New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-23
PACIFIC COAST TOPICS.
MATTERS SOCIAL AND POLITICAL.
VACANT PALACEs-A MULTIPLICATION OF PARTIES


"A SUIT FOR CHILD.
tFRoM AN OCCASION Al CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUSEI
| SAN FRAyCIsCO, Oct. IA singular feature Oh
life in this city is the passion that wealthy peopie
have for building costly houses and then leaVine
| them vacant for ten months in the year. For us
size San Francisco can show more private HOUSES
| that are worthy of the term palatial IMAM any
| other city In the country. As in New-1orA' eac"
rich man v1es with his rivals in business or COM
mcrce or railroadng in the lavish outlay OF money
on his residence aud grounds; but unlike the New
Yorker he does not seem to rest cUntentedly III MS
luxurious quarters. Bret Hartes sketch OF the
two California Miners who. after n bitter quarrei
ovar batch of yellow biscuits and separation OF
several years find meeting that one has Just GOT
home from pdsedr to New York. while the other Is
fresh from winter in Paris, is not 80 wide OF the
truth A large number of men who have made
their fortunes on this coast nominllly reside IN
this city, but really live in New-fOrk or abroad
Ex-Governor Stanford is "a good example. Win
the exception of Charles Croker he is the wealth.
est man on this coast. He has the finest private
residence IN this city, one of the most beautiful
suburban villas, one OF the largest stock ranches
where the young thoroughbrcds now at the East
were raised Yet it rs announced that be has
rented Il fine mansion OH Fifth-aye., New-Yorb and
will remove there with his family IN few weeks,
merely retaining this city AS his voting residence
His magnificent house. on the pinnacle of what is
locally known as Mob Hill, will remain in charge
of the hOusekeeper.
This house and the half-dozen others which are
in its immediate vicinity form one OF the sights
which are always pointed cut to strangers. Or all
these dwellings of millionaires, Stanfords is the
must imposing while it far excels any the others
in the beauty variety and cost f its interior deco
rations Like the others, it is built of wood, but
he ind chat 10 presents
to the eye the massivenes5 and sOlidity OF stone.
The grqan1s arc exceedingly beautiful comprising
onesdali OF an entire square block, the lower
! portion being surrounded By an immense wall OF
dark blue stone cappsd with granite and sur
mounted by an iron fence. The other half Of this
sn1are is covered by the caselated structure built
by the late Mark Hopkins, one Of the Central
Pacific railway kings, and now occupied By his
widow. 1t spreads over more than one-nau
the lot while tho remainder is covered with
big wall and a spiral driveway leading from
the barn and carriage-house, which form
part of the lower wall. In Mrs. HOpkInss house
the shades are drawn during more than half the
year the lady spending the summer and fall at
Great Burlington. Mass. Further mp the street is
the Cotton mansion built in classic style and sur
rounded by an iron fence OF Roman pixies with the
lictors fasces for gate-posts. 1t is occupied.
next block Is the huge residence Of Charles Croker,
which has been abandoned by the family since
early In the summer, It's lawn IS beautiful, com
prsng an entire city block, nth the exception OF
single lot, surrounded by a high board fence.
This lot belonged TO an old German, who refused
to sell when CrOcker wished 20 buy all the property
IN the block, constantly fixing price few thou
sands above Crockers Offer and as soon as Crocker
came to his terms making another advance After
this had happened in all about five times, and
CrocK had offered fully five times the real worth OF
the property. the millionaire changed his tactics
He withdrew all his offers. refused to buy at any
price and built high board fence about the LOT,
making it worthless and the exuberant vege-
tatcn of California is fast Transforming the I'M
slightly fence into "A thing of beauty The owners of
these four houses represent fully Tl30OOOOOO.
The houses have cost no less than three millions in
all. Each mas fine picture gallery. filed with
choice work of the best modern artists rs well IS
several good specimens of the old masters. Each is
filed with beautiful furniture and objects of art
flom all quarters of the globe. Yet these treasures
repose IN darkened ROOMS during the greater part
of the year. and their owneIs seem to haze little
enjoyment from them.
1t would take statlstIcan TO keep any record OF
the political situation in this State and city. 1t
u
with o great variety OF entries Even the cOlored
men have felt called upon to put up ticket which
is really an Endorsement of the leading Democratic
candidates. This, with the Prohibition. Green
back Farmers, and Autobiography tickets BESIDE
the tickets of the two main parties, makes the sit
nation complicated. In local politics the contu-
sion grows WORSE cOnfounded. The rival Repub-
lican conventions, after nominating candidates
and hurting defiance at each other, have finally
pooled thei issues and JOINT convention will soon
meet and begin again the work OF nominations.
The Democrats dre II session and the local BouI
boa bosses are busy. John he!ys place IN tIls city
IS held by "a blind salOOn-keeper named Chris
Buckley, who has great political sagacty and
keen eve for the main chance and the spOlls. De-
spite the dust that fills the political air. little in
terest is taken either IN the city state contest by
any but the professional politicians. There IS
marked absence Of any important issues between
the parties and the campaign bids far 10 .degen-
crate into q vulgar struggle Tor tat offices between
the place-hunters.
rather interesting case has been in the courts for
more than week 1t IS the suit Of Mrs. Piercy 70
gam control Of the child OF her dead son. Samuel
W piercv was a California boy VINO thought he
was an actor He went on the stage and achieved
mediocre success. Ills acting gained him small
professional reputation, but 10 won hun rich wife
in the person OF daughter Of Dunphy wealthy
wholesale butcher OF tins city who has cattle on
thousand hills from Oregon TO Sonora. One child
was born % them. daughter. DuDphy proved To
he u model father-ln-ldw and when the actor was
in financial straits his purse was always nj Plercys
command. About "A year ago the mother died. and
her last act was 10 place her baby in the arms OF
her younger sister aud beg her to it and love
it for her sake. This duty the sister performed.
Piercy died recently. leaving no will, but il is
alleged that on his death-bed he told his mother
10 adopt the child and she mas accordingly brought
suit for her recovery. Able counsel were retained
by both parties to the suit and the case has ex-
cited great local interest The whole cause of the
contention seems TO lie in the difference Of religion
of the two families. The Duuphys are Catholics
and the PeIcys Protestants hence the .eagerness
10 secure control of the education Of the child. II