The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-12
VISITED THE OIL FIELDS.
The Merchants Exchange Takes a Trip
to the Miner Ranch.

to the Miner Ranch.
A party Of members of the Merchants
Exchange visited the Contra Costa oil
region and spent several hours examining
the ground. The party consisted of George
L. Fish, George W. Arper, Al Mcpherson,
Robert jackson, Mr.. Blate, ]. L. Champ
I'm, ". Blate, T. Herbert, II. McGill,
Frank Woodward and B. McFadden.
The first place visited was the Miner
ranch. There oil was found floating on
the water and in the sandstone.
The odor of gas was most pronounced
and upon the application of a lighted
match TO fssure in the rocks fame OF
four feet in length blazed with great in
tensity for a long time. This ranch has
been worked TO some extent in the search
for the valuable fluid, but the search has
not been carried on Systematically. There
were originally two sets of prospectors,
only one OF whom is now at work. The
other had received from Mr.. Miner bond
on the property for three years, with the
understanding that Miner was to receive
one-eighth of whatever the ground
yielded. The concern, however, broke a
drill in the earth and made no attempt to
pull IL up and replace 1t, because it
claimed TO have no money.
The prospectors returned satisfied that
oil is to be found beneath the surface and
l1ldI IL NOull De q DttitllO W ln4S ClLy W
erect a plant TO develop it.
Oakland's Public Schools.
most remarkable state of affairs have
been brought to light in connection with
Oakland's two new schools-the Grant and
the Harrison-street.
These buildings are handsome brick
and stone structures, but there is
great danger of the roofs causing the
buildings to spread. The Harrison-street
school roof was examined by experts to.
day. who declared that strong wind
could easily blow it off.
Three weeks ago" said the Mayor to-
night, Il reported the result of my dis
coveries TO the Council and the Board oil
Education, and they said | was simply
talking for political effect. Now look al
the report of their own architect, Arthur
Brown. He says the roofs are likely to
cause the walls to fall apart, to blow off, OF
to fall in for want of support. This is g
pretty state of affairs for two expensive
schools. The worst of it is the Grant
School has been accepted by the city, and
! am told that the Harrison street wreck is
built according to specifications. If this
be the case the city will have to pay fol
them being rebuilt.
Two Unhealthy Jails.
The Supervisors inspected the County
Jail to-day and condemned "China alley
and upon it lay the damp mattresses or
which the prisoners slept. Supervisor
Church said that if the Grand Jury did it:
duty it would indict the Supervisors FOL
allowing such state of affairs to exist
The Supervisors decided to have bed one
foot high made for each cell, which viii
keep the prisoners from the dampness.
The City Prison was inspected by the
Sanitary Inspector to-day and he has pre-
pared a report that the City Council viii
act upon at once. The place has been con-
demned by the Board of Health, which has
threatened TO close it unless necessary
alterations are made at once.
Cigarettes Cause Death.
A large number of strikers and ex-rail-
road employees attended the funeral oil
Edward j. Eustace to-day. Eustace was a
railroad man and went on strike last year
He died suddenly Saturday afternoon, and
1t was reported that he had been sand
oagged. An autopsy, however, showed
that death was due TO a clot of blood on
the brain. At the inquest to-day Dr. Mil
Ter stated that the clot was probably due
TO the excessive use of cigarettes.
Smith Is Missing
William Smith, carpenter of Hay.