davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
ACH's WANDER|NGs
MAY BE CHECKED
Prosecutors Will Endeavor
to Have Limit Placed
on Abe Ruef's Attorney
BUSY SESSION TODAY

The graft investigation is to be
pressed with unusual energy today. AT
o'clock in the morning the Grand
Jury will hold a brief session and at
10 o'clock will appear in Judge Dunne's
court for further examination at the
hands of Henry Ach of counsel Tor
Abe Ruef- The court session promises
to be one of the stormiest of the legal
tempest which has ragged from the be-
ginning of the graft hearing. District
Attorney Langdon and his assistants,
Francis j. Heney and Hiram Johnson
will endeavor to have the interroga-
tion Of the members Of the Grand Jury
restricted to reasonable limits, that 1t
may not continue for an indefinite
period. At the rate Henry Ach is pro-
ceeding with the examination 1t will
be necessary to provide the jurymen
with magic elixir to enable them to
survive the proceedings.
When Judge Dunno calls the court to
order this morning the battle will be-
gin. 1t Is contended that few pertinent
questions are sufficient to determine
whether bias existed in the minds OF
the jurymen. Ach will reassert his
claim to the right to question the
jurors as he desires, thus hoping to
renew his wanderings into paths en-
tirely foreign to the matter in hand.
The sole advantage of this to the de-
Tense is that 1t wastes time. 1t is be-
lieved that Judge Dunno will do all
that he can to expedite the hearing.
Should the prosecution carry it's
point. the Interrogation of the grand
jurors can be completed in one day.
The inquisitorial body would thus be
enabled to resume it's sessions and
complete the entire investigation in a
few weeks.
The Grand Jury at this session today
will hear further testimony on mat
ters which 1t has already had under
consideration. The French restaurant
cases have been concluded, but the
Belvedere and liquor issues are still
pending.
A field heretofore neglected by grand
juries, but which will engage the at
tention of the present body. is that of
the water front. Grand Juror Reding-
ton has been placed in charge of this
part of the investigation and 1t is the
intention to study the problems raised
by the inadequate facilities for ship
ping, to fix the blame and to suggest a
remedy. The water front is under
State Jurisdiction, but the Grand Jury
being an adjunct of the State courts,
it is contended, has the right to in
vestigate.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
PANIC IS CAUSED
BY EXPLOSION
Passengers on Streetcar
Fight to Escape Sparks
From a Sputtering Box.
WINDOWS SHATTERED

with a flash and roar that created
g panic on q passing streetcar and
sent pedestrians skurrying for safety,
q large transformer box on 8 tall pole
near 52s McAllister street blew out
last night. and the showers OF descend
ing sparks set fire to the roofs OF j.
T. Bowers & Sons piano store and
saloon at 523 McAllister street. Bat
TALON Chief Maxwell and Chemical En-
gine No. 4 from McAllister street, near
Polk were attracted by the report and
prevented the flames from spreading.
Car 1923 Of the McAllister street line.
filled TO the guards with passengers
overdue from the ferry, neared Van
Ness avenue at $50 o'clock last night
when the explosion occurred The
binding flashes. the loud report and
the sputtering sheet OF sparks in which
the car and the surrounding houses
were bathed, threw the passengers into
panic The motorman brought the car
10 a sudden stop. throwing those who
We're hanging on into the street and
ailing UP the passengers inside and on
he platforms into tneiscriminate
usasses.
Women. screamed and men cursed
III fright as they gained their feet
and made a rush for the exits The
fghting mass became JamEed in the
GdirVvavs and many broke windows in
tncir efforts to leave the car. In the
reight OF the stampede the motorman
arew on a full current and the car
bounded ahead to escape the shower
O. sparks that threatened to set it
sEra. flashing under splpttering wires
III car. with its struggling freight
passed the Danger zone IN safety and
hySterical women were helped out of it.
Tho tumult and the explosion were
heard two blocks away at the quar-
tcrs OF Chief Maxwell and Chemical
No. and the engine rushed TO the
scene. Pedestrians who ran for shell
ter came back at the risk OF their
lives to gaze at the lightning like
flames that flashed overhead and were
driven to safety by Policeman c. A.
Gsllivan- showers of sparks fell on
nearby roofs and smoke began to curl
upward The firemen, swinging in the
air from extension ladders, directed
the chemical stream at the blazing
box. IT was soon eXtsnguished and
after several minutes fight the in
cpent fires on the roofs were put out.
The .McAllister street cars were block
ed IN both directions
The cause Of the explosion was a
short circuit of ground and overhead
cad wires A similar fire a short time
ago destroyed a pole on which the box
stood and sent the deadly primary"
wires 10 the ground IN all directions.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
DARING FEAT Of
STEEPLE JACK

