davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Portland daily press., 1896-01-30

St. Johns, N. F.. January GA
deputation of one hundred unemployed
workingmen visited Gov. Murray yes
terday and presented petition praying
that they be given work. The authori-
ties, after considering the matter, decid-
ed to begin relief work, and today a large
number of men were engaged in clearing
the streets of snow.
The Portland daily press., 1896-01-30

an nour anu nail. Then he started Tor
home. He met the woman about where
he met the man. She was coming from
the direction of the Portland road. She
turned around when he told her the way
to Portland road Witness followed be-
hind her. 1t was stormy night, half
snow and half rain, and cold enough to
freeze.
PERCY LAWRENCE.
Percy Lawrence, br other of the preced-
ing witness testified that he Is IA years
old. The next morning after the meet
ing of the woman by his brother, he was
sent by his father to Oliver Leighton 8
house down the road. He saw the wom-
ans tracks going into the woods ana
followed them little way. Then he
went to Oliver Leighton's and together
they followed the tracks and found the
baby's hood. They followed the tracks
in to the old Jameson house and George
Pride's barn.
Witness went home to breakfast and
gave the hood to his mother. Inside 1t
was a handkerchief and safety pin.
After breakfast witness and his father
and brother and Mr.. Kemston went
into the woods and followed the tracks.
AS witness came back he went into the
ward of the Boswortn house and found
the condensed milk can. The Bosworth
house is located on the Portland road
between the place where the woman g
tracks entered the woods and the lane
that leads to the Pride house. The
buggy wheel tracks beside the road
looked as it the buggy had been turned
around several times.
Cross examined. The tracks led into
the woods from the Portland road at a
point towards Portland from the Pride
house road. The tracks went in to a
wood road, which they followed short
distance. Then the tracks turned in
through thick growth OF small ever
greens, and reached another wood road,
about 200 feet away. The tacks were
en-. The body was in low, Doggy place.
He didn't touch it. He pulled the moss
off. 1t was right on the line Of the
blazed trees indicating the course of
the tracks. Right over the place limb
of tree was blazed.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
NIimicrv in Plants.

An interesting case of mimicry in plants
is described in the Botanical Gazette, that
of the seeds of the philippine Island
beam" from the coast near Manila, which
so closely resemble the quartz pebbles,
among which they fall, in shape, size,
color, luster, hardness and qualification
as to be indistinguishable from them ex-
cept by very close examination. The size
and shape of the beans are both very vari-
able. ranging from four to nine-tenths of an
inch in length; some perfectly resemble
weil-rounded beach pebbles, while others
mimic pebbles which have been broken
across. Their color varies from moder-
ately dark to light drab, some giving a
faint greenish tinge; others resemble peb-
bles of chalcedony or of crystalized quartz.
Nearly all the specimens show series of
approximately parallel darker lines pass
Ing round, very suggestive of stratifca-
ton. All are quite hard. cut only with
difficulty with knife, and give a clinking
sound when shaken together in the hand.
They are not affected by soaking in sea
water.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
But His Schemes Did Not Com.
mend Themselves to Bust
ness Men
A LAWYER, NOT a PROMOTER
Worked Hard to Induce San Fran.
cisco Men TO Give Support to
His Road.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANcrsco GALL. |

908 Broadway, July IL.
The news of the death of John Cameron
Simonds, who died at Chicago yesterday,
was read with great interest in this city.
About a year ago Judge Simonds came
to Oakland and tried to interest promI-
nent people in some railroad enterprises
that he was anxious to promote. Some
special meetings of the Board of Trade
were held, and Juage Simonds appeared
and outlined his plans. He brought with
him some contracts from railroad builders
and the terms seemed altogether too easy.
The plans were submitted to the banks
and some inquiry was made, but the boz
muses. and subscriptions asked by Simonds
were not readily granted.
Correspondence was opened with Chi
cago and after that the schemes were
looked on with less favor than ever. His
purpose was to promote the construction
OF railroad from Oakland eastward to
connect with some overland trunk line.
His plan was first TO connect with the
Santa Fe, but when he found the Valley
road would preoccupy that route he con-
ceived plan for a line up the Sacramento
Valley from this point to join the Union
or Northern Pacific.
However, his plans were either imprac-
ticable or too exacting to meet with favor.
President Keller of the Board OF Trade
was particularly active in assisting the
deceased in presentinghis promoting en-
| terprises until he found his efforts were
simply waste of time.
After being disappointed in Oakland
Judge Simonds moved 10 San Francisco,
but was no more successful. A few
months ago he reopened communications
with this city, and on his last trip here he
presented some new ideas and it was
thought he was still trying TO build rail.
road on the coast when news of his death
was received.
Judge Simonds had ali ambition tc
build railroad on this coast" said M. J.
Keller to-day HE had some very feasible
ideas, and brought some good letters with
him, but he did not inspire local capital
lists with confidence. The Judges person
atty was not such as to inspire the amour
of confidence necessary to invite peopl,
to enter a railroad scheme. He did no
seem to realize the situation out here, anC
considered that it would be a very cas-,
matter to build road. He may hav
been a good lawyer, but he was certainl,
out of his element when promoting rail
} roads.
HE interested many prominent peopl,
on both sides of the bay, and the news o
his death was great surprise"
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18

