New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-26
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
DAMAGE BY FROSTS AND RA1N-olL-
BURNING ENGINES-GENERAL NOTES.


San Francisco. April Is. - Extreme cold
weather. attended by hard frosts that were IN
paraileied for fifteen years. has had disastrous
effect on the grape crop Of California. and has
injured severely early cherries, peaches. pr,nes,
apricots and vegetables. The winter was one OF
the mildest for many years. and throughout rep
ruary and part of March the sun was as warm
as in June. The result was that all iruit was
far advanced, and therefore suffered more '"ah
usual. The wine grapes in Napa ana Sonoiha
valleys promised large yield. and all deciduous
fruit trees were loaded. For three pights. now
ever, the mercury fell below the freezing polht'
and only those vineyardists who built fires ana
smudges saved their crops. 1t is estimated that
fully one-half the grape crop OF the STATE Is
ruined On the other hand. the price OF "i"e
grapes has advanced to $2o ton, so that nan
crop will bring more money than full crop last
year Upon the fruit -growers the loss VIII lah
heavier, for last wear they suffered from poor
pr,cea at Chicago and New-York. dueio quarrels
over the auction system. Heavy rains have fallen
throughout most Of the State for three days.
causing damage to wheat and barley
The action Of the Congregational Bay Con-
ference in refusing fellowship to the Kew u
o. Brown until he is able to establish MS ihho-
cence OF the grave charges against him meets
that practically acquitted the preacher OF all the
worst accusations against him. public opinion
has been so marked against Brown that
leaders OF the denomination saw clearly that the
minister must be dropped If the Church were TO
live Browns small body OF partisans declare
that they will maintain him even If the Cnurch
votes next Wednesday to retire him from the
pulpit, but his supporters are too few to carry OH
an Independent organization
The Southern Pacific Company. has decided to
burn oil instead of coal or wood on all It's en-
eines south Of Fresno. This is an important
concession to Los Angeles and Santa Barbara
producers Of oil, for 1t gives them home mar
ket for nearly all their OIL This: oil is so neaVy
that It has to be sprayed over hot flame. the
railroad company will save materially ey the
use Of oil as coal costs S. so ton put they DON
feel justiffan i'm equipping all their engines with
oil-burning apparatus until they are assured that
the Southern california oil fields will furnish
permanent supply. Z
All ARRANGEMENTS have been made for a union
between the San Francisco Gas Company and
the Electric Light Company, which have been
carrying on a war for many months A new
company, with a capital Of Sl5.0eo,OOo, VIII De
formed Of which the gas company will hold ABOUT
two-thrds The managers of this combine
promise not to advance rates when are d.
ready 81 70 a thousand. but their record does
not give the public much assurance That this
promise will be kept
Revenue Collector Welburn has abo4f ton
of coniscated domestic opium on hana, when
il worth about $4,000 The law specifies that
this opium shall not be sold by auction unless
the Collector has received bid for II equal to-the
stamp tax Of $40 a pound. No such bid can-pe
obtained for this opium, so the Collector VIII
soon ask permission to burn the whole iot Do-
mestic opium Is manufactured here constantly
by Chinese who buy crude opium at trifie over
Its duty price Of Sc pound. and by aduiteratioh
make enormous profits. The custom omeer
never reaches the owners OF these ilhci' opiunn
factories. as the coolies engaged won't DeGay
their masters, and If thrown into jail are per-
fecty content, as they know their wages go on
as though they were at work.
Many prominent citizens met this week to put
on a firm financial footing the PACING society
for the Suppression Of Vice. which has done
such excellent work in the last few months. ~
was decided to establish life memberships at >oo
each and thus form a fund The society mas
recently secured the conviction and heavy pun
ishment Of Levin and Price. two dealers in OBJ
scene literature and pictures: and they have also
driven many others out Of business. 1t Is
largely due to the society also that Morton-st.
one Of the most notorious streets In the city,
with houses arranged on the japanese yosn"ard
style, has been closed.
Mansfield introduced THE Story Of Rodion'
TO San Francisco playgoers this week, and
though 1t was voted depressing play, the
actor received high praise for his performances.
Mansfield has not drawn at this engage ment the
houses which his acting deserved to draw, bus
this is mainly due to the fact that he brought
no new plays that are attractive, ana because
he devoted the whole first week to Beau Brum-
NELL" which every one here has seen more than
once San Francisco has too small floating
population to depend upon for an engagement OF
aEy length The scheme to secure a stock COM
parry for the California Theatre for the summer
season ought to be success. and II the com
pany includes such people as Herbert Kelley,
. R7o
It ought to have good houses
Arthur F. Mathews won this week the Phelan
prize of $500 for his picture. The Discovery or
the Bay Of San Francisco by Portola" William
Keith received second prize and Emile Pissis
third prize There wes only one amateur com
petitor. though the contest was expected TO
bring out a score of young artists
Boatswain Alfred Hafei who lost his life on
the Revenue cutter Perry, and Seaman Mouth
rop who saved the lives Of four men. were both
well known in this city. Halfeli had made San
Francisco his headquarters for nine years, ana
he was regarded as one OF the best men IN inc
Navy on this coast. Young Mouthrop came here
Il ON New-York on the yacht Coronet. He shipped
at an hours notice on the Perry for service IN
Rehrfng Sea- and when four Of his shpmates
we're thrown into the sea by the swapping OF the
boat in which they had attempted to rescue
Halfeii. Mouthrop jumped overheard win o,S
lifeline and succeeded In saving them all. Old
salts here say his feat Of getting lifeline around
four men in heavy sea is unprecedented An
effort will be made to secure meoai lot his
heroic act.
The Fiesta at Los Angeles this week proved
the most brilliant Of the California flower festi-
walls ever given. The street decorations, the
costumes the floats In the great parade the
night spectaces and the carnivals spirit, which
was gayer than New-Orleans or st. Louis ex-
hibits at it's annual pageants. all combined to
make the weeks festival noteworthy
SEEKING TO HAVE Mr. FITCH INDICTED.
FIVE POLICE COMMISSIONERS THEMSELVES MAY