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2 BUTTON SHIES AT GAS SCANDAL Objects to Reference to Boodle and Denies That Company Gave Bribes Lively Tiit Occurs at Meeting of < :... Supervisors Called to Fix Rates The ghost of the gas company's past stalked with heavy tread through the rate -hearing conducted last night by the board of supervisors. John A. Brit ton, president of the corporation, de nied with fine emphasis that the com pany had ever paid a single .dollar to corrupt the board of supervisors. The grand jury reports, the confessions and the oft repeated testimony to the con trary, Britton waved away with his declaration "I deny it." The trouble came at the very outset of the hearing. " Britton had taken the stand to plead for a ?1 rate. He had stated that the company had found the So cent rate unprofitable, when Su pervisor Murphy fnterrupted him to re mark, "It is a notorious fact that you people sought the !>5 cent rate." Britton appeared somewhat startled when Murphy resumed. "That was the rate, the original fixing of which re sulted in the indictment of the offi cials of the company. The Gallagher board was pledged to the 75 cent rate. I think you will find these facts in the grand jury testimony." "We never sought the So cent rate," replied Britton. "I advised our people to oppose it in court," Supervisor Connolly asked Britton if he meant to deny that the supervisors were corrupted in the matter. "It is common knowledge and it is also my belief," said Connolly, "that the members received $750 apiece for their votes." "I deny it," declared Britton. "I de nied it before the grand jury. I deny It once more. Moreover, the directors of the gas company are not being tried here." "It is merely a matter of memory. Mr. Britton," remarked Murphy, "that such payments were made." "No such sum was ever paid out by this company," replied Britton. V ' t "I know of every cent paid out, and no such sum ever went out from our com pany." "Why didn't you enjoin the rate at that time?" inquired Murphy. "That was a time," answered Brit ton, "when the city was impoverished. Jt was just after the disaster and we didn't want to harass the people in their trouble. They wanted to help them." Members of the* board called Britton's attention to the fact that it was known that he had no part In the transaction, but he continued to deny that it had cvpr occurred. ;• .;';; -: The grand jury record shows that Abe Ruef confessed that he had re ceived 500,000 from Frank Drum, one of the directors of the company,, to put through the S5 cent rate. The usual " disagreement developed ever the company's claim for depre ciation. It asked nothing for fran chise.- Britton admitted that some of the consumers received gas at far less thmi the ordinance rate of 85 cents. . The year's operations showed a profit of $476,508 on the year's business, but this was turned into a loss of $46,741.85 afr%r bond interest and the sinking fund had been provided for, according to Britton's figures. The company claims that the value of its plant will reach $22,000,000. The figures were incomplete, and at a meet ing to be held later the facts will be presented in greater deatol. Britton objected to the tendency to sneer at corporations and to regard : them as naturally dishonest. -- • ZO.J& j Charles G. Lyman, secretary of the Metropolitan llprht and power company, testified that his company would be •willing to accept the ordinary rate. He hoped for a $1 rate, he said. His company has sold gas on a scale rang ing from 75 cents to 65 cents. Here after, he said, it would increase its maximum to S5 cents. The hearing will be resumed on Wednesday evening, February 24. TWO GISLS BTTHNED TO DEATHr-noches ter. X. V-, Fob. 11. — Two girls were burned to death and their mother was fatally Injured and two otuor children of- the same family were bsdlt hurt In « lire that destroyed the farm dwelling of Albert Bcnuison near the Tillage of Itexville today. feg-c t v g t ttee) c c faigh-drate €tof hiers NO BRANCH STORES. NO AGENTS. OUR- NEW SPRING AND SUMMER COSTUMES ANO OVER GARMENTS HAVE EXCLUSIVE PATTERNS AND EXCLUSIVE FABRICS, MADE BY EXCLUSIVE MAKERS, THOSE WHO HAVE MASTERED FINE' POINTS OF CLOTHES ART., YOU'LL PERCEIVE AT A GLANCE "MERIT." YOU'LL APPRECIATE GOOD IDEA TO SEE "OURS" FIRST (JET ACQUAINTED WITH THIS LABEL. The new chin and cuff collar overcoat Is at present the foremost fashion. We're been baring a wonderful sale of them. The production of good readr-made clotliea was never acomplitfiPd bj "Price Wreckers." nor commonplace clothiers. They handle clothes that are intended for "Rnral District*." The kind of clothes that we have in this shop are metropolitan clothes, made for city folks. Moss-covered styles are not - offered here. gfemetersr puttying Jtaetjstreet near J^arng PRESIDENT PROCLAIMS HOLIDAY WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.