davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03

The damage is estimated at sl5,OOO, with no insurance. The proprietors of the skating rink are insured for the loss on skates and other property. The crowds which had been enjoying themselves in the rink during the evening had been gone but comparatively short time when the flames broke out, and it is supposed the fire had been smoldering for some time before the alarm was turned in.
 The firemen had not been working on Tehama street in the rear of the building more than fifteen minutes when the up- per portion of the wall, consisting of tons of brick, mortar and the woodwork of the cornice, fell to the ground. The wall was unsafe for some minutes before it fell, so the fremen had been careful about venturing immediately in the rear, the streams being thrown from the sides. But just before the accident J. II. Ho- gan, foreman of engine G. started through the alley to the west side of the building, and this nearly cost him his life. He had reached about the middle of the building when the men who were watch ing, his movements saw the wall tremble and warned him of his danger. He re- treated toward Third street and barely got out of the way of the wall, being thrown to the ground by the rush of the wind caused by the falling debris
 Fully half an hour before the alarm was turned in the people of the Occidental Horse Exchange, directly behind the burning building, saw the flames and be- gan to rescue the seventy odd horses, which they took out through Clementina street. Gus Palace and R. O. West were n tAAC iScli OI tHS SOOIl alIer the fire was seen and broke open a door and went through the lower floor. They say that there was no fire there at all, and the only flames they saw were in the back part of the second story.
 The New St. David's House, 715 Howard street, had very narrow escape. ard Assistant Chief Engineer Wills deserves credit for the work done by him and his men in preventing the flames spreading to the lodging house. A stream Wit6 three lines of hose from engines 10, and was kept turned on the west wall of the building until all danger of it's taking fire was passed. There were nearly 200 lodgers in the house when roomers on the west side of the building gave the alarm that the place was on fire. Christopher house, immediately went through the halls notifying the people that there was fire, and little time was lost bv tha ls3dgers st fn T., in making ,the:r exit; The New St: Davids House is owned by the Fair estate and leased by Jacob Herges. The loss @ IS principally from water which was poured into the windows, though the walls are badly scorched ~
 Ere Marshal Towe will make a thor fire. VI tne
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
WELL-TRAINED ANIMALS A Splendid Performance Gi1on r,. Evening by Norris Bros. Pony
 and Dog Shou

mat the intelligence of an .n,,,a, - DC cultivated to a high degree of ,,rdar standing and action was iIlustratad in o most remarkable manner last evening ot the initial pony and dog performance m der the management of Norris Rrotbars at Central Park, where exhibitionc ,,,i1, De gwen afternoon and evening for +uyo weeks. During the afternoon the .r;,,,o,o were paraded through the streets and ths number and beauty of the horses a,1d dogs tend to prove that the enpapaman+ here will be success. Many tricks na1 and startling, are introduced bv inc ,,., ~ agement iii1ii
 Tight rope walking by monkeys doss ana goats; Jumping rope, bareback rid ing, and in fact everything but taIxinor ic accomplished by the well-trained animals me periormance opens with a grand rniI- ltary dr1ll, which is followed in 0ufcl< s,,n- mentS. iiioSe-
 The revolving pyramids are well worth seeing, as the greater portion of tbe ori mals are fittingly grouped. The harehaelr riding by monkey Jim Robinson is an other example of thoroughly trained ani- mals. but when dog and a monkev botb take flying leap into net from tbe highest portion of the tent the audience eXpectantly hold their breath
 The performance is one calculated +o please both young and old alike onS taken from all standpoints is witbomt d0ubt superior to any other com h;na tio,s Of the kind heretofore presented to a s,oi e'1 II Francisco audience. Ne'n
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
PLEASING PLAY
 AT THE COLUMBIA
Miss Knott Scores a Hit With Mantell in "The Secret
 Warrant"
"Texas Steer" at the CaIifornia-The e Tivoli's "Wang" Revived-Thc
 Other Theaters.

