The San Francisco call. [volume], October 03, 1895, Page 10, Image 10

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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10
IS WHEAT-GROWING A PASSING INDUSTRY?
Development and His-;
.. Tory for the Past
Forty Years.
OUR PRESENT OUTLOOK.
Horace Davis Favors Small
Holdings and Diversified
Farming.
KOBE SKILL AND MORE PROFIT.
■
An Interesting Study of Crops, and
the Changes the Years Have
Brought.
Horace Privis, merchant. ex-Congress
man and ex-president of the University of
California, thinks the time for wheat rais
ing in California is fast passing away, and
he welcomes the fact with satisfaction.
Closely associated as he has been for
years with the grain and milling interests
and dose student of aff.iirs economic Mr.
Davis is well equipped for fair judgment
upon this topic.
"AVhat is the outlook?''says he. "First,
the wheat yield of the State -is apparently
diminishing. Taking the crops from 1878
to 1893 inclusive, sixteen years, the first
eight years averaged 1,084,531 tons per
annum, the last eipht years averaged
1,043,90fi tons— a faliinz off of 4 per cent,
lam well aware that two exceptionally
bountiful years, 1880 and ISS4. carae into
the. first eight years, but we must remem
ber that during the last eipht years the
population has increased largely, and over
10Q0 "miles of railroad have been built,
opening up many square mi!es of fresh
soil, not only without any corresponding
increase in wheat production, but with
actual diminution.
. "No, the troubie is wheat does not pay.
With the increase of Indian shipments to
England wheat fell, beginning in IS?3, to a
general level of $1 25 to $1 40 per cental
here,. at which price there ceased to be
mucn profit in it, even with the best farm
ing' machinery, and the influx from
Argentina has now brousrht it down to
actual cost of raising. Other products of
the soil pay better, and wheat farming is
being abandoned, at all events till wheat
becomes profitable.
"Now, we need about .ViO.ooo tons for the
yearly requirements of the State, exclusive
of its European shipments; that is, for
our -own food, and seed, and feed, and our
regular Hour trade in the North Pacific
Ocean, which amounts to about $00,000 bar
rels annually. All we raise over this
500,000 tons must find a market in Europe,
and this makes the price of the rest.
"What, then, is the chance of better
prices in Europe ? In January, 1882, wheat
was .10 shillings and 9 penceper cental in
Liverpool. From that time it has steadily
■ declined, till it is worth less than 5 shill
ings to-day, and yet the world's supply
has Steadily increased so that the visible
stocks on January, 1894, were larger than
•were ever known before. Forty years ago
the wheat consumed in England" was raised
mainly on her own soil, and most of her
imports were raised on high-priced land by
well-paid labor, earning good wages, in
et)ld. Since then the conditions have
changed greatly, and now a constantly in
creasing proportion of her supply comes
trom cheap land, tilled by cheap labor,
paid in silver or paper currency. The
English farmer koco to the wall, ne cannot
stand up against India, Chile and Argen
tine. Who goes next?
"We cannot stand it long against the
present odds, and must turn to other uses
for our land. Wheat export is the resource
of a »ew community and of wasteful farm
ing. 1 grieve to see the State wearing out
its so.il to give cheap bread to Europe, and
erery new product that can be raised profit
ablygives me new satisfaction. Smaller
holdings with diversified farming is the
indisrensable condition of prosperity here.
. And 1 look forward to the time when this
huge bulk of wheat shall be cut down to
one-half, and for it we shall substitute a
hundred different products requiring more
labor, more skill, more industry, and re
turnintr us more profit and greater pros
perity."
Mr. Davis has said all this and much
more in an instructive and entertaining
• essay printed recently in the Journal of
Political Economy of the University of
Chicago. Here he reviews the history of
California as a wheat producer for forty
years and tersely comments upon the fea
tures of that interesting epoch. "It was
at the urgent request of Professor Adolpu
Miller of the University of Chicago, a Cal
..ifQrnian. that I wrote that pamphlet,",sa:d
Mr. Davis yesterday. "I spent much time
and labor in getting at the exact facts and
■put them in the most condensed form for
general reading. The tables and charts
show at a glance the ups and downs of the
wheat-growing industry; they show how
products and prices have fluctuated by
reason of rainfall, how wars and drought
elsewhere have disturbed our market.
."B-ut they don't show, and I could not
begin to tell the many domestic features
which should properly be included in a
. history of our wheat* industry for forty
years. That would include the history of
many so-calied deals of the big specula
tions undertaken by men Jike Isaac Fried
lander, a-nd down to the recent corner at
tempted in the interests of the late Senator
Fair. It woufd tell of the ups and downs
of many merchants now passed away; of
the excitements of '">S, of '64, of '70; of the
time when Chile wheat came pouring in to
flood our markets; of how wheat that was
selling as low as $1 25 a cental in '61 ran
upto.3centsa pound, and then 5 cents,
and flour in April, 1865, brought $15 and
' " $16 a barrel.
"It's a stirring history, and some day I
hope to write it all, supplementing this
paper I've written recently by adding the
personal and biographical features of the
men who have made and lost fortunes in
our wheat market.''
The history of California as a producer
may. be divided into three periods, says Mr.
