davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
THE SMART SET

the afternoon of Friday, January q,
when bridge will be the order of the
day at her home in Washington street.
Another date for bridge has been re-
served by Mrs. LeYensaler's mother,
Mrs. Ella Judson, who will entertain
half a hundred guests at cards the
afternoon of Thursday, January IL, at
the same hospitable home in Washing
ton street.
Mrs. George Hill Stoddard has sent
out cards for tea to be given Sat-
urday, January Is. at her home in jack
son street. The hours are from until
6 o'clock and almost 100 guests will
enjoy the hospitality of the young
hostess on this occasion.
Mrs. Jack Wilson will entertain at
one of the informal teas of the near
future and has hidden so or more
friends for the afternoon of Wednes-
day, January IL, at her home in Pa
cific avenue. The occasion is to be
thoroughly informal. A musical pro-
gram will occupy the earlier hours of
the afternoon.
Miss Jennie Blair entertained at an
informal luncheon yesterday at the St.
Francis with half a dozen guests in
the group who enjoyed the hour. 9th
cIS WHO entertained dl Lie
same time and place were Mr.. and
Mrs. Henry t. Scott and Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph d. Grant.
Miss Lurline Matson, who will be
introduced at tea to be given later
In the month by her mother, Mrs. Will
liam Matson, has been the incentive
for several preliminary entertainments,
as they might be termed, since her
return from abroad. She was the COM
plimented guest at an informal tea
given yesterday by Miss Amalia Simp-
son. The hostess was assisted in re-
ceiving the friends of the debutante
by Miss Lillian Van Worst, Miss Flor
ence Cluff and Miss. Meta Mcmahon.
Mrs. Gerald Halsey and her daugi1-
ter, Miss Mildred Halsey, who were
here for several weeks preceding
Christmas, but went to their home in
Redwood City for the holidays, have
returned to town and will remain for
an indefinite visit as the guest of Mrs.
Halsey's son, Gerald Halsey.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Miller Graham
of Santa Barbara are enjoying a. visit
in this city. During their stay in town
they will be at the Palace. They have
been entertained by their friends since
their arrival at several informal re-
NSPNiOhS ny way Ol SiCCtiH5.
The friends of Miss Elsie Consmiller
are regretting that the attractive east
ern girl went away before the season
that opened with renewed energy in
the year just begun. The several in
formal entertainments that were on
the tapis for the visitor had to be
abandoned on account of her departure
for her home in New York. Miss Cons
miller enjoyed her stay here, however,
and has promised to come again as the
guest OF her relatives, Mrs. Harry Hol-
brook and Mrs. Alexander Hamilton.
with whom she passed the early win
ter.
Mr.. and Mrs. Laboyteaux have been
enjoying delightful weekend visit at
Del Monte, where they passed the holi-
days. They will return later in the
week to their home in PACIFIC ayenEe,
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
Came to Scoff,
Remained to Pray

Then came into power one Waiter
Vaughan Stafford. The pensioners,
drones and pirates chuckled. Shipping
men who imagined from what they had
seen in other lands that a big seaport
ought to have a few shipping facilities
groaned. The man to whose hands had
been intrusted the management of the
water front was not only a machine
politician and former employe of
the Southern Pacific. but a former rail-
road conductor and one of the leaders
in the army of organized labor.
Accuse Stafford of being a reformer
and he will laugh at you and quote
from history facts to prove the re-
former a fellow as foolish as the lady
in Punch's cartoon who tried to sweep
back the rising tide. Press the subject
to personal issue and he will admit
having signed Heney's petition.
During the two years he has been
in charge of the water front he has
furnished on an average a surprise a
day, and among those shocked. Jared.
pleased, paralyzed and otherwise af-
fected by his unexpeetedness have been
politicians The drones and pirates
nave Deen SHOCheu cllACI OI tie pay
roll or into the ranks of the workers,
the businessmen into the knowledge
that their money is no good along the
water front as a medium Of exchange
for special privileges and the politi
clans into the belief that Stafford is
not such "heluvag goodfellow" as they
thought and the water front anything
but health resort.
He began by keeping office hours
such as no self-respecting politician
should tolerate. Eight o'clock a. M
saw and still sees him at work and if
you drop around about p. m. you
will find him reluctantly rising from
his desk, which is covered with be-
figured papers on which he has been
trying to- solve the problem of build
ing a 100000 wharf with $4,000,
which is not yet available.
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

