New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-19
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
PREPARING FOR TIE PRESIDENT-MlNiN"
sToCKs-PETROLEUM AND NATURAL oAo'
.,n.pu To TIE TRIBUSEI

by TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRlsUSEI
c.. r,r,ro;sco Anrl Is-San Francisco is max
trg elaborate preparations to receive fresiueh0
Harrison next week lie will arrive Ill Une e'' -,
ing. and his first view of the bay ana Guy WI WI.
no impressive. as the main vessels IN 'ne I%y
Ill ~ iunrinotcd with electric lights and Chi-
pese lanterns. while the streets ana ouliu,neS
will lool, from the water like lines of lire narkeu
ON the steep hills. The chief feature OF his stay
here will be tile trip around the harnor anu t,'e
nine miles beyond the Golden Gate. WIN 'le
launch of the coast defence vessel MonUereS VI
his return. There will also be hne banquet
ot the new California Hotel. Congressman MOI
row and others who have labored hard to secure
nroner defences for the harbor are anxious that
the President should inspect the Bay and see 1or
himself the great advantages Nature offers Tor
Notifications that would prove impregnable.
Warm. heavy showers fell throughout the
State several days this week. helping grain and
fruit. From the chief wheat districts the outlook
is reported as never better. The Hessian ny has
appeared only in Napa County. The fruit yield
promises to be the largest ever known.
There was a great rush to secure seats for the
Befahardt season, large crowd waiting thirty
six hours in the rain. The first two days of the
sale amounted to $4,000. which is larger than
the sale in Boston.
The mining stock market has seen some lively
fluctuations this week. and large amount Of
stock changed hands. Consolidated Virginia
reached $l5 on Thursday. the highest point it
has touched during the present advance. But it
dropped off 81 so yesterday when the market
opened. Reports from Consolidated Virginia
show that the ore continues to assay above $50,
but the violent fluctuations are due to uncon-
frlned reports of rich ore found.
At the Bohemian Club election this week the
newspaper men and artists who founded the club
and made it what it is were worstcd by the bust
ness men. Daniel O'Connell the Bohemian can
didate, was defeated. and young James Phelan,
son of an old millionaire, was successful.
Several business college managers in this city
have aroused the wrath of the Civil Service
aminers by issuing circulars declaring that they
can give applicants for places information in re-
gard to questions that will be asked. 1t is prob
able that the Government will prosecute those
who sent out the circulars.
The death of the Rev. Dr. Osgood c. Wheeler in
Oakland this week removed the first Protestant
minister in California. DR.. Wheeler was Baptist
preacher in Jersey City in lS4S, when the Home
Missionary Society prevailed on him to go to
California. He was the founder Of church work
in San Francisco, and established the first Sun
day-SchOol. lie was also head of tile Sanitary
Commission Of the Coast, and forwarded TO New
York nearly 100000
A Los Angeles jury has convicted of fraud five
directors of the Kaweah Cooperative Colony in
Tulare County. Three men are at the head of
the colony, which has had recent conflict with
the Land Department over the validity of their
timber claims. The colOnists filed on grove of
big trees, which was aftcrward reserved by the
Government and now forms Sequoia National
Park Despite the rejection of their filings the
colonistS built a road and made other improve
ments. Burnett G. Haskell. the leader, devised
scheme Of running the colony on the Bellamy idea,
charging admission fee, but only giving time
checks for labor. The result is that the develop
ment of the colony lands has cost many poor
people years of hard labor, for which they have
nothing TO show except worthless checks. The
leaders declare that if they dispossessed here
they will so TO Mexico and found new colony.
Two wealthy companies have just secured leases
of over 10000 acres of oil lands in Humboldt
County in the AIattole district. This runs along
the coast from Redwood Creek TO the Mendocino
County line. Thirty years ago when petroleum
was discovered in Humboldt there was a wild
craze, and many prominent men invested; but il
was found that transportation too costly.
Recently an expert from Ventura County pros
pected in the region and obtained an option on
large tracts Of land. 1t is reported that COM
pany has just been formed at Eureka under control
Of the Standard Oil Company, which has had
representatives in the district
At Pleasauton, in Alameda County, natural gas
was struck this week. while men were boring for
artesian well in the city cemetery. The flame
leaps feet and the flow of gas is the strong
est ever known Oh this coast