davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
THE YOSEMITE ROAD.

The announcement that a strong COM
pany composed of responsible San Fran
cisco capitalists has been formed to con-
struct steam railroad from Merced up
the Merced River to the Yosemite Valley
will be welcome news to Californians in
particular and the tourist world in gen.
eral. The present 60-mile stage road from
Berenda to the valley means long, weari-
some and expensive trip and the cessation
of travel during the greater part of the
year. The projected railroad, running on
a much lower level, will be easily kept
free from snow, and will be operated all
the year at cost to travellers very much
less than the present. Besides this it will
tap the mother lode and pass through one
of the richest gold.mining, timber and
scenic sections of California.
Comparatively few persons have ever
beheld the winter glories of the Yosemite.
The valleyis so much lower than the stage
road by which it is reached that by the
time the road is open for travel every
vestige of the winter wonders of the valley
has passed, and long before the season has
closed the splendid waterfalls have dwin-
dlec to insignificant ribbons. More than
that, the greatest number of transient Wis
itors in California come to spend the
winter months and must return without
view of this incompatible natural wonder.
Those who have seen the marvellous ice
formations at Niagara Falls may form
faint conception of the strange beauties
which the Yosemite takes on in. the cold
season. Hardy photographers, willing to
remain prisoners in the valley through the
winter, have given US pictures of these
marvels, and they almost surpass credi-
bllity. Prodigious icieles, mystical tur-
reted castles, solemn domes, echoing ice
caverns and a thousand other grotesque
formations possible to rivers plunging over
great chasm nearly a mile in depth, are
the ordinary accompaniments of the win
ter months, and the scene is infinitely
varied by the abundant trees and smaller
plants decorated with the freezing mists
which issue from the falls. With the
opening OF spring and the melting of the
vast fields of snow on the contiguous
mountain heights the rivers become tre-
mendous torrents and in falling present
sight of unparalleled grandeur. The win
ter aspect OF the valley is immeasurably
more impressive and unearthly than the
summer and wholly different.
A common explanation of the absence
of adequate and economical means of
reaching the valley is that if it is made too
convenient of access it Will cease to be re-
garded as a wonderful thing that every one
must see. That has not been the expe-
rience with Niagara. On the contrary,
the railroads have produced an enormous
and steadily increasing travel and caused
the erection of numerous great hotels for
the accommodation of visitors. That,
surely will be the result at Yosemite.
For there is only one Yosemite; nothing
can degrade 1t, and its opening to the
world will add immeasurably to the fame
and progress of California.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
PERSONAL.

]. Lamson of Shanghai is at the Palace.
w. Drysdale of San Jose is in the City.
Judge S. S. Holt of Sacramento is in town.
Judge S. F. Cell Of Salinas is at the Occiden-
tai.
P. H. Mack, an attorney Of fnyo County, is at
the Russ.
B. f. Tillinghast, of Davenport, Iowa, has ar
rived here.
F. D. James, business man of Japan, Is
quartered at the Palace.
W. R. Louttit of stockton, ex-Deputy State
Treasurer, is in the City.
Ex-Judge J. NJ. walling of Nevada City is
among recent arrivals here.
c. c. Prouty, leading resident of Des
Moines, Iowa, is at the Occidental.
John A. Schmidt and wife, Charles Stegmaire
and Peter Forne, all of Wilkes Barre, Pa, are
at the Grand.
H. F. Allen, the grocer and commission mer-
chant, left on the Monowai yesterday for q
visit to Honolulu.
L. 8. Ainsworth, Mrs. Ainsworth and Miss
Ainsworth, who have been here for several
weeks, will leave Tor their home in Portland
tomorrow.
Captain ]. E. Hansen, who has long been
connected with the Alaska Commercial Com
pany, and who has been running one of the
steamers in northern waters, returned here
yesterday, after an absence of several months
in Europe.
Among the arrivals at the Palace last night
was party consisting of General A. R. T.
Dawson of Deadwood; Z. w. Giddings Jr., a
leading business man of Cripple Creek, and
William Lamox and Alton L. Dickerman,
wealthy residents of Colorado Springs, who are
interested In Cripple Creek mining.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