meaning OF ''he is walking on his uppers 20
What is the origin Of the phrase?
1t is an Americanisrn that means that
an individual Is run down in luck or
business, and has its origin in the fact
that when the soles of footwear have
been worn out nothing but the uppers
remain and that is all the Individual
has 70 walk in. The expression was
originally in" not "on," his uppers.
sAvoY--P. H., City. What is the pronun.
citation OF Ssvoyg
The American pronunciation is
Savoy; the French pronunciation, Sa-
vote (Sa-vwa).
KoLB AND DILL-sub.. Berkeley. Are the
names Of the comedians, Kolb and DiTl real
or only stage names:
Real.
DANCE FUNcTIoN-A s., City. which is
the more expensive dance function in San Fran
Mrs. Alexander.
The Greenway.
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
The Game of
Springing Surprises

Five days a week. from s to ), for
the last-tw years. he has been plug
ging away at the game of springing
surprises. In the summer he spends
the weekend at his ranch in Santa
Cruz county. In the winter. by way OF
relaxation, he spends Saturday after
noon at his desk. 4 well known politf-
clan said few days ago.
THAT used to be a good easy job,
but stafford has put it on the bum"
Here are some of the discomforts
Stafford has introduced into life on the
harbor commission payroll:
He placed the belt railroad in charge
of a practical railroadman. gave him
the right TO hire and fire and made
him responsible for results
The belt railroad. two years ago a
ramshackle, go as you please dis
ganization that was operated at a loss,
is now in first class condition as re-
CARDS efficiency and equipment. it's
field of operations has been increased
so per cent and it yields a handsome
revenue to the state.
He fired the man who didn't keen
the ferry depot clean and put in a
superintendent who hates dirt and
stays awake nights devising schemes
for getting rid OF it.
Raphael Weill says that the ferry
depot is now the cleanest public build
ing in the world.
Stafford spent a lot of money re-
arranging the interior of the depot and
then. having made it easier for them
to do business and more profitable. he
rearranged the rents of the tenants so
that the increased revenue will have
paid for the improvements by the time
his term of office expires.
He had all the property under the
boards jurisdiction valued by real es-
tate experts and then boosted up the
rents so that everybody now pays pro-
portionately the same and the state
is insured revenue from its property
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

campaign, but not for the state, unless
the success or defeat of a political
party could be construed to carry with
it the salvation of the commonwealth
The fact that the harbor was prae-
tically ready for business when Cap
tain PortoIa stumbled across it made 1t
possible for this sort of thing 10 go on
for years. Politicians assumed credit
for the work Of the Creator and pointed
with pride to the beautiful harbOr by
way of reply to those who criticised
Up to two years ago the sum total OF
work of a permanent nature accom-
plished by all the boards that have
constituted the harbor commission
since its creation was represented in
the ferry depot, which was well built
but poorly arranged. inadequately
lighted and maintained as far as clean
illness was concerned on the lick and a
promise plan.
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
A Missionary
in Australia

This job finished. he came 10 san
Francisco and fiipped coin to decide
whether he would travel east or west.
East won and it took him five years TO
make the trip. Most Of that time he
spent in Australia and New Zealand.
where he taught the Antipodean rail-
roadmen the superiority OF damn
over ''bli'me''
He first used this and other strons
words when the engineer of the train
on which he was conductor explained
some fresh bloodstains that Stafford
discovered on the engine by saying
that he had only killed an old man
Stafford apolOgized later when il was
explained TO him that "oid man. was
vernacular for a kangaroo
Stafford landed here % years ago
and again succumbed to the siren SOM
of the railroad whistle. He raiIroaded
for 20 years. for Is years OF which he
was actively interested in labor organ
ization work He was for many years
chairman in the west for the order Of
railroad conductors.
Governor Gage appointed him on the
board Of managers of the Napa asylum.
from which he resigned to accent from
Governor Pardee the post of labor com.
missioner, which he resigned when
Governor Gillett made him president
of the board OF harbor commissioners
Although his energy is being devoted
to giving San Francisco the shippine,
facilities that should have been hers
20 years ago. his heart is among the
berry patches. orchard and flower beds
Of his Santa Cruz ranch. to which he
has been intending to retire for the
last 10 years.
But the governors won't let him. so
he has transferred his hobbies to his
son and for two years more at anv
rate will keep office hours in the ferry
depot
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

