The morning call., 1893-01-28
A GOOD MAN GONE.

Fred Castle VIII be missed, de was not
only an enterprising and an upright mer-
chant but also liberal and broad-minded
citizen. He had been fOrty-two years 10
San Francisco. and had seen it grow from a
camping ground for miners to a metropoli-
tan city. Part OF its growth was due TO his
energy and his public spirit.
He was an EnGliShman by birth, and
never got over his English spirit. He was
a study defender OF what he believed TO be
his rights ana the rights of the community
of which he was member. When he saw
wrong he was lis uneompromising and
untiring assailant He never palteTed with
principle. II a thing was good be stuck to
1t in season and out OF season; if it was bad
he attacked il day n and day out, no mat
ter who Endorsed it. 1t is positive men of
this type who accomplish results fer a
community and leave their mark on their
times.
Three years before thu organization of
the Non-Partisan Association, which de-
stroyed the Republican machine at the late
election. Mr.. Castle undertook the same
task. He had dream Of combination of
honorable men to WTest the city out of the
hands Of political ringslers. and lie devoted
time which could i'll be spared from bis
business to effect such combination. But
he was not successful, NOT being supported
by enough of the right kind Of men.
The work by which he VIII be best re-
membered is his effort TO maintain the
position Of San Francisco as distributing
market for tea His idea was that as the
teas OF Japan and China made their first
landing in this city they should be dis
Tibuted from here. not only throughout the
coast. bat at least as far east as the river
valleys. His attempt to accomplish this re-
salt was frustrated by the policy of the
China steamers, which were either owned
or subsidized by the Southern Pacific Rail
road. The steamers made rates al YUkO-
hama and HOng-hoDg for the transporta-
ton of tea TO Omaha and other river points
for the same money as they charged for
carving il to San Francisco Thus the
groCers of the river valleys bought their tea
Ia the primary markets. and il went through
san Francisco without breaking bulk.
This appeared u Mr. Castle To be an IN
justihabe surrender Of the advantages
which San Francisco enjoyed by reason of
her position on the seaboard, and he made
war upon the railroad and its steamship
lines with his accustomed vig0r. The CON-
pany lodged his assaults by claiming that
he wanted to COmuel them to raise their
rates Of freight, whereas his contention was
that those rates should be proporuoned to
distance; that if they could afford to carry
tea from Yokohama TO Omaha for a cent
and a half. they ought to carry il
to San Francisco for a cent. or less.
This proposition was eyaded by the
counter aSSerti0n-which vas not absolutely
accurate-that the tea. rates were made by
The SueZ canal steamers; and the mercan-
tile community in this city. being somewhat
befOgged on tie subject, did not give Mr..
Castle the support 70 which he was entitled
and which might have enabled him to win
his fight.
His amiable qualities and his high breed
ing won for him ami his family in society
position which few OF his corelgionists
have attained. lie was a member of all the
clubs ana for q long time was the president
of tie Union. The ladies Of his family
have always been conspicuous in social cir
cles and in works Of benevolenee Positive
end uneompromising as he was, be made no
enemies; every body had a good word 10 say
Tor Fred Castle. His heart was in the right
Place and his ears were always open to
tdt0 o. GistIeSs- 44HuIh ne was y plcal
merchan, and q thorough judge Of the arti-
cles in which be deaIt-bis opinion on coffee
was considered The souBdest IN the city, and
the recent Improvements in he Costa Rea
berry were largely introduced by his ad-
viee-he was a gentleman who threw Of the
shop when bis days work was done and
took the hveliest interest in matters Of art,
letters aud science. The death OF such men
is disaster to the community in which
they live