Davis in beginning nis essay, each dis
tinctly marked by its main product: First,
the eighty years from 1760 to 1848, when
•she was a stock-raiser: then the mining
period, say to 1860, which year marked the
time when she entered the" lists as a large
exporter of breadstuffs. Her maximum
yield in this line seems now to have gone
by, and she is entering upon a new condi
tion, where she tinds more profit in fruit,
wines and oil; a more stable and perma
nent form of civilization. Her history as
a erain producer is so remarkable that it
deserves to be recorded before it has faded
... from our memories.
Her isolated geographical position, sepa
rated as she is trom her sister States by
high mountains on the north, and a desert
.' ■ belt on the east, makes it possible to treat
. her products and her trade by themselves,
at all events until the building of railroads
(and even after that time, it is easy to esti
mate the imports and experts across the
State line), And they should be so treated,
because her climatic conditions are quite
independent of her neighbors, and the fact
ors that make a bountiful crop in Califor
nia do not operate either in Oregon or Ari
zona.
As viewed in the perspective of history,
this trade is not a dry record of statistics:
it is full of rapid chances, abounding in
situations marvelous and even picturesque,
presenting a group of scenes of wonderful
variety and interest. In the infancy of the
settlement we have the old padre teaching
bis Indian neophyte to guide the rude
home-made plow, little better than the
branch of a tree, as he scratched the sur
face of the ground to receive the precious
seed ; th<;n the sturdy settler, bronzed by
his dusty journey over the plains, breaking
up the virgin soil of the interior valleys
and anon deserting the stancing crop in
his eagerness to secure a share in the gold
of the river beds. The rush of gold-hunters
follows, and after a time the Golden Gate
is white with the sails of ships, laden with
foreign flour to feed the hungry miners.
Then comes a decade of wild speculation,
and when it closes the valleys are again I
waving with grain; the current of trade •
has been reversed and a fleet of ships are
bearing out upon the broad bosom of the
ocean the harvest of wheat returning to
ttie Old World, and the strong men of that
day are organizing trade in these new
channels.
Then follows the marvelous development
of the grain-raising valleys, the ups and
downs of rain and drought, the wars in
Europe pouring gold into the pockets of
our farmers, the wild gambling on the
call board, the competition of Oregon on
our own soil, and of India and Argentina
in Europe, crushing the market with a
mass of low priced wheat, till values fall
even below the cost of production.
For figures as to the product of the
early periods the author refers to the state
ments of H. H. Bancroft and Alex Forbes.
The average yield from 1730 to 1800 was
36,000 bushels. In 1818 it ran up to 82,000
bushels, with a falling off to 47.595 bush
els as the average yield from 1821 to 1830.
Then came the breaking up of the mis
sions, the scattering of the Indian labor
ers, the war with Mexico, the influx to
Oregon. De Mofrf.s says that the yield of
trrain of all kinds feil from 122,000 fanegas
in 1835 to 7000 in 1842. This, if true, must
refer to the missions alone, and must have
been larcely offset by the crops of the
settlers whose number now becan to in
HON. HORACE DAVIS.
[.From a photograph.]
crease considerably. Wilkes, in the narra
tive of his expedition, about 1840, gives
the average exports at 12,000 bushels of
•wheat, and Thomas O. Larkin estimates
tne wheat exports of 1846 at 10,000 fanegas.
while flour is quoted at San Francisco in
.March, 1847, at $16.
Then came the gold-fever period — 1847
--1852. Prices of breadstuffs rose rapidly
under the great demand, and by Decem
ber, 1848, wheat sold at fS\i cents a pound
and tiour at $26 per barrel. The popula
tion ran up to about 115,000.
How could such an army be fed? Cali
fornia was utterly incapable of providing
for it, but Oregon came to the rescue and
poured her accumulated supplies into the
San Francisco market. These were soon
exhausted, but Chile, with a plentiful
stock, found a profitable market here and
shipped thousands oi tons to Ban Fran
cisco. Then, too, almost every vessel from
our Atlantic ports brought its quota of
flour, and for a year or two even Australia
sent her small supplies to California. But
Chile was our mainstay for some years,
until we discovered the" productiveness of
our own soil, and she must have sent us
between 1840 and 1854 the equivalent of
nearly SOO.OnO barrels in flour und wheat.
This was a time of mad speculation, from
1849 to 1853. The prices fluctuated wildly
with tne constantly varyinz supply, and
this market suffered ups and downs al
most without parallel. I have not been
able to get the prices current of 1849, but I
have seen it stated that flour ranged from
$ti per barrel in June to $40 toward the
close of the year. In 1850 it varied from $8
in April to $22 in November. The year 1852
repeated the freaks of 1549, and flour that
went beeginß at $7 75 in May was pushed
up to $42 in November.
This was the last of such violent ex
tremes. After the first flush of the gold
fever was over farming had been gradually
resumed, and the State produced in 1852
271,7*33 bushels of wheat, by census report.
The enormous prices of 1852 made grain
raising more attractive than mining.
Seed wheat sold in the fall of 1852 for 12
cents a pound, and the yield of 1853, in
spite of bad rust, was estimated at 625.0C0
bushels, while that of 1854 came up very
nearly to 2,000,000 bushels— more than
enough to feed all our people. The htate
had proved her ability to support herself.
Wheat was sold that fall for $1 oO per cen
tal. Little fiouriuills sprang up all over
the inhabited part of the State, whose
daily capacity was estimated in the fall of
1854 at 3215 barrels. Flour settled into a
tolerably steady range from $7 to $10 per
barrel. Chile drew out of the market.
