The San Francisco call., 1895-05-19
AND MISSION.
LIGHTS ON FOLSOM STREET.
Bits of Gossip Gathered Up
From Bright and Busy
Sections.
Napa-Street Hill-Shea's Insanity.
Ambitious BoyS-Irving
Institute.

The Southern Heights Improvement
Club is working in quiet way to perfect
plan for the removal of the unsightly hill
along Kentucky street at the Potrero. There
are many places around there for which it
would supply filling, such as the Mission
Creek marsh and the mouth of Islais
Creek. A member of the club observed
yesterday:
''The hill will probably never have any
thing done with it until the work on the
Valley road is begun. Then it may be
found necessary to use the earth for the
filling in around China Basin. The City
that is, the School Department owns
twelve lots on the south side of the Napa-
street line, between Kentucky and Tennes-
see streets, and on the other side Messrs.
DAVIS ana Eeis own thirty two lots that I
know of, and the Refs estate considerable
more. 1t would probably be an easy mat
ter to get the earth of the hill all the way to
Minnesota street, because that would bring
the property there down to the present
grade, and make it valuable for building
purposes. The most of the property be-
yond Minnesota street to Pennsylvania
avenue, and extending from Mariposa
street to Shasta is owned by the Southern
Pacific, and when that company has de-
cided upon its new route to Sierra Point it
will probably use the hill for filling in the
Mission Greek marsh, which it also owns.
This would make Napa street fine
thoroughfare, and reclaim from natures
inconsiderate topography an immense
stretch of valuable business property An
electric line would in all likelihood follow
the easy grade on Napa street to De Haro."
A dredger of the San Francisco
Bridge Company is at work on the channel
just above the Fourth-street drawbridge.
The insane man, David D. Shea, whom
Sergeant Bennett had confined in the
Potrero station out of regard for the safety
of Father OConnell of ST. Teresa Church,
has the reputation of being dangerous
man to be at large. He was arrested five
times at the Potrero between 1886 and 1891.
Since he was let out of the Agnews Asy-
lum on probation ne made a trip to Boston
and had only recently returned.
Shea has a homicidal mania, which is
aggravated whenever he takes drink or
two. He keeps a lot of crGcifxes, to which
he pays devout respect when deranged.
About twelve years ago he went to South
San Francisco and proceeded to take charge
OF the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum.
Two years ago he attacked sister superior
at st. Dominic s Convent, Bush and Steiner
streets. He is very powerful man. and
at that time gave the police fierce battle,
he was arrested this last time because of
his most persistent menacing of Father
O'Connell. He said he had given S. toward
the building OF a parochial home, and as
he did not observe any building going up
demanded his money. 1t is his disposition
to resort to violence in the belief that he
IS dlvinely commissioned to renovate the
Catholic church that makes him a terror
to Catholic circles.
His insanity was caused by the hanging
OF his son for the murder of policeman at
Washington, d. G. Shea was then a SER
geant-at-arms in the National Capitol, and
spent all the money he could obtain in his
efforts to save his son from the gallows
His case has been taken under advisement
by the Insanity Commissioners.
Nine boys are receiving instruction in
mechanical drawing at the Potrero Gram
mar School by Professor R. Z. Eldridge,
as competitors for the apprenticeship in
the draughting department of the Union
Iron Works, which School Director Henry
L. Scott is offering as prize. They are
Fred Hildebrand. Aug. NJ. Linehan, Walter
Scharetz, Edward J. Keane, Roscoe G.
Horn, FREQ Riccomi, Ferdinand F. Gros-
bauer, Ben Hedstrom and David Dickie
James II. Aver of Kentucky and Napa
streets has given to the park museum some
specimens of ingenious whiting. Mr..
Aver has wooden chain which he carved
out of single rod of sugar pine The rod
was IA inches square, 1515 feet long and
weighed six pounds when he commenced
and when he finished the chain was q feet
long and only weighed two pounds
The whale fleet steam tender Jeanie is
about to go on the ways at the Union Iron
Works for an overhauling
The Golden Shore, one of the Spreckels
sugar fleet, is at the dock of the Western
sugar refinery.
Superintendent Spreckels of the West
ern Sugar Refinery said yesterday that
very little of the cargo of the John G.
North was damaged He gives Captain
Carlsen and his crew much praise for saw
ing the cargo by vigorous and constant
pumping.
Eureka Valley is rejoicing over the cut
being made on Ridley street, through the
old Spring Valley reservoir at Buena Vista
Park from the junction of Market and
Dolores streets. There is talk of again
agitatlng the proposition to extend Market
street from Seventeenth street over the
saddle between the Twin Peaks, and turning
Twin Peaks into park. Diedrich H.
Wulzen, on Seventeenth and Castro streets,
is said to be the only objector OF any con-
sequence.
A. B. Mcguire stated yesterday aft
ernoon that the committee, consisting of
Messrs. Somers and Center and himself,
chosen by the Folsom-street Improvement
Club No. l to confer with the Electric
Light Company for the lighting of the
bituminized portion of the street, namely,
from Nineteenth street to Twenty-sixth, |
was successful. Accordingly electric |
lights will be placed on all the street cross
ings on the portion mentioned. Work of
putting up the poles for the lights will be-
gin tomorrow.
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, at
Market and Sixteenth streets, which has
just been enlarged by the addition of an
other story, will be dedicated to-day.
by Bishop Daniel A. Goodsell at P. NJ, as
sisted by Bishop Walden. Rev. E. r.
Ollie of the Central Methodist Episcopal
Church will preach in the evening. The
Epworth League anniversary will precede
the evening services.
The commencement exercises of Irving
Institute will be held in Trinity Presby-
terian Church, corner of Twenty third and
Capp streets, next Thursday evening, May
%, at clock, says the Mission Journal.
Following will be the programme:
Organ prelude, Mrs. H. ]. Stewart; chorus.
"H Hope We're but Fairy; prayer Rev
J. Cumming Smith; piano, "Cachucha
Caprice, Helen L. Ruthrauff essay, Lights"
Mabel F. Meany; piano, "schlummerlied,"
Eleanor Dill; essay, ga Schoolgirls Potpourrir
Cornelia D. Lott; piano. Sonati, Andante, OPUS
20, Chant Polonaise, Ethelwynne Marrack;
violin solo, "Legende," Miriam Hall; ESSAY,
af(rOrf1ian Knots mic