The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-11-07
DORIS GREAT MEMORY.


Directory of the City.
Charles Dorr, bartender in Colo.
mel Coakley's resort out on Geary
street, has one of the most remarka-
BILE memories that have ever been
mentioned in print. He has at his
tongues end the exact location of
any fire, police patrol or telephone
box in the city of San Francisco. In
other words, the fire alarm card or
the telephone book is useless when
he is within consulting distance.
He has been in this country but a
short time, too, and has cleaned this
remarkable information by simply
glancing, as it were, at the written
schedules.
Tell him upon what street you
live and between what intersecting
streets and he will inform you
with Incredible swiftness the near
est fire box you should seek in case
of fire or the nearest police patrol
box that would be used in case of
trouble. In fact, his knowledge of
this city in the matter Of streets and
numbers is absolute in preciseness
and comprehensiveness.
a party of gentlemen recently
made wager of $40 that he could
be caught in the fire alarm and po-
lice patrol system of boxes extant in
the city. He was put to the most
trying test and came out victorious.
The men who put up money on him,
it is needless to say, were not the
losers. The questions asked him
were: If live on Broderick street,
between Sutter and Bush, which is
the nearest fire alarm and the near
est police patrol box?" and Near
what street is box SO and SOP" In a
fash the correct mum mbers would be
given.
Mr.. Dorr can also give the tele-
phone mum ber Of any engine house
in the city and can tell you at mo-
ment's notice what number to use
to call up any fire chief or marshal.
The marvellous retentiveness of
ais memory is illustrated in any
field. Give him the number of any
street car in the city, and he will
tell you the street it runs on. Give
him a street, and he will tell you the
number of oil the cars that run on
that particular street. Ask him
where certain house, numbered so
and so on any street is, and he will
say, 1T is between such and such
streets -
He can tell the nearest telephone
number and any house number in
the city. He will tell you correctly
the present number of the badge of
any policeman on the force, giving
you that officers name.
Write row of 20 or moro figures.
He simply runs bis eyes across it.
Ask him week or month later,
and he will tell you the number you
wrote without an error.
His knowledge of the English Ian
guage is meager, but he can spell
any name which he cannot even
pronounce. In short, whatever Ee
sees or reads or hears he never for
gets, but can tell it as he heard it
any time after.
He multiplies, adds, subtraots and
divides with wonderful quickness
Ask him to multiply six figures by
six figures, and he gives you the re-
suit before you have calculated the
first figure.
Should policeman tell him what
beat he traverses Mr.. Dorr will in
form him what fire and patrol boxes
are on his beat, and exactly where
they are located, and the police pa
trol box system is complicated, there
being numbers repeated over and
over again.
In his voyage here from Australia
Mr.. Dorr astonished the captain of
his vessel by his wonderfully rapid
and correct reading of signals given
by passing ships. He will tell you
the street above and below any street
an the oity. But to enumerate all
chat his remarkable gift is capable
of would fill pages. He has acquired
this accurate knowledge too, in the
most desultory sort of way - be-
tween mixed drinks, as it were.-
San Francisco Call.
---------------------------