everything he brought out he found ready
sale at any price he had mind to ask. Peo-
pie wanted flowers in profusion and wanted
Them everywhere. At many of the parties
given here between 1855 and 1865 the rooms
would be decorated with thousands of dollars
worth of flowers.
Besides raising and selling flowers Mr.. Rainer
gave considerable attention to laying out
private grounds, and could make his own price
for the work. Nearly all the fine gardens in
the City at the time were laid out by him. II
also designed and laid out Captain Weber's
place at Stockton, Floods place at Menlo Park,
the Ralston place at Belmont, etc. Mr.. Rainer
was the first person to train and trim the
Monterey cypress into hedge.
Mr. Rainer made as much as $4,000 month
out of his business in the old days, but now, he
says, it don't pay at all. People don't care for
flowers as they used to. Wealthy men lay out
their gardens in grass. and many ladies never
know what 1t is to have fine bouquet.
In nature and disposition Mr.. Raneir is
kindly and gentle, with strong love for
everything in nature. His nursery out on
Folsom street does not pay him, he says, and
he only cultivates It for the pleasure il gives
He has had it for fifteen years, and says he
could not live without his trees and flowers
He works early and late, and looks upon every
plant friend Even the birds tnat make
their nests in his trees know his feelings for
them, for they are perfectly tame and will fly
down and perch on his shoulder while he is at
work. Mr.. Raneir's face has more the appear
ance OF q students than a workingman's. His
eyes are deep set and thoughtful, and his COM
plexion is bronZed by the sun and wind. He
says he can do as much work as any man, and
all because he has plenty of outdoor exercise
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
THE CLIMATE UNCHANGED.

A favorite belief cherished by some of
the unthinklng among US is that the eli
mate of San Francisco is mot what 1r
used to be" and that the winters are grow
ing colder. This can be true only because
the sun may be steadily falling into de-
crepitude or the axis of the earth is going
astray, and If that is so then the climate of
the whole world is growing delirious. The
least knowledge OF the causes which pro-
duce our climate will convince even the
most thoughtless that it is physical i'm
possibility for the climate of San Francisco
to have undergone any appreciable change
W hatever since its acquisition by the civil
lied world and that it would be physi-
cal impossibility for human ingenuity to
measure any change that could occur in q
period short OF millions of years.
The sole reason for this is that our cli-
mate is absolutely independent of changes
possible to the hand OF man. 1t is con-
ceivable that the climate of a city situated
in the midst of q vast region of forest
might be affected by the destruction of the
trees, for extensive forests have definite
effect on thermal and other conditions,
but in this locality the climate is manu-
factured by a gigantic machinery so
vast in its organization and so stupen-
dous in its force as to be incapable Of
change by any conceivable human inter-
ference.
The crude material of our climate is
produced by the Pacific Ocean, itself an
exceedingly complex machine for the
manufacture OF climate, and its ally is the
trade winds. For the purpose of present
ing Us with the best material which it has
at hand, the work of our ocean begins at
the tropics and ends in Bering Sea, and by
a very wise and nice adjustment of these
extremes, employing immense and unal-
terable currents in the process, it gives an
admixture of the two in such a way as to
abolish both summer and winter at San
Francisco. Thus the great Japan current,
bearing the warm water of the south,
flows northwardly along the eastern coast
of Asia, swings across the ocean toward
US, takes in some OF the cold water coming
down from the Arctic sea, and then turns
southwark and flows down our coast.
That is a gigantic scheme, and its eff
fciency is heightened by the trade winds.
When all this raw material for climate is
thrown against our coast it encounters an
other stupendous and independently act
ing machine in the shape of great noun
tain ranges separating the coast from the
main body of the continent. These, work
ing in connection With great air currents,
generated over broad areas, man ufacture
the raw material of the ocean and trade
winds into the graceful finished product
which makes life in California luxury.
1t will be observed that the conditions
under which our climate is produced are
as stable in their working as anything on
this earth can be. Not until the trade
winds are degraded to doldrums, the Pa
cifc Ocean dried up and the mountain
ranges of the western coast are leveled
climate of San Francisco.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
SENATOR PERKINS NAMESAKES.

