davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01
FRWZ:S.

The climate of southwestern Louis
lana not being subject to rapid and
extreme changes in temperature, nor
late spring frosts. and having 4 soil
particularly adapted to their growth,
Lafayette Parish, has hattering pros
poets of becoming one of the fore
most parishes in this section in fruit
culture.
Already she has shown marked
signs of this in her production OF
many varieties, developing perfectly,
maturing nicely, and bearing proli'
fcally. The peach, especially, grow.
nicely, and orchards that have beer
set out, and with scarcely an excep
<ion, where the trees have beer
properly cared for and Protectee
from stock, they make rapid growth
showing a thrifty and healthy condi
ton.
But it is not only the peach tina
fares well. In the great variety tina
will do equally a. we'll we Nigh
mention, the fig, apricot, pears
grape, and the like.
This is q favored country indeed
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01

The people of the riparian parishes
are beginning to view with some aP-
prehension the rising rivers, know
ing the danger that its coming down
forebodes. Every year it is the
same; those people live in constant
dread of seeing thei- lands overflow
Just at planting time, and it gene
rally recedes too late to plant a
crops. Why don't some of the in
dustrious who would wish to live in
comfort come to Lafayette? Never
an overflow here.
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01

Gen. Jastremski's name has been
mentioned for the post of minister
to Buenos Ayres, Argentine RePu-
blic. AS a soldier, citizen, stall
wart Democrat, and the friend OF
the printer, the Genaral is well
known. Should the President make
the appointment hewill have faith.
full and worthy minister.
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01

The primary object Of
akaversieement 10 60 sell
eoolls. The best adver-
eise1nene 10 the one which
Win sel1 The most GROds-
% coarse, In the bS0adese
sease, AnA with . view to
1stnre q we3l ~ 20 imme-
Aiate sale. Al advertise
sDeAs to sell goods must do
O0e Of all Of the following
sAings
/. Attract attention !;
.. Coavinee the reader
that he needs such goods
= C6nViaee the reader
eAaf the goods offered by
the advertiser are the best
for for him personally ON
aeeosnt Of price, or quail
q, a. Tor some other sat-
tis9Actosy reason.
MS RsiH Oskrys;
~xZL Pay ySS.
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01
COTTON rs. PROGRESS.

COx Wv -. <NODNSASaS. -
Communicased.
Cotton King Cotton has at
last reached a point where it is so
eouch-me-not as to keep those who
raise it in want of the absolute ne
ceSsities of life.
1t is not the over production that
impoverishes the mass of the people,
but conditions that places the staple
at the mercy of speculation. 1ns-
tance the last crop, which being a
small one, should have commanded a
good price, but since the rumors of
increased acreage for this year has
reached the ears of the speculative
power, the market goes up by strides.
They have already figured out q
crop of from nine, TO ten millions
bales, and this before a single seed
has been sowed in the ground, and
on these figures the present market
is lowered to a mere song.
Now, admitting that the cotton
crop of 1893 would be nine millions
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01
Old Taylor Wh5iiskey. b
a. m. MARTIN,
-AG EMF: FOR. I,AFAyEIrE /, s i:

The cold Taylor. is the:-.best
whiskey that experience, skil!,.and I'LL!
expenditure can produce. It's the
perfection of distillation: from. grain.
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01