After months and months of nothing but farce and vaudeville it is a pleasant task to chronicle the performance of a legiti- mate play, cleanly written and sym pathetically acted by a well-balanced little company. The play is "The Secret Warrant written by w. A. Tremayne, a Montreal journalist, and presented at the Columbia last night by Robert Man tell. It is romance a modest little TO- nance of no striking originality of situa- tion and climax, but bright and graceful in its dialogue and of delicate atmos- pheric charm. The scenes are in France in the time when Philippe, Due D'Orleans, were given to the royal mistress that she might supply the victims name at her pleasure and send him to the Bastille.
 The story of the play has been told in an earlier issue. The fury of the woman scorned, the simple, unaffected love of a simple girl of the middle classes and the daredevil grit, easy conscience and (finally) triumphant virtue of the soldier of fortune hero, are made very picturesque and very entertaining by both author and company.
 MT. Mantell. an actor of elaborate ad- dress and somewhat old-fashioned stage manners, is well fitted in the part of the hero; Miss Marie Booth Russell is largely handsome and very effective as the royal mistress; Miss Marion F. Clifton does an bit of stout comic character as the heroines aunt and Miss Roseile Knott is wholly unaffected, magnetic and delfghtful as the heroine. The company is quite good all the way through, the only notable unevenness being in favor of Miss Knott, who seems to possess many of the elements that go to make a ,-ly h
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
Before the Engines Gained Control

and sand-lotters in this hall during the period Of the Kearney agitation. Later on the hall was rented for wrestling tour naments,. skating rink and finally for a variety theater.
 The basement of the building was orig Inally used as a car station of the Omni- bus Railroad Company.
 Of late years the place has become run down, and since Morosco moved to the Grand Opera House it has been little used. Of late, however, Lybeck has used the upper portion for a skating rink and dances, while the lower portion was used to store bob-tail cars, Q number of which were destroyed in the fire.
 It was picturesque scene during the passing Of the old place, and many hair breadth escapes occurred. Soon many streams were playing on all portions of the building. The men from engine r were lighting the blaze from the roof of shed next door, in which is the office of the Occidental Horse Exchange. When the fire was at its height the roof col lapsed with all on top, and but for an act or Providence many would have been killed Foreman Dougherty managed to crawl to the edge and then down a ladder 10 safety, after his men had gone before him. The only injury reported was a slight strain of the right foot received by Hoseman Callan, although it was ru- mored that Arthur Samuels had jumped from the roof at the time he heard the umbers cracking, receiving fracture of the thigh.
 The cause of the fire has not been deter mined, but 1t is supposed the blaze start gu III Iybech ShdIlDS TlnK. The property is owned by the Market-street Railway Company.
 Trespaille & Heitt, who keep the How ard saloon next door. were slight losers through water, as were those adjoining. The St. David's House also received a drenching, but the heaviest losers outside of the owners of the building where the fire originated are A. F. Rocker and A. F. Lang of the Occidental Horse Ex- change.
 A noticeable feature of the fire was the fact that the old flagstaff, which has stood for many years, was first ignited on top, and the fire gradually crept down where it took a firm hold at the base. and finally it fell with a crash in the raging furnace. Portions of the cornice dropped from time to time, and all who fought the blaze realized that the danger was considerable.
 Electric wires burned out in many places, and stream of fire ran along one wire from the burning building to the house across the alleyway leading to the stables in the rear. All the horses and bufgies were saved after hard work. but the old horse cars were completely de- stroyed.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
President Jordan of Stanford.

