New-York tribune., 1885-03-15
TOPICS IN LEADING CITIES.
SAN FRANOlSCO.
LEGISLATURE - SHARON - FREIGHT WAh-
RITUALISM-CENThAL AMEn'
ICA

LEGISLATURE - SHARON - FREIGHT WAK-
OpERA-SPIRITUALIS AMEh-
ICA
fpY TELEGRAPH 10 THE TRIBUNE
s.x Francisco. March 14.-Every one breathes
easier now that the Legislature has ad)ourhou' ~
was about the worst body which has met since 'h0
fawous Sand Lot gang came IN with the new Con.
stitution IL was energetic only iii ha"u,"s 'u,
public money and in raising measures wn'cu n"u
behind them large and in'lnehtlai aoopy' i.' ~,
chief sin of omission was its failure 10 pass any
proyiding for irrigation IN the sou'neIn oo".''''
-. ob;of sin of commission was to pass the Drainage
I.1 -. ,uI declared unconstitutional by the
S.".ama Court. which takes $250,O0O from tho
md gives il tn a syndicate of speculators;
.,d how desnerate these spectators we're may be
.ao, f,o,, tb. fact that they offered 100000 to
~ d,;doa among those who secured the passage OF
A.. LIN The drainage claims were for building
h,,sh lam in the Yuba and other rivers to eaten
q sI;ckeusy - from the hydraulic mines. They proved
lad failure as tho engineers prophesled. Another
III, of LEGISLATION almost diOtic as this ~ the
Heath constitutional Amendment, providing new
means of taxing railroad property IN tiis stare.
nroyiaes far a general tax of two and onc-half per
cont N, the gross earnings OF railroads earncu
within tho State As thrcequarters OF the Cehtrai
Pacific business is Interstate. the dlifcuites OF
......nv occurate estimate of its earnings may be
s.ar This absurd bill was passed because its pro.
,potcrs tackled to it a provision exemptng growing
vines and fruit trees from taxation. which was
focetiously termed the grape vine twist amend
mont As the Heath amendment must be submittcu
En- tbe pAopc for their APPROVAL tho chances are tha'
il will bc killed. it deserves TO DE. re" measures
of,ony value were passed by tho Legislature ou'
o,nono t,,c few may be mentioned bill appropri-
sIo Ooo for a State hotel in the Yosemite Valley
The I,ttsr has been much needed for years, as the
,,rso.pt structures are little better than barns
: The sharon case Is in such terrible tange that
il seems no legal ingenuity can unravcl it. The
marriage contract and "Dear Wife, letters. bya
sharp trick of Sarahs counsel. have been handed
over TO the County Clerk for safe Keeping so that
Sharon's new expert imported from Chicago cannot
examine them A half dozen courts are engaged
u,on os many different outgrowths OF the divorce
snit II l. several days beyond the time allotted Tor
sharon TO pay amony. but he swears he will 90 to
ial before he will pay one penny. whlie the )ncae
has refused to grant an attachment on MS property
pending the Federal Court suit
This week has been lively for railroad freight
agents as cuts of - cent are reported made on
wcst-bonnd freight by the Sunset ronte. and other
Lines have made s es' spread to
east bound freghts on which the cut has been 20
nor cont Well.informed railroad men declare that
until an agreement is made between rival lines.
overland freight will be carried for next to nothing
This warfare hurts the railroads and also the large
merchants who began it bv making contracts Tor
large shipments from the East at 10 per cent rebate
Now thew will lose heavily in competition with
those who have secured a larger reduction.
The opera season still absorbs fashionable interest.
Patti and Scachi have had brilliant success. but
Ncvada's illness continues and IL Is doubtful
whether sho will sing next week.
The effect Of the recent exposure Of the practices
Of Thomas Harris head Of the Spirituast com
munity near Santa Rosa has been to compel him TO
leave the State and turn over the valuable property
OF the community to three of his followers. The
exposure. the main points of which were gwen III
these DISPATCHES. opened the ewes of some OF his
followers and they demanded hrs retirement or
return Of the money which they had Invested.
Harris chose the former aud left the place declaring
he was going To ENGLAND He took with him IN"
woman whom he called Chrysanthea and whom he
kept in Mos.cm seclusion during her stay IN the
community There are now at the community five
American followers and tour japanese. with an old
San Isernardino woman. tho latest dupe, VINO
brought SEQ 900 10 the Primate Some members of
the community believe Harris has gone TO England
70 countcract by personal argument the effect OF the
and demand charge OF the community. HIS prestige
il gone however and IL Is doubtful whether he
could be rcinstated.
The ambition OF President Barrios, ~ Guatemala;
to secure the Dictatorship Of all the Central
American States causes much excitement here
amonr Spanis- Americans. Several large mer-
chants declare that the coffee trade will bc ruined
unless speedy end can he put to the. revolution.
R,rrios has 40 600 men. more than five times
the force which San Salvador and Nicaragua can
place In the fold