- rs .1:s <'ssS - Os1r.'; -
7-.-----$l
ssVDCO.D.O.OO.O.O!
=.=====
HN0EHER OEEER.
Mr.. Ioh. n. Humble. the Rener-
N reuresentasive OF the Ferris Sugar
Manufacturing Company, Limited,
.per.sinx two large re6neries, one ON
1ayou TerAe near the town Of Frank
snssa>d ehe other ae Barbreck, St.
lAadry parish, was in Lafayette
Hao.dav and TUESDAY.
Mr.. Gumble told The Gazette
mat his company intended to build
a.osher refinery, and wa. looking
ever the field with a view of select
i.s the place that win offer the best
fnllucemenes. He e8,s ewes on
seyer.l pofnts. but /. very favorably
1.nre.Sed Nth I..f.veete as \ suita-
80 n,.ce. and should the people be
f,cli.ed 10 meet him part of the way,
- vill e..abli.h . l.rre plant here.
The propositiou eha, Mr.. Humble
fneene,, To submit. later ON. to the
>.o,,l. In t,eh.if Of hi. comn.nv en-
1s.ees 4 donation OF sss,ooe in
nonev and a site Of. say. fifteen
.e,es ~ land. On which the factory
I'm ae ereceed. Mr.. Humble thinks
: .;se ON R.vou Vermilion in close
noxinitv no the railroad would be
- Hoss advantageous for all con-
-ac11ed This proposition will stand
,ia.e,.slaaess Of whether the tax being
~wsaeneiv .sked bv Mr.. Leslie is car
1ied or NOT.
A. ehe present price that sugar is
>.oa.a n the Nex, Orlean. marke,
- AeeaaAH A,uad nav Sl..s a ton.
TahfAlt psAcertained general aver
= - Vfei n.ne. With present pri.
s.,six;~e ae{hods of cultivation. in
SIS pari.h last year was a fraction
exer 40 ton. per acre. Thus it will
- .een that the farmer planting cane
to the factory would rea.
zsi1lEI;iaGls zsi1lEI;iaGlzsn 70 ton. SIS AN acre, instead
!; lsidnsaver.ae of less than s1s ne,
: sss.sti ,..sri.ln sn cotton \. .e present.
seE.,,,1d this offer he acted favora.
lie vpop The factory you'd be in
~ort;nr shane nv October 1904. In
she .oe.rt;me With the existence o1
,e,.;, ,,,...,s f.e;a;.;e.- .he nresen,
,S,.n,ed -ron of cane c.u,ld he han.
i:aseA. AID IL he can secure the in
aueeneo.. necessary to enable him
% build . factory here, It viii be o.
The Lafayette gazette., 1893-04-01

An old gentleman from Alabama
in conversing with a Gazette man
the other day expressed the opinion
that our people are ignorant of the
vast capabilities of their lands. He
says that a man can work less and
made better living here than any
place he has ever visited. In Ala
bama the farmers have so little
money that to get a dollar out.
of them is like asking them to
let you pull out tooth from their
heads. He adds however they are
the most hospitable people on the
face of the earth. And SO are the
people of Lafayette as hospitable as
any that can be found.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

with the odd-lOokinG building 1t is now one
OF the landmarks OF tie city, ana should one
return to San Francisco after an absence and
find 1t missing tie city would look strange and
unhomelike.
The man who built that imposing structure
designed IL for popular resort, where the
crowds should come and buy his beer and listen
TO the music of a brass band on Sundays and
holidays.
And he was wiser than old .Iobson. He reck-
oned wisely with the aniipathy that human
nature has to climb upward when only fleet
ing pleasure is the goal.
And reckoning wisely thus he builded an
endless cable tranway from the western base
TO the summit, so mat tired humanity might
ride TO their pleasures.
And for awhile people liked his enterprise,
liked his beer and liked his music, as well as
the rare marine view obtainable there and the
pure air OF that high altitude. And liking they
patronlZed.
About this time 1t was that some gentlemen
of means with more patriotism than farsightod.
ness came 10 the conclusion that San Francis co
needed park in this locality. SO they put
their heads together and their coin IN lump
sum and started what they fondly hoped would
be Pioneer Park.
With the lump sum they erected coping
about the brow Of the hill. or about as much of
II as was not occupied BY the beer castle, max
Ing an Enclosure OF couple OF acres or more.
In Philadelphia they call these local breath
ing places squares" but The originators OF
this scheme were wise enoughin their day 10
know that circle Will not make a square, SO
because the coping had no angles, or from some
other equally good and sufficient reasons, the
Enclosure was labeled Pioneer Park, and
Pioneer Park II is TO this very day.
| But nov there is nothing left OF It but the
crumbling coling aud the name. The latter
VIII be undyins, no doubt. but soon the rotten
coping will all fall down on the little cottages
beneath and XII somebody or several some
bodies, II II Is not soon carted away where 1t
| can DO no harm.
The crowds are all gone. The green grass is
only green in the rainy season. and sparse
| enough then.
| Pioneer Park was ill-advised and Is now a
| thing Of The past.
l-Likewise the beer castle and observatory. 1t
| is silent and deserted. The trade winds
whistle ana howl through the interstces made
/ by The rain and the sun. The endless cable has
come 10 an end. The iron rails and wooden
| sleepers are erass-grown and rusty aud de.
cayed. Like the paik, The castle is quite i
thing OF The past.
Some day good stiff sou'wester willput the
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