— By joint resolution late today congress made provision as far as possible for the ob servance of February fl2, 1909, the centennial anniversary vof the birth of Abraham Lincoln, as, a special holiday, and authorized JJie president to issue a proclamation making it effective in the district of Columbia A PROCLAMATION: Whereas, by joint resolution of congress, it is provided that the twelfth day of February, 19Q9, . the same" being- the centennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, is hereby made a special legal holiday in the district of Columbia and the .territories of the United States; and •; .-; It ; : - ':"-. Whereas, by the Said joint resolution, the president is authorized to issue a proclamation in accord ance with the foregoing, setting apart the twelfth day of February, 1909, as a special legal holiday; Now, therefore, I, Theodore Roosevelt, president of the United States of America, in virtue of the authority conferred upon me by the said joint resolution, do hereby set apart the twelfth day of February, 1909, as a special legal holiday. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this .eleventh day of February, 1 in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and nine, and of the independence of the United States; the one hundred and thirty-third. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. / By Robert C. Bacon, secretary of state. CHILDREN HONOR LINCOLN'S MEMORY Centenary Exercises Conducted at St. Mary's Presenta-' , tion Academy Lincoln centenary exercises were held at St. Mary's presentation acad emy, Franklin and Eddy streets, yes terday afternoon. In the musical pro gram a 'chorus of 175 children partlcl plated. Rev. Father Prendergast, vicar general, delivered the oration on the life and character of Lincoln, after ward complimenting the sisters on the showing made by the scholars and the children themselves on their enthusi asm acd patriotism. The hall was dec orated by the girls of the academic classes, palms and . evergreens foqing entwined with the national colors, which also draped a life sized por tiait of Lincoln. Father Prendergast said that he had carefully studied the administration of Lincoln, who, he said, always acted from the highest motives and for the good of the great mass of the people. The priest said that excepting .Wash ington, Lincoln was undoubtedly the greatest of Americans. WISE A.\D COURAGEOUS "He was great as a statesman and great as a man, a noble man and great in every respect," said Father Prender grast. "To Washington we owe our existence as a nation, and to Lincoln we owe its perpetuation, for had it not been for the wisdom and courage of the great man that which Washing ton had established would have been dissipated." An effective feature of the exercised was \u25a0 the recitation, "The Virtues of Lincoln," by "the second grammar grade, each pupil reciting a verse, and, at the closing words laying a crown of roses at the feet of Lincoln. Miss Clemence P.owe recited the Gettysburg : address with fine effect, and was com plimented by Father Prendergast. An other splendid number was the recita-", tion by the primary department, "Lin coln's Name." in which each child held, a gilt letter and lead a verse until' the name of Lincoln was spelled out. \u25a0 TRIBUTE BY SEMORS The opening address and the;! "Tribute to Lincoln" by members of, the senior academic classes reflected great credit on scholars and teachers. The following is the program in full: Address. .Miss Beatrice Zinns Recitation, "A Tribute to Lincoln" Miss Mary Weddle "Eagle Sons' ' Chorus Recitation, "Lincoln's Name" > Primary department Recitation, "For My Country". ..Master Parker Gettysburg Address Miss Clemence Rowe Cornet fcolo, "American Airs". Miss Frances Foril Recitation, "Hold the Fort".. Miss Lucille Tigne Vocal duet, "O Merry Birds, Tell Us" Singing class Concert recitation, "America. Aggregate of Nations" .Academic classes Recitation. "The Story of Fredricksburg" . . ; . Miss Bernlee Spencer Vocal solo, "My Own United States" .... '...... Miss Cora Thorpe Recitation, "The Virtues of Lincoln" . Second grammar class Piano solo, "Alice" Miss Carmen Ganuon Recitation, "The Starry Flower of Liberty" . , Elocution class *'Star Spangled Banner" ..Chorus ! Remarks ..ReT. Father Prendergast Wheeler Addresses Hebrews President Benjamin Ide Wheeler and Lucius L. Solomons were the ora tors at the celebration of the Lincoln centennial by the Young Men's Hebrew association at the auditorium, 1970 Page street, last night when a varied program was given. The hall was dec orated with evergreens and the stage draped, in silken flags. In spite of the Inclemency of the weather . a large number of people assembled to do honor to the memory of the great man. President Wheeler spoke of his own recollection of the days of the war and of the events preceding the as sassination of President Lincoln while the speaker was yet a boy. He talked of the bitterness and hostility that ex isted against the president in many quarters, and equal loyalty in others, and recalled- the tarring and feather ing of an editor who had denounced a regiment of volunteers. \u25a0 "There never was a man who suf fered such excoriation as Lincoln," said Wheeler. "He was the target of the most infamous remarks, yet he was never bitter, for he understood that he was misunderstood and knew that he was doing his best for the good of those who denounced him. ' "Lincoln, was a* plain man who un derstood us all — had sympathy with all men. He stands as an example of the heights to which an American can rise. "If he had been a cynic he would not have been able to bind the na tion and the people together as he (has done, for it is not creed or blood, but the common admission of the leader ship of Lincoln and of his principles that makes us all one people, and one nation. It Is in his name that we are a nation." : - Lucius L. Solomons said that the ad dress .at Gettysburg, which had been written by Lincoln on a slip of paper while on the train on his way to the burial ground, is the longest epigram and the shortest oration in literature, and, -next to the declaration of inde pendence, the greatest- public docu ment. • Every element of greatness in this man was as unconscious as the heart of a child. He was thrilled with Inspiration and had the power to cast the spell upon others. His whole thought was for the preservation of the union. It 'was -not the question of slavery of itself which brought on the war, but Lincoln knew that -slavery could not exist on a soil- which had been consecrated to freedom and broth erhood. \u25a0 Miss Raye E. Loventhal recited the Gettysburg address and brief addresses were made 'by Benjamin Sloss and Nor man E." Eisner. The music was fur nished "by the * Paclfic^Hebrew orphan asylum band and "The Star Spangled Banner" wan sung- by Miss Marlon Pe ters. Following. ls the program in full: Selection, Pacific Hebrew orphan ' asylum, burnt; addrepg of welcome, Samuel - WelSßkopf. :' presi dent V. . M. H. A.; Ronjr, "Star ' Spangled Ban ner," Jliss Marion . Peters; - recitation, - *'Gett/s-' THE SAJNT ffMaciiSCO , GALL; FRIDAY; FEBRUjMY/12; 1909. and the territories of Alaska, Ari zona, New Mexico and Hawaii. \ /In anticipation of the passage of such aya v resolution after he had de parted for Lincoln's \u25a0 birthplace"-" in Kentucky, the president had pre pared and signed a proclamation, which was issued as soon as the joint resolution had been signed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house. burs Address," Miss Raye E. Loventhal;-selec tion. Lyric male quartet; oration, Lucius L. Solomons; selection. Pacific Hebrew- orphan asylum band; reminiscences, veterans G. A. R.; "Abraham Lincoln, a Successful . Life," Norman A. Eisner, airector Y. M. H. A.; "Our Y. M. H. A.," Ben Schloss; "America," by audience. St. Brigid's Ceremonies Lincoln's centennial birthday anniver sary was honored by the pupils of St. Brlgid's parochial school yesterday aft ernoon with appropriate exercises. Sev eral papers telling of the boyhood and manhood days of the martyred presi dent were read and the program was enjoyed by a large number of the par ents and relatives of the pupils. The program included the " following num bers: Address on the boyhood life of Lincoln by Miss Agnes Jordan, address on Lincoln \u25a0> in manhood by Miss Viola Bast, vocal solos by Miss Violla Stiller, recitations by Miss Florence McCaf ferty, instrumental duets by the Misses Agnes Jordan and Mary. Murphy and readings by the Misses Stiller. Ward, McCafferty, Figurado and Lolita Cos tello. There were also several patriotic songs by the entire school. . Souvenirs to . Be Sold Souvenirs of the centennial anniver sary of the birth of President Lincoln will be sold today by members of the "Woman's Relief corps of the Grand Army. The souvenir