New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-14

THE MIDWINTER FAIR-CRIME IN SAN
FRANCISCO-BECK CO.'S FAILURE.
(pY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUS-

FRANCISCO-BECK & CO.'S FAILURE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TIE TRIBUs~
San Francisco Jan l3-It has been decided
70 omen the Midwinter Fair Saturday, jan
uary o. Remarkable progress has been made
IN the past week in completing buildings and in
stalling exhibits and # the came pace is main
tanned In the next fortnight the fair VIII be as
complete as the Chicago show was by the nid-
die Of May. The arrangements for the comfort
Of pedestrians admirable, as wide aru"cia'
stone walk extends all around the main court
This stone dries rapidly after rain II Is eA-
pected that the opening ceremonies Will attract
one hundred thousand visitors. Each day VIII
be marked by some special exercises ana
feature will be made OF night exhibitions.
MANY absurd stories have been spread abroad
that II is unsafe to walk San Francisco's streets
after nightfall because Of fOotpacs. The CITY Is
overrun with petty criminals and trampS' VINO
have been encouraged by free soup-houseS' Out
robbery in the street has been no more common
than in previous years Many stories OF ROBBERY
prove false on investigation. and others were
exaggerated Visitors to the Midwirter Falr VIII
ind that there are few large American cities IN
which one may 60 about at night with so htue
danger as in San Francisco.
n has been decided to hold Woman's Con-
vrees of Missions at the Mdwinter falr OH
March g. 10 and H. The proceedings ought 10
oe of much interest. for in this city are now
gathered a large number Of women VINO nave
worked in missionary fields In lndla' SIAM
China and Japan. A meeting was heid 'hls week
to make arrangements for the Congress. SPEAK
srs are expected from all parts of the coast ana
from the East.
A large meeting of California wool-growers
was held here this week TO protest against 'he
clause in the Wilson bill removing the duty on
wool. 1t was shown by the speakers 'hat OdH-
fornia's wool crop is worth S6'ooo'ooo year
There are 1000 wool-pulers in san FRANCISCO
whose occupation would bc gone were the duty
removed. without the duty it would ac'uans
be cheaper to ship the pelts to Havre and have
them pulled by French labor. RESOLUTIONS were
adopted showing that the money invested in the
wool industry in California amounted to $780,
Ooo 600 and calling on Congress to protect the
States great sources of wealth. The meeung
was wholly non-partisan Its chairman anu
chief speakers were Democrats.
A determined effort is being made by school
nrincjpals and the press to stamp out the ciga-
rette habit in the public schools. The vice has
obtained a frmer grip here on boys from eight
IN fourteen wears old than in any other city IN
the country and the results seen in the
remarkable increase Of criminals Of tender years
and of deaths from what the doctors can 'he
cigarette heart" The best plan proposed 10
counterfeit the evil is a Boys Antl-Clgaie''e
League on the same plan as Professor Drum
mond's Boys Brigade" At its next session
the State Legislature will probably pass a law
making the sale Of cigarettes to a minor d cflih-
ipal offence, or imposing prchibitory license
Meanwhile the habitual use Of cigarettes VIII
be held as good ground for expulsion from the
schools
w F. Beck & Co.. the largest grocery commits
sion house in California since William I. COLE
man went out Of the business. failed TINS week
for s4O0 900 The direct cause Of the failure was
big overstock of raisins and canned sooos' ioi
which there is no sale. and the refusal OF pahks
TO advance any more money. The firm mace ad-
vances Of nearly 100000 last fall to enable fruit
growers to handle their crops. They actually
furnished more money to the raisin men OF
Fresno County than they can now secure from
the crop They were forced to operate Aiaska
salmon canner:es. which fell into their hands
by foreclosure. and there is no sale TINS year ios
canned salmon. They are also heavily ioaued
with canned fruit. Trade rs dull ana prices SO
low that 1t will be some time before the llrii
large stock be moved. The diincuity IN
disposing Of dried and canned California fruit
will probably result in raising the quahty OF
the coming seasons output during the last
been TO produce a big amount. Even the quahty
of choice brands has suffered. Producers and
dealers have seen the folly OF TINS course ana
next fall will see a radical change In methoos.
One Of the notable landmarks of San Fran
cisco will be sold at auction at the end OF TINS
month 1t IS the Montgomery Block, which was
built by General HallOck in 1852. and which lor
years was headquarters for prominent lawyers.
It's walls are two feet thick and these win
heavy iron shutters make IL absolutely hreproof
The spread Of the city toward the south mas lelt
It behind and the monthly rentals have shrunk
from $4,000 TO Sl.3oO.
Southern California this week suffered from
the coolest weather known in twenty years. Inc
mercury In many Of the best orange-groWlng
sections fell from four to six degrees below the
freezing point. The result would have been
great damage to the oranges, which are just
approaching maturity, had II not been lor artI-
fcial means OF counteracting the frost. In some
groves pipes have been laid and gas was burned
at night, thus raising the temperature above
the danger point Other Orange-grOwerS had
piles of wood saturated with coal tar arranged
at regular intervals and these when set on IRE
created so dense smoke that the frost was neu-
trazed. From TO 10 per cent OF the crop VIII
cover all the damage in Riverside, Los Angeles
and San Bernardno counties. AS the crop IS
a third larger than last year and Of fine quality
the loss by frost will not be felt
The search for the train-robber Evans and his
accomplice Morrell. still goes on In the snow
covered mountains Of Fresno County. The
searchers have endured great hardshlps ana
though they have more than once been close on
the trail of the fugitives they nave not come
within sight of the criminals. Morrell Is now
known to be the man who furnished the arms
with which George Sontag and his companions
made their desperate but unsuccessful Dfeak
from Folsom Prison. and he is guilty or the
death Of Sheriff Pasco who killed while
pursuing MorrelI.
THE BANKS OF NORWICH.
Norwich. Conn. JAN 1S (speciaD.-It is an i'm