Washington gossiper tells now senator
Perkins of California is in heap OF tfoupie'
owing to certain rash promises tnat ne ohco
made. Fifteen or sixteen years ago ne was
elected Governor of California, and remark
ably popular sort of Governor he proved 10 De'
so popular in fact. that bouncing Dapy Do9s
were called by his name in each county. GOV
ernor Perkins heard of every one OF these iicl-
dents. The fond fathers and mothers lmagln
the rich young Governor was generously giving
up hundreds of dollars in recognition OF ali
tn ese compliments. But, instead Oh sellllns On
the spot, Mr.. Perkins wrote letters TO every
pair OF proud parents, in which ne sala al
manner of nice things, and ended with a nour
ish of promises, as follows: "When george
Perkins Smith is grown let me know, ana VIII
send him TO college" He never imagined tnat
he was going to be Senator from Cai11ornla'
with ambitions for reelection, fifteen or SIX
teen years later. But there he is, and those
letters are coming home TO roost. AIready
four young men named George Perkins smith,
Jones or something else have put in their
claims for college education at the expense
of the former Governor II expect there are
twenty or thirty more of them" says the Sena-
tor, "and I'll have to honor their drafts, even
ii it bankrupts me."-New York Tribune.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
RAILROAD FIGURES.

A number of years ago, when the Gen.
trail Pacific was the servant of the public
instead of its master and tyrant, Charles
Northof, the well-known descriptive
writer, wrote long and manifestly in
splred article for Hdrpers Monthly, in
which, among other things, he asserted
that the total contribution of the firm of
Huntington, Hopkins & Co. to the railroad
building fund was $4,000. Then Mr..
Nordhoff went on to show how bonds,
subsidies, donations and subscriptions
were bestowed upon the road, and how
the business talent and sagacity of the in
corporators were displayed IL securing the
construction of sucn an immense under
taking with the outlay of so little iadi-
vidual capital.
The question arises if Mr.. Nordhoff knew
the figures OF original investment so well
when he wrote his article-and, obviously
they must have been supplied to him
how does it happen that c. P. Hunting
ton is, or processes himself to be, unable
to tell what his original investment was?
In reply to series OF questions put by
Senator Morgan, Mr.. Huntington said he
could not tell how much ne and Hopkins
had put into the building of the Central
Pacific, but the contributions embraced
money, real estate and merchandise. He
could not say how much, but 1t was con-
siderable; always enough to pay the debts
when they became due.
What shifty, evasive and unconscion-
able rascal this man must be. To pretend
that he does not know how much he or his
firm was worth when the railroad project
was set on foot or how much the firm
put into the enterprise, is as unlikely as
that one should forget his own home or
the place of his birth. There are some
things that cannot be forgotten, and wh en-
the partners in a hardware firm in the
then little city of Sacramento took their
money out OF the business and put 1t into
railroad building, be it much or little, it is
impossible that the amount so diverted
could escape the memory of any party to
the transaction. unless he had softening of
the brain or some cognate form of brain
lesion.
Coils P. Huntington refuses to remem-
Der because he does not wish to remembe
He knows that his enormous personal for
tune and the fortune of his associates
sprang from the very smallest beginnings,
and that from the very start the plan and
scheme was to get something for nothing,
and never to pay debt until the last ex-
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
TIRE STATE COMMITTEE.

The confusion resulting from the recent
meeting of the Republican State Central
Committee seems 10 render it necessary
that another meeting should be held at an
early date. This result comes not so much
from what was done as from what was
left undone. The vacancy caused by the
death of Mr.. Boruck is to be filled, the de-
tails of the apportionment of delegates to
the State Convention are to be fixed, and
other matters of a somewhat similar ma
ture are to be attended to.
A careful consideration OF all the cir
cumstances of the situation has led to
general agreement on the conclusion that
the best and promptest way to find relief
from the confusion that prevails is to have
the State Committee meet again and re-
wise its work. That plan offers an easy
means of settling all doubts concerning
the situation by submitting them to the
highest authority of the party in the State.
In response to this feeling which has
been brought to the attention of the COM
mittee it is very likely that the proposed
meeting will be called without delay. Such
at any rate is the outlook at present and
to the party generally it will be gratifying.
This is Republican year and must there.
fore be year of Republican harmony and
unity. Any step that tends to that end
will be good, and loyal Republicans will
approve whatever plan most speedily
brings organization out of confusion and
replaces argument by action.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
THE RAISIN INDUSTRY.

