The San Francisco call. [volume], July 26, 1909, Page 1, Image 1

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

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ILIMMO rvyix •
YOUNG GIRLS :
From the Practical Point of View." j
SEE PAGE FOR MISSES j
IN THE NEXT SUNDAY CALL i
VOLUME CVX— NO. 56.
DEATH FOLLOWS
IN WAKE OF THE
'PHONE BRIBERY
Albert J. Steiss, Important Wit
ness Against Glass and
Halsey Expires Abroad
Former Assistant General Man
ager of Company, Succumbs
in Germany
Fatality Still Pursues Men High
in Councils of Those Im
plicated in Scandal
DEATH again has trailed afar an
expatriated officer of the Pacific
states telephone company, and an
a.n important witness against Louis
Glass and Theodore V. Halsey, indicted
offlciaJs of tli© corporation, charged
\u25a0with bribing members of the Ruef
?chmitz board of supervisors.
AJbert J. Steiss, former assistant
general manager of the company under
Louis Glass, died Saturday In Xauhelm,
Germany, where he had gone with his
wife. Meager word of the death
reached Mrs. Pteiss' sister at Palo Alto
Saturday. She said last night that
Steiss left California in May last for
a trip to Europe, and that while his
primary purpose in going was not for
his health, he •was taking treatment at
Nauheim at the time of his death.
An Important Witness
Steiss was a very important and ma
terial witness at the trials of Halsey
and Glass. His testimony at the Glass
trial wont far to prove that Halsey
was directly accountable to Glass for
his actions and movements. A chart
which Steiss drew at the Glass trial
pave a graphic delination of the rela
tive positions of the telephone com
pany officials. After the graft prose
cution attacked the telephone com
pany's corruption Steiss retired from
the active work of the company and
moved his famiry to Palo Alto, where
it was popularly conceded he was liv
'.r.z r»n an ample pension given by the
predatory corporation.
Fteiss was ranked high in local
financial, club and society circles. Dur
ing the last two years, however, he
lias lived in semiretirement.
Pursued by Fatality
A fatality had pursued the men who
were high in the councils of the Pacific
States telephone company at the time
that Halsey hired a room in the Mills
building and passed tainted currency
to members of the board of supervis
ors to insure that they would vote
against granting a franchise to the
Home telephone company, then seeking
to gain an entrance into the San Fran
cisco field. In a material sense the
bribery was a failure. Abe Ruef was
piqued because Halsey operated direct
ly with the supervisors and not through
him and sold out the board a second
time to the Home company.
The Oliver grand Jury indicted Louis
<51a!?s, vice president and general man
-nger of the company, and Theodore V.
Halsey, "outside man" for the concern,
for giving and offering bribes. Glass
was subsequently cpnvicted, and his
case is now in the supreme court wait
ing review of the- appellate court's nul
lification of the superior court trial.
Glaes has been broken in health since
his trial and conviction.
Halsey Is Stricken
Halsey was brought to trial in Au
jrust, 1907, and during the trial was
stricken with appendicitis. The pro
ceedings were stopped and a resump
tion of the case has been delayed pend
ing his recovery. Two years have
passed since the attack, and he will
again be brought to trial soon.
The first fatality attendant upon the
<-ase came November 19, 1908, shortly
after Francis J. Heney was shot In
the courtroom during trie progress of
the trial of Abe Ruef. John Krause
killed himself while expatriated and
alone oft* the coast of Europe.
Krause had been assistant general
agent of the company during the spring
of 1906, at which time the supervisors
were bribed. He was an aid to Halsey
and had played an Important part in
reaching the corrupt supervisors. - In
December, 1907, he quietly disappeaerd
from San Francisco. It was known that
tiie telephone company had instructed
him to get out of the California juris
diction, and he went to Europe.
Krause Ends His Life
In November of last year he took a
trip from Cherbourg,- France, to Queens
town, Ireland, on the steamer Adriatic.