Among unpleasant places to spend
New Years morning it might be ad-
mitted that the gilded ball which sur
mounts the fiagstaff on the Claus
Spreckels building would be considered
one of the most unapproachable. even
by the enthusiasts in the line OF high
balls. 1t has, in fact, been one of the
least frequented spots in town The
air is good, and there is plenty of it,
but the seating capacity is limited and
people with weak heads have avoided
the locality as rule.
''Steeple jack Rainey. however, de-
cided yesterday morning that he
wanted to find quiet place to smoke
a cigar. He grew weary of answering &
the conventional New Years salutation.
and looking around for a spot where
he could sit down alone his eye
chanced to light on the Spreckels
building Flagstaff. Being direct de-
scendant of Little Hal, the one who on
the main truck stood, the idea didn t
seem strange TO him. Passers-by on
Market street took a different view of
the affair-one that had a tendency TO
give them stiff necks for the rest of
the morning. Some said it was Mar
conf wireless message which had been
intercepted. Others thought 1t was the
messenger from Mars, but "Steeple
jack continued to blow smoke rings
nor nor east and otherwise as his spirit
prompted him, and quite monopolized
the scenery between the clock on the
ferry tower and Twin Peaks.
Before he came down Rainey kindly
passed the flag rope through the pulley
at the top of the staff He said he
overlooked everything else for the mo-
ment
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
BAT TIE LIKELY IN
UNION LEAGUE
Opposition Ticket VIII Be
Put in Field by Insur-
gents of Organization
SECRETARY CONTEST

The annual election of officers of the
Union League will take place
next Tuesday and the present signs in
dicate one of the liveliest battles ever
fought in the organization 1t is ad-
mitted on all sides that an opposition
ticket will be put in the field before
next Saturday. Club gossip is to the
effect that the nominating committee
will meet today and place the name of
M. H. de Young at the head of the
regular ticket to fill the vacancy caused
by the declination of Charles W. Slack.
Furthermore. 1t Is rumored that De
Young's name will be placed at the
head of the opposition ticket He is
for first vice president and his ad-
vancement to the leading place will
leave vacancy to be filed.
In the opposition camp there is talk
Of John p Fraser for first vice presi-
dent, W. ]. Martin for second vice
president, Frank w. Marston for Sec
retary against A. c. Schlessinger, the
nominee on the regular ticket Mention
is made of w. F. Cordes, DR.. Hartland
Law. u. S. Webb, William Crocker and
P. F. Ferguson for directors.
Colonel George H. Pippy. whose fifth
consecutive term as president is draw
ing to a close, is not taking sides in
the controversy which Is enlisting so
much attention in the club. When the
time comes for review of his admins
tration, he may express his opinions
freely as to what should constitute the
future policy of the league. Many of
the foremost men in the club feel that
the institution should take an active
part in civic affairs and lend its open
influence and support to the cause OF
common honesty in local politics. Here
tofore the club has kept out of local
contentious
Frank w. Marston's candidacy for
secretary on the opposition ticket is
being vigorously conducted. Assertion
Is made in the league that the regular
nominee for secretary, A G. Schlessing-
er, openly announced his intention to
vote for Theodore A. Bell, the Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor. in pref
erence to James N. Gillett. the Repub-
lican nominee. This is said to be a
grave offense in a club which was
founded to sustain the principles of the
Republican party.
A reception in honor of the ladies
was given by the league yesterday aft
ernoon. Refreshments were served and
an orchestra under the direction Of
Henry Heyman discoursed music.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
KEEP OPEN HOUSE
At PRESIDE

