The morning call., 1892-01-02

Colonel J. D. Steuenson-
career when the little hero caught him.
The Governor never forgot the Achievement
When he was elected Vice President of the
United States several years later he APP
pointed him his private secretary.
Jonathan ID. Stevenson, the boy Of 1912,
atfably greeted his friends yesterday. His
eyes were bright. his head and should
erS erect. His voice, though tTemulOus,
gave distinct utterance to his thoughts.
His mood was reminiscent and therefore
entertaining. Those WHO called were
mostly old men and their kindly greetings
were followed by illusions which turned
Colonel SIeyenS0u's thoughts far back into
the century.
RECEIVING VISITORS.
The reception was held in the big car
peted room on tie lower floor The leaden
skies made the apartment gloomy and gave
the ful-lenEth oil portraits Of Pioneer &C.
lebrties which hung on the walls melan-
chuly aspect A few aTm-cbalrs had been
drawn ND to the alc0Ve at the head of the
room. Tie venerable Colonel sat in the re-
cess facing the alm-chaiTs.
Into these the visitors dropped after they
had taken Colonel Stevenson by the hand
and wished him happy New Year. There
were never more than dozen present, in
Guiding the press reporters. The day was
net proptlous for the event Even the
great body of fast aging California Pioneers
clement weather III order TO pay their re-
speetS to their veteran Colonel. Not more
than forty ia all called between II and
O'Clock, the hours assigned for the recep-
ton. Those who did call we've exceedingly
cordial in their congratulations, and Colonel
Stevenson reciproctted the feeling.
THE CALLERS.
Among the visitors were: Judge Wheeler
Colonel c. /. Taylor, James Moore. DR.. A.
Chase. A. ". Macpherson, W. +. Clark,
Matthew Allen, Colonel II. II. Thrall, 5. 5.
Sweet George NJ. Condee, j. I. Douglass,
DIR. Washington l.. Aver, l.. b. Hopkins.
Charles Mulian, James l.. Homar, Nathaniel
Holland, General George B. Tolman, Cap
tain Dimpfel, William ). Moses, Patrick
Lynch.
OF the foregoing named gentlemen Cap
tain Dimpfel was military store keeper in
this city during the last war, and for many
years before. General Tolman. when a Cap
tain ID the United States Army, brought cut
a detachment of recruits for StevensoD's
regiment a few months after the command
reached this Coast. Patrick Lynch
was a private soldier in the regi-
ment W. 5. Moses is Superintendent Of
the Masonic Cemetery, and with Colonel
Stevenson organized the first Grand Lodge
of Masons in this city in April, 1880. There
are only five surviving of the organizers.
These are: l.. Miner Of Benicia, John A.
Tut of Yolo, Dr. Mcdonald. Stevenson
built the first Masonic Hall in San Fran
cisco, on Mon tgomery street, near jackson,
and they paid him $1,000 a month rental.
FORTUNE NEGLECTED.
These and like annals dubbed up all day
in the conversation going on in this circle
of men that had passed their siXtieth year.
Captain Dimpfel told how General Drum
late of the United States Army. refused as a
gift from a Los Angeles friend four acres OF
land in Los Angeles. The friend persisted,
and finally decided the tract to Drums in
FAINT daughter. General Drum wrote in
quiring about the tract four years ago. He
was informed it was worth several million
dollars and covered with improvements, but
the title had iapSed through tax sales and
adverse possession for nearly quarter of a
century.
A YOUTHFUL POLITICIAN.
Colonel Stevenson told how, when he was
years old, his father having taught him to
write with quill pen, he wrote all the bal
lots for the election in the First Ward Of
New York City. This gave HIM q political
haDkering. He ever afterward became an
active political worker. lie put in some
good work toward the election of President
Polk. lie was member of The New YORK
Legislature when, during the ''Fifty-four
Forty or Fight" excitement, the country ex-
pected another war with Great Britain.
Colonel Stevenson, who had taken great
interest in the New York City militia,
having served as Captain and Colonel
for several years, was offered the command
of New York regiment BY President Polk
in the event of war. A GOODNESS, however.
had sprung up between Polk and Steven
son, growing out Of the refusal Of the Presi-
dent TO appoint some friend Of Stevenson to
a civil Office.
ITO CALIFORNIA"
The President afterward sent for Colonel
Stevenson and told him that though he
would not put him into the field to fight
John Bull he would give him a chance to
fight Mexico. The Colonel had already re-
fused a choice of several embaSsadOrship
but he eagerly jumped at the c0lOnelcy
The President asked him where he would
ike TO go. ITO California" he replied. In
ten days the regiment known as Steven
sons New York Volunteers was organized.
After passing six weeks in a camp on Gov
ernoT's Island they We're sent to California,
with the results so familiar to students of
the history Of this State. The regiment car
ried rifled muSkets in which the percus-
sion cap was first introduced. the new ex-
pl0siye being then a striking novelty in
the weapons Of war.
ANXIOUS FOR WAR.
Private Mullan, veteran United States
soldier from Fort Point. called on Colonel
Stevenson. Mullan is typical Irish Amer
lean patriot Though 67 years of age he
carries himself as straight as a West Point
cdueG. lie wore new CIVILIAN suit OF pilot
cloth, the coat closely buttoned up. He
also carried weather-stained umbrella
which he used to point out on the carpet the
relative positions of the American and Mex
lean forces in a battle in which his regiment
had taken part during the Mexican War.
AS Private Mullan waXed warm in his de-
scriptlon his war-palse beat with its old
time energy. and he loudly demanded to be
at once led against the Chilean army. He
struck his chest in dramatic manner and
declared that though he was past sixty
he could for his country fight as well as tie
youngest soldier. The Chileans, he said,
were as ignorant as the Patagonians, and he
thought they ought to be given good sound
thrashing.
TAKES WATER IN HIS WHISKY
And so the afternoon passed. Everybody
told Colonel Stevenson they hoped he would
live to be hundred years old. The veteran
pioneer soldier answered genially that since
he attained his twenty-first year he never
felt so well as he then felt. He told THE
CALL reporter he had never smoked nor
chewed tobacco. that he had never been in
toyicated. though he regularly took his
whisky diluted with water at meal times
Ia at ha