more or less brilliant idea. 1t was 10 construct
n big wooden observatory on the brow OF the
hill and charge an admission price.
He was sangulne, was This Old man named
Jobson, and in his imagination be could see The
crowds focklng TO the summit OF that great
emnence TO get peep through his big tele-
scope.
In his minds eye he saw a mighty popuiace
struggling and toing no that majestic ascent
every day in the week, Sundays included
He figured 1t all out very carefully, the
amount OF capital necessary to invest and the
Interest thereon. He multiplied the vast NUM-
Der OF his patrons by so much per head and he
soon came 10 the conclusion that there was
"milions in It,"
He was so sure OF his game-his millions aud
his patrons-that he began to think perhaps
one observatory would not be sufficient to
accommodate them ALL So straightway he had
plans drawn for TWO towers.
BY the time the architect had finished the
plans it dawned upon the mind of this old man
by The name of Jobson that one OF his OBJ
servatories would very likely be in the way of
The other.
SO lie thought awhile longer before building
and came TO the conclusion hat one observatory
would have TO do, but he sighed, as he saw In
his minds eye the doorkeepers turning away
hundreds OF dimes Tor lack OF accommodations.
Then he built. 1t was hideous affair, but
very serviceable 1t looked much like light
house, but was far less substantial In con-
struction.
On the top OF 1t he put powerful telescope,
and 1t was really worth the climb to get peep
through the revealing lens OF that big glass.
On clear day one could see the Farallones
through Jobson's telescope, and at all times a
superb view OF Sausalito. Oakland. the Marin
and Alameda counties hills, Alviso, the Mis-
sion, and all the beauties Of an unsurpassed
marine scene could be obtained for a modest
dme-and a long and hard climb
The latter was the sticker. Few people were
willing 10 pay the price OF admission demanded
by the expansion Of muscular energy sufficient
10 reach the dizzy summit, and there was no
conveyance TO aud from the observatory.
And the millions that Jobson saw In The
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31
THE MOUNTAIN LAKE FOLLY.

In The very early days of San Francisco. only
TWO years after the argonauts OF 40 arrived
mere, some enterprIsng gentlemen, gifted more
win long purses than prophetic foresight, came
10 the conclusion that the city needed water
system.
They Invested about 100000 in tunnelIng
uhoer the hills from Mountain Lake. near the
marine Hospital. 10 Larkn and Pacific streets.
IL was big brick and concrete tunnel, big
enough for small man 10 walls through with
OUT ducking his head. aud ii is still there.
for mile or more it runs under the center OF
racine street, then cuts into The hills through
Inc Presidlo reservation. and opens out within
hundred yards or less OF Mountain Lake.
1t Is very expensive tunnel, very well con.
structed. but OF no utter use in all the world.
Nor was 1t ever OF ANY service. Shortly after Its
completion the whole scheme collapsed, as il
should have done In its infancy.
Ii Is avery interesting story and not known
to The younger people OF this generation. 1t
was The first movement toward securing water
supply for San Francisco. and The prime movers
In the scheme were John Middleton, Ferdinand
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

Never did CtGsus become pauper so quickly
as Paryenue Shawhan became bankrupt.
In alter years the Shawhans went to Nevada,
and eked out a yicarions living. Mrs. Shawhan
got divorce from her husband. Not long ago
the builder of that magnificent stable died a
very poor man.
lie house on the front OF the lot that The
onawhahs. In their haste to get a finer stao.e
than anybody else had, forgot 10 build, was
erected few years ago BY a man named Fin
niean.
MI Finnigan was once a hostler IT the what
Cheer House. but 4 sudden rise in stocks made
MIN rich. And he built residence In front OF
chaWhan's stable, but it is unoccupied now,
whiie the stable itself Is given over TO private
sehonl for The training OF youths in grammar
ana football, or whatever II Is that is necessary
TO know IN order 10 begin course at the uni
versity.
Anoerson's Academy. the place Is called.
Inc stalls have been taken down. and The mar
oe drinking trouehs are no more. few
alterations have been made in tile exterior,
such as the building of a porch and stairway
where The big sliding doors were, and nobody
would ever believe that such an orDaiely con-
structed building was ever designed for
stable
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31
SOME OF OUR DEACONS' FOLLIEs.
Men Who Built and Then Regretted.

