New-York tribune., 1905-04-16
ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
San Francisco Board of Health
attacks Local Wine Merchants.

San Francisco April 14.-Frank Maestrettl.
Commissioner OF Public Works, who was re-
Gently indicted for alleged subOrnatiOn OF per-
jury I'm connection with ballot box stufing. is
making technical fight to escape being brought
into court His attorneys trying to show
that the grand Jury which indicted Maestretti
was prsjudIced, and that his indictment was
the result OF a conspiracy 10 deprive him OF
public office. These lawyers made efforts TO
extort from the secretary OF the grand jury the
names OF other witnesses than those published
who gave testimony against Maestretti. The
purpose OF this was obvious. for with the knowl-
edge OF these witnesses there may be an oppor-
tunity TO induce them TO leave the state The
prosecution is determined to have some unknown
witnesses in reserve in Maestretti Is able
TO spirit away those whose names have been
made public. One OF the witnesses Charles f.
Merrill. was arrested on Wednesday as ne was
on his way 70 leave the State. The inference is
said 20 be strong that Maestretu or MS Iriends
induced Merrill to make this move for without
strong inducements the man would not nave
given up his place streetcar conductor
These tactics are thought TO show that Macs
tretti thinks that his position is dangerous
The Bohemian Club election this week was
lively. as an opposition ticket put in the
field by the Independents. headed by Willard
T. Barton. who elected president. defeat
ing Frederick W Hall DR. K. Wilson Shiels
defeated Dick IotaIing for vice president. Other
of1cers elected were: Secretary, Alfred r. Grim
treasurer william Let's Oliver: directors, Louis
LisSeT, Charles j. Dicki-an H. a MelNih ana
John McNaught.
A dinner in honor Of Charles Warren stOd-
dard. one Of the charter members was given
on Thursday night by the Olympic Club on
Stoddard's return TO make San Francisco his
home Among the guests and speakers was
Henry James. who is now visiting San Francisco
The San Francisco Board Of Health has be-
gun a warfare on California wines and the re-
hat ALL FVin
sold in restaurants and stores here are dosed
with salicylic and benzoic acids aniline dye and
arsenic The chemist gave list OF places deal
ing I'm these doctored wines. and official OF
the board backed by public officers. visited the
stores and restaurants and destroyed the wines
OnlV two stores objected to the condemnation
OF wine The facts are that most OF the vine
wards produce good, wholesome wine. but
humber OF the big winemakers I'm San Fran
cisco take this wine. which they buy OF the pro-
ducer. and adulterate II TO SUIT tnelF customers
adulteration is not so general as Is charged
The memorial museum at Golden Gate Park
received last week a fossil tooth and the thigh
bone OF mammoth. both OF which were found
in gold bearing gravel Of mining shaft at
Hunker Creek in the KlOndke. The bones were
dug up eighty feet below the surface.
The season of Conrled's Metropolitan Grand
Opera Company ended this week. and it proved
the greatest success of any opera season ever
held in San Francisco For twelve performances
and one concert the total receipts have been
Sl2OOOO Many experts fancied ConFled made
great mistake in arranging for two nights and
one matinee OF ''Parsifal,'' yet the second per-
fornance scored record house OF $4,000. and
al the third performance on Thursday after
noon Sl5G0O was taken in. every seat and
every chair in every box sold. The houses
NTH two exceptions. have been crowded and
enthusiasm has been great. Charles w. StrIne
declared after the Wednesday matinee that San
Francisco was the greatest opera city I'm the
country for its population.
From Seattle and Tacoma have come recently
several stories OF the large yield OF gold in the
Tanana district OF Alaska for this season.
private letters from trustworthy California
,,,iners 4ust received show that the recent large
@onsignment OF gold dust from Fairbanks was
scf1lailv gathered from all parts OF the Yukon
Valley ID was dispatched from Fairbanks with
,Ioryine accounts OF the richness OF Tanana VAL
,, Cor the sole purpose OF attracting prOspectOrs
-s,iel, money The real facts said TO be that
not one IN a hundred has struck pay dirt in
Ton0na Most OF those who have sunk shafts
e,r0,,gl frozen soil from SO to 100 feet deep 20
rsecb bedrock have found 'ss5thing and have
bsen compelled 10 abandon their leases All
supplies are costly. and the opening OF the
YUKON win an exodus Of al least 1000 disaP-
pointed miners