New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-24

Y,-r-Prsr IN WAR NEws-FEU1T CROP
BADLY HURT BY FROST-Di'''A IA
DAMAGES CROPs-THE W1DBEH
DEFAICATION - WHEAT HAS
REACHED THE HIGHEST FIG
rpEs KNOWN FOR YEARS.

l.
REACHED THE HIGHEST FIG
UREs KNOWN FOR YEARS
rnY TELEGRAPH TO The TEIrrYE1
San Francisco, April 23.-The war eNc''c'''
has ragged here for several days anu 'o'"'"'
olse is discussed. Even the heavy dela''a''o''
nv CITY Treasurer Wilder caused little com
ment. so thoroughly Is the pubic 'n'hd uo''''-
mated by the the prospects OF the hsh' over
Cuba. Great activity is shown among H'''i'a
regiments. and when the President issues can
.ss.o ,,,r, m y hearty response from California
There is little uneasiness over the prospect VI
the boncbar,lnent OF San Francisco by the
enantsh fleet but soafarng men are ahA-
ions about the battle-ship oregon. as theS
sav that the Spanish fleet from Cape vera
could reach the Brazilian coast IN ABOUT
four days which would time their ar
rival almost 10 that OF the oregon ana 'he
Marietta The Spanish feet AFTER desroH'nH
the Oregon could then sail northward and be
ready TO NEE: Commodore SIMPSONS heet'
Although the Eastern dealers In canned ana
dried fruit affect to believe that the reports o.
the general failure of the California fruit crop
are exaggerated. the truth Is that the disaster
which has befallen orchardis:s Of this state
has been underestimate. Not for ten years mas
the loss been heavy and so widespread. Even
the early grapes in Southern California were
carght BY frost. ard Only the second crop can
be counted on. Apricots are practically W!ped
out. as well as peaches. and the prune crop
which escaped frosts. has been seriously injured
by dry hot winds Late rains. which might
have saved some orchards have not come
The country is dry and parched. and the loss
OF the fruit taker in conjunction with the small
grain crop and the almost total failure of hay
leaves California with the worst harvest outlook
for many years What makes this the more
unfortunate is that prices for wheat and fruit
promise TO be good. The failure OF farmers ana
e,ock-growers in the lower coast counties ana
the San Joaquin Valley to secure the privilege OF
driving their stock into Nevada means the ruin
Of many small ranchmen and the starvation of
thousands of head Of cattle and horses with
hay at s45 per ton brought from Kansas and
Nebraska It is Impossible for n farmer without
cap,tai to feed his stock. Hence cattle and
horses are selling for a song In all the coast
counties south of Monterey. and many ranchers
who have rented places abandoning them
and seeking new homes.
Nine Melba received a welcome here this
week which has been given to no other prima
donna in the last fifteen years. with the single
exception Of Patti. San Francisco has no opera
performances in the California Theatre. which
has not the best acoustic properties. and which
proved entirely too small for the comfort OF the
great crowds that gained Ambulance. She APP
reared In La Traviata" The Barber OF Sc
Vile" and in Lucia di Lammermoor." In the
singing lesson in THE Barber" she gave The
Star Spanged Banner" In fine style and so
wrought upon her audience, which nad neen eH-
cited that day by news Of the practical declara-
ton Of war. that half Of the house was on us
feet, cheering. shouting and waving hanoNer-
chiefs Nine Meiba herself was so much az
fected by this unexpected outburst Of patriot
Ism that she had to turn her back 10 hide her
tears and to recover her composure. Marie jan
sen has done we'll at the Columbia In Delmon-
ico's at Six" though much Of her support could
be improved with advantage to the audience
The defalcation Of Treasurer Widber will
probably result in greater checks on the officer
who handles the city's cash Widoers iather
was of sterling honesty, who held the
place Of Treasurer for several terms. His son
was carefully trained under him. and on the old
mans death was chosen az his successor foung
Widber was a San Francisco boy. who had
q large circle OF friends. and some of his sport
loving associates finally Involved him in ruin
and disgrace. He was induced to start racing
stable and this followed by betting on
races. Added to this. he tried to develop sew
eral Nevada quartz mines. which, though ad-
spent money like water In the local 'Tenderloin"
In the last few months.
In Stockton and farmers are holding their re-
serve Of grain in the hope Of getting 81 per CEN
tai. Stocks OF choice milling wheat are rare.
and the millmen making great efforts 10 re-
plenish these. as orders for flour are coming in
rapidly. This is the highest price paid for mill
ing wheat in years. The week in the local bond
and stock market has been one Of the most ex-
citing known in years. A strong bear clique
seized the opportunity caused by uncertainty
over to raid nearly every stock on the list.
and so persistent ard powerful were they that
they actually produced a small panic and forced
down stable stocks. Their chief point Of at
tack was Sugar stocks Hawaiian Commercial
Thursday was hammered down TO SIG %.
under sales Of large blocks of stock. This
stock came from insiders. and that Il was un-
loaded In order TO force down prices was ap-
parent, 1t was thrown upon falling market.
Yesterday the game was blocked and Hawaiian
Commercial. which opened at SIG 80 advanced
at the afternoon sale to SIT 20. In face of loo
shares offered. The latest block was 900 shares.
which did not affect the market. There is harsh
criticism Of the action Of insiders on Hawaiian
Commercial. as they encouraged buying when
the stock was above S30. Hutchinson Planta-
ton advanced ore point and n quarter from 3S
to 39H All other stocks advanced yesterday
except Giant Powder. which fell off two points.
and Southern Pacific Of Alaska and Southern
Pacific branch bonds. The decline in the week
Of such stable securities as Spring Valley Water
stock Bank OF California and Alaska Packing
Company marked.