wlll.be a button with a picture of the martred presi dent and red. white and blue ribbons. Members of the California and Nevada department of the Woman's Relief corps to the Grand Army .will be in front of the ferry building and in many other places in the city offering these souvenir buttons for sale. The money derived will be added to the relief fund of the corps. Mrs. Irene Foster, patriotic instructor of the de partment of California and Nevada, has charge of the souvenirs. Her assist ants arc: Mrs. Alary Irene Foster, Mrs. Flora Bowley, Miss Raye Loventhal, Mrs. Helen Hancock, Miss Emma Wheeler, Mrs. Nellie Martin. Miss Lucy Wortman, Mrs. Mary Simmons. Lincoln School's Tribute With 'impressive exercises the pupils of the Lincoln evening school last night honored the memory "of the noble martyr from whom the school had taken its name. Tributes to the deeds of the great emancipator were spoken and sung in the school's hall. The music, was both patriotic and devo tional. ; - •\. \u25a0 \u25a0 • »\u25a0\u25a0 .. The program follows: Remarks' by the prl^ipal. Prof. A. H. Mac- \ ; Donald; song, *'My Own United States," entire school; recitation. '"Lincoln's Favorite Poem," Miss Smith's class; hymn, "Battle Hymn of the Republic," entire school; speech, "Abraham Lincoln." Miss Oynon's class; hymn, "Nearer. My God, to Thee," classes of Miss Harvey, and Mrs. Greenan; extract from Lowell's ode. Miss McDonald's class; "Lincoln," Wlnfleld Stracken; contributions commemorative .of Lincoln, Mr. Jordan's class; '.'Star Spangled' Banner," entire school ; address by members of .. the G. A. R. ; "America," school and audience. ' . The musical program of the grammar grades was under the supervision, of .Miss Morgan. Mrs. Grennan supervised 'the musical program of the primary grades. •. . •. i '•\u25a0'•' .No Hojiday at Navy Yards WASHINGTON. Feb. 11.—Disappoint iment will be felt, among the employes »at several of the navy yards through out the country tomorrow, notably those at Portsmouth, N. H.; Norfolk, Charlestown, Pensacola and Mare island, because 'Secretary Newberry, while not believing that the intent of congress and the president was to make tihe holiday general, issued no special orders to the commandants of the navy yards regarding the observance of Lin coln day, except to those specified by opngress.: ; : RELICS OF LINCOLN'S TIME IN SANTA ROSA Patriotic Exercises to "Be Held in Schools and Pavilion [Special Dispatch to The Call] SANTA ROSA, Feb. 11.— A number of reflics connecting the present with Lin coln's time are being brought to light herel Major General D. W. C- Thomp son,who at one time was in command of the forces at the Presidio, but who now Ib residing here in his old age, has a flag which he says is the only staff flae of- the civil war in this state now. v RW\ r . Peter Colvin, pastor of the Christian church.has a copy of the New York Herald of April 15, 1864, giving the account of the assassination of LinboJn. \ . A. R. "Waters has a picture of the Llnooan home at Springfield, framed by his father while a soldier, from a piece of the gatepoat-of the fence surround ing the home.. The frame was: made with a pocket knife and a piece of glass. \u25a0» . . . Lincoln day will be generally ob served In Sonoma county. During the forenoon patriotic exercises will be held In all the public schools. Business will be> suspended during the afternoon in this city and a mass meeting will be held at the Pavilion. Rev. William Ra der, pastor of the Calvary Presbyterian church, San Francisco, will be the orator. TAKAHIRA TO SPEAK XT LINCOLN BANQUET Japanese Ambassador Accedes to Request of President ' PEORIA, 111.," Feb. 11.— Peoria will celebrate the. Lincoln centenary :~to morrmv., night with a banquet. : Baron Takahdra, ; Japanese ambassador to the United States, will be among- the prin cipal-speakers. Owing- to the anti- Japaneoe feeling- in' California Ambas sador Takahlra a -few days ago felt disposed to cancel his engagement, and it was only through an earnest request of President Roosevelt, that he finally consented to attend.' : Celebrations in Gotham NEW; yORK, : Feb. ill:— Tonight saw the beglrtning/oMhe greatest memorial celebration '. ever •'< planned : for;; a great man Avfhen Lincoln meetings were held at the Broadway ; ; tabernacle in Trinity school lajid 'at the Jewish -theological seminary. -'Senator .\u25a0•.W.