become identified with the Humane So
ciety, and must have an Office in the City
Hall.
The City Hall has been for years far too
small for the decent conduct of the city s
business, but as the building spirit of the
people is against both bonds and direct
taxation at this time, no relief can be ex-
pected.
City Attorney Peirsol is in deep dis
tress. He is fearful for the future welfare
of the city. With the many apparent con-
tradictions in the Civil and Political codes
of California and the numerous quirks in
the city ordinances. Mr.. Peirsol finds that
his time is taxed to the utmost in conduct
ing the legal department of the city.
But to attend to business with some ex-
cited denizens of the Watts Tract declaim-
ing against the impounding of their mich
cow or family goat is impossible. Yet
this is what Mr.. Peirsol will be expected
to do, for the City Council has resolved
that the Poundmaster shall share the
apartments of the City Attorney.
Probably in no other city of the Union
does the Poundmester have the honor of
sitting side by side with the legal adviser
OF a big city. Certainly no other city har-
bors at the present time more indignant
City Attorney.
H. A. Weitzel thinks the arrangement is
very sensible one. He is the Poundmas-
ter, and he is busy at the present time try
ing to frame an ordinance for the govern
ment of pounds and the destruction of va
grant dogs that will serve as model for the
county. When he is ready he will hand
his note to Mr.. Peirsol, and that gentle
man can put all the poundman' ideas into
legal phraseology.
1.-THE arrangement is preposterous, ;" said
Mr.. Peirsol to-day. How could l attend
to business with angry people in the Office
berating the Poundmaster. The people
with grievances against Mr.. Weitzel and
his deputies are not of the class that stand
upon etiquette, and / could never attend
! to business under the circumstances II
will never do, and / am sure after make
my argument that the Council will change
matters. There is plenty of room in the
| Mayors office, and Mr.. WeitZel would
| feel more at home on the upper fioor''
| Mayor Davie thinks the plan as al
| present proposed would work like charm.
| ''First-class idea," he said to-day. 1.-THE
poundman does not require much legal
| advice anyhow, and he could then be
where he could be obliged. Mr.. Peirsol
and Mr.. Weitzel should make good Office.
mates"
But the Mayor and the City Attorney dc
not vote in unison except on the matter o.
passing their monthly salary warrants.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
OLD PIONEERS MEET.
Result of a Little Biography Published
in Sundays :" Call"

Result of a Little Biography Published
in Sundays I" Call"
OAKLAND, CAL, July I'D. D.
Prettyman of Salem, Or, is in the city at
the present time. Lately he met E. H.
Lennox, an account of whose first team
trip to California appeared in last Sun
DAYS CALL, and compared notes. Mr..
Prettyman came to the coast in Is47 and
has only once been back in the mean
time.
They had never met each other before,
but knew each others fathers. Both
landed ON the coast at Oregon City before
Portland was heard OF. In Prettyman's
party was the first stock of nursery trees
brought out here. The only newspaper
then in existence on the coast was the
Oregon Spectator, weekly, published at
Oregon City. Prettyman has for years been
connected with the California and Oregon
Railroad Company in collecting cereals
and in 1886 collected the exhibit for
"Oregon on Wheels" and took it East.
At one time he owned all of the prop
ertv on which the Portland Water Works
stand. To-day he said: IF l had only
STAYED there l would now be able to wal k
on $40 gold pieces and could throw them
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18