About the time he sailed from the
French port he read in the papers that
Francis J. Ilency had been shot by
Morris Haas and that the prosecution
of all grafters was to be pressed re
lentlessly. Then Krause, the popular,
light hearted publicity man for the com
pany, alone off a foreign shore, cut his
throat with a razor. He was found dead
In his stateroom on the vessel.
In May of this year William Kennedy,
tin official of the company, was sent out
of the Jurisdiction of the' California
courts to British Columbia. Kennedy
was mayor of Larkspur,: Marin county,
Conlinucd vu I'aceS; Column 5
The San Francisco Call.
TRAGEDIES FOLLOW
TELEPHONE GRAFT
March 22. 1907— Louis Class
and Theodore V. Halsey,
indicted for bribing members
of the Ruef -Schmidt board
of supervisors in interest of
Pacific States telephone
Company.
August, 1907 — Halsey attacked
frith appendicitis during his
trial.
November 19, 1908— John
Krausc. assistant general
agent of company, commits
suicide while traveling
in Europe, where he fled
the year before.
May. 1909— William Ken
nedy, former official of
company, sent to British
Columbia.
July 24. 1909— Albert]. Steiss,
former assistant general
manager and chief witness
against Louis Class, dies at
Nauheim, Germany, where
he had gone, supposedly
under instructions from the
corporation heads.
INDEX OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO CALL'S
NEWS TODAY
TELEPHONE KEARXY 86
MONTDAY, JULY 26, 1909
WEATHER CONDITIONS
YESTERDAY — Cletr; west wind; maximum
temperature, 64; minimum, 52.
FORECAST FOB TODAY— Fair; tog in morn
ing; brief southwest winds. Page It
EDITORIAL
Senator's explanation to home folks. Pas* *
Washington officialism hard to move. Pace 4
Is Gifford I'lnccot to be driven out? Pace *
Tbeir magnificent program. Page 4
Books for a gentleman* g library. Pace 4
GRAFT
Albert .T. Stefss, important wltneos against
Glass and third telephone official expatiated,
dies in German?. I'age 1
POLITICAL
Robert H. Countryman explains bis reason for
seeking nomination for major. Page 5
CITY
Lieutenant Sntton'* sister will leave San Fran-
Cisco to go upon eastern stage. Page 12
Innes and his band entertain large throngs at
Idora park. Pagre 12
Abolition of switching charges on grain by
northern 'railroad excites interest. Page 12
Tolice eearch Golden Gate park for body of
woman supposed to hare been drowned in Chain
of Lakes. Page 12
Woman's appearance at park hospital for treat
ment for alleged attempt at suicide enshrouded
in mystery. '. -^ Page 1
Ship's carpenter spends sayings of lifetime in
only debauch and then euicides. Page 1
SUBURBAN
\u25a0 Robert Robertson disappears mysteriously from
Alameda. Page 7
Dr. W. J. V. Osterhout of state university
considering offer to become assistant botany pro
fessor at Uanrard. Page C
Berkeley police seek man wanted for theft of
wagon from liTery stable. . Page 10
Real estate men expect large attendance at
the ' convention to be held in August at Oak
land, i Page 7
Excellent bill Is given this week at the Oak- i
land Orpheum. Page 7
Burglars enter a meat shop in Broadway by
breaking open a rear door. ' Page 7
Berkeley city council plans extensive improve
ment of principal streets. Page 7
COAST
Young burglars arrested in I.os Angeles used
wireless telegraphy in operating. Page 3
Oil deposits on telephone insulators puts long
stretch of wire out of order. Page 1
Fruit shippers will sustain heavy losses unless
railroads supply sufficiency of cars. Page 12
EASTERN
Six persons are killed and 36 injured . wl»n
Wabasb train plunges Into Missouri river near
Kansas City. Page 3
