davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-28
TRAINS.

ct. L., Springfield. Peoria.
Bur. Quin via Monmouth
Chicago, sterling, Clinton a
Dubuque .--....-......
Peor;s, Beard-iown. Bur
lington n West ........
ct. Paul & Minneapolis. go.
Sterling. Clinton a Dubuque
ST. J. Kansas city. Denver
h Pac. Coast via Galeso'rg
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-28

RURIINGTcH RoUTK-C., 4 O. kAlf-
~ wsy-Depoi Fret svenue and Sixteenth
street. b. J. Yourp, agent
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
WHY GO TO ALASKA?

THERE ARE ToNs OF GOLD IN THE MOUNTAINS
OF CALIFORNIA.
To the Editor of the San Francisco CdtE-SIR:
1t seems strange that men will rush away to
to the northern wilds--almost to the Arctic re-.
gions-in most disagreeable climate in
search for gold, and ignore the great, prolific
and to large extent unprospected and unde-
veloped gold fields of our own glorious State.
California has produced more than ST ,OOO-
900 900 in gold, and were half the energy and
half the capital employed in gold mining in
the vast unexplored gold fields Of the Stale
tn at is being done in Alaska Colorado, Africa
or Australia, the results would surpass any
thing ever known in the world. The develop
ment of the thousands of auriferOus quartz
lodes throughout the great gold belt of Cali
i9snia-the same being the source 1s OF 1 the rich
yield of gold that would make the days of 40"
seem like very tame affair
The writer spent nearly twenty years along
the Rocky Mountains and several years in
British ColumbiA-Kootenay, Cariboo, Cassiar
and American districts-and has spent only
one year in California. Yet in that brief time
MIA the most profitable gold-mining region on
the continent. Isay, Why go to Alaska when
millions may be obtained near home?
Is Alaskan gold better than California gold?
Not so at the United States Mint. 1t all goes at
$50 81 per ounce (100O fine), and 1t appears
folly to me that men will roam the northern
WIGS after gold when far more can be obtained
In onr own genial cl climate-right here in Cali
fornia-the most prolific and extensive gold
belt the world has ever known. AS a practical
prospector can go into the mountains OF Cali
iornia and discover q good-paying quartz lode
q have done so) every week during ten months
In the year, free milling ore going $40 to 500
per ton, while in Trinity and Siskiyou counties
the writer knows of thousands and tens of
thousands of acres of rich gravel beds where
hydraulic mining can be done (and is being
acne) TO immense profit. There are millions
in it! and, after many years gold mining else
where, the writer must say California Gs still
and will remain the best field for profitable
mining to be found on. the great continent of
North America.
venture to say that Richard Willoughby of
Juneau (Alaska) and Dan de guile of Virginia
City (Nev.) will confirm my opinion about gold
mining in California, and that is. If we must
have gold, it is most profitable to "dig" 1t out
OF the Golden State" and not rush off to the
Yukon in the snow or to Coolgerdie in the
desert, but stay with California.
CHARLES +. BLACKBURN, NJ. E.
San Francisco, March 81, 1896.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
A TALE FROM THE SEA.