San Francisco has sown her wild oats. and
settled down 10 q long era of Steady progress.
Now, there was day when money was plen-
tiful and interest high, that San Francisco saw
everything about double It's normal size.
This was The time when fortunes were made
very quickly, and there were millions in it''
for almost everybody who had an original
dea.
In those days the world moved quickly-at
least this portion of it did. and men had to
jump at conclusions if they would keep up with
The procession.
Hence ii was that wise men not accustomed
TO thinking quickly as well as foolish men
with wildcat schemes sometimes ran amuck of
common-sense, and did things and bulided
things that would not pass current to-day as
they did when san Francisco was In her swad-
ding clothes.
And, though the city has left behind that
stage of Its evolution by many years now, the
men who bniided fOoishlv left monuments to
their foolishness behind them, and to-day. like
every other city OF Importance. san Francisco
sim has many reminders of her deacons'
folies."
These are chiefly interesting because they
have in times gone by. and may still. serve as
stepping stones TO better things.
"Men rise on stepping stones Of their dead
selves" says Eliot; and so do cities build
wisely in the present by carefully stunning the
errors of u past.
But the "deacons' follIes'-thars what they
are called, you know-have more than purely
utilitarian interest to-day.
In themselves they are interesting, often be-
cause OF their picturesqueness and the romance
that still clings to them. and always because of
old associations ana the memories OF former
days
There are doubtless others than the ones
cited here, but these are the chief ones-the
ones best remembered.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

Jo6son's Folly. Thy man. lie lives oppo-
site the deserted brick foundation, on the sunny
side OF The street, in the big White house that
looks comfortable and homelKe from without.
Several years ago he built this foundation
with a view of erecting a modern residence on
it, patterned after eX-Mayor Otis house on SUIT
ter street. When The foundation was com
pleted lie changed his mind. He saw the folly
of building house in the shade when he owned
lot that tionted to the south.
So he just let the foundation remain and re-
moved his carpenters across the street, where
they did verv. good job. considering that MIR.
Cudworth is not quite as wealthy as Coils T.
Huntington aud good deal less pretentious
And the old foundation stays right where 1t
was puT. Not a brick IS missing, and when
somebody comes along WHO has an ambition to
build that kind OF house and The means TO
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

scheme are Sill In II, for all. at least, that job
son took out of 1t. 1t failed utterly.
In few years the place had gone 10 ruins
People named the iuins "JobsoD's Folly and
soon forgot all about IL.
Once there was splendid scheme 10 terrace
Telegraph Hill and make it one OF the most
BEAUTIFUL spots in the world. 1t died long ago
1t was hardly folly. for IL would have been a
magnificent thing for San Francisco could II
have been carried out as Planned.
Terraces were 10 be cut in the four sides of
the big hill, and on these terraces rows of villas
and cottages were to be built in regular order.
so that In front of each row of houses there
would be an ample driveway aad above the
houses spacious strip of lawn.
Pepper trees and palms were 10 line the Ter
raced roads. No house was 10 be hutlt higher
than n prescribed line. so Hlat the lawns and
driveways would not be hidden by them.
AT each angle of the terraces. and halfway
between the angles. broad stairways were to
be constructed. so that it would be compare
lively easy matter 10 pass on up from one ter
race TO another.
There are places like this in Boston. though
there The terraces are on but one side OF the
hill. and i'll consequences the effect Is far less
striking than This would have been.
A lack OF unanimtty on the part OF the pro-
jeclorS OF the scheme caused Its miscarriage
and final collapse. Now the thing could not be
accomplished, for the stone quarrles have
hacked and cut away AT The base OF The big
elevation until It's contour is spoiled entirely.
y Pioneer Park. the cable tramway and the
big beer castle and observatory were the next
Inflated enterprises fosted upon Telegraph
Hill. In their turn they all failed for lack of
popular support.
In the latter part of 1888 the observatory on
Telegraph Hill was built.
To this day, though the structure Is fast going
TO rack and ruin, it is an imposing pile when
seen from distance.
II is partly modeled after the old English
castles. with their turrets and battlements and
many towers. Coming IN through The Golden
Gate, after Fort Point has been fairly rounded.
this ola wooden observatory is a strIkingly
picturesque object 10 the beholder
Overland passengers coming in on the ferry
boats from the Oakland mole are always struck
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