Shipments from the Atlantic States
diminished steadily, and by 1859 ceased
entirely.
Exports began about 1851, and the Aus
tralian trade developed, amounting to
about 800,000 centals from July, 1852, to
June, 18G2.
The ten years from 1860 to 1870 divide
themselves naturally into two equal
periods, at June, 1865. The first five years
are marked by a remarkable irregularity in
rainfall, crops and prices; the last five we
had steady rains, bountiful crops and a
good export market. We entered the
decade with a large surplus on hand, after
two fine crops in 1859 and 1860, the best
ever harvested up to that date. The mar
ket was overloaded and prices tank to
$1 25 per cental, at which prices ships were
again laid on for Liverpool and our exports
to England that crop year (1800-01 ) ex
ceeded 1,000,000 centals of wheat and
100,000 barrels of flour.
These low prices stimulated the export
business all along the line, and it seemed
as though California had fairly entered the
ranks of the world's bread producers, but
the State had to pass through one more
remarkable experience before she settled
down to mature sobriety. In the winter of
1861-62 came the heaviest rainfall ever
known; then followed two years in which,
taken together, nature gave us less than
half the rainfall of that one year. There
was a fine crop in 1862, and another in 1863,
but that of 1864 was a failure from drought;
wheat rose rapidly in value — putting an
end to all export business— till it reached
$5 25 per cental in May, 1865. and flour sold
again at $15 a barrel; attain Chile and New
\ork sent us wheat and flour, and we were
changed from exDorters to importers.
The total exports of the decade were
2,640,740 barrels of flour and 22,123,011 cen
tals of -wheat, equivalent to 1,502.262 tons
of wheat. My estimates of the crop field
for the ten years foot up 54,768,820 centals,
or 2,736,441 tons of wheat.
The decade from 1870-71 to 1879-80 was,
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1895.
on the whole, a period of great prosperity ;
still, it presents singular fluctuations,
though not as remarkable as those just re
viewed. It included two dry winters —
1870-71 with 14.10 inches of rain, and 1876
--77 with only 10 inches — each followed by a
scanty yield. Abroad it was marked by
wars in Europe, the French-Prussian war
in 1870-71 and the Turkish-Rusßian in
1877-78, each causing high prices. The re
sult was that wheat brought over 2 cents
a pound for more than half the decade.
The period opened with $1 90 per cental,
which the dry winter of 1870-71 soon raised
to $3 10 in May, 1871. Extreme prices in
Europe maintained the market till the
bountiful harvest of 1872 gave ships the
advantage over wheat; freights rose to the
enormous figure of 95 shillings in July,
1873, and wheat fell to $1 70. The sew
saw between the two rivals, freight and
wheat, continued through the decade.
The scanty crop of 1877 gave wheat the ad
vantage again, and it rose to $2 35 under
the influence of the Tnrko-Russian war,
after which it settled down, closing the
period in June, 1880, at $1 47»^.
The building of new railroads during
these ten years opened ud many miles of
new land, which, under the stimulus of
Inch prices, were put into wheat. The ex
ports of the period aggregated 4,426,798 bar
rels of flour and 72,123,213 centals of wheat,
or reducing both to wheat, 85.403,607 cen
tals (4,270,180 tons), an average of over
427,000 tons of wheat per annum. The
total crops of the ten years amounted to
147,923,060 centals (7,396*153 tons).
The next ten years, 1880 to 1890, wrought
freat permanent changes in the business,
he extension of railroads in the interior
valleys widened vastly the area available
for wheat: the acreage under the plow was
greatly enlarged; the yield increased cor
respondingly, and in the first half of this
decade production reached its maximum.
The year 1880 beat the record, with a yield
of 32,537,360 centals, or 1,626.868 tons. No
year since has equaled it. This abundant
harvest was due largely to the spring
rains, which were unusually copious that
year. The lightest yield sbf the decade
were in ISBS, 1837 and 1888, each after a
light rainfall ; the crop of 1885, the smallest
of all, was 761,739 tons. The ten years'
yield reached the enormous figure of 210,
--651,180 centals (10,532,559 tons), an average
of 1,053.250 tons per annum. .
EXPORTS OF WHEAT AND FLOfR rBOM CALIFOR
NIA, 1864-B*.
Totai, Exports.
Yeae.
■ . §
• 3
If
: ?
• 7
-3
B*
a S*
• o
: F
1854-55. .:...... 1 74.087!
1885-66 i 17.976
1K56-57 22,017
1857-58 "0
1858-69 123
1859-60 380,386.
7.
I 1
46,841 214,610
135,630 425.046
37,374 134,139
7.383; 22,169
19,035| 57,228
68,573 656.105
1860-61 1,529,924
1861-62. 845.742 1
1862-63 , 1.018.597
1863-64 1006.701
1884-85 1 26111
186.V66. ........ ! 1,044,82«
1866-67 . 3,t>42,505 1
1887-68 3,773,002
I^3-6fl 4,373,213
1869-70 4,864,5801
196,774 i 2.120,246
96.838; 1,136.-^66
136.315- 1,427,342
145,157 1,441,172
90,001 295,114
249,866 1,794,4.24
485,593! 6.099,284
426,157; 5,051,473
469,933' 6,753,012
364,106! 6,926,908
I|Z°-71 1 3,583.124
1871-72 ; 1,404,355
1H71.'-73 | 9,835,571!