As the stars IN their courses fought
against Sisera, so the waves OF the sea rise
up to bear witness against that great hea-
then-the monopoly. In another column
we publish letter written by an official OF
the Southern Pacific Company giving an
account of little business transaction OF
thar company. This letter was thrown
into the sea that it might be destroyed, Tor
there was in it the statement OF proht
worse than Jonah, but the ocean waxed
wroth at the desecration of its waters and
Indignantly hurled the letter back to land
again.
This letter rejected of the sea we COM
mend to the reading OF the general public.
In it an official of the Southern Pacific
Company states in plain terms that the
company charged and received S15S6 in
return for service for which it would
have been grossly exorbitant to charge
$500. Is it any wonder the ocean refused
to take into its bosom and hide any such
outrageous trade secret as that2
The Pacific has nothing in common with
the monopoly that has SO insolently
usurped its name. 1t can tolerate the
sea serpent, the octopus and the hoghsh,
but it cannot tolerate Mr.. Huntington s
business accounts. Such records. would
indeed. the multitudinous seas desecrate.
They would blacken the translucent green
of the far-rolling billows, and in place of
milky foam would crown their surging
crests with scum like that of the bilge-
water that lies in the foul recesses beneath
the holds of rotting ships.
There is something like the hand of an
avenging Nemesis in the power that brings
this letter from the sea back to the people
of California at this juncture. 1t would
have been exorbitant, says the officer OF
the company, to charge $500 for the SER
vice, and yet the charge was $15S6. 1t is
not strange that of the books and records
of the business of this company some
were buried, some are hidden and some
were thrown into the abysses of the ocean.
1t is by reason of such charges as these
that palaces on Mob Hill are raised, foreign
princes subsidized, African railroads pro-
NOTED, while all the time the company re-
mains too poor to pay its debts, its interest
dues or its taxes.
'I can call spirits from the vastly deep, !"
said Owen Glendower proudly, but he was
silenced when Hotspur asked him "Will
they Gomez" In this case they have come.
Though the Southern Pacific Company
thought they had sunk this record deep as
ever piummet sounded it has come up to
torment them. I'VE have received $1586
for this service, and it would have been
grossly exorbitant to charge $500 for it. y
That is the way the official told it, and,
when the record was thrown to the sea,
the spirit of the vastly deep rose up I'M
called and gave it to the world.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
THE OAKLAND HARBOR.

The people of Oakland have abundant
reason to rejoice over the notice issued by
Colonel Charles r. Sutter that the Secre-
tary of War proposes to consolidate the
Webster-street and Aiice-street draw
bridges over the Oakland estuary, and TO
erect modern steel bridge in their place
with draw of $50 feet operated otherwise
than by hand. This means that the stub
born obstacles which the Southern Pacific
Company oppose TO the free use of the
estuary for water traffic are to be abolished.
Should the Supreme Court sustain the de-
cision by Judge Ogden awarding the water
front to Oakland the victory of the city
will be complete and its commercial i'm
portance assured.
The General Government at last seems to
have been awakened to the splendid har-
Dor facilities of San Francisco Bay. There
can be little doubt that under the pressure
being brought to bear by the San Fran
cisco Chamber of Commerce Congress will
make an appropriation for the removal of
sunken rocks dangerous to navigation.
The State of California is ably and intelli-
gently doing its part in developing the
best efficiency of the harbor, as it is steadily
constructing a seawall on the San Fran
cisco side and is beginning the erection of
a superb ferry building at cost of $500 600.
The benefits which California would re-
ceive from the improvement of the harbor
and the encouragement OF shipping are OF
minor Importance when compared with
the great national interests involved.
This bay is one of the most interesting
sheets of water in the world. The greater
part OF 1t is shoal and unfit for navigation,
but all that is required for commerce is for
tunately self-dredging through the action
of the tides. and hence can never shoal and
will never require heavy expenditures for
keeping it in perfect condition. 1t would
be better if the broad stretch of water in
the southern end were converted into
land, leaving such needful channels as
those TO the various shipping points all
the way around from Oakland to Baden.
The marshes bordering the bay constitute
in themselves an empire, and in good time
they will be reclaimed and devoted to agri-
culture, to assist in maintaining the dense
population that must line the shore in
the years to come.
1t is not difficult to foresee the time when
this splendid bay, backed as it is by the
most fertile country In the Union and con-
stituting the entrepot of the United States
for the trade of the Orient, will sea its
shore lined with great cities of which those
already in existence are hardly begin.
ming. No transient hindrances to transpor.
tation can op crate against this destiny.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
AN ODD COMMUNITY.