-^E.' Borah' and Congressman. J." V., Olcottv were among the speakers. \u25a0 \u25a0 The centennial oo s Lin coln's birth will be"; celebrated Mn this city* tomorrow.! in: nearly: 1,000 halls churches, schools and it heaters.' . ' Piles ; Cured :In; 6 ; to; 14 s Days Pazo Ointment is guaranteed to cure any case of - Itching,; Blind, 3 Bleeding ior * Protruding Pile* la. 6 to ' 14 (days or, money refunded. -; CDc. • -.- ' While this proclamation" applies only to the district of Columbia and the territories, 4 the states .of Colo rado, Connecticut, Delaware. Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jer sey, New York, North Dakota, Penn sylvania, .Washington and Wyoming have by legislation made Lincoln's birthday a legal : holiday ' ' Following 1 Is the president's Lin coln day proclamation:- THIS HOW HE SAW LINCOLN SHOT DOWN Man Who Was Present at His- toric Assassination Relates Story for The Call Continued From Page 1 dramatic pose, flourishing aloft a dag ger. In a voice shrill with tense ex citement he cried:' "'Sic semper tyrannls!' "Before the meaning of that Virginia motto, had, penetrated our stunned minds the man had reached the other side of the stage, where he paused again. Once more he struck the dra matic pose, and this time he shouted: " 'The south is avenged!' "In an instant the full Import of his words struck every one in the theater. We knew that Abraham Lincoln had been shot : "I rose from my seat and dashed for the president's box. Two men were holding up the president's bleed ing head and lifting him out of the low, red plush rocker he occupied. Mrs. Lincoln was standing back against the wall wringing her hands and crying, dry eyed: '"Oh, my God! My God! He's 'dead, he's dead, he's dead.' '; "'No! No! It can not -be! He's only stunned; he'll recover all right,' I said to the suffering woman, leading her to a seat, which she refused to occupy. ' • "'Oh, no; he's dead r he's dead,' she moaned again. "Just then some one called out ; to the awed house: '"Is there a surgeon in the theater?' "'I ani a burgeon,' said some one, and on the shoulders of a score of men the doctor was lifted Into the box from the body of the" theater in the same way that Booth had fled. " 'Has any one a knife?* asked the surgeon as soon as he was in the box. Offers His Knife '"Here is mine/,' I said, offering him one. He took it and immediately slashed loose the president's clothes around the throat and passed his hand over the prostrate body looking for a body wound. Then he reached up to the head and found a great, gaping hole just behind and above the left ear. "'Here's the wound.'; he said. "Just then Miss Laura Keene came into the box. She was dressed in a beautiful silken, gown. '"Oh, he's not dead. He can not be dead!' she cried to Mrs Lincoln, but the faithful wife did not even look at her. : "The actress then bent down and took Mr. Lincoln's head in her lap. Some one passed her a glass of water and this she tried to force between his lips, but she found that the teeth had set, while the body was gradually stiffening. Gently she released the dy ing man and laid his head back on the floor. •\u25a0 , . "Then she stood up, her arms around Mrs. Lincoln. I shall. never forget that scene so long as I , livej It -is indelibly stamped on my memory. There was the actress, her silken* gown stained with blood, there the choking wife who knew that her husband was . past recall and bowed In .the. misery of her first grief; there the: prostrate victim of an assassin's bullet, and there the rest of us in the box J stupidly unable to do anything and hardly comprehending the horror of the crime. "But finally men. came and carried him ; away from the theater to a house across the street in Tenth street. Dumbly I followed. the party out of the playhouse and "Into the. street.: I sat down on a doorstep,; and,- I am not ashamed of it— l had a good cry. The awf ulness jof the tragedy fairly over whelmed me. . \u25a0.; "I started to go home, and 'then found that I. had lost my latchkey. - Mob Around Theater Going back to the theater to find it I discovered a' huge mob jammed about the doors, but I ; made jmy .way inside. The lights had been turned down, dim and In, the fatal box where Lincoln had been 'shot I "could hardly see. But in feeling about the floor. with my foot for the latchkey I struck^ something hard and heavy. 1 picked it up and realized that I had the pistol Booth had used \u25a0to kill ; Lincoln^ : f I turned . it "over ito the police and was > told r to appear! in '-police court ' next;; morning to identify the weapon, . which : I;did. j. • ; , ; j1 " . "The next morning .the ; day dawned gray "and cloudy. The streets were thronged with - people. ; The night ! be fore there : had been; all kinds, of wild rumors on the" street; some going so far as to: say that '-the*. whole cabinet had been assassinated. cSome^ were then for going up toUhe sold Capital prison where . the ; confederate 'prisoners .