The most westerly peak early gained the
name OF Russian Hill, because the first Russian
colony In California settled there.
Telegraph Hill, Just TO The east AMI at The
extreme northeastern angle of the city's coast
line, gained Its name ON the fact that in the
early days 1t contained Il system of telrgraphy
by Signals TO foretell the approach OF ocean
vessels.
1t connected with Point Lobos. and for many
years served to chronicle the approach OF
ocean ssels.
Probably The first foolish scheme actually put
into operation on either OF these peaks was In
later days after It had exploded, chrstened
"Jobson's Folly"
1t was once one OF the landmarks OF The city.
Now there ls nothing left of it but memory
and the summit of Russian HUI, which 1t
adorned along in The latter part OF the sixties.
Once there was an old man named JobsoD,
the story very properly begins, who lived on
Russian Hill. And this old man conceived a
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

back up his ambition lie can buy that founda-
ton, iot and all. at the regular market raIe for
such staple commodities. Aud If nobody comes
along who wants that kind of fonndation at
market rates, why, IL Will just stay right there
MI. Cudworth doesn't care. But just the same
lie sometimes smiles softly TO himself as lie
views those bricks and thinks how foolish lie
w 5 TO b GIN TO build there before he had his
mind made UP.
In his younger days Charles Cuneo the rich
ITALIAN, started in 10 tap big spring at the
fo"t OF Jones-slreet hill. lie dug big hole in
which the boys played hookey-and then aban-
doned The project. in the belief that 1t would be
cheaper to patronize Spring Valley.
This was about twenty years ago. Folks
wondered at tie time and often afteIward what
that big h"le was dug for. and to this day,
though an ev n roadbed Of cohblestones has
effaced all vestiges Of Mr.. Cuneo's wa er Iun-
mel. great many grown-up PEOPLE are in igno-
rance of The why's and wherefores of the cave
they hid IN when children.
The truth is that on the sharn descent from
Union street to Fiibert, at Jones street. there
are two or three very promising springs of pure
water.
And some OF the property in that vicinity (,
troubled With more or less damp cellars aud
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

they inquire OF some one
In tie neighborhood who
is post d. will eei just his
kind of a story. True, the
informant has forgotten
the name OF the builder,
but that matters lille. He
sticks to his yarn all The
harder.
Now The Truth IS j. W.
Cudworth built thai foun-
dation and lie owns 1t and
The land upon which II is
built TO this day. And he
owns Il whole lot of other
equslly valuable and more
valuable real estate in the
neighborhood.
Everybody knows John
Cudwortb, and everybody
knows hat he is Il veal.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31
SORE MINOR FOLLlES.

There is popular superstition that the old
brick foundation on the south size OF Union
street Just above Buchanan. was bui by a man
who became a bankrupt before lie could put w
the superstructure.
Nothing could be wider OF the mark, though
strangers who see 1t for the first time, unless
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31
FOLLIES OF THE HILLS.

Since the white man. with bis lireess energy
and never fading hope, made his debut on the
golden sands Of San Francisco Bay the two high
hills that stand twin sentinels on the northern
shore of the present metropolis have been OBJ
jectIve points of much scheming for wealth and
the scene Of many financial failures
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

system Is a grass-grown trench running from
Mountain Lake about 200 yards 10 Inc mouth
OF The brick aqueducf.
But the mouth OF the aqueduct ltself IS niied
with ions Of earth that fell over u SO very iohe
ago that to-day II is grown over WIN weeds anu
grass. and the bright yellow peoples blooniln.
there seem 10 have ever grown and thrived ana
blossom where tradition alone says there Is
The outlet OF a useless tunnel that cost
S2SO0CO.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31

finishing touches on the ravages OF time and
the weather. Then the beer castle Will blow
over TO Alcatraz and the rats and bugs will
have 10 seek out some other shelter.
But while any OF tho ruin OH Telegraph Hill
remains folks with an eye TO The artistic will
member with kindness that picturesque old
Deer castle that was such a prominent land
mark on the barren hilltop
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-31
THE CRYSTAL PALACE FOLLY

Had not internal dissensions arose among
the directors, Instead OF being remembered
now as mammoth folly. the Crystal Palace
wouid nave been one OF the most extensive and
Oes'-equ'pled amusement places in America.
IL was planned on gigantic scale and was
partially constructed at cost of over 600, 600.