New-York tribune., 1905-12-24
ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
San Francisco Libraries Combined-
Dissension Among Raisin Grozcers.

DISSehS1On among RdlSln Gr0ICefS.
San Francisco. Dec 22-It has been decided
| to combine the Mercantile and Mechanics II
braries, thus forming one Of the largest and
most valuable collections of books in the West.
The Mechanics Institute Library is rich in tech
nical works in various trades and in reference
books 1t is a practical working library for
mechanics, but is weak in general literature.
| The Mercantile. which was founded in the early
days OF this State by popular subscription is
particularly strong In early Californian Htera-
ture. in poetry, fiction the drama and in French
literature. The combination. which will be
known as the Mechanics Mercantile Library,
will be the largest and best library west Of Chi
cago By the terms of consolidation all men,
bers of the Mercantile will become life members
of the new library. The union was forced upon
the Mercantile Library. as. through poor man
agement its funds were exhausted. The di-
| rector, fifteen years ago. built fine library
building on Van Ness avenue but the part Of
the building set aside for rental remained va
can't and the property had 10 be sold at a great
sacrifice. Since then the library has been in
rented quarters. and it's income has been barely
sufficient TO pay the salaries of officers.
George AIDES THE College Widow has had
the greatest success at the Columbia Theatre
of any play produced here in recent years Its
first night the company played to capacity
houses. Dorothy Tenant. former San Fran
cisco girl, played the leading role.
Luther Fillmore, one of the best known rail-
road men on the Coast. died this week For
twelve years he was manager Of the South
Pacific Coast Railroad from this city TO Santa
Cruz which the late Senator Fair owned He
received his first railroad training on the Syra-
TaIa
wanna and Western railroads. He was rela-
tive of President Milard Fillmore.
Raisin growers OF Fresno. at large meeting
this week. decided to sustain the directors OF
the growers company against the president NJ
Theo. Kearney. The meeting was called W
Kearney for the purpose of deposing Vice-Presl-
dent Tarpey and the directors. but the members
of the company left the disposition of affairs in
+, the hands of the directors. and amended the
constitution that the directors may deposs
Kearney. Kearney wished to have the COM
pany abrogate it's contract with the packers ana
give him authority to market the raisin CROP
but this was refused. Kcarney has nine hum
dred tons of raisns which he refused to de-
liver to the packers although all the other
stockholders have delivered their raisins His
action has called out sharp criticism. and ne
will probably be forced out of the presidency
At Sacramento this week the court decided
that most of the property left by the viii OF
Mrs. Ora Runyon Buckman to Stephen H. Neai
should go to him although he was no relation
In her will she declared that she would have
married Neal had it been possible to do So
Mrs. Buckman came of the we'll known Runyon
family. of Sacramento. but she estrangeG neI
mother and friends by marrying Il saIooh-
keeper.
Angeles Cyifyy Council this week took
the first steps toward holding an internationa
exposition in 1911 TO commemorate the com
pletion OF the Owens River water project. II
has been decided to bring water for househoia
use and irrigation to Los Angeles from owens
River In Inyo County. a distance Of 40 nlss, mics,
The survey line will pass over miles OF ueSe,- S
and Will be tunnelled through forty mountains.
1t will cost $23.O0OO00 and Will be completed III
five years
At the annual meeting of the Salt Lake Kal-
road this week in Los Angeles, Ferdinand a.
Rule resigned as treasurer His successor .
W. H. Leete. formerly paymaster and eash'ei
of the road. The resignation of Rule was
surprise. he has always been prominent ~, ~
the Clark road but IL given out thal h1'
retirement was at his request The dHec
tors and executive committees remain the s@iN'
Matthew Gage OF Riverside. this week hled
suit in Los Angeles against the Riverside TruS'
Company and several individual defendants
charging mismanagement. and asking that :
receiver be appointed for property valued a
more than FIVE millions. consisting of seveH
thousand acres of orange land and many m'le
of irrigating bitches. Gage owned the proPei'''
which adtoins Riverside. and began impIvSs
ments II. but his funds became eNhauSts-s
and he secured English and Irish capital ue7,
estimates that his share in the company -
worth S2.2Jo.0OO. He charges bad falth on ~
part of the defendants.
The Southern Pacific company is rushl.s
work fifty-fve mile detour on the Coiorauy
desert from Mecca to Imperial Junction In'
track will be fifty feet above the present traeN'
which Is threatened by another rise ID 'ns
waters of Salton Sea, This great iuland ~, -,
which now fills the low basin of the CoieFasSs
desert is fed from the waters Cf the Coeieev.,
River, and is over 6n miles long by from !" ~ ~
Is miles wide. Ii occupies the lowest pta' ~, IA
the American Continent the basin beins 9"
feet below sea level