The San Francisco call. [volume], June 27, 1903, Image 1

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

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SITE FOR NAVAL COALING STATION ON SAN FRANCISCO BAY
IS SELECTED BY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT NEAR THIS CITY
Location Possesses
Shelter and Deep
Waterway.
CALIFORNIA CITY WHICH THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY \ HAS. PRACTICALLY • SELECTED FOR A
NAVAL COALJNG STATION, THE DISTINGUISHED OFFICER WHO EXAMINED THE SITE AND MAPS
SHOWING THE LOCATION AND WATER APPROACHES. - .
Continued on Page 2, Column 3.
Continued on Page 3, Column 2.
Cc-ntlnued on Page 2, Column 2.
BUSSIA .WILL OBJECT.
Nation May Be Expected to Resent
American Action.
. WASHINGTON. June 26.-The Russian
Government has learned with pro'found
regret .of .the .Intention of the .Washing
ton authorities ' to forward to St. Peters
burg a petition from American Jews rela
tive to Russia's treatment of her Jewish
HE Government of the United
B States has- made a . move ; of
B \ - . great 1 naval* importance on the
. B bay; of •' San ¦ Francisco. A ' site
for a coaling station has been
. selected," close to San '. Fran-,
cisco, at- what is popularly known as Cal
if ornia City. .; An option has been secured
on ;the land -needed.' and :the' Government
is now having '•- the ; title ; to r the. ' property
searched." ',.'••{.. "'-¦ '¦ ' : '¦ . *
The significance -of -this can.be readljy
seen. '-, President '-'Roosevelt's ¦- declaration
"that- the American navy ought to' be pro
vided; with all ¦.? possible' facilities to en
able this country; to be' always, ready for
trouble on^ the seas', * if it should come, , Is
the key to , the" /situation. .The - bid-time,
method, of coaling'; a great; battleship ,of
the class of the Oregon,' Wisconsin, Iowa,
Kearsargc, • Kentucky~ : Alabama" . Rhode
Inland and Virginia in ' the "middle -of a
stream j from .lighters ; obsolete. It ,"ls
slow, ,unwarllke, abreast -of modern
enterprise: and • might . in . an - emergency,
cause- a. loss «of precious, time. ;:. Uncle
Sam's .huge 1 floating forts that travel^the
high '-'seas 'and "the ; fle"ets^ of - lesser • craft
that fly the red, white and I. blue are tobo
given. at; this port the best . service possi
ble/ Thiey" are to have a station to which
the largest • ship : afloat can easily steam,
this .station fronting on a broad expanse
of "deep, water that will" permit -of • their
turning, as* becomes necessary. 1 They, will
beV sheltered Vwhlle . ¦,¦ coaling i r from ..'the
sweeping .billows of the ocean and > from
the gusts that "come in from; the ; Pacific.
knowledge of the bay of San . Francisco,
but he made as thorough inspectlon^as If
he had no previous information about It.
He passed many hours sailing about on
the Golden Gate. His assistants were in
structed not to give any information and
they strictly adhered to their Instructions.
But the fact has leaked out and the pub
lication will excite wide interest.
One day- was p.ut in largely in making
soundings off the land owned by Lynde &
Hough, which is as near' directly opposite
Point Richmond as may be It Is abotjt
three miles from Tlburon, following the
shore line around, and about a mile dis
tant by an air .line. The cluster of build
ings situated at that place has caused It
to be observed by all persons sailing on
He came to San Francisco and con
ferred with Colonel Heuer. and. after
learning all that could be officially offered
concerning the depth of the bay and the
peculiarities of many sorts that have
bearing under the circumstances, em
barked with assistants on the cutter
Golden Gate and began a tour of personal
inspection.
Rear Admiral Bradford was not without
ment is Rear Admiral Bradford. He has
ample experience and wide judgment on
naval affairs. To him was secretly in
trusted the task of investigating and re
porting on a proper site for a coaling sta
tion for the navy on the bay of San Fran
cisco. He moved as discreetly as possi
ble. ; V '
v In addition to this • advantage, 'which
counts much In perfecting the defenses of
the bay of San Francisco,' it will be read
ily perceived' that the coaling station will
increase r the ; buslness of San Francisco by
making .' the*. port " a more ' general rendez
vous; for 'naval. vessels than, it would
otherwise . become. *•
'The officer of the navy who approved of
the^slte in ' behalf 'of "the. Navy Depart-
Moreover, -and a not unimportant consid
eration, .the national 'Government will
have absolute ' "control ' over ' the site by
actual ownership 'and will be able to pro
vide itself witlvevery modern facility for
expeditious -work. There will be stored
vast quantities ! of fuel of the sort suited
to' naval needs always ' ready for. instant
usel.-' , ¦ : • - •
Rear Admiral Brad ford l Is Of fleer Who Made^ Examination
Prior to Fay oratile io[ Secretary of Navy.
• Special Dispatch to The Call
HERMOSILLO, Mcx., June 26^— A force
of Yaqul . Indians recently attacked- a
stage coach which was going from Ala
mosto Guaymas. Several shots were ex
changed and their reports attracted a de
tachment of soldiers that happened to b<3
in the neighborhood. When* it arrived the
Indians Tan away. Two of the Indians
were killed, as was also a soldier, who re
ceived a", bullet through, his heart. An
other soldier and Juan de Dios Valcnsula,
a passenger on the stage coach, were very
seriously wounded. './,.•
As soon as. the news of the encounter
reached General, Torres,, Governor of So-
Viora, he ordered detachments of rurales
to start in pursuit: of the "Indians, and he
personally? left : with a^ number of federal
soldiers toward Sierra: Three days I later
General Torres surprised^ the Indians at
Bajojarl' and killed* sever? of them,.cap
turing the others. Lieutenant rRobles,
General Torres'. , aid . de camp, was killed
by the side" of his chief. ' Lieutenant
Colonel ' Anastasio Torres and "Captain
Meneses- were -badly wounded .and several
soldiers were seriously hurt.