3873-74 I 7.280,278!
3.874-7S 8,803880
1875- i 6 I 6,113695 :
1876-77 10,627,66 4
1877-78 3,942,612
1675-79 9,996.122
1879-80.. 10,526,912
1880 81.."....... ' 18,387,767
lǤl-82 22,660622 i
fS 8 2-83 14,602,619
1883-154 ! 11,282,670 1
IBS 4-85 15,732 435
1835-86... V..... 11,340,329
1 886-87 12,005,010 1
1887-88... i 8.678,767!
1888-89 13,088 653
1889-90 13,495,859
1890-91......... 13.611,516
IS9I-32 12,680.227
1892-93 10.310,513
1893-94 I 9,191,408
I
1G4,763i 4,167,413
292,398 2.281. 540
264,6-9 10,6ii9,158
674,698 9,318,372
625,614 10.380.772
603,513 7,6tt4,?84
607,538 12,] 60,272
442,368: 5,269.686
627,440 11.578.442
493,949 12.008.769
662.09* 15,354.066
919,898 25,320,316
1.106.639.17,919,536
I 1.260.628 15,064.654
1,304,*!41 19,646,368
; 1,<>96,695 14,630,414
801,913 14,410.749
823,212 11,148,103
845,232 15,544,349
; 1,148,340:16,940,879
905,260, 16,318,266
1,068,375 15,855,362
1,176,676 13,840,541
789.450 11,689,758
THE ASSETS USED UP.
Little Left of the 8130,000 Eitate of an
Insolvent Biscuit and Cracker
Company.
From the insolvent estate of the Field
Biscuit and Cracker Company little is left
for the creditors and the dividend will
probably not be higher than five mills on
the dollar.
The company failed in 1888. It had been
highly prosperous, paying dividends of
over 1 per cent a mouth for years, and at
the time of the failure the property was
valued at $130,000. The total liabilities,
besides a $60,000 mortgage, amounted to
$60,000, and the debts could easily have
been paid but for the foreclosure of the
morteace.
Practically all of the property was ab
sorbed in the foreclosure, and only $8000
was left to pay the general claims. Of
that amount William Collins, the
assignee, was able to collect only $3380,
Collins died, and when his successor
presented his report to Judge Hebbard
yesterday the fees of attorneys, experts
and the assignee "aggregated $1451. This
left only $1f)29 with wnich to pay the
claims of $60,000. J
Judge Hebbard objected to' the fees, as
only a few mills on the dollar would be
left for the creditors. Expert Atkinson
had received $200 and Attorney Desbeck
$175, and as they would have to pay back
the money if any reduction were made
their claims were allowed to stand on con
dition that no fees should be asked for
work yet to be done. The fees were al
lowed to remain at $975.
Sons of Temperance.
The fifty-third anniversary of the Order of
the Sons of Temperance was observed in Cali
fornia Sunday evening in the Chester-street
Methodist Episcopal Church, Oakland. Rev.
Mr. Beanie, pastor, presided. There was a good
attendance of members and friends from San
I'rancUco and the surrounding district and an
appropriate programme was rendered. The
meeting closed with expressions of good will
by the members and renewed promises to work
unceasingly for the good of humanity. The
meeting was in charge of the following com
mittee: Robert J. Hunter, G. W. P.; Joseph
Humphreys, P. G. W. P. ; Jessie C. Duncan. G. S.
MILLS' MODUS VIVENDI
He Responds With His Form
of an Agreement for
the Miners.
COMMITTEE TO ACT TO-DAY.
Either Benjamin or Franks May
Represent the Association
as Commissioner.
The reply of W. H. Mills, the Central
Pacific land agent, has been formally made
to the Miners' Association, and an agree
ment formulated by him providing for a
joint commission to examine and pass upon
disputed lands has oeen sent along with
his reply to the mineral-lands committee.
In his letter to Mr. Ricketts, chairman of
the committee, Mr. Mills explains his
points of divergence from the form of
agreement submitted by the committee to
him as drafted by John M. Wright, and
gives the information that C. E. Uren of
Grass Valley, Nevada County, has been se
lected by the Central Pacific to represent
it as the commissioner of the railroad
company.
The correspondence between Mr. Rick
etts and Mr. Mills speaks for itself. Mr.
Ricketts took pains to fully set forth the
position of his committee in the following:
TV. IT. Mills Esq., Land Agent Central Pacific
Railroad Company, City— Dear Sib: The com
mittee on the protection of mineral lands of
the California Miners' Association, replying to
your favor of the 26th ult., begs to state tnat
the "withdrawal of the names of the Southern
Pacific Company, the Western Pacific Railroad
Company and the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company from the list of parties on the one
Bide to the proposed arbitration' applies and
extends only to the negotiations now pending
between you, as the land agent of said Central
Pacific Railroad Company, and said commit
tee, and no further. That all matters and pro
ceedings now in hand or which may hereafter
arise affecting each and every other company
herein named shell not in any way be preju
diced by such withdrawal of their names from
said "proposed arbitration" with the said Cen
tral Pacific Railroad Company, but may be at
all times prosecuted and maintained without
reference thereto.