An uncommonly interesting proposition
has reached the California State Board of
Trade from representative of a number
of deaf mutes in Iowa. 1t is that if q
suitable place can be found in this State
the deaf mutes will settle it in colony.
The naive letter which the deaf mute has
written for information contains this para
graph: 1--WE must be near a running
stream and on a soil naturally adapted to
the raising of corn.' The colonists would
like also to engage in gardening to some
extent.
The cheerfulness, industry and sweet
ness of temper generally possessed by deaf
mutes make them highly desirable as
settlers. In colony they would be much
better off than in the hearing of the speak
ing world, for in such association they
would suffer under no disadvantage what
ever. Their natural socia ability could be
gratifed better in this way than any other.
And where could they find keener en-
joyment and prosperity than in California
Being intelligent and eager readers they
could inform themselves of the best
methods of agriculture peculiar to this
State, and their infrmity would in no
sense burden their ability to secure the
best possible results from the industry.
AS most of them have been educated in
some useful craft they could form an ideal
colony able to supply all its own wants
and sell their surplus products. By
planting canaigre, which has already been
proved to yield marvellous crops in this
State, they could produce tanning material
and thus establish the complete industry
of tanning hides and manufacturing shoes.
A large number of them are expert broom
makers. Our soil produces bounteous har-
vests of broomcorn. Claus Spreckels is
offering to give sugar-beet seed to all who
will cultivate the plant. Such a colony as
that here suggested might make fortune
out of that enterprise.
Thus established they could have the
best possible facilities for educating deaf
mutes and converting them into producing
citizens. All who cannot hear and speak
would be attracted by such a colony, and
hence the community might be expected
to grow with great rapiditv and its MEN,
bers to flourish as they never have -four
ished before. They would be removed
from the disturbing influences which tend
to SOW discord in communities of speaking
persons. They would be so well equipped
for supplying oil their own needs that the
uncomfortable results OF mingling with
the outside world would be avoided and
increased content and prosperity would
ensue.
1t is hoped not only that the Board of
Trade'will give the matter serious atten-
ton, but also that the deaf mutes at pres
ent in the State will interest themselves
and aid in the establishment of the happi-
est colony in the world.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
SOME PREGNANT FACTS.

During the first eighteen months of its
active operation the revenues derived
under the Wilson-Gorman tariff were S75.-
100000 less than the running expenses OF
the Government, and nearly $iOO, 0CO, 900
toms duties during the first eighteen
months of the Mckinley tariff.
Under the Mckinley tariff there was i'm
ported into this country during the year
1894 about $65, coo, 900 worth of staple arti-
cles of farm produce, but in 1895, under
the present tariff. the imports of such
products aggregated $1340Oo ,00O, repre-
senting loss to the American farmer of
about $40, 600 in single year.
1t is not possible to escape the obvious
conclusion from such facts as these. The
Democratic party, appealing chiefly to the
farmer on the ground that a protective
tariff worked to the detriment of his in
terests, has deliberately bunkoed him,
taken money out of his pocket and put it
into the Golfers of Canada, Central and
South America, France, Germany, Spain
and Italy, and yet demands that the
American farmer shall still vote the Demo-
cratic ticket, aid in retaining poor,
his chances in that great and glorious
future of which the free trader dreams,
when the gospel of cheapness shall be the
only rule of action for the civilized world
Ii there be any State in the Union which
is or should be logically and consistently
protectionist it is California. We cannot
conceive of Californian industry, unless
it be gold mining, which does not demand
the fair and just protection of the laws
against undue foreign com petition. Agri-
culture, horticulture and manufactures,
with the vast amount of labor they in
volve, must be protected against cheap
foreign production or they must go to the
wall. When it costs only about one-third
as much to transport raislns from Malaga
to New York as from Fresno to New York :.
when oranges can be brought from Italy
and compete on more than even terms
with the product of Southern California,
and when free wool has more than deci-
mated our fiocks and herds, it is time for
the people of California to do some think
ing for themselves, and we may be assured
that they. in common with the rest of the
United States, will not neglect the oppor-
tunity which the Presidential and Con-
gressional elections of the present year
offer them. The time is fully ripe for
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
THE WORLDS UNREST.

