New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-01
DROUTH IN CALIFORNIA.
FARMERS US-POLlTICAL-THEO OPIUM
TRAFFIC-SAVINGS BANKS.
my TELEGRAPH 10 TIE TkIBUNE.l

San Frorcisco JAN 3l.-The drouth in many
narts of the State is beginning to cause serious
alarm and unless rain falls within week wheat
growers in most of the large grain counties VIII
sufer nearly a total loss Of their crop Inc
winter has been phcnomcnally dry. The hist
rains came in the last week of November, ana IN
December only one heavy storm occurred. The
average rainfall this year III the large wheae
counties is only five inches, against about twenty
five inches at the same time last year 10 auu
TO the woes of the farmers, n dry NORM "ihu
has been blowing for two weeks, with ho'
sun and has dried up the fields and baked the
eround so that il is impossible TO plough. While
Grain that is sown will not grow. In some very
dry countic, the farmers have practically given
up hope already, but in most places good ram
would remedy all the trouble what MAKES
the outlook more gloomy, however, IS the Heh'
snowfall in the mountains. Unless the ram 10
very heavy in the spring. the ground VIII oIN
up prcmaturcly, as The streams VIII hoo ue
swollen by the melting SHOWS Everything iiui-
Gates speedy change of weather, ana CaiIioinia
farmers never watched storm indications with
more anxious eyes than they have all this week
California politics has rarely witnessed more
upseemlv ovbibition than the discussion of sue
ccssor to Senator Hearst while the sick man sun
remains in the land of the living with pretty
fair hold on life 4 lively fight has been gong
IN between the aspirants for Senatorial honOIs'
snd the usual amount of mud-slnglng has Deeh
INDUCED in The Californian is nothing II not
spcculativc and the favOrte gamble no" u
whether Senator Hearst will live TIL the ola'e
Legislature adjourns, SO as to throw the appoi"!
pcnt of his successor into Governor Markham
hands The humor in all this is as CHASTITY as IN
some of Killings latest stories of life at Slmla'
where every woman has o shady record.
II is probable that the present Legislature VIII
mass Joint resolution asking Congress TO prohlpn
She importation Of prepared opium ana u i"'''
tho amount of crude opium brought INTO the
conrtrv In eleven years nearly SS,OOO,oOO
worth Of the drug has been imported. OF whlch
sevcn-eishths was prepared Probably an e4u'i
amount of Illicit opium has been smugsled III u"i.
ing this period. Proper legislation would u'ai
n heavy blow TO the opium wee, as sihoNcIs use
only the prepared article. Collector fhelpsS luea
is 10 bar out opium altogether, ana then ueS'roS
all that is seized.
Among the deaths of the week may I've men,
toned that of Charles \. Shaw. mlnihS-s'ock
broker of san Francisco, who died in Los Angeles
If. cerebral meningitis His widow is the only
daughter of General Manager a. y. Towne, OF the
Southerio Pacific Company. Mr.. Shaw has TWO
sisters in NeW-lork.
In the county hospital there died of drink ana
cxpcsurc this week Brace Douglas, young SCOTCH
,oao Of considerable poetic ability, whose name
WAS occasionally seen in the magazines.
The new Powell Street Theatre became the
home of opera this week. when the Hess Company
moved there Il is to be feared that their career
in their new house Will be short, as there are
already signs of dissolution Miss Guthrie the
leading soprano. refused To go with the company
bec1u,r 70 manager would not bill her AZ star
in larlcr TYNE than The other singers, among
wnom IS Guile a French tenor. ne company
had an extraordinary run OF Iuck az the orphcuui'
but the city is growing weary OF opera.
Lolita. al, old Californian favoritc, received
q warm welcome here after her years Of absence
ller return brought out "reminiscences OF nef
early career, when She first sang and danced be-
tore a party Of miners in Sierra County, who
covered the stage with gold and silver coin as
sign of their appreciation.
California fruit Gamers propose To make big
"comhinc." 10 control their trade, which Tor the
fast three Yeas has been without pr0ilt
10 II single irn, in the trade. The .vndicatc with
5000. 0GG capital Will buy all the large canncries
in tie State and then issue stock B1 this means
n ruinOus war between rival canncrles VIII ne
avoided and 4 much better grade of goods put
M The reputation Of California canned goods
has been much hurt recently by firms trying 10
underscll each other whereas the syndicate Will
see 10 il that all fruit sent ont is first-casS.
Nine new savings banks were opened in Cali
fornia last wear. making fortN-onc in the State.
These show net gain Of 81 .0ou IN resources
for the year. The total deposits AZ the beginning
600 900 was on deposit in ten San Francisco
banks The city banks paY IL per cent on
term and ID per cent on ordinary deposits