Before the said negotiations are closed you
will, in accordance with your request, be fur
nished with the date of the appointment of
said committee and a duly authenticated
statement of the scope of the authority vested
in the committee by the California Miners' As
sociation. Yours very truly,
A. H. Ricketts, Chairman.
Following was the reply of Mr. Mills:
A. 11. Ricketts, Chairman of the Mineral Lands
Committee of the California Miners' Association—
Dear Sir: Answering your late communica
tion I beg leave to submit herewith the in
closed form of agreement as a substitute for
that outlined by yon. This follows your out
line closely, the chief feature of divergence be
ing that the ascertainments and eoncl uslons of
the commission to be appointed shall take the
form of judicial determination instead of an
agreement outside of the tribunals established
by the Secretary of the Interior lor determina
tion of the questions involved. This plan has
the advantage of being fully determined and
of having the binding force of judicial conclu
sion of the parties to the agreement. Should it
be fortunate enough to meet with approval at
the hands of your committee please sign both
copies and return one tome.
In the interest of expedition I beg to name
as commissioner on behalf of the Central Pa
cific Railroad Company C. E. Uren, civil engi
neer, of Grass Valley, Nevada County. In pre
senting the name of Mr. Uren I wish to say
that he is a mining engineer of hieh attain
ments, broad experience and unimpeachable
fairness.
You will please note that the fifth subdivi
sion of the proposition herewith submitted
provides for the subdivision of the field into
districts and the appointment of additional
commissioners for the examination of these
district*. Subsequent appointments will be
made as the necessities of the case demand.
I shall be pleased, if the proposition here
with submitted shall conclude the matter, to
receive the name of the commissioner ap
pointed on your behalf. Your« respectfully,
William H. ICraa,
Land Agent Central Pacific Railroad Company.
And the agreement as drafted by him is:
The Central Pacific Railroad Company by
William H. Mills, its land agent, the first party,
and the California Miners' Association, by the
undersigned, its committee for the protection
of mineral lands, the second party, have agreed
as follows: i
First— Tli at each party will, within ten days
from the date hereof, appoint a reputable and
competent person, whose duty it shall be to in
spect such unpatented lands claimed by the
first party in California as the parties hereto
may submit to them: and to testify .is wit
nesses in the proper Land Office of the United
States as to the character for valuable minerals
contained of all the lands inspected by them,
such, testimony to be given at hearings ordered
or to be ordered by The General Land officers
of the United States, for the ascertainment and
determination ofjthe character of said lands.
And herein it is agreed that the persons
so to be appointed may, when they concur in
so doing, present protests to the General Land
Office against the issue of patents to the first
party conveying any lands which have been
submitted to, inspected and ascertained by
ttjern :o be mineral in character; and the first
party hereby consents that hearings may be
ordered by the General Land officers, in pur
suance of such protests.
And herein it is further agreed that the
character of minerals of all lands submitted
to and inspected by them shall be determined
by the testimony of such persons alone, not
withstanding third persons may testify at the
same heariug.
Second— That in ell cases where the two per
sons to be appointed, aforesaid, disagree as to
the character for minerals of any tract or
tracts submitted to them they shall'appoint a
third reputable and competent person, who
ekall have the same qualifications and duties
as the sftid first-named persons, and in all such
cases no testimony shall be given nor action
be taken except by the two of such persons
who have served, and then only in so far as
they are agreed.
Third— The first party agrrees that it will, at
the request of the said persons to bo appointed,
apply to select any lands submitted to them
■which are not listed, in order that hearings as
to the character thereof may be properly and
promptly ordered by the General Land Office;
end that it will not sect to procure the issueof
patent to it tor any of the lands submitted to
the said persons until after inspection and
action by them, as herein provided. And the
second party agrees that it will facilitate in all
ways within its powers, influence and per
suasion, and will not, by action or counte
nance, obstruct the speedy issuance of patent
to the flr*t party for all lands not found by the
said persons, or oy the General Land Office de
cisions rendered in oursuance of their testi
mony, to be essentially mineral in character.
Fourth— The party of the first part will furnish
free railroad transportation for the use of each
of the said persons when traveling in the per
formance ot their duties herein provided. Each
party is to pay for the services and all other
expenses of the persons which it may appoint
in pursuance hereof ; and the pay for services
and expenses of the said third person to be ap
pointed shall be furnished by the parties
hereto in equal shares.
Fifth— The territories comprising such of the
lands within the Central Pacific and California
anrt Oregon land grants of the first party as
shall be submitted to the said persons may be
subdivided into several divisions; and all the
provisions hereof are alike applicable to each
subdivision.
Dated and signed 1890.
Land Agent C. P. R. R. Co.
Committee of
the Califor
nia Winers'
Assoclat to n
for the Protec-
tlon of Min
eral Lands.
Some of the members of the committee
are inclined to Jook upon this step taken
by Mr. Mills as a victory for the miners.
They say they did not expect as much
from him. They are particularly jubilant
considering that the miners' convention
meets here soon— on the 14th inst, in Pio
neers' Hall on Fourth street— and in view
of the efforts being made by Richard I.
Thomas of Nevada County* to get the
secretaryship of the Miners' Association.
Mr. Thomas has been supposed to have
worked in sympathy with the railroad
people.
