Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 17

1 EAT QJIKE NO. 30 VOL CXLI OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SUNDAY, JULY 30, 1944 JLji tleships left Hmpn JRoads December 7 Markeol JThis, a with ahigh scorslle range. Remained guard I entered into an engagement for mar- riage. leaving all I had in sight; an Engagement with foib and Dili in San jo'se with a sketch gggo on for so many Jfmemtomces of Mrs. C.

F. Lodge. w. UlcHime fcntencnnments AVING missed the band wagon in California delegates to the Demo- cratic national convention returnea UliJ a tutu ui many instances Deanng wounds wmui n.ojr be slow to heal In fact, there were some who contended that the forthcoming campaign will reflect antagonisms engendered by the vice-Qresidential donnybrook. Split 50-50 between Wallace and the field when they arrived in Chicago, the California delegation stayed that way despite a widely heralded caucus which pledged tne delegations iuu support to Wallace.

The Vice-President's cokorts made much whelming choice of a majority of California Democrats." It was generally conceded that ex-Gov. Culbert L. Olson engineered the initial endorsement of Wallace, and that fact didn't add to his waning prestige. Certainly he re-, ceived little encouragement from Attorney General Robert Kenny their feud had reached, monumental proportions. even before the Cal'-fornians entrained and he had the active opposition of such party stalwarts as William Malone of San Francisco and Isador Dock-weiler of Los Angeles.

Naturally, Olson had the vociferous backing of such delegates as Mervyn Rathbone, State C.I.O. secretary, and Mrs. Helen Gahagan Douglas who, by theNvay, either forgetting her forthcoming congressional race or perhaps pointing up the commuter aspect of it was quoted by one convention reporter as threatening to more back to Brooklyn unless the delegation went for Wallace. The agreement reached in the first caucus didn't last until the first roll call, and a second caucus resulted in appointment of a four-man steering committee on advice of Kenny, who lVas understood to favor Supreme Court Jus tice Douglas in event of a deadlock. Whatever the steering committee reported, it was unable to steer the delegation to the right candidate.

On the first roll call California cast 30 votes for Wallace and 22 for Truman. The same division appeared on the second. rol call, but before the vote was finally announced California caucused again, hurriedly, and revised its ballot to read 42 for Truman and 10 for Wallace. The ten "die-hards may have taken some solace on the return trip-from the fact that the Alameda County Democratic central committee had gone on record in advance to draft Wallace. C.I.O.

Reaction There may be some solace for them also in the sound trouncing administered to the C.I.O. 's Political Action Committee by the Hague, Kellv. Flvnn and Pendergast machines. If any group ever missed the boat, P.A.C. did, and thprp are nresent indications that that situa- i there are present indications that that situa tion rankles beneath the calm exterior hurriedly donned by the C.I.O.

chieftains. Witness the' action, this week of the executive board of the C.I.O. International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union. Whereas Sidney Hillman was quick welcome Senator Truman into the fold though it had been known that Truman would not have Been even third choice to the C.I.O the longshoremen's executive board issued a four-page statement of political policy on Wednesday, without once mentioning the vice-presidency. In fact, the statement of aims and objects in the forthcom, mg campaign makes the omission glaringly apparent by calling repeatedly for "the elec- before-, Stoddard hit pay Stoddard left the theater some years ago to return to his original trade as a salesman, becoming sales manager of a large Chicago bakery supplies company.

Other notables who crossed the Great Divide recently included Alan Dinehart. the ''actor-author, who was a great favorite with Pacific Coast theater audiences and with followers.Many can remember back-to a day when Dinehart toured the big-time in a sketch of his own called "The Meanest.Man in the World." It was eventually expanded into a full-length play as starring vehicle for George JM Cohaq. The name, ot-" Mikriair MIkliailovitch Mordkin was also in the obituary columns recently. He was the former partner, of, Pavlowa and the first male Ballet danc.er.to gain popularity in the United States, appearing with Pavlowa in her Metropolitan Opera House debut in 1910. and subsequently organizing his own company.

Mordkin continued active in ballet work despite the advancing years. Last vear, when he was 62, he conducted demonstration classes in ballet at the Master Institute of Arts 'In New York. And, finally, from London eame word of the death of Karl Mayer, who made "The Cabinet of Dr.Xaligari" in Germany back in 1919. The film, one of the earliest of classics, gave impetus to the horror films. 'Gouge Eye' Incident The Knave: As an old subscriber to The Tribune who has seensome 45 years of service U.S.

