New-York tribune., 1900-03-04
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
MERCHANTS ORGANIZE TO PROMOTE
ORIENTAL TRADE-GADSKI, BIS
PHAM AND DAMROSCH
IN CONCERT.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rn1BUxE.I

[BY TELEGRAPH TRIBUSE.l
San Francisco. March "a meeting of promi-
nent local merchants was held this week for the
purpose Of forming organization to promote
Oriental trade. James S. Fearon. of Fearon.
Daniel & Co, Of Chicago told Of what had been
accomplished by the American Asiatic Associa-
ton. Of New-York. He urged a similar organ-
zation here. which should be a branch Of the
New-York association. Local merchants are be
coming aroused over the great opportunities for
trade in the Orient. Many Of the case goods con-
surned in the treaty ports Of China and Japan
come from California, yet great part of these
canned goods is shipped from here to New
York then to London and from London 10
Asiatic ports
This week plans Were approved for the Pacific
Commercial Museum TO be located in San Fran
cisco. Its object will be largely gather infor-
NATION that will help to develop commerce with
foreign countries. and particularly those of the
Orient and South Seas The scheme includes
connection with the Philadelphia Commercial
Museum. the American Asiatic Association and
other bodies, and the esta blishment OF a museum
for the display of products and partly man
ufactured goods OF foreign countries. The mu-
scum has the backing OF representative busi-
ness men. and cannot fail to be successful
The Supervisors have cut the local water
rates Ia per cent. reduced gas from 81 80 to
81 80 a thousand feet. and fixed the maximum
rate for electric light at II cents. These rates
are fair. and will entail no hardship on the
companies. An effort is being made TO reduce
municipal expenses, as it is found that there
viii not be money enough on hand until next
July 10 pay the expenses OF the departments
under the new charter. The result is that the
inspectors of food and most of the sanitary in
spectors have been dropped from the rolls, and
street lights, both gas and electric, are extin-
guished an midnight. There has been retrench-
ment in various local boards. but the saving
might be increased here so that inspection of
food would not have been suspended.
The investigation Of sugar plantations on
Maui and Hawaii by DR.. Wood Of the Honolulu
Board of Health. has shown clearly that there
be danger in shipping island sugar TO
this port. The latest news also proves that the
stringent measures taken to suppress the bu-
bonic plague have heen successful The cost
has been very heavy, and this. expense will con-
tinue to be large, for Honolulu must maintain
for some time thousands of homeless Asiatics
whose pest infected houses and goods were
burned.
General Patrick F Walsh, a veteran of the
Civil War and a prominent officeholder Of this
State, died this week. He served in the Re
bellion in Pickett's division Of McDowelrs First
Army Corps and from the ranks to be cap
tain. He came to California in 1866, and filled
several public offices, including Adjutant-Gen-
eral Of the State ard Register of Voters of San
Francisco. His last office pension agent, to
which he was appointed by President Cleveland.
The seventy-seventh birthday of Professor
Joseph Leconte was celebrated this week. In
the geological classroom, where he has lectured
for many years, the venerable professor re-
ceived several hundred students. who had deco
rated his rooms with palms and flowers They
1.-The Prophets" In reply, the professor spoke
of the great help in his original work wticll he
had gained from teaching and said: Never did
good thought come 10 me, but it in the
lecture room or in the direct preparation for my
classes. The germ Of every article. scientific or
philosophical, and every book that / have ever
written came from my work in the classroom.
and should never be divorced. Each WHITES
the other, and saves it from becoming mere
drudgery"
Denman Thompson has proved this week that
familiar plays, if we'll presented, draw we'll, for
in THE Old Homestead he has had crowded
houses at the Columbia There has been a large
sale of seats for the concerts at the California
Theatre during the next two weeks by Mime.
Gadski David Bspham and Walter Damrosch.
In addition to the evening concerts Mr.. Dam
rosch will give three morning piano recitals each
week, explanatory OF Wagnerian operas