The morning call., 1894-12-04
AROUND THE CORRIDORS.


tables of the Palace yesterday and incidentally
caused a gentleman to speak of its editor and
proprietor. Ibis name" said the gentleman,
sis David Mcdonald, and he is one OF the most
eccentric yet interesting personages in the
county in which be lives. He is a powerfully
built man, strong as well in character as
in physique and absolutely fearless. 1t is said
OF him that he came TO the neighbOrhoOd OF
Dixon as a woodchoppeT and rancher years
ago. and at that time he was unable TO either
read or write. H. married an Intelligent lady
who TOOK upon herself the work OF educating
hrr husband and succeeded. Mcdonald is at
times somewhat annoying in his peculi-
arites. For instance. some years ago
he is said to have associated him
self with the Methodist church, but as the
minister and he failed to agree upon material
theological points be severed his connection
with The church entirely. He owns a very
pretty little cottage in Dixon. which he built
with his own hands, aud his chief amusement
is In playing upon a violin, which is likewise of
bis own manufacture. The plan for the press
upon which his paper is printed was evolved
from his own mind, and he bult piece of
machinery which Is said TO do good work. He
is vigorous. forceful writer at times some
what harsh in expression, yet generally ac-
credited with being fdir-mnded and soictous
only for the supremacy of that which is best for
the public welfare"
Ben Mcmillan, buyer for large fruithouse
IN Kansas City who has spent much time in the
various fruit districts or Northern California
during the past season. was at the California
yesterday. "Whie / was in Elmira, SOlano
County, few weeks ago, "said he, ~ heard of
the most peculiar case of intentional personal
Isolation that ever came under my notice. II
Is said up there that the wife of eX-Assembly-
man Jack Brown has been seen by her neigh
bors but twice in twenty years, and the two
occasions spoken OF were circus and funeral.
at both OF which she appear d heavily yelled
The family live In a handsome two-story house
on an elevation near a big slongh, and In the
top story OF their resld nee, 1t is said, the lady
has room, from which she seldom emerges.
Brown is very wealthy man and one of the
best fellows person would meet In a days
travel, and his wife has raised a happy and con-
tented family of children. No obvious reason
Is apparent for her self-immoation and the
neighbors have ceased 10 discuss it. IL is said
that the only man outside of The immediate
members of her family who has obtained a
view OF the lady's face in all the time mentioned
was farmland who worked for the family
and whose curiosity impelIed him 10 surrepli-
tiously crafty his wishes. The man succeeded
10 the attempt. but was given an immediate
opportunity to look for another job"
property interests In Lake County. was at the
Palace yesterday. He states that the PROPOSE
ton 10 utilize the waters OF Clear Lake, which
has been agitated unsuccessfully many times
before, Is now in fair way to succeed. lie
method now under discussion Is 10 establish
large electrical plant at or near RumSey on
Cache Greek, which forms the outlet for the
waters of the lake, and where In straight line
distance OF about eighteen miles th re is a fan
,f II il oil al m har sufficient
could be obtained here to supply the wants
of Sacramento, Woodland and other adjacent
towns and that an electric road could be oper-
ated from Woodland all the way to the head OF,
the valley. In fact, 1t is claimed, there is
hardly an end to the possibilities of electrical
development there. The lake is about thirty
miles long and eighteen miles wide, and Is 800
feet deep in places The projectors of the
scheme think that farmers could utilize the
power for blowing, to light up their houses, in
pumping water all over the county for irriga-
ton purposes, for thrashlng grain and in many
other ways.
1.-The cultivation OF the sugar-beet will at no
far-distant day be one of he chief agricultural
pursuits In California" said A. ". Mitchell, a
gentleman who Is interested In two beet-sugar
factories In Nebraska, at the Occidental yester-
day. II have recently Travelled quite exen-
svely throughout the State, and find that the
farmers are giving the subject much attenl ion
and are disposed to take the business up just
as soon as market Is afforded them. Several
parties are now looking over the State for the
mos desirable locations at which sugar facto-
ries can be established, and / believe that it
has already been decided TO build on the Mer
ced. The Chino beet-farmers have begun plow.
ing for their next crop, and they expect TO have
over 5000 acres devoted TO this culture, While
at and near Anaheim from 2000 to 5000 acres
will be planted. The farmers in the last-named
locality recently received proposition from the
managers of the Chino factory by which The
former agreed TO enter into contract 10 re-
ceye the beets from 5000 acres Of land for
term of five years, but the farmers refused to
accept the proposition, as they believe fac
tory will be built at Anahem before many
months nave elapsed"
G. FL. Benson OF Mobile, Ala, who was a
passenger on the Sunset Limited train from
the South Sunday, says that great uneasiness is
again noticeable among the negroes In portions
OF the South, and that at New Orleans, Savan-
NAH Charleston and other points there are
large numbers OF them congregated ready TO
start for Liberia. "The emigration agents who
persuade these people TO leave their homes In
the Interior" said Mr.. Benson, "hod out such
attractive Inducements that the would BE- emf
grants pack up their few worldly possessions
and flock into the city without sufficient means
to carry them fifty miles. As consequence If
they are not cared for by friends and fail 10
leave the State they become a burden upon the
charitable institutions. These emigration re-
vivals are generally most persistently advo-
Gated about crop time. and have the effect OF
greatly embarrassing planters in getting their
work done because of the indispoStion OF the
colored men to work"
J. NJ. Fulton. land agent OF the Southern Pa
cihc in Nevada, who makes his headquarters in
Reno, is at the California. He says that big
row is on in that State between the ca.tlemen
and sheepmen in regard 10 the question of free
range and which OF them shall have it. A
large number of sheep have been shipped and
driven into Nevada from California within the
past eight or ten months In consequence of
the severe drought and lack of feed here, and
the sheepmen are driving On to land TO which
the cattl men have claimed right for a long
time. A bitter feeling Is now manifest be-
tween the TWO and 1t may lead to serious
trouble. There is better grass In Nevada Mr..
Fulton says, than there has been for a long
time, as the ranges have not been oyerstocke ed
and the rains have been much more plentiful
than for many years past.
g. Grunweldt, manager OF the Russian Fur