New-York tribune., 1901-04-14
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
ACTIVITY IN REAL ESTATE IN SAN
FRANCISCO STOCK MARKET IN
UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION
FROSTS HURT FRUIT.

tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIPUNE-l
San Francisco. April 13.-Ths has been a dull
week, for the great activity in the real
estate market. Not for nine years have there
been SO many transactions has much in
quiry been made for property. and the most n
couraging feature of the situation is that the
greater part Of the buyers small investors.
whose purchases are in the Western Addition
and the outside districts and intended for
homes or for investment. 1t was also note
worthy that never before in the history of the
city were there few vacant houses. One rea-
son for this liveliness Of real estate is the un-
satisfactory condition of the stock market. The
unexpected assessment of the Oceanic Steam
ship Company's stock followed by the passing
OF the dividend for the remainder of the year by
has demoralized the market The sugar COM
pany finds that it has a crop of only twenty
thousand TONS instead of twenty-seven thou
sand tons. and concludes that it cannot afford
to pay $4,000 month in dividends. The re-
suit OF this action to force the stock from
SS7 down to $50 share. 1t has reacted to
500. but the influence the stock market has
been bad, all the gas and water and most of
the miscellaneous stocks have suffered from
the public lack Of confidence.
The heavy frosts this week have caused con-
siderable damage to early fruits in many parts
of the State Apricots suffered most severely,
and it Is estimated that the crop will not be
more than half a normal one. Prunes were also
hurt. but this is not regarded especially dis
astrous, the supply hand is SO large that
the total failure Of the crop for year would
be an advantage Peaches and grapes were also
H''- by the cold. but the trees were so heavy
young fruit that the loss will be
serious.
Among the old residents who died last week
William Barber. a pioneer lawyer. WHO
received his legal training in the office of ogden
Hoffman. in New-York; Robert C. Chambers, an
oldtime mining superintendent. who for years
had charge of the big Ontario mine. Salt
Lake, and Judge Edwin Gardner of San Rafael.
a pioneer, who made a fortune in mining.
Blanche Walsh and her company have made a
hit at the Columbia Theatre in More Than
Queen" They aided by the fact that there
is not a single rival attraction in town. Nearly
all the theatres are playing old pieces that
have been seen here many times. The Califor-
MIA will reopen next Monday with Nell Burgess
in THE County Fair"
The University of California has secured
through Professor Emerson, in Paris. a
number of copies OF ancient Egyptian paintings
and collection of reproductions in bronze of
is the Apollo of Piombino belonging TO the
French Government no copies of which have
been permitted heretofore.
Mrs. Howard Coitt has given $500 to the
University of California and $3.50 to the Uni
versty Of Maryland. thus carrying out one of
the provisions of the will of her father, Dr.
Charles NJ. Hitchcock. This will provided that
she was to have one-half of his estate. and.
should she have no children. she should give
a certain part of the residue to two universe
ties.
Novel electioneering done in the Ala
media municipal contest by Mrs. Roger Chevalier
and Miss Dollie Lubbock in favor of their
father, Oswald Lubbock. who ran for city
Alameda and solicited votes. and sometimes
they took along little Beatrice. their seven-year-
old sister. who begged in her sweet childish
voice for a vote for father" How effective
their canvass seen in the result. when
Lubbock was elected by large vote over the
popular incumbent Colonel Wheeler.
The pilot. Frederick Jordan. who the
bridge when the steamship City of Rio
Janeiro struck a rock and sank at the entrance
TO this harbor has been restored TO duty. The
only man VINO suffered because of the disaster
the chief engineer. Heilihy. who dee
prived OF his license because he was not at his
pest. Even the coast guard. Elingsen. who
failed to hear the signals of distress from the
steamer. which were plainly heard by soldiers
at the Presdo and Others has been put back
into the life saving service after an inquiry by
Superintendent Blakeney.
The Rev. DR. Henry Collier Mnton of Berke-
ley. has been chosen a delegate TO the Presby-
terian General Assembly by the San Francisco
Presbytery.
Transfers of city property nearly twice
as many this week as a few months ago. Many
of these transfers of the Western Addition
and outside lands. hut there several large
transactions in business property. The Argyle
Building. in McAlSter-st., opposite the City
Hall, was sold for S125OO Walter F.. Doane
has sold his property al the northwest corner OF
Seventh and Brannan SITS. for S5O.OOW. The lot
is 2So by 20 feet, but the great hay barns on
the premises belong to the lessee. Real estate
transfers for this month amount to S1,,TD,OOO.
Pomona. in Los Angeles County voted this
Week to keep out all saloons for another two
years. This is one of the towns of Southern
California where prohibition has been rigidly
enforced.
The sweeping reduction in the price of all
grades of pruneS from three to two cents, to last
for fifteen days from April 9, proved the most
effective device for clearing out the large sur
plus of last years crop. Since this offer was
made prunes have been selling at the rate of
about a hundred carloads day. but as the stock
on hand is 4,4OO carloads. large surplus will
be left.
The consolidation of four Alaskan transporta-
tion and trading companies into two big COM
paneS will have good effect the handling
Of passengers and freight this season. The only
big company not in the combination is the North
American Trading and Transportation Company
OF which the Cudahys and Weare, of Chicago.
in control This company operates through
Seattle The Alaska Commercial Company and
Alaska Exploration Company. by uniting their
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