New-York tribune., 1907-07-28
ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE.
The Columbia Went Dozen IN "ths
GruUeyard of Ships"
tBy Telegraph 10 The Tribune }

IBy Telegraph 10 The Tr5uue.I
San Francisco. July 2S--The terrible accident On
the MendocinO coast which cost nine'y-three lives
has absorbed public interest here, despite the iT-
portait problems OF municipal government that
being solved The responsibility Tor the collision
OF the steamer Columbia and the lumber laden
steam schooner San Pedro viii probably De deter
mined after a fashion but such inquiries ars
usually unsatisfactory
The main danger In travel this part of
the coast IS tLat the captains Of passenger vesselA
eager to make good time, continue under fulI speed
when the fog is dense that one can sec orlr
q few feet ahead Dense fog settles down on ths
during the greater part OF the year, and thUs
makes navigation fun OF peril Nothing could have
been better than the conduct OF Captain Do-aa
and the OF ;he Columbia during the eleven
minutes that the steamer lived after the collision
The captain. who one OF tha most popular men
In the service went down with his ship, wi-aoUs
making effort 10 save himself The engl1sars
and other whose watch wls below lost tLeir
lives while guarding against an explosion II tas
boilers and trying TO work the pumps 10 keep TIA
vessel ahoat. The deck discipline also
ceIleRt. when six boats and three Efe rats could
be launched In eleven minutes. with the deck 50
heavily listed that it was almost impossible % walk
This part OF the Mendocino coast has been called
the graveyard OF ships. and the Columbia adds era
more the long roll OF vessels that have gous
down n the fog shrouded waters
Several sessions OF the Industrial Peace Congress
has bean thrown vexed problems. The solution
OF which has cost san Francisco SO much ulOnsy>
simon Neyycouo and Harris We!nstocG WeEs
among those who addressed the co1fere2oe.
or all tho speakers former Mayor Pha-a1 s2cks
most directly TO the point He showed the e1o--
nous losses that have resulted from the strike ot
employees cf the streetcars, lRundrtes. telephone
companies and brewertes and then hs dwell the
imposs!bLty OF speedily rebuilding san Francisco
with It's present handicap OF excessive wages II
all trades The cost OF material has been g-satlys
reduced in the last three months but rhsrs IS no
reduction IN tho absurd scale OF wages. which far
exceeds the highest scale in New York Thus,
h~t tr y-a~z gra Nau1
York carpenters s., against $4 -; cement workers
s. against s.. and lathers 81. against 81 II Nsw
When freight rates are added 10 the cost OF ma,
teIlal It will DO that costs fully o-e-Suartes
more 10 build here now than IL does II New York.
which IS recognized as tho highest place n tbs
East Until some fixed and reasonable scale Of
waEes is adopted by the unions tas Tv-tb.-t=ioa
OF San Fratc-sco VIII be badly haI2pereL
Secretary Garfield IS hearing testimony in regard
70 the plan OF bringing water from the Hetch-
IIetcAy Valley in the Sierra Nevadz san Fran
cisco. n Io- James d PheIan then Mayor oc san
Francisco made great efforts to get the
| waters OF ths TuoIumme River Tor The water sue-
ply IoF this city. The plan was 70 -np1~nd no
winter overflow OF Tuoluuns River and the entire
HetCh-Hetchy system In two great reservoirs and
then pipe the water TO san Francisco The project
was killed by Secretary Hitchcock oS the Interior
Department. who suubboruly held tlat tas plan
would reduce the water supDlv OF tns Yoseulits
Valley and thus iujuVe This sreat scenic resort
His decision was tnal and san Francisco was thus
deprived OF water system which would PROBABLY
I
rms scheme has been violently opposed oy t~'
Spring Valley Water Company and the BAY Clt!es
Water Company. Secretary Garfield listened 70
/ arguments ca Wednesday eveniuS from various
interests and decided 10 have all parties submit
briefs. Then be VIII decide whether san Francisco
has right 10 draw a water supply from tAis gov
erumeut reserve III sierra Nevada.
When Secretary Wilson reaches he-e Lr viii bs
appealed 10 10 induce the Department az AErcu.t-
ure 10 rescind the ruling that only per cent o.
sulphur dioNde may be used in bleaching dryins
fruit Experts declare that not less than per
cent OF this sulphur dioNide IS ueedel 20 oeacA
fruit that IT Will be saI1ble II the department.
order is carried rigidy ii VIII great oss
/ 10 the fruit packers of California
one Of the humorous Incidents OF the week has
been the deposition OF Police Justice Frederick
\. Woodwork. OF Pacific Grove. because no
Justified drugsiSts sale OF hard cider In 4 Sslnps
ance town What gives point 10 this incident IS
that he is the grandson of the poet who WF'''
| The old Oaken Bucket"
The Union Pacific Railroad Company has se-
duired control Of the traction lines - Fresno oE
merry held by II. r. Huntington The railway
has ntteen miles OF comp!ettd track ana Il ma, na,
franchises of great value especially for an e1ectIl'
road in the Yosemite Valley
The work for restraining the Colorado River and
protecting the Imperial Valley Is finally hnisAee
and report has been made by General Manaser
Cory To the California Development Company. Ire @
Southern Pacific company has spent Sl.S''VD Sl.Ur w.
this work. which could only have been asCou .-..,
plShed 10y large company with ample reS'I'O
| In money, men and equipment
The fire at Victoria Tuesday. which caused
/ loss OF Sl5o,GtO dangerously near sweepias
away the business part Of the city, only the Ial4
/ ing OF the wind preventing disaster similar u
| the san Francisco hre.
| British Columbia is becoming restive under ths
/ influx of Japanese and Indian coolies. The 4ao'4
men OF Vancouver are planning a demonStrauOH
against the Japanese who are coming by every
! ship In large numbers
A CURIOUS EM5RocATION.
Rattlesnake oil is preserved and prepared very
| carefully for use as a liniment in some parts u
! the world rheumatism and sore joints are tl'
ailments in which II Is chiefly employed ThS
fat is taken from the dead reptile and laid upon
! a cloth I'm the hot SUM- from which the hltefeu
| oil drips into jar From fear that the rept'o
| may be bitten itself the clear oil is tested oy
| dropping n portion of ii into milk. II tt nOats
In L. rae.or.lad ffacIed lL