Two girl bandits held up four men In automo
bile near Denver.- Page 3
Fresb accusations are made against the Chi
cago police inspector, Edward MeCann. Page 3
President Taft stands firm in his demand that
bides be put on the free list. Page 2
Walter Hoff Seeley to manege largest vaude
ville booking agency In world, headed by William
Morris. Page 1
Attempt to compel vote In conference to make
hides dutiable «t 7*4 per cent -causes angry
words between Senator Aldrich and Representa
tive Payne. • Page 2
FOREIGN
French aviator eros?e s English channel in a
20 foot airshlpt Page 1
More than 400 members of the Olympic club
enjoy annual outing and barbecue. Page 6
T D W wins: feature' race at park stadium,
pacing mile, in 2: IS. Pace 6
Powell opens a 10 to .B favorite over, Hudson
for Friday Bight's fight. Page 6
Manager of Ad Wolgast •will arrive today'; to
talk business with Jim Coffroth. \u25a0 Pag* 6
Britt and Ketcbel arc ready to take 'long
needed rest In mountains.'. ..'-Page 6
Tournament play on at California and [Golden
Gate park tennis courts. . Page 6
Coast league scores — San Francisco 2/V Oak-J
land J ; Oakland 6, San Francisco 2; ' Vcrnon • I,' i
Sacramento 0; , Sacramento .l,v Vcrnon 'o;;' Port *
land 6, Los Angeles 0. .. Page 6
: State league ecores--Stockton \7,-, Fresno '-\u25a0 3;
Fresno 6, Stockton 3; Sacramento 5,' Oakland 2;
Oakland S, ; Sacramento 1. "Paged
MARINE' I-;
; The. Kosmos; steamer : .Varda arrived !injport
yesterday, with an unusual 'cargo. ' Page 11
:,-; Gale speeds along the coast at rate of 70 miles
an hoar. ' • • ,* . -' .' 'Page 11;
Three big freight steamships., arrive . in' port
together. .'. Puge 11
SAN^ FBMCISCO,- -MON^
"WHEN MY LAST
TWENTY GOES I
WILL GO TOO"
Charles Walker
Carries Out Threat of Suicide
When His Last Dollar Is
Spent For Liquor
Savings of a Lifetime Furn
ish a Month of Revelry
For Ship Carpenter
ii\ V THEN my last "twenty' lii
\A/ blown in, then I'll 1 blow
•\u25a0*" out my brains," Charles
Walker, a ship carpenter living at 452
Drumm street, said repeatedly to his
landlady, Mrs. F. C. Saraiza.
For nearly all of his 52 years of life
Walker had labored hard at his trade.
He saved and stinted himself. His
companions, earlier in life, would coax
him to join them in their revelries,
but Walker would stay apart, saving
his money dollar by dollar. They
called him the close one down in the
shipyards where he worked. One
month ago Walker had $1,600 in the
savings bank.
"Going to Have Good Time"
Then he changed his mode of life.
He started to draw money from the
bank. His friends questioned his ac
tion, and Walker declared himself for
the first time— pronounced the grim
sentence which he" had passed "upon
himself.
"I'm going to have a good time now,"
he declared. "I have saved, now I am
going to spend. -And when my money
Is ail gone, then I'll go, too."
Then was started a period of dissi
pation. The high lights of the night
time were sought by him. He left his
work; his tools he distributed among
his friends. He filled his pockets with
the gold the bankers had been keeping
for him. He quickly shifted his bal
ance from the banks to the bars. A
lively month of life was before Charles
Walker.
His face became familiar in drink
ing resorts. His old friends among the
ship building craft tried to straighten
the man out, but with no .avaL He
avoided them, broke another "twenty"
and went so much nearer to his end.
When Walker started on his certain
march toward death he had $1,600 In
the bank. There were no friends or
relatives dependent upon him for sup
port, and "money," said Walker, "is
minted but to be spent."
