The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

life of George Barnes save to speak of the
affectionate, reverent esteem in which he
WAS held by his fellows. OF this very
much may be written, for his LIE was so
largely made up in the service of others
in doing some kindness to friend or &C
ouaintance-that to undertake to tell OF it
would maze long continued story. How
often has he shared the last coin IN his
pocket! 1t is not strange that he leaves
no fortune.
George Eustace Barnes was born in ST.
Johns, n. B., July T. 1927. He learned the
trade of the printer and from his far
northern home drifted TO New Orleans,
where he shield cases" on the newspapers.
He came TO San Francisco in 1856 ana
with Ayers and Foster founded The DAILY
MORNING CALL and himself assumed the
MANAGING ed!torship.
He continued in that capacity for ten
years, when attracted by the stories of
wealth TO be found in the mines of South
America and the spirit of the rover being
strong upon him, he sold out his interest
TO his partners. The following receipt for
that sale was preserved by him and was
found among his treasured papers:
Received, San francisco, August %, 1866,
from George f. Barnes, the sum of $1,000 for
one-sixth in nterest in the goodwill, business,
emoluments and material of The DAILY
MORNING CALL. newspaper, printed and pub
!ished in the City aud County of San Frau
cisco. the said one-sixth Interest being half
the whole interest ttwO-siXths) owned by the
undersigned, said Barnes agreeing to assume
one-sixth OF the Liabilities OF said business.
AUSTIN WILEY.
Witness: P B. FORSTER
With the money he went south, bu:,
disappointed in his expectations, he re-
turned within a year and repurchased his
interest ih The CALL. Sull year later,
when Mr.. Pickering purchased The CALL,
in 1868, Mr.. Barnes again parted with his
Il h.,rr . he
staff OF the paper down to the time OF lis
most recent change of ownership, when
ne severed his connection and joined
with the fortunes OF the Bulletin, that had
to at time been under the same man
agement and ownership.
During the period that he conducted
the editorial management of The CALL
Mark Twain was on the writing staff-one
of the most unruly and unreliable spirits
of those generally unruly times.
With no university education Mr..
Barnes was one of the most cultivated and
best reaG men In the profession.
He had faculty OF absorbing informa-
ton from men as from books, and the
poets and classic writer's all down the lit
erarv line were his familiar friends, TO be
brought forward with the grace and wit
that was peculiarly his own for the con-
slant ente rtainment of his friends. 1t was
indeed privilege 10 be upon terms with
him.
At his trade of writing he had a most
graceful and entertaining style. He could
transform the dryest of topics 10 most
readable matter. AS long ago as the early
sevrnties he began to be known as
dramatic critic-his talents turning natur-
allv tina; way. For he loved the play and
the player.
He wrote as a scholar rather than as a
carper, wrote always with kindly sym
ha nj tnTnPd
learn how to improve rather than III lear
of censure. They came 10 know and 10
love Barnes, as ali others who knew him
always did. and his rooms became the re-
sort of the actor and the great among
them for these many years he counted as
his familiar friends; they sought his
rooms and his company and his advice at
once upon their coming here.
Mr.. Barnes was a notably handsome
man.
He was tall and straight and built as
though for a model, with easy and digni-
he'd carriage. HIS manner was marked by
that courtllness that is spoken of as ''the
old school," and big and dignified as he
was the hum best of men and
the gamin OF the street felt no
hesitancy in approaching him. Indeed,
so marked was the characteristic that 1t
was source of great expense to him,
though he thought of ii as salt. 1t is said
S'SA OoJ hdAh lONh OOSL
him three or four dollars, as "helps to the
needy" 1t is of common knowledge that
ne has PAID all the expense OF more than
one funeral of those who having been
close to him in their lifetime, died, hav-
ing nothing more than his good will.
MI Barnes never married. Through
bis life he retained that gallantry toward
woman that marks the true chiva.ric gen
tleman, but he remained bachelor. He
leaves but one relative here, a niece
Mrs. l.. G. Washburn, schooiteachar, re-
siding al 1l61 Market street, Oakland. He
leaves sister, Mrs. o. b. Emery, residing
at Charlottetown. Prince Edward Island,
and brother In business in Boston.
The time of the funeral has not been
fixed.