YAQUI FORGE
MAKES RAID
ON A STAGE
Special Dispatch to The Call.
WASHINGTON. June 26. — President
Roosevelt's decision to forward the He
brew petition to the Russian Government
is proving the greatest diplomatic sensa
tion here since the Venezuelan~imbroglio.
If the decision was a surprise to all of
ficials outside of the Cabinet circle, the
European diplomats who are still in the
city were fairly . astounded. As learned
by The Call from a high authority to
day, the situation from the administration
viewpoint is this: . \ • . , :
The forwarding of the B'nai B'rlth's pe
tition is a rebuke to Russia, It was rep
resented to the Washington Government
that Russia would- not- try to Influence
China in the negotiation of an American-
Chinese commercial treaty, in which the
United States expected to gain open ports
in Manchuria: The administration later
gained what is believed to be indisputable
evidence' that Russia did influence China
up to the extent that China was afraid to
grant the United States' request for open
ports. Therefore, there is little disposi
tion to show consideration for Russia by
withholding a protest like this petition.
The attitude of the Washington Govern
ment toward Russia is one of bitterness
and distrust- The situation which threat
ens to ensue is fraught with danger to
long existing Russo-American good feel
ing. '
Aside from the fact that the Russian
attitude is much to the distaste of the
administration, there is a pronounced bit
terness shown by certain high Govern
ment officials toward Count Cassini, the
Russian Embassador, and the sending of
the Hebrew protest is considered a rebuke
to him.
Special Dispatch to The Call
SAN BERNARDINO. June 26.— Charles
Thomas, a miner formerly in the employ
cf.the'O. K. mine in Virginia Dale, was
shot -find killed last evening while at
tempting to hold up the town cf Dale.
Thomas was killed by Constable J. H.
Wagner while in the act of shooting Fred
Decounter, a mining man well known In
this city.
Thomas conceived the Idea of holding
up the camp Jn the hope of getting away
•with in exceptional])* large bar of bullion
which had been run out the day before
at th* O. K. mine. He went about his
work by -securing all of the firearms in
the town, getting possession of all of
them except a revolver belonging to Con
stable Wagner. Swearing 1 to blow the
head off any one who made a move to
ward resistance, Thomas started down
the street in search of the officer who had
the sole remaining firearm in the camp.
He *net Wagner, who was accompanied
by Fred Decounter, as the two were com
ing out of the Dale chophouse. Thomas
at once covered the pair, demanding that
th«} constable" hand over his revolver.
Wagner replied that he did not have it
on btxn. and said it wa* In his room, which
adjoined the postoffice. Thomas then or
dered the two men up the street, saying
that he would have the weapon Jn a min
ute or their lives would answer for it.
On tne way to the room the constable
attempted to Dacify Thomas., but to no
purpose. Arriving at the entrance of the
poFtofflce, Wagner succeeded in dropping
back a pace and • l"crc his captor real
ized his intention had slipped into .the
building. In an instant Wagner was ln
eide his room and a moment later had
secured his revolver. In the meantime
Thomas and Decounter were on the out
i-ide, the former saying that he would kill
Decounter if Warner did not at once
throw his uistol out of the window. In-
Mead of obeying, the constable turned to
the open window, and, just as the would
be.murderer was drawing aim on pe
eounter. he fired. Thomas dropped to the
ground with a cry of agony, his pistol
falling by his sHe. Wagner's bullet had
pierced his heart and death came almost
Constable Kills Him
to Save Life of
a Friend.
Action on Hebrew
Petition Stirs
Wonder.
MINER TRIES
TO HOLD UP
SMALL TOWN
DIPLOMATS
OF NATIONS
ARE AGHAST
WITHIN a frj) miles of
San Francisco, at Cali
fornia City, the Gov
ernment has found a site for a
naval coaling station. Rear Ad
miral Bradford has carefully
inspected it. His zvork has re
sulted in a favorable report.
This is manifest by an order to
have the title to the property
searched as a preliminary to
purchase by the United States
Government.'
The property includes fifty
fivc acres and a fraction. It has
the advantages of being near to
San Francisco, of having back
of it high, sheltering hills and
in front of it an abundance of
deep water, so that the largest
battleships can easily steam up
to it, load and back out with
sufficient room to turn.
The decision by the Govern
ment to establish a naval coal
ing station on the Bay of San
Francisco is of importance. It
will provide better defenses for
this port and insure an increase
of business incidental to the
coming here of naval vessels
from all parts, of the Pacific.
There are already coaling
stations at Guantanamo, Cuba;
at Honolulu, at Pago Pago, at
Key West, Fla., and at Manila.
The establishment of an exten
sive station here for the sole use
and bencfif of Uncle Sam's navy
is in the line of expansion of
naval facilities vigorously fol
lowed ever since the guns of
Dewey destroyed the fleet of
the Spaniards ¦ in the . Bay . of
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
XCIV— NO. 27.
SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1903.