THE week has begun in social
way with all the ardor character
istic of a new season, and as the
DAYS will be few before Lent appears 10
change the pleasant program the dates
intervening have been crowded with at
tractive events. There will be two
weddings moreover this week, and one
of them, that takes place this aIteI
noon. will be for the family connec-
tions alone, but none the less interest
ing, as the contracting parties are MISS
Eleanor Gushing and James Jehk
Rafael. and none but the relatives Oh
the couple has been hidden on account
of the recent death of the brides latn-
er, Sidney B. Cushing.
The second wedding of the week VIII
be that of Miss Caroline Seeley ano
Norman Livermore, which Will take
place tomorrow in Galveston at the
| home of the bride Mr.. and Mrs. Ho-
ratio p. Livermore left few days ago
from this city with Miss Elizabeth
| Livermore to attend the wedding. An
other guest departing for the same
/ event was Miss Gertrude Ballard, VINO
is to be one of the bridal party.
Mrs. Eleanor Martin, who has dis
pensed hospitality in an informal way
almost every day during the holiday
season. was hostess yesterday at late
| Christmas party, given for her nttie
granddaughter, Mary and Eleanor Mar
tin, the children of Mr.. and Mrs. wal
ter Martin. There were several other
| little guests who enjoyed the affair.
There was a large tree and presents
for every one, thatwere distributed aft
er luncheon Among those present
were Edith and Josephine Grant the
daughters of Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph D.
Grant: Emma Flood, the daughter OF
Mr.. and Mrs. James Flood, and the two
little sons of the Robert Haynes. the
Young son of Mr.. and Mrs, j. Athrean
Folger, and the two children of the
Horace Pillsbury family.
Mrs. John Baker Jr. will entertain al
an informal bridge party to be given
Saturday, January 15, at the Fairmont
AS bridge is to be revived. this month
with enthusiasm several bther host
esses have sent out cards for the
popular diversion that will occupy many
afternoons before the first day of Lent
changes the social order of events.
Miss Janet Coleman will entertain
at an informal tea to be given
wednesday afternoon at her home in
California street. Twenty or more of
the younger girls will enjoy the pleas
ant affair, while another event of the
same day will be the luncheon that Mrs.
Pierre Olney and her debutante daugh-
ter. Miss Anna Olney, will give at the
st. Francis for "a friends.
Mrs. E. II. Kittredge will entertain at
one of the luncheons of the week that
will be given Friday at the Palace,
when the complimented guest of the
IL |. HI~c TlnI Of IJr>s1
| lulu, who is visiting here for the early
days of the new year and is the re-
cipient of many pleasant attentions
socially.
| Mrs. James Levensaler will be host
ess at one OF the bridge parties of the
month that will be of particular inter
est to the coterie devoted to card play
! ing. She has sent out invitations for
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
The Commissioners
Motto


Stafford's motto is: "Permanenr-con-
struction-" Seawan construction in the
past was merely a matter OF dumping
loose rocks along the bu1khead line.
The seawan now being built has re-
inforeed concrete face and cap Of
the same material and is built 10 serve
the demands of so years hence as wel
as the needs of today. with nothing for
maintenance and repairs in the mean
time. The new wharves are all steel
and concrete. They cost more than the
old wooden affairs but they viii last
longer, will cost little TO maintain and
are fireproOf
East street. once the most sloVenly
highway on the Pacific coast. is now
the cIeanest street in the city. The
harbOr commission has the same juris-
diction over East street that it exer-
cises over the other state property on
the water front Among those who had
reason to rejoice at the appointment OF
a railroad politician to the head of the
harbOr commission was Patrick CAL
houn, whose loop occupies quite patch
of East street.
Stafford hrst of all allowed Calhoun
to enlarge his loop. This was neces-
sary to the proper handling of the in
ereasing traffic. Next he made the rail-
road company put the roadway that it's
cars used in first class condition and
then imposed charge Of $500 a month
for the privilege OF looping the loop.
Stafford was born in England less
than 100 years ago Finding the little
island, too crowded he came to the
United States, where. in Minnesota, he
found room TO move about without
knocking down any keep of the grass
signs. The whistle. which is still sup
posed to be his bugle call. fell on his
ears with the lure OF an Orphean lyre
and he took up railrOading. He worked
as a telegraph operator and a freight
clerk and helped in the construction OF
what is now Jim Hills road He worked
for time in the distributing DEPART
ment of a wholesale house in ,0IInneapO-
lis He helped string the first teIe-
graph line across Minnesota
As an employe OF the quartermaster's
department of the United States army
he worked on the construction of Fort
Assiniboia in Montana. the last fort
ress built by this government as a pro-
lection against hostile Indians
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
Mott
lnsulted the
Climate