The mineral lands committee will meet
in Chairman Ricketts' office this afternoon
to take action on the agreement offered by
Mr. Mills. John M. Wright, who drew up
the form of agreement the committee sub
mitted to Mr. Mills a little while ago said
yesterday afternoon that he had not yet
given the document proper study and
could not yet express any opinion. Mr.
Ricketts thought it was as favorable as
the other and not without loopholes,
through which either side might crawl.
Under the circumstances he tavored ac
cepting it.
If the committee decides to accept it the
commissioner to represent its side may be
selected at once. Two men are spoken of,
one bein« Edward H. Benjamin, whose
name has frequently been used as pro
testant in the land office contests, and
who has several appeals in the Department
of the Interior, and the other is ex-United
States Marshal John C. Franks. Benjamin
stands, perhaps, a little the better chance
of the two.
RETURN OF SECRETARY RALBTOF.
He Tells of His Visit and Also Talks of
Candidates.
Secretary Ralston of the Miners' Asso
ciation is home again from his trip East
and will at once make preparations for the
coming miners' convention on the 14th
inst.
He went East to attend the big conclave
of the Knights Templar in Boston, and
after that went to Washington to see the
Secretary of the Interior on the mineral
land appeals. He has personally protested
a number of selections made by the rail
road companies.
President J. H. Neff of the association
was in Washington at the same time, and
Secretary Hoke Smith being then in Geor
gia the Assistant Secretary of the Interior
referred Messrs. Neff and Kalston to Judge
Hall, Assistant United States Attorney-
General. Alluding to this visit Mr. Ral
ston said yesterday afternoon :
We detirea to know whether the protests of
the association would receive recognition at
the hnnds of the Attorney-General. Judge
Hall told us they certainly would, and further
more that no patents would be issued while
the protests were on rile.
At the General Land Office acting Commis
sioner Emory F. Best was anxious to know
what was our principal claim— what ruling
we wanted. We replied that an agricultural
claimant to land should be required to show
that the land was fit for agricultural purposes,
and that, since the miner under the system in
vogue was forced to prove the mineral charac
ter of the land claimed by him— had to prove
that it contained mineral in paying quanti
ties—the agricultural claimant should also be
made to show that the land he claimed could
be farmed at a profit. Mr. Best thought that
was a just contention and ventured the
opinion that he did not see why a rule should
not work both ways.
After explaining to him the drift gravel
mining of the State and the exploiting of the
same, I argued that all lava-cap ridges in
known gravel mineral regions should be con
sidered a« prima facie mineral land and not
agricultural in any sense of the word. Mr.
Best's Idea was that this was reasonable enough
and he thought we ought to have a ruling to
that effect.
Some of the prospective candidates for
officers of the association were referred to.
Mr. Ralston said he would like to have
some man who was an active miner like
Mr. Neff chosen as president and he
named E. C. Loftus of Tuolumne County
as a good man. Mr. Loftus is a member of
the mineral lands committee. As to the
secretaryship Mr. Ralston said:
I have had all I wanted of it, and Mr. Neff is
satisfied too. I understood that Richard I.
Thomas of Nevada County is a candidate for
the secretaryship, but considering the position
he took in the last Legislature regarding the
bankruptcy bill, which the merchants of this
City were anxious to have passed, I doubt very
much whether he can count upon any support
from the San Francisco delegation. Th'eMiners'
Association received a great deal of financial
support from the merchants of this City and I
certainly think that in choosing their "officers
the miners should select men who would re
ceive indorsement from the mercantile ele
ment.
I tell yon whom I think the merchants would
indorse. I think if Julian Sonntag could be
induced to accept the position he would be
unanimously elected.
William Irelan Jr. is also a candidate
for secretary. Among those who would
like to be president are Robert McMurray
of this City. Alfred Tredgidgo of Nevada
County and H. T. Powers of Placer County.
John McMnrray of Trinity County has
been frequently mentioned as a good man,
though he is not seeking the placje very
hard.
President Grayson of the San Francisco
association will call a meeting to choose
delegates within a few days. Secietary
Yale was preparing the call yesterday.
Vice-President Benjamin of the Alameda
County association — Edward H. Benja
min — will call his association together next
week. Alameda County, he says, will send
twenty-six or twenty-seven delegates.
PLEASURE HOUSE BOATS.
Hundreds to Be Built Here
Ready for the Next Out
ing Season.
An Enterprise Peculiarly Adapted
to This City and State.
Gasoline Launches.
A number of business men of this City
are about to embark in a novel line of
business, which will attract general inter
est, and, when carried to completion, will
give citizens of San Francisco and vicinity
opportunities for summer outings on the
bay. The company contemplates the
building of houseboats, to be propelled by
gasoline engines or towed by small
launches equipped with such engines.
Those houseboats will be of various di
mensions, ranging from a three-room cot
tage to an eight-room house, all built on
one general plan, but with various equip
ments.
One hundred or more of these house
boats will be built this fall and winter and
equipped in time for the next outing sea
son. It is designed to rent them to fami
lies or parties wishing to take a few weeks'
or months' outing in and around the bay
or up the navigable rivers of the State.
These houseboats will be thoroughly
equipped with every modern convenience
for housekeeping, with the exception of
dishes and bedding Inquiry has been
made among a large number of residents
of the City who might be expected to take
advantage of so attractive an opportunity
during the summer, and the unanimity of
opinion, expressed in favor of the proposi
tion was satisfactory to those who are the
financial backers of the scheme.