was greatly increased in size and a new
entrance was built. which comprises, be-
sides strongly built dixie, over three
quarters of mile long, the largest lock SO
far constructed. This lock will be kept
closed whenever the water in the Weser
River is lower then the depth of water to
be maintained in the harbor. When open
the lock has clear width of OIL feet, the
gate being 80 feet high, the largest in the
world. The length of the lock between the
two gates is 700 feet and at ordinary high
tide there is a depth of water of 80 feet.
The gates rest into two masonry struct-
ures built on caissons of 20 feet in height
and solidIy cemented to the ground. The
building of these structures, which took
place under very favorable conditions, has
succeeded surprisingly well, considering
that is one of the most difficult technical
problems.
The entire construction rests upon pile
work, the length of the piles varying from
fifty to seventy feet. Most of the construc-
ton work was carried on during the ebb
tide, recurring twice every twenty Jour
hours, so that only four hours a day could
be employed at that work, and that only
in favorable weather. What an immense
amount of work was necessary to construct
this harbor is evident from the following
figures: Twenty thousand piles were sunk
for a foundation, 40, 600 cubic feet of
soil had to be taken away on dry ground
and as much more dredged out by the i'm
mense dredges formerly used in the con-
struction of the North Sea-Baltic canal.
At the entrance of the harbor $50 900
cubic feet of masonry were necessary to
strengthen the dikes and hold the colossal
locks. An immense drydock has been
built Immediately adjoining the harbor,
which will accommodate the largest vessels
| OF the world, its dimensions being Identical
with that of the lock at the entrance of the
harbor.-St. Louis Globe Democrat.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18

spoliation of his orchard, and ne at once
sued Martin for damages. Judgment was
rendered against Martin last February for
$342.
Up to date Martin has not been able to
settle that Judgment. He recently gave a
chattel mortgage on his horses and imple-
ments to w. A. Rouse.
His only debt, according to his state
ment, is the judgment held against him
by Hayes. His only asset is the goat. and
nobody seems to want it. A goat with a
record of having forced his master into in
solvency is not a desirable asset.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
HISTORY OF A DAY.

Alameda County Happenings Told in
Brief Chapters.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALI
908 Broadway, July II. (
The public school at Melrose will open on
next Monday.
teers of America will speak in the First NJ. E.
Church Tuesday evening, July 81.
The will of Anna Schneider, who died in
San Francisco, has been filed for probate. She
left an estate worth $1,000 to her children.
Eliza j. Fry asks for letters on the estate of
Barbara County, and left an estate worth
$4,000.
1t was recently stated that the Oakland In
dependent Fife and Drum Corps had played on
two different occasions without charge. This
the leader claims was mistake.
The bodies Of the two unknown men brought
to the Morgue yesterday are still unclaimed,
and that of the one found floating near the
broadgsuge pier is still unidentified.
Mrs. Rosie Jones, domestic formerly en-
ployed by the family of George w. GFayson,
who became insane, has been sent to a private
asylum at the expense of the Graysons.
Frank Silveria, carpenter. who lives at 500
Myrtle street, had rib broken while wrestling
at the Acme Club last evening. Dr. Hamlin
attended him at the Receiv ing Hospital.
Charles Plummer is missing. He was in des-
titute circumstances and started for the County
Infirmary in the ambulance, but got off en-
route and disappeared. he mas not been heard
from since.
Robert Sternitzky was he Id to answer by
Judge Lawrence in the Police Court yesterday
on the charge of assaulting A. Semenza with a
deadly weapon, to wit: rock. Bail was
fixed at $1,000.
William H. Knight Public Administrator,
has applied Ior letters of administration upon
the estate of the late Edmund NJ. Cooper, con-
sist ting of real and personal property OF value
unknown to petitioner.
sister of Peter Gordon, who made pre-
tense of shooting himself yesterday morning
to excite sympathy, came over from San Fran
cisco and gave him IS TO start out on. He left
the hospital last evening.
William H Wilbur and the Union Trust
Company ask to have the Will of Lou Use
Eleanor Wilbur admitted to probate. The
estate is estimated to be worth $4,000, all OF
which is left to her two sons.
VIZ. Knight, public administrator, asks for
letters on the estate of B. Mararan, who died
from blood poisoning, resulting from beinl
peeked on the hand by hen. Deceased left
$1,000 in a bank and personal property worth
about $50.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
THOUGHT He WAS OUNHAM
A Berkeley Bicyclist's I'm
comfortable Experience in
Santa Clara.
Imprisoned for Some Hours in a
Chicken Coop and Under an
Armed Guard.