must be gradation. Those who believe that in a democracy there must be per feet social equality are dreaming of Utopia In an aristocracy, particular ly in a country which has suffered con- quest, the test of birth is always first. This-even though opposed to that in- dividualism which must be recognized
 is better than mammon worship, which leads to extravaganza, vulgar os- tentation, embezzlement. Dollarocracy is the dry rot of social life. It is de- passing, demoralizing. It is degener- acy."
 A short address by Miss Alderman, who used as her text Frances Willard's 8 happy expression about woman's hav- covery of the nineteenth century, closed the afternoons session.
 Although the gathering at the evening session was not as large as in the after appreciatiye. The playing of the Star for the patriotic utterances of President Jordan of Stanford. Before that able Mrs. Beck Meyer of Oakland gave a thirty minutes talk on ''The Teacher in tory of the life of the Danish teacher and farmer and closed her remarks with a poem. Although she took the place of grammed to speak on Money. Measures and Men.'' the speaker showed thor ough knowledge of her subject.
 President Jordan, after lightly touching on the subject of "Anglomania, Its Cause, It's Justification and Its Cure, then gave a brilliant dissertation the present conflict between this country and Spain, using as a text the well-known and oft quoted poem of Rudyard Kipling. Lest We Forget"
 ridfculed the anglomaniacs who believed it proper to turn up thelr trousers when it rained in London, dock their horses tails, wear eyeglasses to give them the stony glare of the inhabitants across the water and who talked as if they had fog in their throats These are anglomaniacs who are Americans but try to be Eng. fish, The Justification is the greatness of England, the cure of it is a thimbeful of hrains. for one possessed of that import ant commodity would not use the words and actions of others and pass them off as his own.
 Professor Jordan then devoted the rest of his time to the necessity of the Amer can people making their house their castle, being quick to avenge and strong to bluff. ready to cast aside the cheeks and balances of our constitution, con stant to act as England as one for the will of the people. .'We have the men. the purpose. the opportunity, and we must be what England is''
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
Palo Altos President Pleads for an. Inde-
 pendent Spirit.
With All the Elements Of Great ness There Is No Need
 of Imitation.
Successful Opening of the Annual wonaen's Congress-Interest-
 ing Papers.

There are twice as 1--any men as there are women on the programme of the Woman's Congress, but for every man in the audience there are twenty five women.
 It's an audience of thinkers instead of dreamers The enthusiasts of the first Woman's Congress five years ago, by their strong individuality and the frank expression of their hopes and fears, made those off the stage more interesting as a study of womenna- ture than those upon it. These have given place to women of different type.
 The congress opened yesterday aft ernoon, Mrs. John +. Swift, the preSi- dent, calling it to order at 2:3O. After prayer by Rev. MT. Moreland Rev. Dr. Cook of Trinity Church delivered the opening address for the president. He was followed by Rabbi Nieto, who closed a short talk with a very pretty compliment to the congress, declaring that the causes which have been most worthy, the accomplishments which have been most successful, have been those for which women have made themselves responsible.
 The audience applauded vigorously when it was announced that David Starr Jordan had agreed to take Dr. Ross place on the programme. But they applauded quite as vigorously when this announcement was followed by another to the effect that Dr. Ross, having recovered from his indisposition, would address the congress on Social Values in Democracy"
 Social Life" said Dr. Ross, ranks third or fourth in importance to men; it ranks second or third to women. To be fit for society you must bring to it some qualification or rather a compound of qualifications of birth breeding, brains, wealth and accomplishments. Other wise you are parasite, and people ex- pect to derive pleasure-both to give enjoyment and to enjoy. We do not choose our friends because of their fine qualities; we discover these qualities after they have become our friends This is not the basis of social life Just what the test, the challenge, the pass word is that open the gates of society depends upon its grade. And there
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03

l TT ISTORICAL Union Hall is in ruins. 1 u Fire broke out in the big building l ! | on Howard street. between Third
 AA and Fourth, about Il o'clock last ! night and despite the efforts of the entire
 department the flames licked up every
 particle of inHammable material before they could be subdued. Part of the walls
 fell in, but with the exception of the cornice the front remains standing, though in tottertng condition. That no lives were lost is almost a miracle, but as 1t was several hremen had narrower escapes than they care to ex- perience again, and two or three sus- tained slight injuries.
 Adjoining the hall on the east is a one story building occupied in part by Tres paille & Hiett as a saloon, the other part being used as a horse and carriage re- pository. The contents were badly dam aged by water, and portion of the roof was crushed by part of the wall of Union Hall crushing down upon 1t. Beside this building is the St. David's lodging house, the rear of which was badly scorched But not severely damaged.
 Union Hall was one of the historic build ingS of San Francisco. Old-umerS last night did not agree as to the date of its construction, but it was reared during the war times in 1863 or 1864. In that day and generation 1t became famous hall, where the select and exclusive of San Francisco
  tions. Among the noted balls given there was one under the patronage of San Francisco society ladies to raise funds for the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876. The ball was held when bonds to aid the then forthcoming exposition were disposable as a guarantee fund. Each ticket to the ball was S10 which entitled the holder to a $10 centennial bond. The fund, however, was never used by the promoters of the exposition, as the Government came to the rescue. The money derived from the issue of the bonds was placed in a San Francisco bank, and each holder of a bond received his S10 on presenting his bond to the bank. Many other celebrated balls were given in Union Hall.
 In 1875 the Democratic State Convention, which nominated William Irwin for Gov ernor, was held in Union Hall.
 The great indignation mass meeting to protest against the articles of Messrs. Fitch, Pickering and Simonton in the col umns of The Call and Bulletin at the time of w. c. Ralston's death and the suspen- sion of the Bank of California was held in Union Hall
 I. s. Kalloch and Denis Kearney ad- dressed vast audiences of workingmen
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03