Figures Out His End
Walker could figure his end to a
mathematical certainty. He knew how
much money he could spend in a day,
a week or a month. The day of his
death he predestined and went his
way, doing a kindness here, helping a
fellow to satisfy a. thirst as insistent
as his own, meeting his obligations and
seeing before him a gay period of life
and a certain day of death, a day as
certain as if it had been ordained by
a jury and not by a judge..
Friday night he went into one of
his accustomed drinking places and
spun a gold piece on the bar. "This
is my. last 'twenty,' " he said to the
bar tender, "have a drink with me."
His Last Coin
As the bar tender placed the bottles
on the polished surface Walker spun
the $20 gold piece. He winked gravely
into the graven eye of the woman on
the coin. . His mind ran over the joy
ous life he had had during the last
month, while his money was going
He spun the coin affectionately. It
represented all that was between "him
and death; but while he. toyed with the
metal he granted himself no slight re
prieve.
The clock in the saloon struck eight
times. A maudlin wretch, steadying
himself against the Tjar rail, chanted
sadly: :
"The stroke of 8 In the stroke of fate
Tbat telli nhen a man must die."
He reached his : lodgings Saturday
morning. About; 11 o'clock that morn
ing Mrs. Saraiza, the landlady, heard
a noise in Walker's room. "It sounded
like the'bursting of an inflated paper
bag,", she said, and thought no more of
It. Her philosophy contained no sym
bolism which likened life to' an empty
paper bag.
; She went Into the room yesterday
morning to make the bed and found
Walker's body there. He was dead.
There was a bullet hole in his head.
When the coroner's^ deputies searched
the room they; found not a cent
ROBBERS SECURE BOOTY
FROM OAKLAND HOME
Jewelry Valued Vat $300 Is
by Daritig Men
OAKLAND, July 25.— Shortly before
noon today, while the members of the*
family were gathered; ln a back i parlor;
burglars broke into the front room of
the residence of S.; M. \u25a0 Haslett, at- 1605
Clinton - avenue . arid • stole jewelry val
ued'at about $300." The thieves escaped
wltiiout ;^being..: detected. Their booty
consisted of gold .rings, 'pin's :, ; and
brooches. "— .•\u25a0'; . - v
\u25a0 The > police .were notified fas ; soon jas
the robbery .' was discovered > and . de
tectives were detailed upon 'the fcase at
once, but thus far/ no ; clew,; to ;thciden
tity: of the burglars > Lias been .obtained.
SPREE AND DEATH
END SOBER LIFE
After living an abstemious
life for 52 years, Charles Walk
er, 0f 7 45 2 Drumm street took his
savings, amounting to $1 ,600,
from the bank and^allowed him
self one month of hilarious living.
"When my money jls all " Roue,
(Urn I'll go too,*? hejsald.
On Friday night he changed
his last $20 gold piece. His
dead body was found] yesterday
morning in his room. Not a cent
of money was found with the re
mains.
WOMAN A MYSTERY
AT PARK HOSPITAL
Men Ruch Her in From Auto
for Alleged Suicidal Attempt
and All Quickly Depart
An auto dashed up to the park emer
gency hospital yesterday afternoon
with desperate speed and two men
sprang from the machine as it came
to a stop, carrying a woman between
them In their arms. They hurried into
the hospital with their burden, a beau
tiful young woman, and gasped out to
the steward that she had taken car
bolic acid. Preparations were made to
aid her at once, but the woman pro
tested, struggling free, and took a few
steps toward the door. Her compan
ions caught her as she collapsed, but
still she refused treatment, and, in
desperation, the men bundled her back
into the auto and sped away in search
of a private physician.
One of the men gave the woman's
name as Virginia Blakeley. She re
sided at the Hotel Kirk.
