New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-03
ON THE PACIFIC COAST.
The Rains OUer an California;
Southern Counties Benefited.

San Francisco, April 1.-The heavy rains
/ which fell throughout California during the
/ greater part OF March are now ended, and sun
shine and air have come again. The
/ rainfall has done remarkable good In the south
ern counties. Throughout the San Joaquin valley
! the seasons rainfall has been brought up nearly
TO last years record whereas two weeks ago
there a painful deficiency. In Fresno
this year 664 inches Of rain have fallen. against
80 inches last season; in San Luis Obispo
l3.S5 inches this season, against 1872 last sea-
/ son; in Los Angeles S.73 inches against 1887;
! IN san Diego, 400. against 491. Throughout
Central and Northern California the rainfall has
been excessive during the last fortnight ana IN
most places the record surpasses that OF last
season There Will be heavy damage to the
islands IN the san Joaquin and Sacramento
Rivers, the greatest loss falling the aspara-
gus growers of Bouldin Island, whose crop has
been entirely ruined. This was the wettest
March ever known in California as it rained
every day in san Francisco except the first
and thirteenth The prospect for good crops in all
except the southern counties is excellent. Grain
and fruit look well, and the abundant rain and
snow in the mountains will enable the miners
TO work far into midsummer before the water
supply gives out.
An attempt was made this week to have the
jury IN the Botkn murder case discharged, and
TO a delay before another trial. One
Of the jurors said that he approached by
a stranger who offered him $50 TO hang the
Jury, but Judge Cook wisely decided to go on
with the trial, keeping the jury under surveil-
lance The prosecution has finished. Mrs.
t3otkin IS accused of sending poisoned candy
20 Mrs. Dunning and Mrs. Deane, of Dover.
Del The WOnlals motive was alleged to DO
love for Dunning and jealous rage because he
10 mis- wife. A number OF witnesses from Dover
came out here and testified. while local people
told Of selling Mrs. BOtkin candy and arsenic.
An effort is being made by the Citizens AL
lance OF San Francisco which claims 1S4. 900
members 10 test whether a restaurant keeper
can be boycotted and his business affairs ruined
by the cooks ana walters union because ne
refused 10 obey its demands and regulations.
The suit is against the union, as well as twenty
one OF its members who were identified
active in the boycott The plaintiff also asks
for a perpetual injunction against the union to
prevent interference with his business.
The SUPERVISORS have been asked to enlarge
the field for asphalt paving by permitting the
use OF asphalt refined from crude petroleum.
For several years all the contractors have been
restricted TO refined natural asphalt. which is
found only Santa Cruz. Thus monopoly
was created, and the bituminous rock used did
not make an enduring pavement The success OF
the pavements made from the residuum of
crude petroleum In other cities leaves
doubt that Il will be equally successful here.
DR.. Leopold Neuman died this week after a
brief illness When his brother, Rudolph. man.
aver Of the Alaska Commercial Company. was
killed several years ago by a fall in Alaska
mining shaft ne eft the doctor the bulk of his
large fortune.
GaIen Clark. guardian of the Yosemite Val
lev. celebrated his ninetieth birthday this week.
A book on the Indians OF the Yosemite, which
ne has written was published on his birthday.
II gives many interesting facts about the his
tory of the Yosemite Indians their Legends and
customs. Clark the discoverer Of the
MariposaL Grove OF big trees. and he has done
more than any other man to preserve the nat
ural beauties OF the Yosemite.
Professor Seuhenrauch and p. H Dorsett.
representing the United States Department OF
Agriculture, have selected a site for expert
mental plant garden Chico, Butte County.
The purchase price was $1,000 and IL VIII cost
$1,000 to prepare the ground and furnish irri-
cation facilities. Chico is noted for its fruit.
John Bidwell chose IL in the early days as
the richest part Of Sacramento Valley. His
Rancho Chico stili boasts Of cherry tress that
viii bear. though planted before California was
admitted TO the untcA