New-York tribune., 1891-05-03
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE RECEPTION OF THE PRESIDENT-IR-
RIGATION REAL ESTATE MINING.
InY rELKaRAPH mo- THE TnIBuNRI


San Francisco. May 2.-Nothing occurred to mar
the reception given this week to President Harri-
son. The weather was perfect, the winds were
tempered and the huge fog banks that frequently
roll shoreward at this season and thick enough
10 cut with knife remained far out at sea. ne
main incident of his stay was the launch Oh 'no
new coast defence vessel, the Monterey, wmcn ioi-
lovyed n fine excursion around the bay. San rrah
ciscaps were determined that the President sho'uu
see with his own eyes the natural auN"n"e
of this harbor for Notifications anu ie
defenccless condition at present Inc launo"s -
a new vessel for the Navy gave 'he rre'i'e"' .n
opportunity to see the practical test OF the
of the shipbuiding yard here, wDlcn Is "n. -
in size and appointments ana qualI% y,
Of any OF the great Eastern shipyards' No'",ns
,vas left undone here TO show the fresiocuo '"
thourh California was remote Hom one -' ',Y-
Canital il was in close touch with the hepuo"' ~
marty ON all the great questions OF poncS.
better object lesson on the gooo fu, 49,
MoKinlev tariff could have been devised than the
trip through California which the fresiu.nD "'s
inst COMPLETED From the new un mines VI
- !, San Bernardno County, TO fruit, WOOL
wine wheat shipbuilding and general nianu-
factures-aIl gave eloquent testimony 10 the peio-
fits of the tariff in developing the great anu Gu
during industries of the State
Renewed interest has just been aroused IN ,ne
reclamation of the arid lands OF 0aliiorn'" 80
lirrioation through the Endorsement Oh Une
ir,imtion bonds by the San Francisco Chamber OF
Commerce and the State Board Of Trade oome
time ago the Wright Irrigation law was passeu
bv the California Legislature. IL authorlzeu cio
majority of property-owners in any locaI'y ~
oyoanize an irrigation district, issue Donus' wn'0
were first liens upon the land, ana cohs'ruoO
irrigation works Some districts have peeh Ut
oanized comprising several million acres OF hlghy
fertile but arid lands. Water for all oheoe
districts is readily obtained by tapping running
streams or constructing storage RESERVOIRS III Vnc
foothills The entire cost of the DAMS cahls' eVo''
necessary 10 provide water for irrigation doeS ho'
average more than $40 an acre, IN some cases
hundreds of thousands of acres being suppheu aV
loss than 81. Such land with water is worth,
at minimum, $50 an acre, and a maximum, wl'i'-
out other improvements of S4Oo without
water it is worth little or nothing. so lar une
various districts. have voted about S11,OOO,oOo IN
bonds. of which about 81, 600 have been neeo-
tiated and the proceeds used in the construction
of canals. etc These bonds all pay 6 per cent
interest and taxes to meet the interest charges
and REDEMPTION fund are levied in the same manner
as for CITY or county bonds. The Increased pro-
ductiveness of irrigated lards makes the bonded
indebtedness only slight burden and provides
a sure return for the capital invested. Inc
Wright law has been declared constitutional by
the highest State tribunals. These lrrisatioh
districts have been especially valuable in develop
ing California as they are admirably adapted 10
encourage fruit-growing.
Collector Phelps is beginning to enforce the
Contract Labor law against the Japanese VINO are
swarming here in large numbers. lie detained
six this week and refused landing to a score OF
women. One vessel which brought over num-
ber of women for Portland he refused to give
clearance papers to unless bond was signed
that the women would not be landed In oregon
All these japanese women are brought mere 1or
immoral purposes, and the Collector Is determined
to check the demOraliZing traffic
The Cornerstone was laid this week Of the new
MONTGOMERY Hall of the Presbyterian 1heOl0glcal
Seminary near San Rafael The seminary re-
ceved gift of fourteen acres at the foot OF Mount
Tamalpais and Alexander Montgomery gave,
quarter of a million dollars for dormetory build
ing if an additional $4,000 was was, raised, t. l Inls
pleted Another structure, the foundations OF
which being laid is Scott Library Hall named
in honor of Dr. Scott the first president OF the III
stitution. The Seminary has been located IN San
Francisco for twenty wears. but their new quarters
will give IL great stimulus.
J. A. Fillmore, general superintendent of the
Southern Pacific Company, left here this week Tor
six weeks vacation at the East lie goes eSpeclaHS
to see his aged mother, who lives at Orange, New
Jersey Mr.. Fillmore is one OF the hardest work
ers in this great railroad company, ana also one
OF the most popular. The men who know the rail-
road business of the Coast thoroughly as he does
may he counted on the fingers OF one hand 10 MS
rare executive ability is due much of the success
of the company during the last few wears In gettlng
through its enormous pressure OF business ana IN
counteracting the elements of Nature. IL Is the
unexpected that always happens in Coast railroad
ing and to meet sudden emergencies demands
naculior ability of which Mr. Fillmore has % large
measure.
1t was reported recently that Ariel Lathrop,
brother-in-law of Senator Stanford. had resigned
as manager of the great Stanford vineyard IN
Tehama County, and would return TO his own
home in Albany, \. Y. Mr.. Lathr0p did resign
because men of the ranch whom he had discharged
were taken back, but when Mr.. Stanford investi-
gated the matter be upheld Lathrop. Hence his
resignation was cancelled. Mrs. Lathrop is very
active in charities and is the mainstay of the Home
for Feeble-Minded Children
Sarah Bernhardt closed a very successful sea-
son here on Thursday night and left here yester-
day for Australia with her entire menagerie. She
departed in good spirits, for she had drawn dur
ing seven nights and three matinees just S4l 900.
Manager Abbey will have TO give Maurice Grau a
wine supper when Mr.. Grau returns to New-York,
as Mr.. Abbey wagercd that San Francisco would
not yield more than $4,000. Sarah came near
breaking her Australian contract when she learned
that dogs were not admitted to the Colonies with
out three months guarantee. The difficulty was
adjusted by hiring physician to take charge of
the actresses canine pets at Sydney and be re-
sponsbe for them during her stay in the colonies
This costs 81 900. but Sarah thinks it cneap, as
1t insures her the companionship of the dogs.
This week has witnessed several sales of land in
the Southern counties that show remarkable
revival of prices. Ten acres in navel oranges at
Riverside. without buildings. sold this week fol
$4,000. the highest price ever realized for
orange land in California. The first auction Of
boom four wears ago. occurred this week in
the San JacintO Valley. San Diego County There
was brass ass hand, % ,11 a9d @ over 100 people were %
reno in the Alessandio tract, the of ths
death of the hero of Ramona" About 1900
acrs ia vineyard have been recently planted
around Moreno. the water coming from the grea'
Bear Valley Dam.
. CoIonists are swarninG into Merced and de
veloping the small fruit farms along the Crocker
Huffman Canal. One party arrived from HOLLAND
= l. - thnr frnrr Illinnic SoNpral