Something has occurred of late to make
the civilized world restless, uneasy and
discontented and to threaten disturbances
of every kind, from diplomatic interpella-
tions and quarrels to actual war At the
present moment there is no nation in
Europe which can promise itself assured
peace for the next decade, and even the
United States. having always in mind the
warning of Washington against entangling
alliances, finds itself necessarily compli.
Gated with the affairs of the Western Hem
isphere and called upon to make the Mon
roe doctrine an absolute entity in place of
a mere political abstraction.
That apart, however-for this country
can take care of itself-the condition of
Europe is such as to cause serious appre-
hension to any one who believes in peace
in preference to war and who maintains
the proposition that only as last resort
should there be an appeal to arms. To
such one, studying the question from an
outside standpoint, looking at interna-
tional differences and disputes with dis
passionate eye, there can be neither logic,
reason nor good sense In the probability
of general European war. and yet the
idCt Vi ouCh d tuiiiS stdleS every one III the
face who studies the existing condition of
affairs.
Assuming, then, as we must, that there
exists feverish condition state of gen.
eral unrest, an intense and continually ex-
aggerated international jealousy and
rivalry, it becomes matter of interest to
inquire into causes and reasons and to
find out, If we can, why, in this age of
the world, and with all the material adj
vances and Improvements of which we
boast, the civilized world should be dis
contented, unhappy, miserable and pow
erty-stricken, and why socialism and its
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22

base-born brother anarchy should make
such rapid strides and come so near over
taking the rule of law and order.
For this state of things a great many
causes have been suggested. One urges
overproduction; but how can such
thing be when Kansas and Ne
braska farmers are burning their corn
for fuel while in Southeastern Europe
people are starving for want OF cereal
food of any sort? Another declares
that the trouble is that the rich are grow
ing richer and the poor poorer; but that
has been so since the world began. The
prudent and thrifty have made themselves
well to do at the expense of the i'm
provident, and such will be the case as
long as the world lasts. There is some
thing more behind all this, which, if it can
be discovered and explained, will furnish
a solution for the unrest which the world
is feeling at the present day. and, II a
conjecture may be ventured, it will be
found in the vexed question of money
that is. metallic money, considered as a
medium of exchange.
Whatever may have been said upon
the subject, an era of contraction of
the currency means hard times, and
an era of imitation means good times.
1t is true that imitation may be car
ried to excess-that there may be made
extravagant promises to pay which it will
take a generation to redeem-but none the
less it is true that, as between imitation
and contraction, the former produces the
better results, and puts the body polite
into a healthier and more active condi-
tion. The United States, with all its vast
resources, is suffering from policy OF
contraction, which is not only unpardon-
able and inexcusable, but almost Grim
inal; and when the history of this Nation
comes to be written, in due time, the
record of the Cleveland administration
will stand out as stain upon our banner
and as an adjunct to the misrule and con-
fusion which mark the history of civiliza-
tion at the close of the nineteenth century.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22

other part of California. The North Fork of
the Feather River puts in there. 1t is literally
alive with trout and other kinds of fish.
I'm the distance are lofty mountains, whose
jagged tips seem to reach the sky.
"About Greenville there is now considerable
activity in both quartz and drift mining. A
Boston company has telegraphed there that it
will take one of the largest gravel properties.
The syndicate had an examination made of It
some time ago.
''There are tour other gravel properties that
have also been bonded. and by Boston capitol
lists. They sent five men to expert the proper
ties early in January, and they stayed week.
1t is said that these properties are also sold"
Mr.. Murray expects to be absent several
weeks.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
AN EVERYDAY EVENT.

I've letter in my pocket
That would not, could not show,
F or It's dainty superscription
Was indited lcng ago.
And the dimpled hand that penned 1t
Was hand used to hold,
When we spooned among the shadows
OF the summer days OF old.
She became my wife soon afteA
And, upon our wedding day,
Handed me a little letter,
Saying. "Post it right away"
So put it in my pocket,
With vow to mail IL soon
But had much to remember
On that busy day in June.
And to-day my clothing-cleaneE
With an air of mystery,
Brought package to my Office
To be opened secretly.
He is married. In the package,
Soiled and marred with crease and blot,
With its dainty superscription,
Was the letter forgot. Chicago RECORD
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
AROUND THE CORRIDORS.

