Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 11

IllimHIIIIU MilUIWWWWMI(MIllllUIWWWllMi EDITORIAL "dTl EDITORIAL FEATURES Ml 1 These things are- in the air again and I am told a decided clean-up is to be looked for. The ambulance chaser who persuades accident victims to fake injuries more serious than those really sustained, and the one who visits the victims in the hospitals, often before relatives, and gets him to sign away his rights, represent the two sides of the story. Apparently we have had more than a usual supply of both. one which should offer few obstacles so long as the men are acting in good faith and I understand that, already, the large percentage of your men have signed waivers for that part of their salary over that which they now agree to accept. The issue was raised with a ruling of the Attorney General that no employee could be forced to accept a salary less than the stipulated one, that the voluntary reduction would not legally stand.

But it is also true that if the employees do accept the lower paychecks, the acceptance puts them on record and they cannot thereafter demand the older and higher rate, simply because it is the one set forth in the charter. Your employees have the chance to show that, ruling or no ruling, a voluntary reduction is possible. vehicle. Later the line was motorized But the El Verano boom failed to keep alive. The Whistle blew up, residents moved away and the quiet of the country fell on El Verano.

Similar development was attempted at Kenwood, where J. H. Griswald was active. He built an extensive summer home which was later burned. Then- came the summer vacationists, finding a paradise in the famous valley.

A new growth started with resorts and camp grounds everywhere. Chicken and fruit ranches thrived, but Sonoma remained the important city of the valley. In Santa Rosa the late Col. Mark I. McDonald persuaded the company to establish its depot on a tract of choice land he owned, figuring, that it would enhance the value of the property, instead it proved a detriment and the depot and freight yards stand a barrjer between the two choice residence sections of the city.

seventy-eight years. It was in '65 that "Billy" Courtright began his theatrical career; with Lawrence Barrett in Shakespeare but his greatest success was to come in minstrelsy. It was as a minstrel that he appeared before King Edward VII following a world tour that took him as far afield as Australia. In recent years he did a little work in motion pictures appearing in westerns with the late Fred Thompson. The younger generation mourned the passing of Patrick Kearney, the playwright and Dorothy Massingham, the Shakespearean actress who was here with the Stratford-upon-Avon Players not so long ago.

Both Kearney and Miss Massingham ended their lives by inhaling gas in New York and London respectively. His act was attributed to financial reverses. His most notable work was Man's Man," and his dramatization of Dreiser's "An American Tragedy." I saw him last in Hollywood when he was writing for the pictures. Miss Massingham, who specialized in heavy roles, such as Lady Macbeth and Queen Gertrude on the stage, was the daughter of a writer and did some writing herself. Her play "The had just achieved a successful London production when she committed suicide.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 22. In the field of national politics nowadays, one -hears strange comment on the subject of changing attitudes. The national program goes ahead, the President continuing to take the initiative and merit the applause, but it is noticeable -that Congress gradually and as might be expected slows its pace. It chafes and patronage lags. The however, continue to demand action and express their displeasure when obstacles are placed in the way of the executive's intent.

Out of this comes that which I have called strange. The country over, a majority of the press is supporting President Roosevelt, making the first months of his administration something as close to a non-partisan one as the nation may have seen in its history. But we have arrived at a place when some few voices speak in dissent, and the point to be noted is that they are voices which were raised loudest in his support. In the main the Republican press is backing the leader in a crisis. The objection which met his intimation that he would abide by his party platform and act toward adherence to the World Court have come from a camp which claims to have elected him; the present protests of his request for the right to join with other nations in declaring an embargo on war materials, as against an aggressor nation are from the same The President is being embarrassed by those who maintained they were his warmest friends.1 He is being assailed, possibly, because he is beinga President and is not following a program prepared by those who would like to exert a directing influence.

The' bitterest opposition that meets the Muscle Shoals development comes from some Of the solid South Democracy; the objections 'to the farm bill are entered by Middle Western states which deserted Republicanism for the first time in years. And, through it all, we have a President who is not afraid to put forward at a time when he can command legislative" support, ideas which President Hoover expounded to unwilling ears. At this time, the leading dissenters ate Democrats but they are lost, in the multitude and -say nljIhalCjpf that -which they would wish to 'jpxpiesti ilri, the -national fied the Republican papers are supporting the President and cajling to time the opposition journals which have strayed from the path. In the situation is that to make -men. wonder what is tcj happen next.

