New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
FROST CAUSES A HEAVY LOSS TO FRUIT
IRISH TO THE KLONDIKE CONTlNU-
ING-HANDBALL~THE THEA
TREs-STOCKS
rpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

rpy TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUNE
San Francisco March 1S.-Reports from all
parts of the State bring news or heaVy LOSSES ~
go, ,v severe frosts. The Ions drouth adj
vanced the bOssoming Of all the dec'ouous run
,rees and last week came light rains when s'"
-.hor s,,,,.,,c.ed the forming OF fruit buds
tn. showers we're succeeded by killing frosts III
the leading fruit districts which have done I'M
,re,ss damage 10 early cherries aprico's'
reacbes and almonds. ]. is though; that pruheS
have escaped as we'll as late varieties OF peaches
and grapes. 49,
probab)y the largest money loss has fallen on
the orange growers Of the southern counties
Careful estimates are that forty-hVe cNIoaus
Of oranges have been frozen on the trees ;" 'i'"'
they will he worthless for shipment Much vi
This crop would have been sent East last hon'h
hut for the excessive freight charges, Which
consume oil the profits II was In the nope u
securing reduced freight rates that these oranges
were left on the trees. Now they are 'o'a"S
destroyed.
This frost in the southern counties mas not
injured materially any Of the orange groves Oh
high lands In ;he colonies that have been made
famous by their production OF oranges anu
lemons. but IL has demonstrated the folly OF
,,antjpc rltrOus fruits on low lands in the south
srn counties where frost cannot be escaped
thousands Of acres OF low lands have been
,,lan,ea With oranges in Riverside. Red Lands
and ether places. and II Is these groves thai
have FELT the full force OF the frost. The result
will be the abandonment Of planting Citrous OF
deciduous fruits on lands which are known to be
visited by hard frost,
The rains have greatly helped grain and nay.
and throughout thc San Joaquin and Sacramento
valleys the crops VIII be fair. The snowfall IN
the Sierra Nevada. and even on the Coast Range
will be Of immense benefit 20 the valley lands' as
Z, Will All the big irrigation reservoirs, and as
sure enough water for the various bitches Ch'li
rain and snow fell. it looked as though the lead
ing irrigation systems Of the southern counties
,,ouId he unable to furnish enough water for
,heir natrons this summer. Now this danger
is past
The Klondike excitement shows no signs OF oe-
oreasing Two steamers left this week loI
Alaska both carving large number OF pas
seneers The steamer offices show no decline IN
applications for tickets although reports from
tho trails are very gloomy. 1t Is useless Tor men
unused 10 travelling over snow in a colo climate
Ia venture out on Chilkoot or Skaguay trails TOT
another month. as the hardships which must
now be endured cannot be described. Every
mail from Skaguay brings details Of death and
suffering on the trails
The ship Sintram started out this week on
two thousand mile tow 10 Dutch Harbor, Alaska
She is rugged for sailing in case storms should
break the hawSer that binds her 10 the Tug
Fearless but IL is thought that there viii be no
difficulty in towing the vessel. The Slntran cal
ried 13O mechanics who VIII put together the
four river steamers and five barges which were
rocked i'm the vessels hold. These belong 10 the
Alaska Exploration Company. new corporation
in which the Rothschds Of London are inter,
ested and which proposes 10 take large mana
in the business from here to 81. Michaels ana up
the Yukon 10 Dawson city
Phil Casey and James Dunno handball ex-
perts, Of Brooklyn, have been seen here III a
number OF exhibition games this week with crack
local players. Haudoall is increasing In popu-
larity in Frisco. and Casey and dunno VIII IN
crease the interest in the game which offers so
many advantages TO those Of sedentary NE out
side Of the symnasiums all the handban courts
hero are connected with saloons but il is prob
ab,e- that several independent new courts de-
voted wholly TO this sport Will be built.
The failure OF the pioneer fruit firm OF Luke
Sresovich & CO. this week was due 10 the decline
Of all the fruits exported by this firm TO the
East and TO Europe. Its total Indebtedness is
$4,000 and the heaviest creditor Is the Bank or
California, with $j.OOO.
The critic and the first might audience We're
not impressed with The Mysterious Mr. Bugle,"
and the resIlt is that Joseph Holland has not
played to very large houses al the Baldwin. The
company had the misfortune also TO follow the
great four weeks success OF the BOstonians.
This has been a slow week In the stock and
bond market. because Of the uncertainty OF &C
ton in regard 10 the relations with Spain. There
was decline IN Spring Valley water bonds.
SKIES being held at 1lIa4 with no bids. Alaska
Packers was firm az 90. There lively specu-
Iaton in Sugar stocks. Hutchinson advancing 50
8 share and reports that the dividends would be
increased Both this and Hawaiian Commercial
declined at the end TO the figures at the opening
Of the week.