The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-01
THE ALAMEDA BURGLARS,
No Clew Yet Obtained by the
Police as to Their
Identity.
A Pair of Australian Rabbits to Be
Turned Loose Down the
Country.

ALAMEDA, CAL, Jan. 31.-The police
have obtained no clew to the perpetrators
of the nine burglaries committed early
Thursday morning. The burglars did
their wholesale work, took all the money
they could find and whatever else they
fancied and disappeared, leaving no trace
that affords the police pointer. An indi-
cation that there were three men con-
cerned in the job is afforded in the fact
that at Silberberg's store three sizes of
white shirts were taken-14, Az and Is
and the smallness of the sizes would seem
to indicate either that the work was that
of youths or of men OF small stature. The
particular size shirts were carefully picked
out and other sizes laid aside.
The police say the burglaries must have
been committed between IL 80 and 80
o'clock, but the large number of places
entered and the thoroughness with which
the several stores were ransacked would
hardly permit of accomplishment within
that time.
The opinion is also expressed that the
bur glars were amateurs. The only justif-
cation for that is that the method of effect
ing entrance was clumsy, and showed a
seeming lack of experience in breaking
open doors and windows. But, on the
other hand, the adroitness in doing the
vast amount of work under the very nose
of the police would argue that the perpe-
traitors were experienced hands at the
business. The claim by some of the police
that the burglaries were the work of local
criminals is not justified by anything that
appears on the surface. There was no
feature of the crime that suggests the I'M
likelihood of out-of-town crooks being
responsible for the work.
The burglary will be made the basis OF
demand for an increase in the police force,
and it may be investigated by the Munich
pal Board as to The plete failure of the
police to prevent or detect it.
Annual Water Report.
ALAMEDA, CAL, Jan. 31.-The annual
report of the Artesian Water Works was
filed yesterday. This is not an incorpor-
ated company, but a private enterprise
owned and operated by R. r. Thorn pson.
The total amount of money invested in
the plant is now S5S2, psi 10. OF this
$17,330 s4 has been invested during the
year. The total receipts of the year were
$6o,o5O IL. OF this sf1, 99S SIS were water
rate collections, $6556 80 for sprinkiing
streets, $3.50 in rents, 1924 rent of hydrants,
$685. tapping mains, $2239 25 sewer flush
ing, 1886 81 miscellaneous. The expenses
were 81, 29S 63 as follows: Salaries, ST.
$50; taxes, s4so2 26; coal, $3742 SO; labor,
were $33, Isl A. from which, the years
betterment OF SIT, 1884 "a being deducted,
leaves a net surplus OF $16,416 64 The
rates are to be fixed in February.
Australian Rabbits.
ALAMEDA, CALL, Jan. 31.-Two Aus
traian rabbits were shipped yesterday by
Mr.. Tom pkinson OF Sar Antonio avenue,
through Wells, Fargo q Co., to farm in
San Benito County, where it Is expected
they will be bred for the market. They
attracted considerable attention in their
crate as it stood in front of the express
office awaiting shipment. They are larger
than the native iackrabbit, and interest Gen.
tered in them without doubt through a
knowledge of the terrible pest they had
become in Australia, and a wonder that
they should be transplanted to California.
where the conditions seem to favor repe-
tition of the experiences of that country.