^were confined and burning It to 7 the ground with all- in- It.* -In- the morning, how ever, the ; feeling! had*' quieted.": k ;/;;"It was duringUhe- forenoon ; that ; the news =of " -.the" president's; death .spread throughout. the'city.iNp' one knew^what toVdo.".iWe\were;all'dazed.Sßut'an;old colored fwomahV-tookkthe^flfst^ outward action." She draped her. house : In ; mourn ing. • ; Within van* hour ;- hundreds VI of houses /were sbeing, draped; and through out J. the /city [every I; house v was 'loaded with : the ;' people's f- mute I token £of \woe until.the.supplyoflblackiclcjh ran out and i more seoul5 could tibeVshipped*.' In v. from! Baltlmore'and-'Philadelphiayand New York.'/ :. •- — \u25a0 -— PLAN INDEPENDENT STEAMSHIP LINE H. S. Bates Reports in Details on His Negotiations in the East Opportunity for Building Up Business Between Coast and the Gulf Ports r I Continued From Page 1 rate of $5.85, which its share would be." After enumerating a number of spe cial charges for stevedoring, the use of electric cranes, and pier tolls, that must be met, Bates continues: _ \u25a0 • "In considering the advisability of establishing a, Pacific line, I am con vinced that we must look to some other source of income than the business to New York, using this latter as the backbone of the business and the local business to assure full cargoes at a rate of^freight which will not have to be divided with the Panama railroad. "In the New York-San Francisco trade the new line will be thrown Im mediately. Into direct competition with existing: -lines, all of which are in a position to protect themselves in their trade and in such a way as to make the competition of the independent line shortlived, without income from a trade in which the present lines are not In terested. "In this connection it is my opinion that a lucrative business could be built up- between Pacific coast ports and Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile and other gulf and south Atlantic ports. Vast quantities of California products are shipped to these, points, and I think that a satisfactory connection could be made with one of the several steamship lines now, operating on the Atlantic coast to feed a large terri tory through these ports, which would afford shippers lower rates than those current and also give to the new line an income over and above that de rived from the New York-San Fran cisco business. In addition to this gulf business there is the . possibility of freighting supplies to the canal zone." Ship Direct to Panama The report then calls attention to the. possibilities of building up a trade for California supplies on the isthmus. Bates reports that California products are shipped across the. continent and go to Panama from New York. This condition applies to both fruit 'and vegetables. To carry these to Panama by water would require a refrigerating plant on at least one vessel which Bates recommends. The report suggests further that lower classes of freight, such as lum ber, could be transported. In : concluding Bates calls attention to the dangers of competitive or spe cially low rates/inaugurated by exist ing lines merely for the purpose of driving the proposed service from the sea, : He points out that it will be necessary to stand by ah Independent service, if it is once inaugurated. During the next few days the local shippers will discuss the matter and if they agree to the terms proposed the service will be established. MARE ISLAND NAVY YARD WILL REPAIR CRUISERS Many Vessels of Pacific Fleet to Be Overhauled VALLEJO, Feb. 11. — In accordance \u25a0with orders received today at Mare Isl and navy yard, the Pacific fleet will be distributed for repairs upon Its arrival from target practice at Magdalena bay. The cruisers West Virginia, Maryland, South Dakota > and California and all tugs and colliers will be assigned to Mare island. The cruisers Colorado, Washington, Tennessee, and Pennsyl vania will proceed to the navy yard at Bremerton, Wash. In addition to an extensive overhaul- Ing, the cruisers assigned to the Mare island yard will have installed the new system of fire control already In place on the: West Virginia. The tugs Fortune and Navajo are ordered to proceed south in time to participate In the spring target practice at Magdalena bay. They will arrive at their destination on March 15, and will thereafter be employed in setting out targets. Under