New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-29
TOPICS IN LEADING CITIES.
SAN FRANCISCO.
LEGAL CONTESTS-A STREAK OF GoLD-THt
STRIKE.
fBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRrBUNE.l

fry TELEGRAPH TO THE TRTBUNEi
SAN Francisco July 28-One of the most I'M
portant legal cases tried on this coast is now
on trial in the United States Circuit Court ID ths
CITY before Justice Field. 1t is the delinquent TAX
suit of Santa Clara County against the southern
Pacific Railway Company, and is one OF severai les'
cases to determine whether the counties OF the
State can compel the railroad company to pay de-
| inuuent taxes. the suit is for Sl5,OOO LOT iast
years taxes. Each side is renresentedby aDle Id"
yers and the contest isregarded with great interest,"
as the several suits represent more than Nl'ooooo
The chief argument of the railroad is that the act OF
the Legislature OF the present year annuied the act
| of 1880, which provided for the payment OF taxes
TO individual counties.
The Probate Court this week settled the contest
of the heirs of the Beideman estate which has been
dragging along for years. Beideman was one OF the
few early settlers here who had faith IN the great
future of the city. He took up at the Government
prices 100 acres in 1850, just outside OF the city
limits and enclosed it with brush fence. The
land support ed nothing but scrub oaks and few
wretched Mexican squatters. Not even white beans
would grow ON these barren lands. Beideman
elected nearly all the squatters. and Though re-
garded as a crank by his friends he held on to the
land for several years and realized fortune from
it. Had he retained 1t until now he would have
been the richest on the coast. as his ranch is
the present site of the western addition the finest
residence quarter of the city.
Some excitement was caused among the work.
men on Main-st. in the lower part of the city, by
the discovery of gold In layer OF black sand ex-
posed in excavating for O cellar. The gold fever
broke out, aud the men went to work in placerm
ing style, a pan of the sand yielding from about
fifteen cents and several men cleared S3 or 81
day. Claims have been stakod out. but the
chances are the rich streak will not continue for
more than few feet.
This excitement however, has not had power to
galvanize the stock market. which is moibund, as
it has been for moro than two years. Sangulne
curbstone operators whose faith would move
mountains believe that Flood will make large
deal IN Comstock shares hen the Knights Templar
arrive next month but there no present appear
ances of any break in the monotony OF depression
Tho telegraphic strike has Intcrfered materially
with business especially between here ana north
ern cities on the coast. Portland and the Puget
Sound cities were completely cut Oft from the out
side world for five days all the operators at the
Yreka repeating station having left in body. The
Eastern press reports came through all right, but
commercial dispatches were badly DELAYED. To-day
the company reports u full staff of operators on
duty. aud the notices that dispatches are taken
subject to delay will probably be taken down to-
morrow.
The British ship Hankow which arrived Thurs
day. carried nearly 200 Portuguese emigrants from
ST. Michaels and MADEIRA to Honolulu to work on
the sugar plan ations. On the voyage measles
broke out and ffty-eI0ht children died. The births
on board the ship amounted to twenty.
The theatres are doing a poor business. with the
exception of Days company at the California
which has gwen The Passing Reg ment" to full
houses. John A. Stevens's play, Her Second
Love-" fell fiat on the urst night. He tried to neu-
tralize criticism by issuing a circular showing the
great success of play in the East but this would
not induce people TO sit ont a bad play.