Where the woman was taken Is a
matter of conjecture, "for inquiries
around the neighborhood have "un
earthed no cle wto her present where
abouts. The steward at the hospital
was speechless at, the whirlwind
entry, brief hysterical moment of en
treaty and protest and sudden disap
pearance, v and .JeciauVs J the incident
seems to him like a passage from a
tale of adventure. - \u25a0 ; :^'V ii v >
DR. DOROTHIA WATSON
AND HARRY BRANN TO WED
Prominent Clubman Quietly
Secures License
Great surprise was occasioned yes
terday in club and social circles by
the announcement that Dr. Dorothia
Watson and Harry H. Brann, promi
nent clubman and- merchant, plan "to
be married within a few days, very
quietly.
Doctor Watson is one of the fore
most woman physicians of the city,
and inquiry at her home, 2851 Clay
street, '. was met yesterday with th»
statement that she was out of the city.
Astonishment was occasioned^ a little
more than a year ago when Brann's
wife filed Buit against the senior, mem
ber of the firm of Brann & Prior,
ship chandlers, on. sensational grounds.
The suit was not contested/and April
10 of last year Mrs.-Brann was granted
an interlocutory decree, ' '.
Brann is a prominent member, of the
Olympic club and is well known so
cially. Mrs. Brann's final decree be
came effective April. 10 of this year,
and Saturday Brann obtained a mar
riage license for himself and Doctor
Watson. .
OIL ON TELEPHONE WIRES
TIES UP THE SYSTEM
Insulators on Long Line Will
All Be Washed
[Special Dispatch to The Call}
VALLEJO, July 25.— Because of. oil
deposits on the insulators of the long
distance lines of the Pacific : States tel
ephone and telegraph company from
Crockett to Oakland a big gang of men
has been employed to wash every Insu
lator along that long stretch of .wire.
For' several : weeks telephonic commu
nication between Vallejo ; arid Oakland
has been getting worse. V Invest! gations
made daily 4 of various supposed faults
failed to clear, up: the short circuiting
and grounding -of wires \ until it was
discovered : that when the dew i f rom : the
bay fell at night ;time i it: was attracted
to the insulators by the oily deposits* on
the l terra • cotta, which resulted in
grounding the .wires. .-
The telephonemen are- of the opin
ion '\u25a0'.' that the : deposits are from the
fumes of the Union oil company. plant
at Oleum and the Standard; oil works
at Richmond. " '-
FIRE DESTROYS COAST'S
LARGEST ALFALFA MILL
Damage Resulting Amounts to
Nearly $300,000 T
[SpeciaVDispalchtoTheCall]'
SACRAMENTO, July - 26^--News was
received V hero ;. today . of .the" -burning
near Tehama last j night f. of \u25a0 the \u25a0 large
alfalfa'i'inUi' belonging/ to lW. :; .,E.^Gerber.
and' E. Clemens Ilorst. . ; The .'miir .was
declared to - have ; been , the * largest 'i on
the coast The; loss: isVestimatedj at
nearly if 300,000,' t , '^y[^ \u25a0 ,-^T >'^ X-kS^.
RONCOVIERI IN
A CLASH WITH
SCHOOL BOARD
Thomas E. Hayden Charges
Him With Claiming Too
Much Credit
Forces Him to Sign Report That
He Did Not Win Water
Rate Reduction
STRIFE in the board of education \
concerning the distribution of
praise In the. matter of the reduc
tion secured from the Spring Valley
water company in ; the school depart
ment's water bill has culminated in an
open clash between Superintendent of
Schools Alfred Roncovierl, who dis
covered that the city was being mulcted
regularly each month by the corpora
tion, called the attention of the board
to the matter and personally' Investi
gated it, and Thomas E. Hayden, a
member of the school board, who actu
ally secured the $2,500 reduction from
the octopus. The clash is the first open
rupture between the two men.
It appears that, Hayden has been
preparing a protest, which he pur
posed should 'be. signed by all the mem
bers of the school board, censuring
the school superintendent In harsh
terms for the alleged offense of taking
to himself credit in the matter that
belonged, so the protest recited, to the
whole board of education.