the orders from the navy department all vessels included In the three torpedo boat flotillas, now at Mare island, will proceed to Magdalena bay about the middle of March. The de stroyer Perry, which made the. record in target: practice last year. Is now in drydock "and work on the others Is being rushed. -uv: ; TO FORCE HARRIMAN— SaIem, Ore. Feb. 11. Admittedly for the purpose of giving the people of this state a club \u25a0with which to try to force E. II. : Harriman to build railroads in I Oregon, two measures are before the Oregon : legislature. One provides that the state can go into the rail road business and the other creates a. highway commission. . NOTED ARCHITECT DEAD— N>w York. Feb. ll.— Russell Sturjris. the architect and writer on * architectural subjects, - died today in« this city, aged 72. . ; \ 50: Suits, size 36— Half Price 62 Suits, size 37 — Half Price 70 Suits, size 38— Half Price J;£,Mlpr(v;(ioinpiiii - • (fbftifls \ 1 0 : Kearny Street ' ' jChronicle Building Ernest August Deni&e, Veteran of. Givil War COL. E. A. DENICKE CALLED BY DEATH Distinguished Civil War Veteran and San Franciscan Dies \u2666 in Switzerland Word was received in San Francisco yesterday, of the death of Ernst August Denicke in Geneva, ' Switzerland. Den- Icke served with distinction in many notable battles of the civil war, and at the close of the long struggle he was brevetted major for bravery in the field. Coming from Hanover, Germany, with his parents, in IS4O, the family settled in New York and lived there until the outbreak \of the civil war. Every member of Denicke's family^ which included several sons of Dr. Denicke, answered President Lincoln's call for troops. When the fleet under Farragut passed the forts at Mobile Denicke served as volunteer signal officer on board of the Brooklyn, the first vessel in line, and received Farragut's famous message, "Damn the torpedoes; go ahead." Denicke came to San Francisco in 1867 and lived here for more than 40 years. For some years he was in the local custom house and from 1870 to 18S0 he was in the cigar manufactur ing business with his brother. In ISSO he purchased the Fredericksburg brew ery in San Jose, which he sold in 1830 to the syndicate. He then retired from all active business, save for his in terest in the various Industrial and financial corporations with which he was connected. For many years he was president of the Central Trust Com pany of California, and for five years president of the Mechanics* Institute of Art. He was also for many years 4 regent of the Universfty of California. Colonel Denicke took a prominent part in the national guard of the state for a great many years, and organized, the signal corps of the second brigade. He was also a member of the original nonpartlsan convention. He was mar ried in 1871 to Ida Scheunemann Pott, who survives him with three children- Frederick A. and Ernest H. Denicke and Mrs. A. O. Leuschner, wife of Pro fessor Leuschner of Berkeley. SNELL VALLEY LAND >; LEASED TO OIL MAN Drilling Operations Will Be. Be gun Immediately UKIAH, Feb. 11.— D. C. Dye. a prom inent oil well operator of Texas, today closed the last of a series of leases Involving something more than 4,000 acres of land in Snell valley near Hopland. Mendocino county, and will commence active drilling operations at once. As this is the first time develop ments for oil will have been made in this section considerable excitement has been occasioned by the prospect and its outcome will be awaited with much interest. The indications are said to be of the best and cover a large area. The properties have been thor oughly prospected and the negotiations for the leases cover a period of several months past. The deal includes the valuable ranches of E. Dooley. J. B. Benson. H. L. Burrington, Sam Duncan, W. Peters, J C. Bledsoe, H. Barker, J. B. Mc- Cutcheonand R. McGarvey. Under the terms of most of the leases operations must be commenced on wells on each ranch within the next 15 months, though in certain leases the time mentioned Is much less. The Mc- Garvey lease requires that drilling shall be started at a point 300 yards from the railroad depot at Hopland within the next 40 days. Dye left for the east yesterday to secure additional- drilling outfits. PRECEDENT FOUND FOR SEATING KNOX Secretary of Treasury Under Grant Appointed and Relieved Under Same Circumstances Increase of Salary Was Re pealed to Let Lot M. Morrill Into the Cabinet [Special Dispatch to The Call] WASHINGTON. Feb. 11.