The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-07
THE CALLS
QUERY COLUMN.
Answers to Questions of General
Public Interest.
Political 0fanses Not Extraditahle-A Poem
OF Spencer : Assessing a Homestead.
Depth OF Water on the Bar.

The CALLS Query Column Is conducted with
view to aid all seekers after knowledge Of gea-
cral interest.
Catch questions viii not receive any attention
NO opinion Will be given in TINS column regard
ing the reliability or character OF any person or
hfms IN this city or elsewhere.
Questions, answers 10 which are In the nature
VI an advertisement, will not be answered.
Every inquiry must have the true and full
name OF The sender, as well as the correct resi-
oence. Any inquiry that has not the cor
rect name and address of the sender will
De treated AS il it was not signed, and the
writer need not expect an answer.
Ea1S11@XTRADITIoN : II. B.. Santa Clara,
fSEs Cal. Two practical difficulties have
Asx7 prevented the growth of any uni
form rule on the subject of extradi-
ton. One is the variation in the detini-
tons of crime adopted by different
countries, ard the other is the possibility of
extraditon being employed to secure per-
son who is wanted by his country not really
rs criminal but for political offense.
England's Extradition Act of 1870 ex-
pressly provides that "a fugitive GRIM
inal shall not be surrendered for political
offense, or if he prove that his surrender has
in fact been required with view of trying
him for political offense." That treaty
stlpulates as extraditaDle crimes murder
and attempt and cOnSpiring to murder, man.
slaughter" The assassination of Presi-
Gent Is murder, and the law nowhere
makes such classification of crime as a
political murder"
ASSESSING A HoMEsTEAD-J. w., City.
The prevailing opinion seems to be that
County Assessors have not under the law
the right to assess settlers homestead be-
fore the patent has finally been issued to the
homesteader, but they do it. The money
involved is not worth making contest,
unless for principles sake. 1t is cheaper
and better 10 pay the taxes, because if they
are allowed 10 pass without protest they
will, Notwithstanding the doubtful legality
OIL the assessment, become a charge upon
the homestead when final patent is issued
ana when there can be 10 doubt as to the
leSallty OF the assessment.
HUNTERS POINT DRY-DocK-J. R., City
a. The craving dock at Hunters Point was
length ened ~ feet in 1883, and can accommo-
date vessel 900 feet long. (2) Tie larg-
est vessels that have been on the dock are
the steamships City Of Toxic and City of
PeRing and the British steamer Silvertown,
which was here in October, 1882. (5) 1t is as
large and probably larger than any privately
owned dock in the United States. and COM
paIeS favorably in matter of dimensions
with any OF the United States naval docks
"a 1t probably could accommodate II. 3. Nj.
). Warspte. recently in port.
A POEM OF SPENCER-D. T., City. The
author OF the poem in which occurs the line,
"Hell-hou nd, by thee my child devoured,"
was the Hon. William Robert Spencer,
died In 1884 at Paris, where pecuniary
difficulties compelled him to spend the
larger portion OF his life. The poem is en-
tItled "Beth-Gelert," or THE grave of the
ito rifYi,, &c fr,. ha I 70
OF Llewellyn. son-in-law OF King John of
England and Prince of Wales in A. d. 1880.
The name BetE-Gelert is simply the
grave Of Gelert.
WATER ON THE BAR-A. E. B., City.
% The lowest depth of water on the bar at
the entrance to the harbor of San Francisco
is fathoms e feet make a fathom) at mean
low tide. On the north end Of the bar on
what IS called the 4-fathom bank. it is really
for vessel drawing 20 feet to cross the bar
when the weather is bad and when it is
mean low water. and in fact vessel of such
draught has struck the bottom.
AN ALIENS EsTATE-G. j. L., City.
The estate of an alien dying in the United
States will be administered upon in accord
ance with the laws Of the State or the coun-
try wherein the estate may be, whether he
has left will or not. If he has heirs, of
course, they will receive their share. unless
by Will he has made another disposition of
his estate. In either case OF will OF no will
the heirs must present their claims.
RECEIVED BY THE CoUNTY-G. ]. L.,
City. For the Almshouse Of the city and
county of San Francisco is received from
the State Treasury a certain allowance for
every inmate not properly a charge uron
this city and CT unity, and that money is
turned into the city and county treasury for
the SUPPORT OF the institution. The Super
intendent receives salary for his services
from the city and county.
UNCLE SANS NAVY. j. w., Lathrop,
Cal. d OF the old navy there are IS vessels
of the various classes, including 20 wooden
vessels no longer fit for service OF the new
navy there are 2S vessels built OF building,
but 10 enter into details of their classes or
types is asking too much. (2 The navy
comprises some 1900 men, $50 boys and some
1898 officers.
SCHOONER OTTER-M. b. c., City, The
sealing schooner "Otter," not lotto" left
this port on March 2, 1889. and has never
again been heard FROM H. Liebes d Co. of
this city. were her owners, and from them
or from the Custom-house records probably
can be learned who was among her crew
when she left on that cruise.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAw-H. W.
Sacramento. Cal. The Interstate Commerce
Act was passed by the Senate on January
4, 1887, seven days later by the House, and
approved by President Cleveland on Febru-
airy 4th. and 1t went into effect on April 9TH
OF the same year.
ASK THE MINING BUREAU. p. Nee,
Fortuna, Cal. To learn whether the clay
found by you can be turned TO account in the
manufacture OF pottery, send a specimen
and make inquiries of the California State
Mining Bureau in this city.
DROP LETTER. B., City. The question
Of closing or leaving the envelope open has
nothing to do with the subject. The postage
on drop letter" is cent for each ounce or
fraction thereof when mailed at offices where
Tree delivery by carrier is not established.
NAVIGATION LAws-L. c., City. The
Navigation Act may be found as a portion
OF the United States Revised Statutes, but
obviously the space at the command of the
z. Z. Will not permit Of ian account" of
them.
DISTANT FROM BELFAsT-M. p. w.,
City. Belfast is tM ice as far from Armagh.
as Armagh is from Por,adown in Ireland,
the respe ctive distances fri III Belfast being
over twenty and ten miles.
BERsEBKER's TIps-R. L. B., City. Ber-
serker is the name of a man in New York
who furnishes tips onihorse-I aces Star tips,
those furnished by the Star, newspaper
of the same city.
DIR. GLENN HOMICIDE. G.. City. DIR.
Hugh j. Glenn. millionaire farmer. was
shot and killed by A. Miller at German
town. Colusa County, CAL, ON February II,
1888.
WIDTH OF SIDEwALKs-G. e. H., Port
land, Oregon. Kearny street in this city is,
below broadway, IS fee. in width with side
walks. and New Montgomery street 6S:9
REVENUE MARINE-Z. j. W., Lathrop,
Cal. The United States Revenue Marine
Service counts sailing and IS steam vessels
and 213 officers on the official list.
WORLDS sFAIR-A. j. R., Parkersburg,
Oregon. The Worlds Fair. which 1t was
proposed to hold in 1892, will be held at Chi