nadino viii brook any sighting insulting remarks about
its only asset, and replies:
This from Of delicious From
where "mis between
times day December and March
wihou inhabitants
become amphbou about 6 minutes
of the long spell
about think their boased climate
he saw have been much like home
Mott RISE conrved escape time with his lite
The Implications from his remarks various chiefly be
Oakland candidate for governor
made the which expected iron
all visitors to Southern California He nsulted the climate
mayor right Oakland has the most perfect climate
on the round globe.
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
Mr.. t aft 5
Railroad
Program

concerned pressing his program OF legislation designed
regulation OF railroads. and inspired by the fact present laws
nave proved wholly inadequate for this purpose Indeed
Hepburn law construed by the rather for the
restraint OF the shipper than OF the railroads unexpectedly
enough has proved enormously profitable for the transportation
by stopping rebates and closely limiting
tree 1t phase OF politics that the
ier fought the OF the Hepburn although opera
ton has proved their best friend It quite probable
alarm real manufactured pending legislation is equally
unfoundd An outline OF the legislation recommended by
the president IS given follows:
The
al investigation
The president special given
telephone
carried 0 designated on
The president viii the
shall
which their
be
Authority viii be
The president viii limiting of
railroads so that competition may be promoted
his quite extensive and appears
Of the ground including do the power commits
suspend pending inquiry before they go
Without this the legislation would give shippers
than the right engage tedious lawsuit during whose
pendency the obnoxious would be
The Philadelphia Ledger authority for strange story
the OF political pitch and that congress proposes play
with Mr. Tat program The pan described that lower
house under the leadership OF Joe Cannon shall engage
upoaous comedy of railroad batting for exhibition purposes and
for summers congressional campaign Then the
take the play and quietly put the sleep
mtee while the representatives the house go their
trust ridden senate which baked their patriotic efforts
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
Platinum

Platinum. used extensively in elec-
tricai work. is only mined in califor-
MIA and Oregon in this country ~.
former supplying IS per cent Of ~.
American product 'A0
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

" a 5 q D y u, l II 2
hours were short
and perquisites
pI e tiful. The
force was made
up of pensioners,
pirates and drones
with a thin scat
tering of workers
The activity of
the average COM
missioner W a S
limited TO a pleas
ant hour or so on
one sunny after
noon of each week
when the board
met to award con-
tracts a n d ? S G {
its triplicate o. X.
on the bills that
h a d accumulated
against the state
S in c e t h e pre-
vious m e e t j n g.
The time of the
president of the
b o ard was de-
voted largely to
weighing the po-
litical claims of
candidates for
places on the pay
roll and to devils
ing means to pry
loose those whose
influence" W a S
on the Wane. Ev-
erybody worked
during a political
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
RockefelIer's Private Road