— A precedent has been discovered which seems to remove all questions of the legality and propriety of appointing Senator Knox secretary of state at the old sal ary, notwithstanding the fact that the emolument of that office ha 3 been In creased during his term. Lot M. Morrlll of Maine was elected to the senate in IS7I. resigning in July, , 1876, to become secretary of the treas ury under" Grant, although congress tn 1873 had enacted the notorious "salary grab," in which the salary of the sec retary of the treasury had been raised from JS.OOO to 510.000. Congress repealed part of the act in January, 1574. Including the Increased salaries to cabinet officers, restoring "* them to $3,000. Thus. If congress should restore the old salary of secretary of state the case of Morrill Is on all fours with that of Knox. No protest was made against Morrlll and he served as secretary of the treasury until March 8. 1877. Discovery of this precedent tonight did not remove the disposition of repre sentatives to object to the legislation removing the inellgiblllty of Senator Knox. President elect Taft has been advised of the discovery of the prece dent. EXPLODE BOMBS IN STOCKTON HIGH SCHOOL Board of Education Will Disci- pline Unruly Students STOCKTON*. Feb. 11.— At a special meeting at the Stockton high school today the board of education offered a reward of $30 for the detection and conviction either before the police court or before the board of ther pupils who were responsible for numerous wanton acts recently committed by a dis gruntled element of students. Recently a series of bomb firing was indulged in which endangered the lives of fellow students. Following this a scurrilous circular was posted through out the city attacking Principal Wootten of the high school because of his efforts to maintain a proper standard ol disci pline In that institution. The resolution adopted by the board commends the principal for his activi ties against the unruly students and praises Professor Wootten for the high standard of scholarship throughout the school generally. LOS GATOS PREPARING LIBERTY BELL RECEPTION California Town Has Descendant of Maker of Historic Chime LOS GATOS. Feb. 11.— Interest con-^ tlnues to grow in the floral carniva/ and feast of lanterns. Word has been received that the commissioner of the Liberty bell at Philadelphia will start the bell on its journey to the west about the middle of April and that th» first stop In California will be Los Gatos on May day. It may not be generally known that Los Gatos has a direct de scendant of the maker of the bell. Prof. Silas Wentworth of Los Gatos is a descendant of the maker, George Wentworth of London. Eng. The bell was recast twice in Philadelphia and the words "Proclaim liberty throughout the land, unto all the In habitants thereof" (Lev. xxv:10) were inscribed on it. The G. A. R. post hero will act as sruard of honor during the visit of the Liberty bell. By Our Formula We produce in Hood's Sarsapariila a medicine that has an unapproached record of cures of > .. C • . Scrofula, eczema, eruptions, catarrh, rheumatism, anemia, nervousness, that tired feellnsr. loss of appetite, etc. Hood's Sarsapariila effects Its -won- derful cures, not simply because It contains sarsapariila but because It combines the utmost! remedial values of more than 20 different Ingredient.?, each greatly strengthened and en- riched by .this peculiar combination. There is no real substitute for It. If urged to buy any preparation said to be "just as good" you may be sure It is inferior, costs less to make, and yields the dealer a larger profit. This medicine makes healthy and strong the -Little Soldiers" in your blood. — those corpuscles that fight dis- ease germs constantly attacking you. Get it today In the usual liquid form or In chocolated tablet form called\ Sarsatabs. 100 Doses One Dollar. 'f~ HOTEL JEFFERSON Cor. Turk and Goujti. Superbly located opp. Jefferson Square. Home-lUte and quiet. Europeaa PUn, 51. CO a day aad op. Amariean Plan. $3.50 » day and np. /av?^^&ix& Vl I hIFKS < » I Imfi VN&aWiAwili ijlSyni iijif! At THE! CALL, bovine** ofttco or from anybody that neaxa the button. THECALL'S BRANCHOFFICES Subscriptions and advertise- ments will be received in San Francisco at following offices : 1651 FILLHURK STREET Open until 10 o'clock every night SIS VAN NESS AVEXUB Parent's Stationery Store 2SOO FILLMORE STREET • Tremayne's Branch 553 HAIGHT STREET Christian's Branch ISO SIXTH AVEM'E Ye Odde Shop SIXTEEXTH AXD MARKET STS. Jackson's Branch 1108 VA LEA CIA STREET Blake's Bazaar y' 074 'VALENCIA STREET ' Haltday's Stationery Store SOU 18TH ST. COR. MISSION International Stationery Store