEArUREs OF THE CAMPAIGN

DEATH OF fKEDEfuCk MACCRELLISH AND j. w.
sTMoNToN-FEATUREs OF THE CAMPAIGN
RAINY OCTOBER.
rFRoMAS OCCASIONAL col oRREsPoNDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. "A rather singular COIN
cidence is the death In the same week of two WE'LL
known California newspaper men Frederick
MacCrellish, the Editor of The Alta, and J. W. Sim
onton. one of the proprietors of The Morning Call.
MacCrellish was one of the best known figures in
the streets of San Francisco and everybody seemed
to know him Simonton paid flying visits TO tho
coast nearly every year. but he only represented
name to the great number of Californians. Mac
CrellIsh was one of the Argonauts. around whom
Bret Harte has cast a poetical halo. Ii must be
said that they came here with the prosaic purpose
OF making money, and that those whom whiskey and
disease and pioneer vicisstudes Gid not say in their
prime, lived to enjoy the fruits of their energy.
MacCrellish was one of the most energetic among
this band OF vigorous and daring young men. He
tried mining, but failed; then he tried his luck in
the newspaper business this city. That too at
first, yielded him nothing more than a bare subsst-
ence. Finally, about 1856 he became interested in
The Alta, and from that time he prospered.
The paper sprang in one day from a staryeling
little sheet to the chief newspaper OF the city. 10
was at the time of the Vigilance Committee. James
King of William, the founder of The Bulletin, had
been shot down in the streets by Casey, of tho
ruffans who proposed TO rule the city by In
timidation and ballot-bOx stuhing. Fho better
class of people banded together for pro-
lection under the lead of William I. Coleman,
a well known merchant They tried Casey and sem
fenced him to be hanged. The Herald the fore
most newspaper of the city. took Caseys part and
denounced the action of the Vigilance Committee.
In one day all the leading business who advcr-
tised in The Herald and to whom it owed its life,
!,
From BIG blanket-sheet The Herald dwuded to
the size of a small window-pane. struggled few
days, and then died. MacCrellish was purely
financial editor. lie kept keen eye on the COM
mercal columns and he made his paper a necessity
to all business men, For many years
he had ethe monopoly of the auctioneers'
advertisements frequently printing full
page of ten columns. His paper sold for
80 cents week 10 cents
a copy and this price maintained until about
two years ago. He reached out after news and was
OF the projectors of the first telegraph limo
across the plains In the various mining excite-
ments which swept over the State he made largo
fortune, which he spent in open-han0ed fashion.
He built fine house in Pine-st, just block above
the residence of Ex-Governor Stanford and there he
entertained many visitors to the city, Both he and
his paper were prosperous until the COmstock
mining IeVtf SET Ill. lie cOIneu luOuey uullHB tnc
early days of tins excitement; be doubled his al
ready large fortune but in an evil hour he began
to speculate in stocks and loss followed loss in
swift succession. Rival newspapers, cheaper and
more popular in character, drew of a large part OF
his subscribers. Still he made strong light and
never could be induced to admit that The Alta was
not among the leading journals of the coast.
The secret of MacCrcish's popularity was his
hi Ha
lavish in gifts to public charities while his private
benefactions unnumbered. When he hada
fortune he kept band of pensioners and one of
the things which most made him and cynical
in his last years the ingratitude shown by many
whom he had helped to put on their feet when
stricken down by disaster In person he was tall.
with fine fresh face and somewhat the features
and the look of Christopher North" He very
gentlemanly in manner. but when among men no
was wont to season his talk with strange and
mouth filling oaths. Consumption wrecked and
brought him to his grave before his time.
The death of Mr.. Simonton was largely dne to
overwork. He took few vacations and those were
consumed in business enterprises. He came back
this year to his ranch in Napa County, intending IN
the pure air and under the generous of California
to regain his lost strength. But he was too atc.
His death, whatever learned name the doctors give
to Its cause, the result OF the American passion
of work at high pressure rate, unrelieved by any
recreation.
This campaign which has been marked by great
bitterness in journalistic comment. has also many
humorous features. The Democrats tried to import
the Chinese question into the canvass but the at
tempt proved to be boomerang. The Republicans
found that the Bourbon candidate for Governor em-
ployed a Chinese house-servant and that tho
Lieutenant Governor had hired gang OF Chinese
IN his mines Ihe funny part of the charge
against the Governor was that he admitted he had
q heather in his Kitchen but be explained that his
" ife ran his household and he could not interfere
with her! Another candidate-ths time on the
local Republican tcket-whie in convention and
before his nomination, boasted that he would be
successful. His enemies, after his nomination.
issued q card with mOurnin4 border which con-
tanned these, his words IN the convention. with hs
signature: Z" It's cold day when | get left" ".
B." And don't You forget IT," Ibis proved very
litter pill for him to swallow and he was forced
to come out in a card In the newspapers.
October has proved to be remarkably rainy
mouth On Thursday the fall was ls5 inches for
the twenty hours. For the season the ralnfall
has been D. II inches while the heaviest r3nia ZOE
many years up to the corresponding date was III the
rainy winter OF 1S76 when only 3.76 inches were re-
corded. Thursdays storm had ono ludcrous result.
IL continued far into yesterday morning, perieco
tempest of wind aud ram. that the Italian sher-
be yond the Golden Gate. As consequence tho
stalls IN the fish market wcr5 empty, although 10
was Friday, greatly TO the disgust OF the idle
dealers.
FOUR RUFFIANS ARRESTBD.