J. R. Murray, who for twenty-one years has
been living in the Indian Valley, Plumas
County, is at the Russ. He is en- route to his
old home in Nova Scotia, which he has not Wis.
tied since he first came to California.
For q long time past Mr.. Murray has been in
the general merchandising and other business
at Greenville. He has also given good deal
OF attention to mining.
There is no snow in the Indian Valley now, .
he said. 1T is singular condition of affsirs
To see the ground absolutely bare, as it is
there, is phenomenon. Plumas is singular
county, but attractive in more ways than one
"Over in the Big Meadows, the south end ol
which is but twelve miles from Indian Valley,
/ suppose there is more fine fish than in any
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
Stay on the Farm.
Colusa Sun

Just think of importing more than m illion
and a half dollars worth of beans and peas |!
Until we export all THESE things in large guam
titles no young man ought to think of leaving
the farm for any rutsin the city.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22

About $50 letters awaited DR.. Jameson on
his arrival at Plymouth, England. Many of
them contained offers of marriage. One was
from lady OF good position, who asserted that
her friends considered her still handsome, but
she was the mother of two marriageable
daughters, and she informed DR.. Jameson that
he could have his choice of the three.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
HUMOR OF THE HOUR.


apparently there is no use for horses in
these days of electric-cars, bicycles and horse
less carriages" remarked McSwilligen.
"Oh, that's net so,'' replied Squildig. "Since
they commenced to slaughter horses and can
them for food we can still have them in orr
midst."-Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph.
Mamma Sunday morning)-Now, JOHNNY.
want you to tell me where you were yester-
day afternoon. Your shoes are in a terrible
condition and your trousers are mud up to the
waistband.
Johnny-Didn't you tell me, mamma, that 1
should not talk about weekday matters on the
Standardization Transcript.
Wiggles-Watson is one OF the ablest men
know.
Waggles-What makes you think so?
Wiggles-Well, for one thing, he always keens
supply of two or three dozen collar buttons
on hand and when he loses one under tho
bureau he never Stops to hunt for it,-Sorner
vile Journal.
he knows not what les running for.
Unless It's Office pef:
He started running in the war
And Just can't stop himself.
Andif at last on pathways rough
An Office blocked his way
He couldn't slack his speed enough
TO bid the thing isGood day.
-Frank L. Stanton in Atlanta Constitution
No." protested Adam, .that Is absurd mon
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22

return to the regime of a wise and en-
lightened policy of protection, and No
vember next will see the free-trade fallacy
| swept away and buried beneath monu-
| ment OF ballots 80 completely that 1t can
not be resurrected for half century.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
The Interstate Commerce Law.

All practical good that the interstate COM
merce law was designed to accomplish has
heretofore been choked out of it by the decis-
ions of the lower courts to the effect that Wit
ness, such as railroad superintendent, freight
agent or any one in charge of railroad secret
work by way of combines and other violations
of the law, could not be compelled to give evil
dcnce of the same because it might eliminate
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
Deserving of Praise.

Stockton Graphic
If there Is metropolitan newspaper in the
United States that deserves more honest praise
than the San Francisco CALL we would be
pl eased to receive q copy of it. THE CALL is
decidedly the cleanest, neatest and newest
sheet on this coast, and is rapidly ingratiating
itself into the hearts OF the reading people OF
the country.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
CALIFORNIANS In. NEW YORK.

NEW YORK, N. Y, March 21.-Among recent
arrivals are: C. Postman. Broadway Central; I;
N. Hutchinson, Mrs. H. T. Scott, Holland; J.
w. Eisenhuth, F. Holmer, Broadway Central; !;
H. Mcdonnell. Grand; E. S. Rothschild and
wife, Savoy; A. Powell Plaza,
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
Bring Prosperity by Voting Right.
Alamed TeIe gram

Those who have an interest in the commu-
nifty must share in the political burdens and
show themselves at the primaries and go into
the voting booths.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22

PATENTs-G. NJ. S., City. An individual can
make personal application for patent upon
payment of the fees required. but the process
is so com plex that before he gets through and
he will be lucky If he does so without making
q blunder, he will wish he had secured the SER
vices of q first-class patent agent.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22

THE impurities which have accumulated in the
body during the winter must be expelled. Every
one needs good spring medicine like Hood s Gar
saparilla, the one true blood purifier.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
Gives Nothing in Return.

LOS AngeIeS EXPRESS.
1t has probably been demonstrated to the
complete satisfaction of every one not too blind
to see facts as they are that free trade is a bad
thing for the manufacturer and his employe,
because while it takes from him the control of
his home market it gives him nothing in re-