Department of Agriculture, most of it in California, I have long been interested in the reminiscences and anecdotes related in the Knave associated with California history. Recent reference to the story of Mrs. Elgin and the peaceful hamlet -of Pleasant Grove, vicarjr ously known as. "Gouge brings to mind an incident related to me many years ago by one of the old mining men of early days. It appears this peaceful hamlet was, in early days, not always so peaceful and in fact when a freighting and stagflation on the route to Marysville and the mines in pre-railroad days, had acquired a reputation for toughness seldom surpassed.

This was supported by periods of carousal punctuated with vicious fights in which the participants who it is said, were sometimes bound together, endeavored settle conquest by gouging out each others eyes. The story told related that an Englishman, at that time a recent arrival-at the diggings, had announced his. intention of visiting this point, at which some of his friends, thinking to have a little play upon his credulity, grossly exaggerated upon its reputation for wickedness and the dangerous character of his mission. It so happened that some vines, planted some years previously outside the barroom door, had borne fruit, and customers had taken clusters into the barroom where the grapes had fallen and been trampled upon the barroom floor. The Englishman made but a very brief visit, immediately returning, to the comparative quiet and safety of the diggings, where he reported that -the half had hot been told for the barroom floor was covered with eyes.

And to this day, the peaceful hamlet of Pleasant Grove, is known among the old timers as "Gouge Eye." Macy H. Lapham. Reliance UUD DayS The Knave: An article appeared in the Knave about fight night af the old Reliance Club and of George Gross, who was matchmaker and city clerk, then a( 17th and San Pablo Avenue. How well I know those limes, and a 4ittle further back when the old Acme Athletic Club was on 12th Street, between Broadway and and Jack Kitchen instructor of- the manly art of self-defense, or boxing, as it happens to be. I was a pupil of his with many more, and when the daily Tribune was on Eighth Street, between Broadway and Franklin, some of the- old-timers can recall the time when I boxed a fellow by the name of Weedy.

What a tough article! I knocked him down seven times in ten.rounds. After making my debut in boxing I was matched with Charley Tye, my first go in the ring. Sereni was referee for the club, and gave us a draw, but they will recall the pasting I gave him for that go of four rounds. it been anybody else, would have won hands down. My last boxing ended about 1899, in and out of the State, and my last two goes were in San Francisco, one with young Peter Jackson (knocked him out in five rounds), and the last onet with George -Green (no relatiQDiMJas.ewasjrt Sacramento with a Frank Purcell, knocking him out in four rounds, then George Harding, my manager.

The old gang included Burt Brown, who afterwards became a police officer; Charles Slamburg, Tom Beck and Harry Gelder, whot was a wrestler, and worked a great deal with me. He would put" on a turn of club swinging, of which he was an artist. The personnel of. ThToTcTrtelianbe" Club must surely be included Shortly after I hung up the mitt I went over to San Quentin Prison, through a friend, Charles Spear, then harbor commissioner in San Francisco, to qualify for giiard, and I passed of of .1. a I Fearl narbor.

Up to the present time, it was ine-greatest ueet oi warsmps ever to circle me hi. A ltvt Jf AVWiJt iv a goo.y to the ships from the deck of the pres idential yacht Mayflower at the Tail of the Horseshoe in Chesapeake Bay. and was on the same yacht and in the same place to welcome them when they returned in February, 1909. 14 months later, after a voyage of 48.000 FolsOIIl Sooner or later John W. Winkley.

formerly of Hayward, "Ifi wffW pre- sented to a reading public as a writer of Cali-i fornia scenes and persons. Winkley preached early days in the foothill camps. He saw all that was good "and all' that was bad, and held close to his heart the "glorious" or signifi- cant estimates. The Knave has -had chance to offer readers some of the Winkley reminis cences. Fat volumes may contain the rest.