New Years day. was celebrated in
royal fashion at the Preside yester-
day. Colonel John A. Lundeen. the
new commandant at the post, set the
pace. At his quarters. formerly oc-
cupied by Colonel Charles Morris, Colo
mel Lundeen held formal reception
at IL a. m It was attended by every
officer in the garrison.
During the reception the band of the
Third Artillery Corps played the ma
tional anthems on the parade ground,
standing. beneath the starry flag that
fioated from the main staff at the post
Just as the clock struck noon the
band played the Star Spangled Ban
ner." Every officer doffed his cap and
joined in singing the national song.
Following this was great cheering, and
then the officers departed to their re-
spective homes.
As Mrs Lundeen was in Seattle
there were none of the fair sex pres
ent at the reception.
Receptions at the post were quite the
order of the day. and it has been many
years since there has been SO much
festivity there It was like the old
calling" feature that existed in this
city in the years gone by.
Every house in the big post was
open, in the good time custom. The
late key was hung right outside on
the front door-for the army men as
well as civilians.
Among those who particularly OBJ
served the old-time function were Mrs.
G. A. Torney, Mrs. Laurence B. Simonds
and Mrs. Q. P. NJ. Hazard.
Captain Henry II. Rutherford, medi-
cal department, u. S. A., returned yes
terday from Elizabeth, N. j., where he
had gone with twelve insane patients.
He will resume his former duties at
the hospital.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
ESCAPED CARRIER PIGEON
MAKES A NEW RECORD
Flies From Colorado Springs to Boston
In Four Days, Then Visits Cali
fOrufa.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Jan. 1.-Nen.
a carrier pigeon owned by R.. NJ. Webb,
a policeman Of Colorado Springs, has
established a new record It escaped
from its home there and returned TO
the home of it's former owner, Mrs l.
NJ Bolles in Boston. the time being
four days.
Mrs Bolles, however. had recently
moved to Eureka, California. to which
place Neff had accompanied her. on one
occasion After flying about Boston
for two or three days the bird started
for California. The time consumed in
the trip is not recorded. but four days
ago Neff showed up in Eureka, hyin<(
in at Mrs Bolles' kitchen door, a9t
cording to a wire received by her Bos-
ton friends. l.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
CITY POOR ARE FED BY
VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA
Charity Workers Finish Holiday Distri-
button. and Report Much Good Ac-
cOmpIished With Donations


The Volunteers OF America finished
yesterday the work. Of supplying needy
families with holiday cheer contributed
by the generous people OF the city. Five
hundred and fifty families were sup
piled with provision sacks containing
fresh meat, potatoes. dried fruit. vege-
tables. beans, jelly, bread, tea, coffee
and other articles of food. Special at
tention was paid to families where
sickness was reported Homemade DEL
icacies were given in those cases.
Thirteen hundred children were given
presents and trinkets by the charity
workers. Some OF the children were
given an outing in addition to the
gifts.
The work Of the Volunteers OF Amer
lea has been made possible by the
donations Of provisions and money re-
ceived from contributors. II is esti-
mated that at 1east $500 worth Of pro-
visions and 1881 in money were given
has all been expended upon people
recommended by the emergency COM
mittee Of the Relief Corporation.
The churches of this city and Oak
land were the largest donors Of money
and provisions The following churches
and societies contributed 10 the cause:
First and Plymouth Congregational
churches. Calvary and First Presby-
terian churches, First and West Side
Christian churches. First and Second
Unitarian churches, Trinity Episcopal
Church, Miss Vests School, Trinity
Chapter Daughters Of the King, First
congregational and First Presbyterian
churches of Alameda and Plymouth
Congregational Church of Oakland.
The Volunteers of America have
headquarters at s12 ShotweIl street.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
STURDY OLD WALLS cRUMBLE

Another portion of the remains of
the old Palace Hotel was razed yester-
day afternoon. A section Of the Mar
ket-street wall fifty feet front fell
about o'clock with a laundering
crash after the workmen had been at
work loosening the foundation by
means of cables. The debris all fell
within the Enclosure with the excep-
tion of few bricks. Traffic was in
no way impeded by the falling wall.
Cables were attached to the wall at
the top of the first story and pressure
brought to bear. The old building
stood the strain for about thirty min
utes, but finally crumbled and came
down.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
rHIsrLEs FAIL TO APPEAR

OAKLAND, Jan. 1.-The Thistles
again demonstrated themselves a myth
by failing to show at Freeman's Park
this afternoon to meet the Albion Row
ers in friendly game, and in order to
give the spectators something for
their trouble the Rovers second team
was brought out and little warming
up was indulged in for the rest Of the
afternoon.
Every one was saving himself for
the big game Sunday with the Inde-
pendents, consequently the contest was
slow and featureless. The Rovers
finally won out; score to g.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
rIcKrocKErs STEAL WATCH

George Dickson, vino lives at s26
Haight street, reported TO the police
yesterday that he had been robbed of
watch on New Years eve. He does
not remember how or when the rob-
berry was committed, but cut chain
revealed the method whereby the
watch was taken.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02

Edward L. Mulhern was arrested
early yesterday morning at Watson's
Hall in Golden Gate avenue on a charge
of picking the rockets of Edward Lind
holm CT 2205 Fillmore street.
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02