Clash In Office
"I understand," Roncovieri taxed
Hayden Saturday when the two men
met in the office of the school depart
ment, "that you are circulating the
report that I am endeavoring to take
to myself more credit than I deserve
in the matter of the reduction in the
school water bill secured from i the
Spring Valley, Did I not submit a
communication to the board Wednes
day covering this?"
"Yes; you did," Hayden answered,
"but I believe that you told a different
story to the press."
"What I tell to the press is what
I tell to you, and tell it to your face,"
Roncovierl shouted. "; "if the news
papers choose to give me credit in this
matter it is no fault of mine, and due i
in no wise to-any effort of mine to
rush into publicity.' However that be,
I do not mind telling you that I do
consider my Investigations of the
water rate paid by schools in air the
cities across the bay and in Los Ange
les and other' cities, with the fact that
I discovered this robbery, of the city
and reported it to your board, and the
added fact that I went at the matter
in a businesslike way, with the Idea
of securing some permanent and' de
cided change for the better, of a whole!
lot more inportance than the fact that
you, while these negotiations were in i
progress, .went off " to the water com
pany's office and secured this reduc
tion, for this year only, on the plea
that the board has no money."
"Perhaps there has been a mis
understanding here," Hayden said.
Would Call Reporters
"I will call .. all the : newspaper re
porters I have talked with to prove on
their oaths that I have done no press
agent work,", Roncovieri declared. "If
they concluded, after looking over the
situation, that I was entitled to praise,
then -that is a matter Uo take up with
them, not me."
Hayden left at this juncture.
At the board's meeting last Wednes
day, 11 when Roncovieri signed the check
for $6,500 for the, water company and
presented with it a communication stat
ing that, as superintendent, he had done
all possible by securing the sworn affi
davits of the meter readers, to substan
tiate the blll,^ Hayden • remarked that
the superintendent seemed to j convey
the impression that the reduction had
been secured through his efforts.
"The reduction was secured by you,
Mr. Hayden, by ; telling the water com
pany ' that the school ; board . had no
money," Roncovieri said. "If the com
munication does not state} that, please
interline anything you wish, and I will
OK it.'V ;
'Hayden Inserted in the document a
sentence stating that the . school board
had secured the reduction, and Ronco
vieri. signed 1t.., ;
Water Bill Robbery
•j Roncovieri suspected an enlargement
in - the water^bill "last- February,- when
a bill for $9,000 was presented, and
immediately apprised - the board that
theyj should have 'the school principals
read the •meters : in -company .with the
Spring Valley ; inspectors.. This the
board has. not done/* He also recom
mended to the board that they: notify
the : ! water? company to that effect, and
also fdemarid "that the SG^schools ! in- the
city f be*. fated as one consumer, and,
therefore be. entitled to the sliding
scale \ of prices,^ as Is the case in all
other ; Calif ornia. • cities. Each ' San
Francisco school now. is looked upon'by
the water : company; as : a separate con
sumer,: although -only^"one >blll is , pre
sented \/< for t the :..- water . and only . one
check in payment; sent to the , water
company. 1 , These -things also ; the board
has ; not r considered.
rtThereJsito: be a! special -meeting Vof
th e board o f >' education ; thi sj morning,
Sn^a||w^^|s^ssion : is expected, .
TWDUM^UNTING-
A FLAT
• '\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0' - A/ H> ':'\u25a0'',. \u25a0'
_ Put twoor three lines in
Classified Ad*
TO KEEP UP FIGHT
AGAINST WATER CO
ALFRED RONCOVIERI
Superintendent of Schools
The water company has been
and is robbing the city and I will
not stop until this is brought to
an end, for we need the money
that the company is now getting
without being entitled to it, to
buy necessary things for our
pupils. . ,v; '
And the fight will go 0n,. n0
matter what petty squabbles are
started in regard to the percent'
age of praise that the members
of the school department shall
have.
