New-York tribune., 1900-01-07
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
MAYOR PHELAN's EXCELLENT APPOINT
MENTS-VETERAN CHIEF OF PO-
LICE TIRES-HIGHBINDER
MURDER TRUST.
rnr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNr1

San Francisco, Jan. 6.-That Mayor Phelan is
bound to carry out his ante-election promises
to give the city good government under the new
charter, is shown by his appointments of MEM
bers Of important commissions These appoint
ments have been thoroughly non-partisan
that they have carried dsmay into the regular
Democratic ranks, professional politicians
see clearly that their occupation is gone, OF
the Mayors appointees eighteen are RepubIi-
cans and thirteen Democrats. and the selec-
tions include few politicians. Thus the Board
of Public Works includes two experts, Colonel
G. H. Mendell and Marsden Manson, while the
third member. jeremiah Mahoney, is one of the
largest contractors in the State and has had
much practical experience in every work he will
be called on to inspect. On the Police Commits
sion are three Of State reputation, George
A Newhall, William Thomas and Dr. W. F.
McNutt, while the Park Commission are
Frederick w Urls. Jasper Mcdonald A B.
Spreckels. John A. Stanton, the artist, and Reu-
ben H Lloyd one of the leaders of the bar
All the Park Commissioners have taken lively
interest in the improvement of the city's pleas
ure gardens, and have expert knowledge of
what is wanted. With men of ability and high
character at the head of the local commissions
the new city government cannot fail to be
enormous Improvement on the old system.
The Chief of Police, l. w Lees, was retired
quest, after forty-six years of continuous SER
vice, on half pay. Lees has seen the police sys-
tenn of this city develop from a small beginning.
and he has been instrumental In perfecting
many of its features that are the most valuable
He Is detective of unusual ability and his
courage and nerve have been proved many
times in the arrest Of dangerous criminals He
was the originator in this country of the
Rogues' Gallery and for years he kept a fine
collection OF photographs and descriptions of
lawbreakers at his own expense. His system
was copied by the police of New-York and other
cities. This collection he turned over to the
city when an appropriation made for con-
tinuing the work. Now the gallery includes
forty thousand pictures, with a full description
Of each person OF these thirty-five hundred
are pictures Of criminals of other countries.
Chief Lees has one of the largest private libra
ries dealing with crime and prostitution that
is to be found in the world and he has also an
extremely valuable collection of Californian lit
erature, including rare Spanish works and
manuscripts.
The clearing off of all the lawyers claims
against the Blythe estate and the sale of a por-
ton of the block to the Mutual Savings Bank
for 100000 means much for San Francisco For
years this block. in Market-st in the heart of
the city, has been covered with ramshackle old
wooden buildings. Now Florence Blythe Moore,
the heiress to the estate will build a large ten
story building at the western end of the block,
and the Mutual Savings Bank will erect an elgnt
story structure at the eastern end. The result
will be that by another year two handsome
modern buildings will replace the irregular line
of shanties that has been an eyesore in Market
st. for twenty years.
The marriage this week of Miss Mary Belle
Gwin to James h Follis united leading mem
Der of the old Southern arstocracy and son
of one of the newly enriched bonanza million
aires Miss Gwin'S grandfather was OLD senator
Gwin of California, who was noted for ms
ahiIitv and his ambition The collapse of the
iIed MIA
sion of the Mexican State of Sonora and round
ing there a slave holding oligarchy with him
self as the ruling spirit. The Follises first came
into prominence when James G. Flood, with
O'Brien Mackay and Fair, secured control OF
the group of bonanza mines on the Comstock
lode Fos's sister had married fiood, ana OF
lis was permitted to share in the opportunities
for a great fortune that came to all VINO were
ION the inside.
1.-The Christian still continues to have great
euccees a+ the Columbia, and 1t is sure TO do
1eroe third weeks business. Colville. who has
teen playing John Storm, has been obllged TO
give up the part temporarily because OF rh9uIna-
fism hut the role is we'll played by Frank
weston The other theatres have all done hne
business this week. Emma Nevada appears In
two concerts next week at the California
Thaa+re and is sure to have large houses, as
she is a local favorite, having received her edu-
cation and made her first appearance on the
stage in this city
San Francisco now has Chinese highbinder
murder trust and the removal OF enemies Is
carried on by the trust" with neatness, dis
tch and economy. In the old days the large
highbinderS' societies kept corps or hatchet men,
who were counted to remove enemies that
refused to pay backmail to the societies; but
this was an expensive system, and murder rates
were quoted as high as $1,000 Now, the trust
has been formed by San Francisco and Marys-
Vile highbinders and when a local murder is 10
ne done a Marysvlle brave is imported and vice
versa In this way the police are mystlhed Two
Chinese murders have been committed here
within a. fortnight by a Marysville highbinder
who escaped without leaving clew He is un-
derstood to have received $500 for each OF the
crimes
Indications of oil are said to have been found
on the edge of the desert Mojave. Six
Gated mostly by officials of the Southern Paclhc
and the Santa Fe railroads and by the Sunset
and Puene Oil Company, of Los Angeles A
test hole is being sunk, but mean time there Is a
wild oil boom without any oil in sight
The heavy rains this week have been Of great
beneft throughout Southern California, which
was suffering from drouth. The rainfall In some
parts of San Diego County was hVe inches. and
the whole Of the citrus belt received thorough
soaking.
There was a heavy slump IN the local stock
market due mainly to the fear that the city
viii absorb the water. gas and other public
utilities Spring Valley water stock sank from
0211 to 91 the lowest quotation for many
months Gas and electric stocks fell from % to
49, the lowest record Even sugar stocks
which have been we'll maintained, shared in the
weakness and fell off several points, Hawaiian
Commercial going to S112, and Paauhau to Tx.