The raisin- growers of Fresno have at last
realized that there is something wrong In
the discrepancy between the prices at
which their raisins are sold to Eastern
consumers and the amount received by the
growers. 1t is evident the condition OF the
industry could be greatly improved by
turning this discrepancy to the benefit OF
the growers, and that is what they are now
attempting to do. OF course the only way
TO do this is to organize. Many attempts
to accomplish that end have been made in
the past, but there has been heretofore a
failure to make the agreement binding on
all the members. The new plan obviates
that difficulty completely, for it is based
on the idea which has made the associa-
ton OF wlnemakers SO strong. raised the
prices OF their product about 1O0 per cent
and insured q sufficient market with COM
paratively small expense in reaching 1t.
Yhe plan consists in incorporating the
growers, pooling the raisins, establishing
one central head for controlling and mar
keting it and abolishing the consignment
plan. This does away with mlddlemen
and commissions. The raisins are to be
graded by the central body and the pro-
ceeds OF sales are to constitute common
fund, to be distributed in proportion to
grade and quantity. Losses, if any, are
to be similarly shared. An excellent fea.
ture of the plan is to make advances when
needed on the delivery of the crop. This
will assist picking and the other expenses.
Likely it was the early prospect OF the
Valley road that gave the growers heart to
lift their heads and strike for the prosper
ity which the Southern Pacific monopoly
has prohibited them from enjoying. The
burdensome charges which have been
levied were not confined to the rates which
the growers had to pay on their product,
but OF course extended to their supplies
and labor. By reason of these exorbitant
charges and low import tariff it has
been impossible for some years for the
growers to make any money out OF what
should have been one of the most profit
able industries in California, ana it was
this hopeless condition of affairs that
largely explains the inability of the grow
ers to effect a strong combination in the
past.
Tile advent of the Valley road will
put an entirely different complexion on
the industry. Fresno will be enabled
thereby to reach tidewater and the ocean,
and that means an exemption to large
extent from the transportation burdens
which it has borne in the past. The pros
poets are that the Valley road will reach
Fresno in ample time to handle the entire
raisin crop of this year. But it is not
alone the raisin-growers who will receive
the benefit. The outlook for Fresno is ex-
ceedingly flattering and there is every in
dication that it will resume the incom-
parable prosperity of few years ago.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

over a dozen years. His home for some time
past has been at Tacoma, where the coal is
brought by rail for shipment on the Pacific
improvement Conpany's steamers.
The veteran miner has acquired considera-
BILE fortune partly by reason of investments in
Tacoma town lots, when Washington was a
Territory and Tacoma scarcely able to be dig
nifed by the name of a town.
He was at the Palace yesterday comforting
with his friend, S. B. Doty of the Pacific I'M
provement Company. Jack Doolittle of the
Gonld & Doolittle mine and others joined
them and they held quite levee, for several
of them had not met for long while.
Mr.. Davies is down on business trip. He
will remain several days. He is widely known
over the coast
The Carbonado River is at certain seasons
filed with salmon and as bears are fairly
abundant in the neighboring woods they feast
on the salmon, literally, according to the
stories of the pioneers, lifting them from the
river with their paws, SO plentiful are the fish.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

tremity was reached. When he told Sena-
tor Morgan that he was doing the best he
could, and that he must be given the
credit of being honest in his replies, he
knew perfectly well he was saying the
thing that is not, and there is every reason
to believe that he did not deceive Senator
Morgan for a moment. Whatever may be
the fate of the funding bill, G. P. Hunt
ington will have gone upon record as a
man wholly unworthy of belief, and one
to whom the sanctity of an oath is as
meaningless as the blowing of the wind.
Perjury is a harsh term, but when wit
ness displays such remarkable and as
founding lack of memory as Mr.. Hunting
ton has done, it comes perilously near an
offense which is covered by the criminal
law, and is justly held in reprobation in
all law-abiding communities.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