On the $4,000 acres (three whole
townsIrips) that William Rockefeller
owns in the Adirondacks he has a pri-
vate railroad and private railroad
station.
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

the system when
compelled Z h 2
board to depend
for results upon
e m ploye e 5 fed
into the payroll
from the so called
oIitic al ma
chine.
Stafford over
came the Difficult
" in his own
wa y. IncOmpe-
tents whose polit-
ical backing was
irresistible - the
millennium n a 5
not yet dawned on
the water front
were placed where
they could do least
harm or given 50
much rope that
they hanged them
selves. A system
of reports was in
augurated which
insured every man
either doing his
work or speedily
furnishing a good
excuse for his dis
missaL
You can't fire
me" said a worth
less employe early
IN StanOrd's reign.
Il was put here
by So and so.
naming an infiu-
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
lErratic Rivers
I0f Southern
California

silt may quite
fact likely channel through highly
improved property than stick the path assigned the
This the Gabriel has done in the Los Nieto valley,
fertile plain studded with valuable orchards
of this has changed than
settlement, the old river and "new
serve to indicate.
Something Of the same happening the upper reaches
the Riverside and the lower
Orange county bad washous reported 1t is history that
rainfall in the early sixties the whole valley between
Anaheim and the present site OF Santa Ana flooded
unlike those of other regions because of
uncertain People tell advance when the
will make short through their They might
dredge the accumulated sand from existing
infalible direct
bearing volume of scken
material.
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

ential politician.
STAFFORD sent for the influential politi-
clan and said;
your appointee has thrown you
down. He's no good TO US and I'm
going TO fire him. Get me a good man
and I'll give him the place.
The influential politician welcomes
the opportunity to prove TO his con-
stituents that he still has influence
He picks out a good man and when
the one that didn't make good arrives
with his tale of woe it falls on deaf
ears or merely arOuses the L. P. to
virtuous indignation at the conduct Of
the complainant Meanwhile stafford
has good man in place OF an obstacle.
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

unusual rainfall. The beds OF these rivers are
as dry as a bone during the greater part of
the year, the water being diverted for pur-
poses OF irrigation, but in time of food they
often become raging torrents. AS the river
beds have mostly been choked with deposited
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

them That ne did not tTlnK much OF tI1tIr
climate" as it was cold and rainy while he was
there He added insult to injury by telling
them that if they wanted really good eli
mate they ought to come to Oakland
Right you are, mayor, but the San Ber-
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

nee upon a time. and not very
1 Hong ago, job under the state
~ board of harbor commissioners
meant everything but work The pay
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

TIE or restrictive they VIII proceed with the
work temporarily delayed.
This is the customary campaign material,
produced with the expectation OF influencing
the course OF politics and legislation On the
other hand. Mr. TAFT is said to be deenlv
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

appears Mayor of Oakland given deep Of
tense by humorous remarks which he made
visit the region south of the Tehacapi pass Mr. Mott told
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04
e. A Man Who

Equivalent to the Income demanded Dy
private owners
EarIv in the stafford regime Com
n,issioner 4Dennison protested against
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

He unfortunate situation of valleys the San
Gabriel and Santa Ana southern California atten-
the danger threatening that region
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

ASTERN railroads that for the present they will
hold and betterments pending action
- congress with intimaon that if this action hos
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

Mr.. and Mrs. Laboyteaux have been
ENJOYING delightful weekend visit at
Del Monte, where they passed the holi-
days. They will return later in the
week to their home in Pacific avenue,
The San Francisco call., 1910-01-04

promise plan.
Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-29
Detective TameS
"Locoed Taxi"
Sleuth Swings Aboard Speeding Mo
tor Cab in Mad Race Down
Capitol Avenue.

A derelct taxicab, full power ahead and
running down Capitol avenue at speed
which made 1t look like a comets tail
twisted in a Kansas cyclone, was captured
by Detective Van Deusen Saturday morn
ing in a flying leap in which he rlsked his
life.
The taxi had broken loose from its moor
ings at Twentieth street and Capitol ave-
nue. and started down grade. A jar bumped
the throttle open and the engine started.
The machine was gathering speed at an
enormous rate, skimming by the cross
streets like a flash, endangering the lives
of pedestrians and drivers.
Detectives Maloney and Van Deusen
sighted the runaway block away.
Van Deusen got down on the mark and
started when the machine was within fifty
feet AS 1t came along side he rose in the
air with leap that doubled his six feet
six of stature ana settled in the seat lik,
trained aviator.
A block farther on he had the machine
under control. and wheeling 1t about
brought it to a stop in front of his work
| ing partner, Maloney.
| The taxi belongs to the Hauser Autt
service of the Rome hotel. The machin,
had been left standing at the top Of tn,
hill by a driver answering a call at
nearby house