New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-07
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
AN OPPRESSIVE COAL MONOPOLY-FOOL-
ISH HUNT FOR TREASURE-NEWS
OF THE MINES.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.J


Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.]
San Francisco Nov. G.-The proposed appear
70 the Federal courts to crush the coal com
bine" Of California has excited much attentioh'
No monopoly on this coast has been more IN
so,ort or orasnine than the Coal Dealers Asso-
citation Of California which has dictated terms 10
nine-owners and has robbed small consumers
for wears Coal has always been dear here but
the recent development of British Columbia
Oregon and Washington State mines gave good
nron,ise Of cheaper coal. The dealers however,
were determined to retain their monopoly ana
the price of coal is actually higher now than
when II cost more 10 import it. A long ton OF
domestic coal in British Columbia costs - 'o'
the freight is 81 % and the duty % Genus,
making the cost laid down here not over 81 ~
q ton Washington and Oregon coal ca" pe ue
lvered here for about the same price ie' j"
this city consumers pay $40 30 snort 'o" ~.
British Columbia coal, SIS 30 for Washington anu
81 % for oregon coal The coal-producers nave
an ,roncIad agreement that they will sell only 10
the California Association in the state ana no
retail dealer can do business VINO refuses u
patronize the monopoly AS only hfty 'housa"u
tons OF the eight hundred thousand 'ohs vi 'o"
of coal annually consumed are produced IN Cah-
fornia the power Of the monopoly may be seen
D,strict-Attorney, and he has sent the papers 10
Washington.
Governor Budd this week pardoned Louis
SternberC who had only served one-hai1 OF MS
three-year term In Folsom Prison for stufing
the great register of voters in the campaign OF
1894 The exposure OF Sternbergs crime shoWeo
that he was the head Of great colonzng
scheme. with headquarters at the Baldwin Hotel
"A dot hOt
tickets He refused to divulge the names OF his
employers though immunity was onered nm
If he would turn States evidence His loyalty
secured his release as large petition was sent
TO the Governor and political influences were
brought to bear upon him which could not be re-
sisted
The expedition Of the British warshlp I'M
perieuse 10 Cocos Island in search OF buried
treasure is one of the most amusing incidents
that has ever happened this coast. Here is
the Admiral of the British Pacific Squadron
taking his flagship down TO an island off the
Colombian coast and using his marines to dig
for treasure said 10 amount to thirty millions.
The island has harbor and the risk of TAX
ing large warship near its coast was great,
but luckily the weather continued fair and
no disaster occurred. 1t Is reported that the
marines found a slate slab which the guide
declared covered hidden treasure. but the water
poured into the hole freely that the Admiral
grew weary Of the work and gave orders 10 re-
turn to Victoria 1t Is reported that another
party will soon start for the island. This Cocos
Island treasure is as mythical as other buried
wealth along the Spansh-American coast OF the
Pacific, but every year sees new expeditions
fitted out TO hunt for II. There is absolutely
no historical evidence that gold precious
stones were ever hurled on the island. and none
Of the scores Of treasure hunters have ever OBJ
tanned a glimpse Of the wealth they sought
The Italian opera company which came here
<ro,1 avion No Dina h11C n q
week at the California Theatre. At the Baldwin
Theatre the Lost. Strayed Stolen company
has played TO good houses.
The Oxnards. who built a great beet-sugar
factory at Chino. have selected Hueneme. In
Ventura County. as the site for large sugar
factory, which will open with capacity Of 1000
tons dav and will be increased 10 1000 tons.
The production Of beets on 10000 acres has been
guaranteed for the factory's use at IS 20 ton
for five years.
Old Cotton Hall. in Monterey. where the first
State Constitution was drafted. has been de-
clared the property OF that city. The property
was seized for city debt over forty years ago.
end has been transferred several times. but the
court now decides that all these transactions
were Illegal
When the great dam of the Golden Feather
Nine near Orove. Butte County. blown
up this week, 100000 OF British gold went Up
with it, This mine was sold to an English com
pany. and big dam and canal were con-
structed at heavy expense to divert the Feather
River so that Its main channel could be worked.
When finished 1t was found that the dam raised
the river thirtyseven feet and backed up water
for two miles, that ii impOss bic to work
the river bed above the dam A new dam will
be constructed higher UP the river. and two
others may be built If bed of the river proves
rich.
In the Belle Mine, in Tuolumne County. which
10 on the mother lode between the famous Utica
and Rawhide mines, has been developed ore
body Of thirty-two feet of quartz. which prom
1ses 10 make this mine one Of the great producers
OF the State An eight-fOot streak assays S23
TO the ton. and the average is SD. AS the cost
of working is only 81 ~ ton. the profits will
be large. A forty-stamp mill is going UP. and
this will be increased to one hundred stamp.
Commander Moser. of the Fish Commission
steamer AlhatrOss simply confirms the opinions
Of experts on this coast when he SAYS that SAL
mon will disappear from Alaskan waters
If efforts not made to propagate fish and re-
stock the streams The Alaska Packers As
ISOLATION has had several large hatCheries in
operation for years. but this W rk is not general
and the result is that after immense pack
last year, forty-eight million pounds, there was
ad