New-York tribune., 1895-12-15
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.

TESTING DYNAMITE GuNS-HAWAiia> ''''
SHIPMENTS THEATRICAL AND SOCIAL News
San Francisco. Dec. IA (SpeciaD.-Successful
tests were made this week Of the big battery Vi
dynamite guns that commands the Godeh "a'o
and serves as a complete defence OF oah rra"
cisco's harbor against hostile fleets Inc oa''eis
consists OF three ffteen-inch dynamite guns and
five eight-nch guns 1t Is conceded 10 DC 'he
largest and most powerful in the world. and the
tests Of pneumatic guns which throw dynami'e
shells was watched with great interest. Ihe
Anal experiments were made this week and they
fully satisfied the experts in charge. The range
of the eight-inch guns, which carry S%o-pound
shells with 100 pounds Of explosive gelatine' was
1900 yards The air pressure was l.ooo po"hos
The same pressure was required for the big guns
which threw 500-pound shells 1000 yards win
the strong battery Of mortars that use powder
and can cary Ave miles the harbor Is now well
protected How defenceless II was until recently
was shown during the Chian war. The power
full Gillian cruiser. Esmeraida, was reported 10
be coming up the coast and its destination was
said 10 be san Francisco, which IT would levy
upon or shell At that time no guns at Golden
Gate would reach over half mile 80 that this
cruiser could have sxacted big indemnity from
the city
Young Richard Mcdonald was acquitted this
week OF the most serious charge against him in
connection with the failure Of the Pacific Bank
This was the charge Of embeZzling $4,000 drawn
from the bank the day before its doors closed
McDonald's defence was that his brother drew
the amount from his fathers account and that ne
himself didn't get any Of the coin. 1t is thought
here that Mcdonald will escape all of the crimi-
nal charges against him.
The new fourteen-story building which Claus
Spreckels is building on the southwest corner or
Market and Third SITS. will be larger than at
first expected. as the sugar millionaire has Sc
cured the adjoining lot lSt ts~ when W give hm m%
eeventy-ive feet on Third-st.
Eight large American ships have been char
tered by Williams, Dmond q Co, Of San Fran-
cisco, 10 take sugar direct from the Hawaiian
Islands 20 the Atlantic coast Three Of the ships
have the option OF Philadelphia others going di-
rect to NewYork. Seven ships were loaded at
Honolulu for New-York this year, six Of which
We're under the American flag
cargo OF wheat was cleared this week at 81
per osntal the best price secured this season.
Only few cargoes have brought this figure,
but from present appearances holders Of wheat
VIII receive this price
Lord Sholto Douglas still continues 10 amuse
the public AT the Acazar Theatre. He has over
come his first shyness but this week when he
essayed 10 speak few lines ne made bad work Of
It,
The Bohemian Club this week gave exhibi
ton of posters that vas noteworthy. as it was a
loan collection contributed mainly by number OF
experts who returned recently from Paris Gras-
set Cheret and Lefebfe represented by
many superb specimens
Rice's old extravaganza. 1892" which every
body who went TO the Worlds Fair saw as
America" made a hit here and will run through
the Christmas week. The audience took very
kindly to the poker jokes Of King Ferdinand.
San Francisco Is probably the greatest poker
playing town for its size in the country.
Thursday by Rices company and Robert Down
ing's company in aid Of the blind ward in the
San Francisco Chdren's Hospital This hos
pital which has done incalculable good in rescu-
Ing helpless children from lives OF suffering will
soon open new addition for incurables which
It owes 10 The San Francisco Examiner" This
newspaper has devoted several special editions
10 the hospital. and will give to il the proceeds
OF It's coming Christmas issue, which is to be
edited entirely by boys and girls from the public
schools. chosen by their fellow-pupils. This Issue
promises to be unique, and 1t ought to add
handsome sum 10 the permanent endowment Of
the hospital.
Many San Franciscans attended the brilliant
wedding in Los Angeles Of Miss Emma Sarah
Chil6s. Of that city and John Wilbur Dwight
the New-York banker. j. Sloat Fassett the
best man. and the ushers were Colonel Fred
Croeker and James ,,s slauson Of i this city The The
Edith Shorb, daughter Of j. Debarth Shorb.
While San Francisco has had this week some
Of the coldest weather known in years. Southern
California has enjoyed tropical sunshine and the
orange crop is ripening faster than ever before
II the transportation companies give expeditions
service al fair rates, New-York next month
\ ought TO have an abundance Of the best Califor-
MIA navel oranges at moderate prices. For
grapes and deciduous fruit last summer the rail-
roads charged such heavy rates that few fruit
growers made any profit and many were in debt
for freight and commissions.
A singular demand has been made by Indian
Agent Estudillo upon the Palm Valley Water
Company. of Palm Springs. Riverside County.
Estudillo has warned the water company that he
VIII remove Its fume in ten days The flume
takes water from a canyon that he says Is Indian
property, and runs across the sections OF land
belonging 20 the Aguas Caliente reservation.
This iune Is only feeder Of the main ditch of
the water company. but II is OF vital Importance
3n dry season. The company exercised its legal
rights TO run bitches over lands belonging to the
United States and this effort 10 enforce an In
dian claim 10 a water right which they have
never used Is regarded a hardship to the
settlers, who have developed their lands on this
border Of the Colorado Desert This question Is
important. II may be raised in a score Of other
places, and The Washington authorities Will be
OS Sk11 n s4.t1 t1a