the role ''0-i 'A The honors of the performance belong oI oeI the farce, Charles H. Stevens as .'Brassy Gall' and Will Bray, the Min ister to Dahomey'
 lngton to investigate the political conduct Of their representative kept the house in a ripple or merriment, which increased to shouts sh or laughter in the dinner scene. me audlence was appreciative and good Rumored last night, which speaks well Tor the play and the company. consider Ing that the attendance was not com mensurate with the merits of the per- formance P The, company is evenly balanced. and a the absence of boisterous horse-play is The performance will be continued dur ing the remainder of the week
 Lettie le Vyne at Morosco's.
 Miss Lettfe le Vyne, the singing sou brette, captured her audience last night at Morosco's in Hearts of New York. ' Lettie has plump little figure. and the role, by obliging her to wear a short skirt during the first part of the play. enables her to charm the eye with the spectacle of pair Of plump and we'll shaped legs that are all her own beyond tis Harry Mainhall and Charles Stevens as Tom Milburn" and 'I.eonard Knight Ieiigh, Iiaga respectively; Lorena Atwood played the role of Jane Milburn' ac- ceptably, although it is not a part af- 1ord1ng opportunities for shoWy work
 The play is well staged and abounds in thrllllng and picturesque situations. Miss le Vyne sings sweetly without affecta- tion, and has the good sense not to at tempt to force her voice. She has made herself favorite and possesses the qual- tues that will keep her such.
 Hearts of New York will run the re- mainder of the week.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
Off for a Tour.

.Dr:. Frederick Humphreys, president ot Humphreys Medicine Company of New York. and party are making an extended tour oh the Pacific Coast. The party left in inc Lucania, and will visit all the prin- cipal points of interest in New Orleans
 ogden. Los Angeles, Colorado, Denver, San Francisco and many other cities.
 From this coast the gathering will pro- ceed to New York. Those in the party are: D9r. and Mrs Frederick Humphreys, the Misses Hayden, J. F. Hanson, Rev: :Dr. D. Parker Morgan of the Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York. and Mrs. Morgan; Canon J. Harris Knowles of St. Chrysostoms. one of the chapels of Trin- it% Church, New York the Misses Hard ing of New York, Frank F. Payson and Miss Sanford of Brooklyn and Miss Jayta and Frederick Humphreys of New. York, the latter two being grand children of Dr. and Mrs. Humphreys
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
SUSPICIOUS DEATH.
A Young Married Woman Dies of
 Blood Poisoning and an Inquest Will Be Necessary.

The death of Mrs Lottie M. Johnson. of 2554 Greenwich street, was reported to the Coroner yesterday by the Board of Health, it being suspected that the wom- ahs death was the result of an unlawful opera tion. The undertaken had embalmed the body, so that if the woman had died of poison it would have been difficult to establish that fact by post mortem or a chemical examination.
 It was found. however, by Autopsy Sur geo4a Gallagher, that the cause of death was septicemia. Mrs. Johnson gave birth to twins about six months ago. She was only 21 years old.
 = An inquest will be held.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
Science and

