New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-07
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE FoURTII-TTIE CRUISER CHARLESTON
BEHRING SEA-CHAUTAUOUA
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDuSE.J

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| San Francisco, July 6.-The Fourth made this o
dull week. Business has been slow this summer,
and no one seemed to have any desire to get up q
good Independence Day parade. Few stores were
decorated, and the procession was much shorter
than usual and shorn of all the floats and other
features that generally make it interesting. Ex-
cepting the regular army bands. all the musicians
| in line were non-union men, as the
Musicians Union refused to allow any
of its members to parade because the
committee wanted them to play for 50
instead of the usual price, SO. City people
swarmed into the country and made a genuine
picnic Of the day. At night there came rolling in
from the ocean fog that could be cut through
with knife, so that the man who set of sky
rocket couldn't see it burst. The new ordinance
against discharging heavy bombs, and against the
sale of frecrackers from street stands, worked
well. as there was much less noise than usual and
fewer fires and accidents Only eight fire alarms
were turned in, and the total loss was merely
$3.50.
The plain talk of Manager Scott, of the Union
Works. in regard TO the responsibility for changes
in the plans of the cruiser Charleston excited
much comment here. Secretary Whitney was
roundy blamed at the time for purchasing plans
from an English firm and his obstinacy in adher-
ing to them after the trial trips showed that they
were defective, has caused all the trouble with
the Charleston 1t is significant that the very
parts which Manager Scott wished to change
the air pumps and slides-proved defective, and
prevented the cruiser from developing the re-
quired horsepower.
Donald Ross, of the welLknown sealing firm
here, has just returned from the north, and pre-
diets that there will be a lively time in Behrng
Sea as soon as the seal-huntng season ends on the
western coast of Vancouver Island He says there
are twenty British and at least thirty Ameri
can sealers on these grounds that will soon leave
for Behriag Sea- They propose to hunt seals. and
il will give war vessels lively chase to watch
them.
The scheme to erect six electric masts in China
town is regarded as the best which has yet been
devised to assist the police in preserving order.
They will be placed in the worst quarters and, 1t
is expected will make an immediate reduction III
crime as the Highbindels need darkness
for carrying on their crimes. As IL Is
now numerous dark alleys, which can
be lighted up only by strong illumination from
above, furnish safe retreat for Chinese pro-
fessonal braves after robbery or murder.
The police and secret service officials arc conf
dent that large CONTRIBUTING operations have been
carried on here for several years. The coast Is
now flooded with spurious coin, the most danger
GUS of which is the tiye-doliar piece The dollars
halves and quarters are SO accurately initiated
that the only way to detect them is by weight
They have the genuine ring, and the die Is per-
feet local Hebrew cother was arrested this
week on suspicion OF passing this counterfeit
money and a large amount of it found in
, his safe.
Several changes have been made this week
in the faculty of the State University at Berkeley
Charles NJ Gatelv. of the University of Michigan,
takes the chair OF English Literature made vacant
by Professor Cooks resignation and DR.. George
Richardson has been elected Instructor IN Latin.
The Jubilee of the Chautauqua Literary and
Scientific Circles, at Pacific Grove, near Monterey
is the tenth annual session on this coast, and
largely exceeds all previous gatherings In both
numbers and interest. 1t was preceded by the
convention of California teachers and Sunday
school convention.
The new State Entomologist, appointed this
week is w. W. Mo,hwcll, a rich fruit-grower
of Hanford, Tulare County. He formerly
a Presbyterian minister in Tennessee. but now
manages one Of the largest fruit ranches in the
pests can be kept down in California if tho
proper measures are adopted He proposes to
make vigorous cam paign against them. AS he
has had scientific education well as practical
experience in horticulture, the chances are that
he will meet with success
The finest church building on the coast is the
Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Sacrament
dedicated on Sunday at Sacramento 1t has been
building over three years Stained glass windows
aud copies OF the old masters have been pre-
scented by several rich citizens of Sacramento.
The Alaska salmon pack this year Will be
not more than one-third of last seasons catch.