BERKELEY, GAL, July IA. P. Mel
son of 2139 University avenue, Berkeley,
had a disagreeable experience yesterday
in Santa Clara County, when he was taken
for Murderer Durham and confined for
some hours in chicken-house, guarded by
armed men.
Nelson was riding bicycle near Paiar
and stopped to rest in the shade OF some
trees. His doing was interrupted by the
appearance of three amateur detectives
with shotguns, who covered the bicycle
rider and commanded him to surrender, q
command that was quickly obeyed.
The supposed murderer was guarded
with the utmost care and some hours
passed before he was able to get messages
to his relatives in Berkeley. He tele-
graphed to his brother-in- law, Fred Fonzo,
asking the latter to come and identify him,
and Mr.. Fonzo at once started for the
scene of trouble.
His services were not needed. however,
as Nelson had succeeded in convincing
his captors OF their error before Mr.. Fonzo
arrived.
New OfHcers of Mechanics.
BERKELEY, CAL. July II. - Paul
Revere Council No. %, Junior Order of
United American Mechanics, has installed
the following officers: Councillor, ]. c..
Sheratt; yice-councilor, A. S. Woods; re-
cording secretary, w. O. Bissell; financial
secretary, Nj. p. Geirrine; treasurer, J..
Schmitt Jr.; warden, e. ]. Stewart; con-
ductor, T. Truman; chaplain, ]. r. Aver;
inside sentinel, A. w. st. John; outside
sentinel, B. A. thurman; trustee (fong
term), A. II. Wells.
The council will celebrate its first ami
versary on September 8. The committee
in charge of the celebration consist of
Paolo Salisbury, NJ. P. Geirrine, E. J..
Stewart, ]. Schmidt, G. a. G. Bait.
Young Republican, Club.
BERKELEY, CAL, July 1.-THE
Young Mems Republican Club of East
Berkeley has perfected its organization
and elected the following permanent of
| ficers: President Chester Smythe; secre-
tary, G. A. Gregory; treasurer, James
| Kenny; sergeant-at-arms, George Parker
| standard bearer, Harry Morton: executive
committee - Frank Loveland. George
Parker, w. II. Holden, James d. Day, R.
| Steed.
The executive committee has been dele.
gated to represent the club at the Republic
can rally tomorrow night
Interesting News Notes.
BERKELEY, CAL, Jniy 17.-Athlete:
of the south end have followed the ex
ample of those of West Berkeley and havs
organized an athletic club of their own
The new club is known as the Salingei
Amateur Athletic Club and will be man
aged by George A. Waterbury, f. Rice anc
G. Batchelder.
A Berkeley day has been proposed fo
the Alameda County Exposition, to bt
held in Oakland next month.
Mrs. Frona Eunice Waite will lecture il
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18

what the State board proposed to do with
their request for an extension of time.
Mr.. Morehouse said he disliked to speak
of such matters. The board was not in
favor of giving an extension unless they
could show good cause for asking it. For
one member he did not think they would
grant the extension. He thought it was
the Supervisors duty to know what the
Assessor was doing during the summer
months, and not wait until they met.
They should consider the situation and
raise assessments where they were too
low. Granting reductions was not their
only work.
Mr.. Coghlan's turn came now, and after
being sworn he said he had been requested
to bring what data he needed to show the
State boards method in assessing the rail-
roads In Alameda County. He thought all
the data he needed was the Political Code,
which he proceeded to read. He said the
whole valuation was made and then each
county apportioned its pro rata according
to the length OF its main line. He thought
the assessment was made upon the main
line and sidings together and the appor-
tionment on the main line alone. They
are assessed upon the mileage made upon
their returns after comparing with the dis
lance on the timetables.
When asked by Mr.. Dalton, he admitted
that the statement made last year and
those made before differed in regard to the
main line. Formerly 1t ran from the pier
via First street to Brooklyn and onward.
Last year it read from pier via Seventh
street to Brooklyn and out. The State
Board had always assessed 1T and as lar as
he knew, always would.
Mr.. CoghIan and Mr.. Morehouse both ad'
mitted, in answer to Mr.. Dalton's questions
that if the long wharf was used for other
than railroad purposes, it could be assessed
by the County Assessor. They claimed
and were backed by Mr.. Ryan. that moth
ing but railroad business was transacted
on that wharf. Mr.. Dalton asserted thai
vessels locked thers and paid wharfage
and cents per ton on cargoes unloadet
upon lighters.
This concluded the testimony and tn
matter was taken under advisemeut b.
the County Board.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
THE LARGEST wATER-LoOKs.
Great Improvements in the Steamship
Basins at Bremerhaven.