Applying for a reduction in
the water billion the plea 'of
poverty is a baby act. This mat'
ter of the charge to be made
against our schools by Spring
Valley will have to be met
squarely and settled and no tern'
porary expedient will suffice.'- .
SEELEY TO MANAGE
BIG NEW SYNDICATE
Largest VaudevDle Booking
Agency in World to be
'V Run From Here
{Special Dispatch to The Call]
NEW YORK, July 25.— -Within the
last few days the largest direct vaude
ville booking agency In the world has
been incorporated. In conjunction
with its parent company it will con
trol a chain of theaters covering the
whole of the United States; from the
Atlantic to the Pacific and from the
Canadian boundary to the gulf of
Mexico.
Walter Holt Seeley of San Francisco
will be vice president and general man
ager of the corporation and will con
duct the new enterprise from the Va
lencia theater building in San Fran
cisco. - "... ::... :.»'\u25a0\u25a0 -
Articles of Incorporation will be filed
in San Francisco' tomorrow.
The;, new. company is the William
Morris company, western, and it will
have charge of all the Morris bookings
west of Chicago, controlling at the
start between 25 and 30 theaters. This.
In connection with William Morris, Inc.,
whiclt controls all the Morris bookings
east of Chicago, and" the opening of
new theaters as far south as New
Orleans, will give > the independent
vaudeville corporation control of more
than 50 amusement houses in the
United States.
Round World Loop
Arrangements are practically finished
fof an affiliation of the Morris inter
ests with those of Beresford & Gib
bons _of London, the . largest booking
agents in Europe, which will give the
Morris company a circuit around the
world, including theaters in Australia.
The new western combination takes
over the chain of theaters formerly
owned or controlled by J. Charles
Green and Walter HofT Seeley of. San
Francisco, operating as the Valencia
theater company. The capital stock
of the ne wcompaiiy is 51,000,000. Mor
ris is president, and Seeley vice presi
dent and general manager. The chain
will be operated from the Valencia
theater building in San Francisco.
American music halls will be opened
in 15 western cities September 15, and
about a month later 10 or 15 more
will be opened in other cities. The
places in . the new circuit are San
Francisco, Denver, Salt Lake, Portland,
Seattle, Ogden, Omaha, Los Angeles,
Sacramento/ Oakland, Tacoma, Butte,
Helena, Spokane and Vancouver. Six
new theater buildings which will be
owned by the new company are under
construction; others are held under 20
year leases.
Long Time Contracts : :
• In opening this field of increased
activity, the Morris interests will en
gage more and better features, and
will take all the "top line" acts on
long time contracts. In making book
ings for the coming season they will
beable to give the various performers
at least 52 weeks of solid engagements,
and when the world circuit > Is" com
pleted they contemplate putting some
of Hhe largest vaudeville stars on five
years' contracts.
. ; Theaters have been acquired recently
by the* Morris, interests in. "Atlanta.
Memphis and- New -Orleans, and will
be opened this coming fall. Morris
will sail soon for London, where the
arrangements, for the world -circuit
will be r completed. ».
Walter Hoff ; Seeley ; said -. to The Call
correspondent ; that ; he would leave ; for
home V tomorrow; "r stopping * .en\ route* In
Denver., and " Salt -I Lake, ; reaching ' San
Francisco in about two weeks.