Nevada and Gold ANY STATES may talk of beer as AVlnue, and doubtless so does Nevada, but the real topic in the neighboring commonwealth right now is gold, the revenue which is dug from the soil and rescued from the rock. The story of gold-bearing quartz in rich quantity, being discovered under arold shack not far from the offices of the famous Consolidated Virginia, has traveled the country over, making men wonder if there is to be a new gold chapter to carry its advantages to the area. While, of course, there is no indication that old days are to be lived over on the scale which brought fortunes to Fair, Flood, Mackay and the rest, it is appreciated that Nevada has reason to expect some practical benefits as a time When they will not be unwelcome. Following the Virginia City strike there came news of another, down in the southeastern part of the state, the Delamar district. In each case the assays are reported remarkably high and that is enough to start the talk and the dreams.

The state waits for the checking up on the stories, the exploring of the veins, and as it waits there is a perceptible elevation in spirits. Early Rail Project THE KNAVE: Your reference to the early railroads of the State under the heading "Our Picture in 1859" offers an opportunity of extending that information. Across many of the ranches of this county running from. Benicia north-easterly, almost to the north county boundary, there is clearly shown what remains of the grade of the proposed "Benicia and Marysville Railroad." The work was not continuous. As evidence of the date and the name of the proposed road we have references to the field notes of the U.

S. surveyors who note the crossing of this railroad grade in many places when they sec- tionized the lands in 1862. Although many miles of grading were completed there were no deeded rights of way obtained. The lands belonged to the Government so it was probably intended to obtain a grant, which was never done. This is undoubtedly the road you referred to as the "Sacramento and Marysville road, which was to run from Vallejo to Marysville," but the grading actually started from Benicia.

F. A. STEIGER. A Rail Story Ends A COLDLY worded official petition filed recently with the State Railroad Commission writes finis to a once rosy dream which has been gradually fading throughout the year since the late '90's. The petition conies from the Southern Pacific Company and asks permission to abandon rail service on its branch line which traverses the Valley of the Moon and ends at Santa Rosa.

Long before Jack London discovered the beauties of the Sonoma-Glen Ellen country others knew of its attractions. Also there was the rich coastal section of Sonijma County and this combination evidently drew the attention of the railroad company to the advantages of a branch. Great promises were made concerning direct rail connections to Sacramento and the East. The full intentions of the company will probably never be made public. Many believe that they saw the eventual development of the coast line and had an elaborate plan, which never came to fruition.

Actual charge of the laying out and building of the line was placed in the hands of Charles Crocker, son of the late Charles F. Crocker, who with Huntington and Stanford formed the "big three" of the railroad world at one time. Those were the days when communities were expected, and did, donate cash and rights-of-way to encourage railroad building. The company asked $10,000 and a right-of-way into Sonoma, cradle of the California republic. The Sonomans could not see it that' way.

So the company routed its tracks along the creek, established the towri of El Verano, laid out streets, built a fine, hptel and issued the defi that Sonoma was "to be wiped off the map." The P. Company, affiliated with1' the railroad undertook to develop the town! A newspaper, The Whistle, was started, sev-: eral some quite pretentious, were built. Sonoma plugged along in its'. quiet way, establishing a bus line to meet the yj, trains. For years Joe Ryan, the ii was- the driver of horse-draym About Mountain Lions A LETTER FROM a mountaineer who wished to know if mountain lions ever attack human beings, has been answered by a number of old-timers who know their hills and cougars.

Also is brought up the familiar question: do mountain lions scream? There are authorities who maintain they do not and plenty of mountain men who say they do. Ed H. Felter of Berkeley writes that there are at least four authentic cases of lions attacking humans in this country. "On the average, though, they are not vicious to man. Men on horseback have on several occasions had their horses attacked doubtless because the cougar did not realize a man was on it." A case ten years ago at Wenatchee is recalled.

At that time a boy of fifteen was killed and eaten by a lion. Says my correspondent: "Mr. Heinrich of the Berkeley police could corroborate, for he is the one who made the examination of the lion's stomach to determine whether or not the right one had been followed and killed. Many authorities on nature subjects claim it is very common for a mountaineer to find that the tracks he has made in the snow have been followed by a cougar, apparently out of curiosity. Any species of wild animal of sufficient size to attack a man is likely to do so at tome time for reasons not always known; It may be in pain, may be hungry, feel that it is cornered or its young endangered.

A greater mystery to me is whether a cougar screams at night. Keepers of zoos have claimed they never do; professional cougar hunters also claim they hoer scream, that it is wild cats that do." Another letter which comes from T. J. Kirby, of Madrone, cites an instance of a lion that attacked a young boy, and later a woman. "The boy had only a lacerated ear and the woman, after some time apparently recovered.