These floating nouses can be inexpen
sively built, so that the rent charges can
be made low enough to come within the
reach of almost every one. There may be
others more expensively built and equipped
for the accommodation of those who can
afford a larger outlay for their pleasure.
The houseboats will be so constructed as
to give them a draft that will admit of
their being propelled or towed in any
water of flutticient depth to float a large
sized canoe.
Pleasure-boat houses of the samo een
eral design, towed from place to oluco by
small launches, have been in use on the
River Thames, England, some time, and
are said to be much' favored by tlnw who
enjoy an outing on the wntor. s.» f
them are quite expensive affair* OOltina
as high as $10,000 to f12,000, Th« Tilli ll no
city in the world, however, morn a.lvan
tageously situated than San Francisco fur
the development of this form of eniiiv
ment. ' *
The little two to four horsepower gaso
line marine engines to supply the power to
the launches which will tow'these pleasure
houseboats are so simple, safe and easily
operated that any child 10 years old can
run them, and any one capable of steering
a common canoe can take one of these
outtits and go where he wills with as
much assurance of safety as by any other
mode of travel.
Struck by a Car.
John Clendinnen, an expressman, living at
1152 Mission street, tried to drive across the
track yesterday afternoon in front of an electric
car at Eighth and Mission streets. The car
struck the wagon and Clendinnen was thrown
to the jrround. He alighted on his head and
sustained along wound in his scalp.
NEW TO-DAY. ,_,_ . .^
DOCTOR SWE A NY,
737 Market Street, San Francisco, Cal.
(Opposite Examiner Office).
THIS LEARNED SPECIALIST, WELL AND FAVORABLY
known throughout the West by his long residence and suc-
cessful practice in this city, desires to thank the people of the
Pacific Coast for their confidence and patronage in the past, and
to assure the afflicted everywhere of receiving from him skillful
and scientific treatment now and in the future. With a thorough
literary and professional education, and with extensive experience
in the practice of Nervous Chronic and Private Diseases of both
sexes, he cures every curable case in the catalogue of human ills.
He addresses himself in particular to cases that have baffled the
skill and science of other doctors. His patients are among our
most intelligent citizens of every trade and profession, including
merchants, manufacturers, mechanics, miners, farmers, laborers,
literary and professional gentlemen, many of whom have ex-
hausted the skill of their family physicians without obtaining
relief. His name is a sufficient guarantee of a perfect cure of
every case he undertakes. Consult him, either in person or by
letter, this day. It may save you much mental and physical
suffering, and add golden years to your life.
NERVOUS DBIim'irKSJVSI
cialty. This distinguished doctor's success in
cases of this character has been really phe-
nomenal.
VMIMP MEM if you are troubled with
IUUtiU nlCli night emissions, exhausting
drains, pimples, bashfulness, aversion to soci-
ety, stupidness, despondency, loss of energy,
ambition and self-consciousness, which de-
nrives you of your manhood and absolutely un-
fits you for study, business or marriage — if you
are thus afflicted you know the cause. Get well
and be a man.
MIDDLE-AGED AND OLD MEN ffi:s.a:
of you troubled with weak, achine backs and
kidneys; fr?(juent, painful urination and sedi-
ment in urine; impotency or weakness of
sexual organs, and other unmistakable signs
of nervous debility and premature decay.
Many die of this difficulty, ignorant of the
cause, which is the second stage of seminal
weakness. The most obstinate cases of this
character treated with unfailing success.
I AfllFS lf >* ou are suffering from persistent
LnuiLU headache--, paintul menstruation,
leucorrhcea or whites, intolerable itching, dis-
placement of the womb, or any other distress-
ing ailment peculiar to your sex, you should
call on PR. SWEAN'Y without delay. He cures
when others fail.
ADDRESS,
737 Market Street, San Francisco, Cal.
PACIFIC DEPARTMENT.
German American I iris, Co.
OF NEW YORK.
OF THE
CONDITION AND AFFAIRS
OF THE
GERMAN-AMERICAN
INSURANCE COMPANY
OF NEW YORK. IN THE STATE OF NEW
York, on she 31st day of December, A. D.,
1894, and for the year ending on that day, as made
to the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Cali-
fornia, pursuant to the provisions of sections 610
and 611 of the Political code, condensed as per
blank furnished by the Commissioner.
CAPITAL.
Amountof capital stock, paid up In
cash $1,000,000 00
ASSETS.
Heal estate owned by the company. . $25 000 00
Cash market value of all stocks and
bonds owned by company 6,436, 050 00
Cash in company's office " 88'> 82
Cash In banks. 437^66 o5
Interest due und accrued on all stocks
and loans g 100 00
Premiums in due course of collec-
tion 332,697 01
Total assets 56.24U.098 83
LIABILITIES.
Losses adjusted and unpaid $105 374 42
Lossrs In processor adjustment or In '
suspense 365 762 OS
Losses resisted, Including expenses i" 351 71 (V*
Gross premiums on fire risks run- '
n ing one year or less. $2,435,-
-180 58: reinsurance 50percent 1 217 sPo '><>
Gross premiums on fire risks running n»w*»
GEORGE H. TYSON,
General Agent .' ; ••;•
HlV*'^=J2al SSm *— IHnilllWWM lIIbW I Wiii«fcfVitaliz^r,thepregcrlp-
■ IY^<vrygfs» -a*, (Q» tlonof a jarnoiw French physician, will quickly cure you of all ner.