Selling agents for Congress playing
cards, over 25 different artistic backs
score cards for 500, whist, duplicate
whist and bridge whist lie Count,
Clark e. Ormond, 220 Market st. and
3 California st
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02

OF all the names given to male dogs
in New York city Teddy" now leads
the list in point Of numbers
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02

You can have good coffee and tea
wherever are flre and water and pot
Echillings Best
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
A vIoLoNoELLo RECITAL

Anton Hekking. violoncellist. who
will give recital this evening at Lyric
Hall, appeared here about fifteen years
ago as a 'soloist with the Mendelssohn
Quintet Of Boston, and since then has
won international fame as a master of
his instrument His programme for
this evening includes Variations Sym
The San Francisco call., 1907-01-02
ARREsT PICKPoCKET SUSPECT

Jade scarfpins. 7sc. Nell O'Neil and
Karl Eber. 1744 Fillmore.
Amador ledger., 1907-07-05
Up-to-date Living.

One of the delegates to the electric
light convention at Washington, who
is builder and owner of the famous
electrical house" at Schenectady, N.
Y, described his wonderful house to
the members. ''To start with, >" he
said, 81 had plans drawn for two
houses, one with and one without
kitchen chimney. The cost of the
chimneyless house was enough less
than the other to pay for the wiring
and equipment, and after couple of
years experience, can say--with my
Wife's authority nothing would
induce US to 90 back to coal and gas.
In the Kitchen there are an electric
oven, griddlecake cooker, meat
broiler, cereal cooker, water heater,
egg boiler, potato steamer, frying
pan, coffee percolator and a stove
for ordinary cooking utensils. The
whole outfit can be purchased for
about S55. But this is not the only
way we use electricity. In the din
ing room there is a small electric
table fol- chatting dish and per-
smoking room electric cigar lighters
make matches and unknown quantity
In the sewing room the machine is
run and the fatiron heated by cleo
tricity. In the bathroom an electric
shaving mug furnishes hot water in
less than a minute. An electric radi-
tor takes the chill off the room and
an electric heater warns the water.
l am not sure that | have given you
complete list of ali our devices.
70 build fire in our house means
simply to turn switch or to turn a
plug. and the required degree of heat,
mild or extreme, Is there in a few
seconds. The possibility of regulat-
ing the degree of heat exactly as
wanted results in considerable econ
omy of fuel. As to cost, have kept
careful records, and the average
monthly bill for electricity for two
years is 5000 month, or about 10
pei. cent more than we paid for coal
or gas. And there are no ashes to
cart away, 60 fires to build, no dust
nor dirt. The electric kitchen is as
neat, clean and healthy as the sitting
room. There is no doubt that the
electric home will be commonplace
in little while. The immense IN
crease in the sale of all sorts of do
nestle electrical apparatus proves
that.
Amador ledger., 1907-07-05
LANCHA PLANA.

June 26.-Mrs K. Scott of San Jose,
Mrs d. b. Pardoe and two sons.
Reuben and Borden, we're visitors at
the Penn Chemical Works smelter
one evening last week. 1t is con-
sidered very fine sight to view the
smelter and mine by electric light.
Mrs s. Sheridan and son Lloyd, ac-
companied by her sister, Matte Nc
Carly of Stockton, returned home on
Saturday.
Miss Birdie Adams is spending the
week with friends at lone.
W. Z. JamIson of Oak.Park cyclery,
spent Saturday and Sunday visiting
his sister, Mrs 4. A. Baird, of Lancha
PIana.
Master Robert Blair ard sister, Jen
ME, of Lodi, are spending their vaca-
ton with their cousin, Mildred Baird,
of Cotton Spring ranch.
Mr. Bergeret of San Francisco, half
owner of the Poverty Bar winery and
ranch. is spending a week at his
country home.
Amador ledger., 1907-07-05

and the other is used like revolver,
and the air for spraying is supplied
from cylinder Of compressed air or
carbonio acid gas, or in more print
tive way by hand pump. 1t is capa-
BILE of great variety of applications.
The air. brush can be used for ordin-
airy industrial painting by any un-
skilled workman, while an artist of
some ability can paint flowers and
other designs upon enamel, glass,
porcelain, bronze, paper. and even
upon cloth, carpets and other fabrics.
1t has proven specially serviceable in
retouching photographs.
Among the substances for which
sudden demand has sprung up is the
metal cobalt. This has been used
only for such purposes as coioring
glass, enamels and porcelains, and
the annual requirement has been only
about $50 tons. 1t has the same hard
ening effect on steel as nickel, but it
has not been considered for this pur-
pose on account of its cost. New de-
poslts are now being sought as a sup
ply for orage batteries for which it
has proven an important material.
Bananas are now ripened by cleo
trlcity with great precision for any
required date. An air-tight case
fitted with electric lamps contains
the punches, and ripening is fastened
under the combined influence of the
light and heat. The process
varies according to the number OF
lamps turned Oh, experience enabI-
ing the fruiterer to fill his orders at
any specified time.
Amador ledger., 1907-07-05
For Easy Marks.