In about thirty days from the time of the attack both died in terrible agony from after effects." Behind the Scenes AS AN AFTERMATH to the Walter Hampden engagement here a story comes to me that indicates a definite sense of humor on the part of the actor-manager, something that has been vigorously denied by his colleagues in the past. A group of trumpeters were used off stage in "Hamlet" to provide the occasional fanfares and one of these musi-sicians is a Frenchman who is "a deep student of the theater. During the first performance, unoccupied by his music at the moment, he stepped into the wings to watch the performance of the grave-diggers scene and was so absorbed in the exhibition that he failed to notice the approach of the star who had an entrance at the conclusion of, the first comedy sequence. Finally realizing that he was blocking the star, the musician made an excited movement to retreat. "Stay where you are" whispered Hampden.

"You know, I've seen it before!" And this brings to my mind that ancient story about the actor who played one of the minor roles in "Hamlet" for many years on the road with E. H. Sothern. He happened to meet the tragedian in New York some time after he had left the company and was invited to lunch. During the course of the tete-a-tete they became quite friendly and the thespian was moved to ask some questions.

"Tell me, Mr. Sothern," he demanded, "I've often meant to ask someone how does 'Hamlet' end?" And Sothern, instead of chiding the player for having left the theater as soon own part in the play was finished, explained the plot in de-. tail. Were of the Stage SAN FRANCISCO heard with undisguised regret of three deaths in the theater during the last week or so. The old-timers remembered A.

T. "Billy" Courtright who died at his home in lone, up in Amador County, where he has resided for many years. He was eighty-five and had been a Calif ornian for Pioneer of the Delta A WILLIAM HENRY PILE, a pioneer of the delta country, was 103 when he died the other day at Glencoe in Calaveras County. He grew up in Pennsylvania and was a young school teacher when he decided to join some friends for an expedition across the plains to the West. The journey took six months, during which they had many encounters with Indians and once Pile was captured, but managed his escape without injury.

Arriving in California with scant clothing and with moccasins on his feet, Pile became interested in the richness of the soil in this section and eventually purchased a tract of land on Roberts Island. The floods, however, were a constant menace; His crops were destroyed many times, until, in 1870, and with Chinese coolie labor, he built the first levees along the river which led toHhe reclamation of the land in that section. For many years he engaged in farming on the island, which then was only accessible by boat. It is said Mrs. Pile at one time lived on the ranch for a period of three years without seeing another white woman.

About 30 years ago he left the ranch to make his homaJn Glencoe." Barney Barnato' Daughter TIE REMARKABLE story of Barney Bar-nato, South African "diamond king," was brought to the minds of many this week with the dispatch which told of the death of his daughter, Mrs. Leah Blackwell, in London. She was twice married, first to Alfred Haxton, and then to Carlyle Blackwell, from whom she was divorced but a month ago. Apparently because his mind had become unbalanced from the strain of his huge enterprises, Barney Barnato committed suicide in June, 1 897, by jumping overboard while on his way to England from Cape Town. The public, still dazzled by his expenditures, indulged itself in generous guesses as to the size of the fortune to be inherited by the relatives.

The estimates ranged between $300,000,000 and $500,000,000. But the actual amount was probably. a great deal less, for-when the inevitable legal contest was settled, and the inheritance finally determined, it was found that the daughter, Leah, received $4,500,000, plus an income of $125,000 a year and 'shares in Barnato Brothers, valued at $1,250,000. The "Queen of Diamonds" was-the title London later gave the daughter of Barney Isaacs of Whitechapel, who was a cabdriver and old clothes dealer before he and his brother went to Africa and tried to lose their identity in the new name of Barnato. As far as wedding ceremonies ere concerned, she was married to Blackwell three times, the repetitioncomirig aboit 'in this way: The first wedding VaKAue; to trusting too much in the.

promptness and' memory of a Berlin lawyer who at. a dinner' had said he would get her 4uick divorce. Believing he had performed the task, she was married to Blackwell on January 10, 1925. But the lawyer: had forgotten all about her request. So Mrs.

as she still was, caused a notice of her marriage to Mr. Blackwell tb be printed in the London Times. When Mr. Haxton read the Times, he took the hint and sued for divorce, naming Mr. Blackwell as co-respondent.

It did not take long to free Mr. Haxton, and in 1925, the former Leah Barnato and Carlyle Blackwell went through second. wedding ceremony, and in July, 1926, 'they, appeared at a registry office in were married a third time, 'and "celebrated afterward with their friends at a luncheon at the Carlton Hotel. Mrs! Blackwell said a second. marriage was a sort of trial marriage.