ANTING AMBLING LAW IN
FORCE IN MARYVILLE
[Special Dispatch jto The Call]
•^MARYSVILLE. July 25.— Marysville's
new gambling, ordinance, goes:'into.ef
fect v.* Under f.- the ; new law
every ; game ..of 'any 'Sort," whetheri with
cards or other. apparatus/ where' money."
checks iior^ other, -representatives --of
value? form. the. stakes,", is illegal.;. -Slot
machines ' are not . molested \u25a0' as long as
the prizes are merchandise.-
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
GLIDES IN
MONOPLANE
TO ENGLAND
Flight Over Channel From
France; Successfully Made
by Bleriot
Sails in Early Dawn, Defeats
Rivals and Wins a $5,000
Prize
Record Voyage Through Air in
20 Foot Machine Weigh
ing 400 Pounds
Aviator Decorated With the
Legion of Honor and Made
a Hero
BLERIOST'S FLIGHT
ACROSS CHANNEL
Lout* Blerittt. m. French aviator,
crossed the English channel from
France early yesterday moral ns
In an airship. The epoch making
flight was made with one of the
smallest " monoplanes' CTer 'used.
The voyaae of more than 20 miles
was 'concluded In less than half
an hoar, this heing twice as sirtft
a passage aa the fastest mall
boats. His ' speed approximated
from 45 to «O miles. Blrrtot hy
his voyage won a $3,000 prlxe of
fered by a London newspaper aad
stole a march on hi* competitors,
Hubert Latham and Count de
Lambert, both of vrhom Intended
to make the flight today. Blerlot's
nionoplane measured bat SO feet
across, and with a 35 horsepower
motor the entire machine weighed
only 400 pounds.
DOVER, Eng r July 25.— This
sleepy seaport town experienced
the keenest thrill known In a
generation when at sunrise today a
white winged birdlike machine, with
loudly humming motor, swept out
from the haze obscuring the sea to
ward the distant French coast and,
circling twice above the high, chalky
cliffs . of Dover, alighted on English
soil. Louis Bleriot had succeeded
In crossing the English charmer in an
airship.
Bleriot, portly and red mustached,
calmly descended from the saddle, limp
ing on a bandaged foot which had been
burned on his previous overland flight.
Friends Fall on Him
Immediately two compatriot*, who
had been waving a big tricolored flisr
as a signal for the landing-place, fell
upon him enthusiastically, embracing
him. shouting, and pounding him on th*
back. They, with a few soldiers and
others who -happened to -be on "the
scene, were the only persons to witness
the finish of a remarkable feat.
Bleriot left Lea Barrequea. three:
miles from Calais, about 4:30 ay m., on
one of the smallest monoplanes ever
used. He crossed the channel in little
less than half an hour, twice as swiftly
as the fastest mall "boat. His speed
averaged more than 13 miles 'an hour;
sometimes it approximated 60 miles. H«
kept about 250 feet above 'the ; sea
level and for about 10. minutes in mid*
channel was out of sight of both coasts
and the French torpedo boat destroyer
which followed him with his wife and
friends aboard.
The wind was blowing about. 2o miles
an hour and the sea was choppy. TRe
aviator was , swathed in a single ! gar
ment of drilling, impervious to the
wind, which covered him from the' top
of his head to his feet, only his race
showing. He wore also a cork life b» lt.
Eyewitness Talks
An eyewitness of the landing thus
describes it:
"Very early In the morning a-wire
less message was received from. Calais
that Bleriot intended to make the flight.
Then in quick succession came the news
that he had left land, that he was fly
ing high and was' fast making Dover.
It was expected that % he would land
west of Dover,' but from the direction
taken it was soon evident . that '-.he
would . alight to the ' eastward. . '., Only I a
few minutes after the wireless an
nouncing'the start; the laconic 'message,
/Out ..of , sight.* was received . at , Dover.
Hardly had this been transcribed wh<n
the keen eyed coast guard, scanning
the sea with his telescope, shouted that
Bleriot was within sight.
"Hastening to the cliff of ' the bay
I was fortunate enough to arrive just
before the .airship, which was flying
fast like a gigantic hawk. The. craft
approached the cliff, growing larger
every. Instant.
Landing Is Graceful
"The noise of the engines was audi
ble in a moment, so swiftly did it
come." . Bleriot swooped .overhead . and
then' turned his. machine to the* east
and came to the ground in toe meadow.
It circlet! -/with consummate case' and '