A man with a mania for answering
advertisements learned that by send.
ing 81 to Yankee he could get cure
for drunkenness. 1t was to ''take the
pledge and keep it. -
He sent 50 cents to find out how to
raise turnips successfully. He found
out-"Just take hold of the tops and
lift
He wished to marry and sent stamps
to Chicago firm for information as
to how to make an impression. The
answer was, ''Sit down on a pan Of
dough- -
He, learned show to double your
money in six MONTHS being advised
to convert his money into bills and
fold them.
He sent for twelve useful house
hold articles and got package Of
needles.
He sent 81 to find out chow to get
rich.' "Work hard and never spend
a cent
His brother wrote to find out how
to write without pen and ink. He
was told to use pencil.
Amador ledger., 1907-07-05
Land and Mineral Decisions.

The right to make additional home
stead entry under Sec. &. Act March
2, 1889, extends to cases where the
original entry was made before, or
after, the passage of said Act, if the
applicant is otherwise within the
terms of said section.
Whatever is recognized as mineral
by the standard authorities, whether
or metallic or other substances, when
found in the public lands, in quaint
ty and quality sufficient to render
the land more valuable on account
thereof than for agricultural purposes,
must be treated as coming within the
purvIew of the mining laws.
Gypsum and limestone held to be
minerals.
Homestead application. executed
before a clerk of court, takes effect
when fled in the local land Office.
Amador ledger., 1907-07-05
Condensed knowledge.

The possibility of one PERSONS
finger tip being identical with that of
another Is one chance in "a, 900, 600, 600.
All the blood of the body passes
through the heart in thirty-two beats.
The Thames freezes over on an aver
age of three times in a century.
The traffic tonnage of the Detroit
river is greater than that at any other
point in the world. All the freight of
the great lakes passes through this
stream. The traffic of the waterways
of this country is about one-half that
of the railroads.
The United States export annually
p, 900, 900 tons of merchandise, valued
approximately at sl,1O0. 900, 600.
1t is estimated that with proper
canal facilities connecting naviagble
inIapd streams this country could
save two-thirds of the money now
spent for transportation.
Haulage by teams over roads costs
% cents per ton per mile; by rail-
road, ITO; by canal, 2 10, and by
lakes less than a mill.
Foreign exports and imports equal
only per cent of the interstate trade
of this country.
Following the course of the Danube
from source to mouth, one would en-
counter no less than hfty-two Ian
guages.
The three turbines of the Lusitania
contain nearly 3,0O00,U0 blades.
These blades are secured to the rotor,
and the power is generated by the
jets of steam striking them.
The dew falling in England in the
course of year is said to be equal to
inches of rain.
Europe has four active volcanoes,
ASIA fifteen, America tifty-six and the
Asiatic islands no fewer than ITO.
The Caspian sea is the largest in
land body of water in the world. 1t
is TAO miles long, and Its area is about
140. 600 square miles, but it is rapidly
diminishing in size.
There are sgt distinct muscles in
the human body, of which eighty
three are in the head and face.
The loftiest waterfall in Europe is
the Arco fall of Monte Rosa, in the
Feminine Alps, where small stream
falls 24OO feet.
SO long ago as 1877 Jonathan Halls
published a pamphlet describing a
method OF propelling vessel by
steam.
The building located at the greatest
height in Europe is the climbers hut
on the Matterhorn, nearly 1880 feet
above the sea.
Trout, salmon, goldfish and pike
are believed never to sleep, but only
to rest periodically.
Ladoga is the largest fresh water
lake in Europe. Its area is 1000
square miles. Seventy rivers run
into the Lake Ladoga.
The logo the instrument by which
the sp1eed of ships is ascertained, was
invented in the sixteenth century.
1t was adopted by English vessels
about 1877.
The average life of mouse is three
years.
The snake-nut tree is a native of
British Guiana. Inc kernel of the
nut bears a marvellous resemblance
to coiled snake.