This one is final." "And it endure until the 25th of last month, when Mr. Blackwell obtained a divorce at Reno, and within six hours wed Avonne Taylor, former member of the Zieg-, THE KNAVn. Stage and Screen SPEAKING OF plays in general, I came across an instance of the new cooperation between theater and screen men last week in the case of "Dinner at Eight," the George Kaufman-Edna Ferber play, which is now in Los Angeles and is to be brought to San Francisco presently by Curran and Belasco. The picture rights have" been sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the picture has been made, but no publicity has been given the project by the studio in an effort not to interfere with the stage success. Curran and Belasco havfta well balanced cast, so I am told, one containing several celebrities, including Hedda Hopper and Alite White, but the cast, of course, cannot be compared with the one being used at the studio.

The picture will be on a par with "Grand Hotel" in the matter of famous names, important roles being played by Marie Dressier, Wallace' Beery, John and Lionel Barrymore, Billie Burke, Jean Harlow, Louise Closser Hale, Edmund Lowe, Grant Mitchell, Karen Morley, Madge Evans, Phillips Holmes and some lesser lights. Bridge Board Debate FIGURING THE problem out according to mathematics, with population and tax percentages stressed, there are those who are out to get for this city a larger representation on the directorate of the Golden Gate Bridge. Wc have half the directors now, they say, and are responsible for about 88 per cent of the cost of the span. While this may seem practical enough and a bill has been introduced in the Legislature to bring it aljout it is not to be anticipated there will be no opposing argument. The theory that this county would have half the board and the other counties the other half was the one stressed in the campaigning, the one accepted during the preliminaries up to date, and a change at this time does not strike all of those who live to the north as quite according to Hoyle.

The bill would not deprive any of the present idirectors from the other five counties of. position but would increase the board from fourteen to nineteen, giving the added five seats to this city. Two of the new directors would be ex-officio with city attorney and assessor serving and the other three would represent labor, the real estate board, and the chamber of commerce. With legitimate arguments present and the structure under way in a spirit of harmony, it may well be the bridge district will accept a Legislative decision ordering the change. If it does not, some influences in our own city may be partly to blame, for it was not long ago they raised the hue and cry against "San Francisco politicians" on the bridge board.

Ambulance Chasers YV7ITH Bar Association, Health Depart- ment and Supervisors entering the attack it looks as if we are going after the ambulance chasers in a large way. The subject, of course, is not new. We have had ambulance chasers almost from the day of the first ambulance and any -informed man in the legal profession will tell you they have mulcted the public and the utilities of 'great' sums of money. Most of us 'remember at least two occasions when' the demands for ridding the city of the fraternity' were as insistent as at present: when names of some were published; disbarment of certain attorneys followedand the was'made that an intricate system of passing along in-, formation was declared to1 have been Some Primary Assaults TV7HERE MEET to discuss politics a great deal of talk on the primary law has mixed with the cigar smoke. The scheme to change that law so that a voter may declare his party when he steps into the booth, and r.ot at registration, strikes some as very fine and admirably designed to meet contingencies in mind, and strikes others, as being next to viciousr-i-What makes it all particularly interesting is the manner in which the men close to Senator Johnson and his political career have been urging that the amendment go through, it being said that strings have been pulled from distances as remote from Sacramento as Los Angeles and San Simeon.

In other words, the Democrats may feel they have a debt to pay to the Senator and the Senator may need the payment in 1934 when he next runs. If a Democrat may step into the booth and say he is a Republican, the plan may help and it is also calculated to promote the interests or chances of John B. Elliott, who is looked upon to be a gubernatorial candidate. While this has been going on, the amendment reaching the Senate, the other house took action to remove the possibility of a candidate running on more than one ticket. The vote stirred some little bitterness and also some embarrassment, tho'Se members who have their seats on bi-party affiliation feeling called upon to lift their voices in defense of the practice.

Few days in the session have seen more of oratory, but the vote was 48 to 28 and enough to leave no doubts as Ho sentiment. If the measure is given final passage and signed, you may be sure it will throw new considerations into a number of campaigns. In Two Elections IN ELECTIONS held here and in Oakland, within a few days, voters expressed opposite opinions on the question of putting salary reductions for city employees into the charter. It rriay be that -other questions injected into the campaigns had something to do with the results. Here, while the firemen and police offered to take voluntary cuts the voters put it into the charter; in your city the electors accepted the offer and kept the schedule outside the Legal friends rtell me that a pretty problernis presented, but i.