H \y\ X<A I\> ■■■* \l o ' lB o? aispases the geuerntive «irm.n*. such as Lost Manhood •
I 1 Mml \» &HJ Insomnia, rains In the Buck, Seminal Jimlsslnns.Kervons Dpbillty .
A/t^» A , *&*T £ ITTi e s» Lafitness to Marry, KxhauaUtig Drains, Varloocele -BiTd* '
U >v J ' V v Coastlpatlon. tstopn all lossps bvdav or night. Prevents quick- •
WWr >»X«i/ Dessor discharge, which If notcheelced IcadstoSpermatorrhCßaand.
H BEFORE AND AFTEB »'' toe horrors of Impotency. <X T I*IIJEJIE cleanses the liver. th«
■ >wT«.w«.«.«^rT V " tldncys and tho urinary orpana of all impurities. . '^ .
JCIJPIIHiNE strengthens and restores small weak orgnns. . . - •
■»««J.«.i r . e » aso^r R r^ r re not cured b3r I>ocfo ™ i« because ninety per cent are troubled with
. B'roatamia. CUPIDEXEIs theonly known remedy to cure without an operation. aoootrtsflmonl. *
5i s An A written clven and money returned if six boxps dees not effect a permanent ennT
|Woabox,Blxfor?s.oo,bymalL Send for miE circular ai:d testimonials. *™*"«ueuscum.
Address DAT© WEDICIXE CO., P. O. Box 2f™» ~- ~- rvi ■cv^.^.-^, : *
__ _ BBOKS- PHARMACY, U8 PowaU'itraat. .■ '.
'ONE YEAR BORROWS ANOTHER YEAR'S FOOL."
YOU DIDN'T USE
SAPOLIO
LABTYEAR. PERHAPS YOU WILL NOT THIS YEAR.
- . . ■ : ■■ ■
DR I \l ATC diseases— Gonorrhea, Strict-
r n|¥H \ ures, Syphilis, Hydrocele, Varico-
:ele, Tenderness, Swellings, Weakness of Or-
gans, Piles and Fistula. Rupture quickly cured
without pain or detention from business. .
KIDNEY AND UMABYiBSSnsI'K:
luent, milky or bloody urine, unnatural dis-
charges speedily cured.
PAT A RR U which poisons the Breath, Stom-
UnlMltlin ach and Lungs and paves the
way for Consumption, Throat, Liver, Heart,
Kidney, Bladder and all constitutional and in-
ternal troubles; also Rupture, Piles, Fistula
treated far in advance of any other institutioa
in the country.
BLOOD AND SKIN Diseases, Sores, Spots,
PLbUU HNU OMN Pirn pies. .-.Scrofula;
Syphilitic Taints, Tumors, Rhumatism, Erup-
tions, etc., promptly cured, leaving the system
in a pure, strong and healthful state.
FREE TREATMENT- SL *& i&irtS-"-
office on Friday afternoo'hs. ;.". •
IWRITF your t . roubles f ully and frankly and
II 111 It. effective treatment will sent you.
free from observation, to any part of the coun-
try. Thousands cured at home. Book entitled
11 Guide to Health" sent free to those describ-
ing their troubles. All communications sa-
:redly confidential.
Office hours— 9 A. M. to 12 M., 2to 5 and
1 to 8 P. M. Sunday, 10 A. M. tol2M. only
more than one year, $3,074,- ' ..
562 60; reinsurance pro rata 1,579,915 35
All other demands against the com-
P aj) y • .79,910 53
Total liabilities $3,383,723 64
INCOME. . • • . '•
Net cash actually received for fire ■ " • •. ,
premiums $3, 154,960 40
Received for Interest and dividends . •
on bonds, stocks, loans, and from • •-' •-
all other sources 241,224 69
Total Income. 3,396,186 09
EXPENDITURES. >
Net amount paid for fire losses (In-
cluding $462,617 97, losses of ""'
previous years) $1,903,207 98
Dividends to stockholders 200,000 OO
Paid or allowed for commission or ->
t. brokerage •-,•••••; 1459)189 70
Paid for salaries, fees and other '-.
charges for oißcers, clerks, etc.... 287,350 •
Paid for State, National and local
, „ taxes •: 73,627 85
All other payments and expend!- • ' * .- .
tures... 318.879 94
Total expenditures i $3,142,265 81
Losses incurred during the year
(Fire) $1,853,84608 •;' .
RISKS AND PREMIUMS.! *" . °
I Fire Risks. j Premium*. •
Net amountof risks; • . ' '" ;
during the - " ..- '-.
y i ar / $399 339,611 $4,290,562 9S
Net amount of risks ■ . . ■.■
expired during the - >~. • . . ,
year 371.637.659 3,399,939 62
amount In force ;-•• . • •
. December 31,! J '"■•>•; .'■
1894 1 567,985,20?] 5, 509/733 18
JAS. a. SILVEY, Vice-President." '
Wli. 8. NEWELL, Secrerary.. :
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 23<1 day '
of January. 1895. ' •' .••-•■:,-
JOHN E. CAMPBELL, Notary Public -
" /: ' '■ • :i)-V ..:•-. '• ■■■"'