tors aud people study and discuss II, the adyisa,
favor of National constitutional convention
as prescribed in our Federal constitution.
The spirit which anmates these Sc, men lei rs Is
sorS. ain the name of humanity and tree
ooyernment we pledge our unfaiterlng hdellty
to the we love and appeal to the people
~ ~ snnroyed LOYALTY to the sacred principles we
renresent and who will wisely guard the
precious Interests in their hands, u,o
The ociation was welcomed by tne mayos os
of Dallas and the members were received as
cuasrs on whom every courtesy hospltap4e
6eople could provide was freely bestowed.
poS0f ~ JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON.
IL Essex street, San Francisco.
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

The first florist to arrive in California during
the height of the gold excitement was Edward
Rainer. That was in 1852, and he is still liv-
ing in this City at the corner of Folsom and
Twentieth streets. He is hale and hearty
man nearly rs years of age, and entirely
wrapped up In his business. In fact, it was
his love for his business that resulted in his
coming to California. He was born in Ger
many of well-to-do parents, and after receiving
first-class education, including special
course in botany, was apprenticed to a florist
in Berlin. After his time was up he was given
charge of the estate of a prominent Ger
man nobleman, and he did his work so
well that in less than year he
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

such cut flowers as they could buy from the
Mexicans He saw his opportunity and went
to work systematically to import such trees
and plants as his experience told him would
do well here. He knew just where to get them
rooted trees, slips and seeds. To Mr..
Rainer belongs the credit of introducing
in this State most OF the trees and flowers that
common The beautiful lockwood hedge was
his Importation and also the magnolia. He
imported at least dozen varieties OF fruit
trees and large number of grapevines. in
the way of flowers he brought the first real
camellias here and also tulips, fuschias and
several dozen varieties of roses. For the first
ten years he was here nearly. every ship
brought him some new variety OF plant. For
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

was made overseer of the Government Botanical
Gardens in Berlin. He studied his work care
fully snd made several trips for the purpose of
getting new specimens of trees and flowers.
Young Rainer was highly pleased and con-
tented with his lot. but one day was horrifed
to learn that he had been drafted to serve four
years in the army The idea of war was revolt
ing to his nature, and the service also meant
separation from his beloved flowers and trees,
which was unbearap ole. He determined to for
sake friends and country, and made his escape
to Belgium. There he had charge OF several
large botanical gardens and in a few years
went to England, He worked in the famous
Kew Gardens for over year, and came to the
United States in 1S49.
Mr.. Rainer's first work in this country was
laying out the grounds for Governor Morris
residence in New York. That took him over q
year. after which he had several other pieces
OF work and then came to California by way of
the isthmus.
When Mr. Rainer arrived in this City In '52
he was surprised to find great demand for
flowers. There were couple OF men in the
business, but they simply sold at high prices
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08
AROUND THE CORRIDORS.

D. T. Dawes, general manager of the noted
Carbonate coal mines, at the town of Car
bonado in the Cascade Mountains OF Washing
ton, is at the Palace.
These important mines belong to the Pacific
Improvement Company. They are near the
Carbon Riyer one of the widest at certain
seasons OF the year in that region of country.
The river has its rise among the glaciers in
the vicinity of grim Mount Tacoma. The coal
lies in enormous BEDS and is of unusual Quail
ity. Several hundred men are constantly en-
ployed there.
Mr. Davies has had charge OF the mines for
The San Francisco call., 1896-03-08

in general way, that the price OF land
within them must always be higher than
that OF outside lands for many reasons,
including easy terms to purchasers. heavy
expenditures for the community interest
and other items of expense. The fact that
the price OF colony lands is comparatively
high has no value unless many other fac
tors, including the honesty of the man.
ayers, is taken into account.