Great improvements in the Steamship
Basins at Bremerhayen.
Next fall the new imperial harbor of
Bremerhaven will be opened to the public,
and work will then have been completed
which must be counted among the most
important of its kind. The new barber
has been in course of construction since
1892. 1t will be protected from al sides by
very strong levees against the frequent
high food tides of the North Sea, and will
contain three large basins, which will
open during ordinary high tides, while at
ebb tide the entire complex system of
basins and passages will be closed off by
gigantic locks. Since the Dimensions of
steamers are continually growing. and the
largest steamships of the North German
Lloyd must be able to enter the new har-
Dor, the entry had to be made large
enough for all.
The former inner harbor at this point
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
A Mckinley Button.

OAKLAND, CAL, July 17.-August
Pierre presented himself before Judge
Ogden this morning for an examination,
after which ne hoped TO be a full fiedged
voter. To help along his cause he donned
abig new Mckinley button, perhaps think
ing that it would carry weight with il.
But Judge Ogden is not at all partial to
decorations and Pierre left the court with
the suggestion that he had better study his
constitution some more. He knew little
or nothing about the principles Of govern
ment.
Wants His Chases.
OAKLAND, CAL, July 17.-Albert Kay
SER the proprietor of the Oakland Journal,
who printed the Observer until its disap-
pearance several nights ago. was at the
City Hall to-day looking for search
warrant TO find his chases, which disap-
peared when the Office was entered and
the contents removed. de said he had
loaned the articles in question to Mr..
Robinson and that they bad not been re-
turned. Now he wants them.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
KELLER THANKED.
The County Federation of Trades In
dorse His Stand on Behalf OF
White Labor.

OAKLAND, CAL, July 17.-At the reg
ular meeting of the Alameda County Fed
Grafton of Trades the following resolution
was passed:
WHEREAS, For many years organized labor
has been compelled 10 compete with Chinese
and prison-made goods, and whereas. our
fellow townsman, NJ. j. Keller has introduced
and succeeded in getting the Manufacturers
and Producers Association to adopt a resolu-
ton refusing the issuance of license to any
member of the association who does not en-
ploy free white labor exclusively, therefore be
it
Rescued, That the Alameda County Fedora
ton OF Trades tender to NJ. ]. Keller vote OF
thanks for his efforts on behalf of free white
labor; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we call on all mem bers OF the
affiliated trades and all others who are friendly
TO free white labor, TO use all influence in theil
power in favor OF the products of the NJ. j.
Keller Company, bearing the free white labor
stamps, TO the exclusion of any firm or com
pany employing Chinese or prison labor
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18

with the 20 per cent penalty, making an
additional $3.50 10. This is alleged to have
been collected by Mr.. Evers from the
county while holding the office of Coroner
upon claims which it is alleged are not
prope charges against the county. With
it are ten additional pages of exhibits.
This action is begun upon the recon-
mendation of the recent Grand Jury and
the figures are those prod uced by the ex-
pert II. K. Snow. The alleged over
charges were made between January 1.
1888. and January 1. 1895. The claims
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
were all regularly allowed by the Super

were All TeguIaIIy aIIOW5u Dy inc super
visors.
BODY for taking them to the Morgue, $40
for an INQUEST purported to have been held
upon the remains of J. P. Vollmer, which
was never held, and 70 cents for mileage
in the same case. A charge OF So for TAX
ing the amputated arm of NJ. Cardoza
from DR.. Wooisey's hospital to the
Morgue appears as well as % cents mile
age and 81 for the interment of the same
a Sc Is charge is made for carrying por-
ton of a woman's body to the Morgue and
Sc more for the rest of the woman from
Alameda beach.
Ex-Coroner Evers claims that the
charges are all just and proper ones.