Science and
 consumption have been battling for ages, and now the glad tidings are being car ried around the world by the army of the saved, that at last science is tri- umphant, at last consumption has been overcome and vanquished. For many
 weary years men of science have delved in a desert of despair, seeking some means with which to lay low the despoil- CT of human lives, the wrecker of peace l full homes, the grim guardian of the graveyard-consumptio Now the time | is at hand when all should know that | the terror of consumption is thing of | the past; that the fatality of the disease l is absolutely unnecessary: that the means to exterminate it from this glori- ous world of ours is within the reach of all. and is an, assured fact.
 This annihilation of
 consumption, this conqueror of bron- chitis, asthma. catarrh and all other complaints of lungs and throat, is named after its celebrated discoverer, the Doc tor SIocum System of Treatment, and cures by the simplest, the most natural and yet the most forceful manner, by at once removing the cause.
 You cannot
 expect, when a building Is on nre, to put out all the flames by pouring water on a portion of them: neither can you ever expect to conquer consumption by stupefyng the cough and allowing the deadly germs to continue in their wicked work.
 The Doctor Slocum
 System is not in any sense a halfway worker It at once attacks the germs and drives them. not only out of the lungs but out of the entire system. At the same time, it gradually masters the cough, until at length it disappears.
 Meanwhile
 1t has been adding vigor and tone and strength to the blood, until, to the merry music of returning health, it leaps and bounds joyfully through the veins, send to the cheeks, till the nerves jingle with strength, the step becomes elastic, and the head is held proudly erect with the full sense of rejuvenation and recreation.
 Why you
 fairly thirst for air after you have been under the Doctor Slocum System for little while. Where before you were un- able to take even the slightest strain on your lungs in breathing, you find, after a little Dit, that your lungs, once so poor and tired, greedily take in copious draughts of air, and away down in the useless for so long, this pure, heaven sent air penetrates and sends the blood bounding away with the glad tidings of perfect health, till you feel, no matter how great the obstacle, you are ready and able to cope with it.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
A Good Texas Steer.

It is a good Texas Steer that Maurice Freeman gives at the California, and in his hands, and in those of the capable company which supports him, the charac- teristically American political caricature farce-comedy becomes invested with all the charm of new production. The role of the politician who brands all the fat mavericks in the shape of emoluments coming within the radius of his grasp offers much temptation to overact, but MT. Freeman steered clear of this rock
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
:. Mismated Married Couples.

:: Judge Seawell has granted Rosa A Merkel a divorce from George Merkel on the ground of failure to provide.
 George Ruef has been ordered to pay SIS a: month alimony to his wife. Emma Ruef. pending the trial of a divorce suit recently brought by him. % Judge Borden has granted Theresa Stone "a. divorce from George B. Stone on the. ground of failure to provide
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
A New Fire Fiphter

A new and improved water tower has just been completed at the corpora tion yard under the direction of the master mechanic of the Fire Department. As +be ayention tayest @ fa, is ; purely local much n
 department. It will be given . +,;aI Wednesday afternoon at o'clock on Pau street, between Kearny and Dupont
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
Tivoli.

Wang" is one of the cleverest comic productions ever put on at the TivoH. Edwin Stevens, as the Regent, does a famous. sketch in elaborate comicality. Leafy IS funny IS the elephant keeper. and with Carrie Roma as the Widow
 Edith Hall as the Prince and sRob7 Mitchell as the principal Gambodfan. the reViVaI IS an altogether stronger produce son., If the. public wants first-rate fun Of the musical farce order it is to he found at the Tivoli this week. Quite 2 night. last
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
Damaeed by an Exnlosion

The San Francisco and San Joaquin Coal Company has been sued for 10000 damages by Barney Short. a laborer, en- ployed in the company's mine at Tesla. Alameda County. Short alleges in his complaint that he was injured by an explosion in the mine on March 26 last. and that the explosion was due to i'm Derfect ventilation.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
Oppheuno

In addition to the living pictures ybioh are now running quite smoothly. the Orpheum offers the popular John w Ransome in new character impersona- uons, including one of General f'itzhllgh Lee and one of Mark Hanna Bogart and Brady, the musical comedians. are new and so are Hayes and Brady, who do a novel dancing act.
The San Francisco call., 1898-05-03
The Woodbridge Canal.

United States Circuit Judge Morrow has refused to confirm the sale of the prop erty of the Woodbridge Canal and Irri- gating Company. The matter will be taken up in few days.