The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-15

thin In his old age but he Is happy. 1.-THE
Calls" interview W it'll the strange old man
is an interesting one.
He is a strange old man.
There is not another like him In the
world.
He is y years Of age and has expended
forty-fye years of his life In collecting
shells.
In the meantime he has gotten together
valuable assortment of mineral and botani-
cal specimens.
In the all-absorbing ambition Oh his lie
he has known what want is.
Yet he has gone ON and recently refused
the sum of S18, 900 for his shells alone.
The curious old man is known as Chris
TOPPER de Lange, and his habitation Is IN the
rear of barber-shop at 637 Valencia street.
He occupies three rooms. One is his
kitchen, the other his bedroom and tthe
third Is a large room which Is filled with
cabinets, the 500 drawers Of which are filed
with shells of every variety and from every
part of the world, for he was sea captain
twenty years. and never let an opportunity
pass. no matter where 1t was, to PICK up
rare things. Hence he has 14,0OO different
specimens.
The professor is devoted to botany and
himself
The large amount of money that he had
refused for his pets first called the attention
of CALL reporter to the wonders that had
been stolen from the depths OF the sea.
On calling on the old man he was found
In his kitchen cooking his frugal meal. but
he abandoned that and rubbed his hands
with glee as child might in displaying his
toys at the prospect of exhibiting his treas
ures. 1t is all that he lives for now.
n of N0FWQV and
has decided Norwegian accent.
Between his Latin and English eXplana-
tions he became quite comical at times as
he elevated his voice and pranced around
with enthusiasm.
The only trouble Is that when one once
gets into the clutches of the good professor
he is liable to hold him for week unless
he should break away.
He minded not the smell of his beefsteak
burning in the adjoining room and bis
brought out the drawers and set them on
table and continued TO do so until three
hours had been consumed and only hum
dred drawers had been exhibited.
"Why, man." he said, my collection
would cover 400 square feet if placed In
glass cases as things are arranged in the
Mining Bureau"
Every time that he would bring out new
assortment he would exclam with pride:
look at those beauties; amt they nice?'
wv NAT started you III tnlS business, pro-
fessorY was asked.
"God and my love for the TRUTH! he
shouted. almost like wild man.
Then, pausi1g Tor moment he resumed:
''The people are fools, as are their great
scientists. Conchology Is understood by none
except myself. There is nothing in the arts
or sciences that has ever been discovered
that | cannot show you its origin IN she'll
In this ROOM"
"What do you mean. professor" was
inquired.
semblance of any weapon or industrial
machine that has ever been perfected in
ancient or modern times In some one Of my
shells. For instance. here are some spiral
shells from Chinese waters. They suggested
the screw, which is defined as an inclined
plane by our photographers, and one OF the
most potent forces In mechanics"
petrtied fish, which was dug from the
solid clay OF the mountains OF Wyoming,
was something that would have delighted
the heart of AgassiZ or have afforded much
pleasure TO the collectors of the Smithsonian
Institution.
"My low sIluran fossils are a treasure
within themselves" remarked the ancient
student, as he showed a lot Of them. Two
specimens IN chalcedony were indications Of
certain portions OF the human body for which
the owner has been offered large prices by
anatomsts and collectors Of curios. a per-
fect crystal cross from the Hot Springs of
Arkansas is one of The wonders that is
always shown. There are umbrella and
hat shells, taken from Chinese waters,
which exactly resembled the large round
| hats and the umbrellas used by the Chinese
The music-shell, however, caused the pro-
| prietor To throw back s0mersault. Ii was
really beauty, and the musical scale was
| just as clear as if it had been printed there.
| 1t was half as large as ones fist, of a rich
| dark brown color.
| Aside from the Latin names the professor
had given English names, which were all
| plausible from the natural appearance of
The shells. For instance, among the most
| exquisite were such names as the royal
| harp. God looking through a cloud, the
| Smyrna fig, the turDip shell and the glmet.
The map she'll showed the degrees of lati-
| tude and longitude, and the argus-eyed shell
| indicated more than the regulation 100
| optics.
| The idea of propeller, De LANCE de-
clares, originated from his propeller shell,
| which bears the resemblance.
The mama shell shows the children IF
israel encamped in the wilderness. The
| white tents are all clearly defined. The ear
| OF Diana is curiO, as is the hierogIyphic,
| the cOmrass and the canoe.
| This endless variety. though they surely
were beautiful and In interesting, gradually
| tailed TO interest and the visitor was COM
PEELED to go, knowing, however. that such
| another collection of shells could not be
| found In the universe.
| The professor is still at his work. and re-
marked with, pride, II live off 7 cents day
| for my food"
| Every inch of his apartments is as neat
| as pin. and all he demands of visitors is
| tnat they be decorouS and attentive while
he Is talking, so that he may teach them.
While he may be crank the Academy of
| Sciences OF this city has made several efforts
TO get this valuable collection, but the old
man SAYS that he proposes to live twenty
years longer and will keep them himself, as
he has nothing else to love.