For the moment, we may pay; heed to Winkley as he yarns of "Historic Old Folsom." Says, he; "Over a quarter century ago I was 'stated, preacher' at the old brick church in Folsom. It was a quiet, little town of about a thousand people, perched on the American River banks, 22 miles east of Sacramento. The place was first occupied by a group of Negro gold miners in 1849, and known as Negro It had grown, mainly in white population, to a place of .300 people. by ,1851, and went under the name of 'Granite City' for some' time. Then 'in 1855 the famous railroad Theodore Judah, laid out a town further back from the river called and this was made the terminal of the 'Sacramento Valley Railroad, California's first railway, completed to that point in 1856.

Until the railroad was built on into the mountains, Folsom remained a busy place, scores of wagon trains hauling freight to the mining town's in the hills beyond. Its importance was increased by the building of another railroad, the California Central, between Folsom and Marysville, begun in 1857 and completed to Roseville by 1861. Portions of the old roadbed, now occupied by a modern automobile road, may still be seen, just southwest of Folsom. The terminal of this road was on the opposite bank from Folsom in Big Gulch, a place later known as then and finally A few ancient houses still stand here, near the terminal station, but in the where I often picnicked, the place had so completely returned to wilderness that one could not believe that a town had ever been there. Mississippi DdX "Just below Ashland, in an area of bewil-deringly Horn and mined acres of boulders, once stood one of the earliest of the mining towns, old 'Mississippi In the stirring days of '49 and '50 it was the stopping place at thp end of the first day's journey to the mines.

In Folsom, along Main were built many substantial stone and brick business houses, some of which endure to this day; and on-the rising ground back of the street many lovely, old-fashioned homes, set amid gards and ihaae trees oi anoxne. aay. 'Folsom Academy' was built and operated here, under tne supervision oi an wn, uy it rll.A,.1o UlllAU gatiorial minister, Dr. S. V.

Blakeslee, whose 'travelogues' were a welcome feature of the. old 'Pacific And also in the early '60's, a young Yale graduate, Edward Rowland Sill, was a bank clerk here. He later became professor of English at the University of California, and a poet of national fame. Sill used to play the organ for the church service, an instrument which he called 'the (Attention, E. Clampus Vitus.) Around the little city of today are miles of boulder-strewn country, the work of the giant gold dredgers, which have turned the' earth upside down for the yellow metal.

EcflQeS of the Past While G. E. Stoddard was little more than a name to theatergoers, since he kept himself well in the background at all times, he was -J responsible not only lor a new trena in ihum- cals, but for the advancement of many players, Stoddard was a salesman by trade who drifted into New York at the turn of. the century, and made himself very useful to vaudeville artists by supplying them with material. In time, in.

collaboration with Cort, he out the hit musical of the 1918-19 season, "Listen Lester." the cast of which was headed by Clifton Webb, who has turned in recent years to bright drawing-room comedies and the movies. The cast also included a wide- mouthed young man named Joe E. Brown, who did very well for himself in the years to come. Kuaoipn vaientino. ine iauer, a vauueviue dancer, had his first opportunity to show his dramatic "ability in a Stoddard show called a black and glove contest, canceled a pack train to Mt, Hamilton on a deer hunt.

My brother. George Green, was always with me, and afterwards became a police officer in the Oakland Police Department So it LJ say. "those good old days," and in. the march time we keep passing on to eternity. to our last resting' place, and as it happens to be, an ad appeared in your valuable paper oi tne --Ijretherr-Je CI nTVU.

rmirthnnu fie me me oi onnui mtc uic plan was made to escape, and for a time I thought I war deadras that "was the way tftr item read, but now I am very much alive and employed at the Pacific Bridge Company of Alameda as a Coastguard police. I couldwrite ever so much more, and from time to time I have-been tempted to write on articles I have tempted to write on articles i nave the Knave, and believe me, they are read in most interesting. How could the Tribune paper ever get along without that section? I never fail evef since the Knave has come to print. It has always beeh a joy to me in reading, and am sure it is a joy to others who are living, as the many years have passed on and all the happenings have taken place. As a pioneer of this city of Oakland, born in Santa Barbara, I came here when but five years of age to Oakland, and have lived here continuously for sixty-four years.

You may be sure I have seen a lot of changes in that time; a lot of fights and wrestling. I must come to an abrupt close, so if any of this is interesting to you. in the Knave, Jt will be with more joy to read some of it. With my best wishes and more success to your valuable paper, the daily Tribune, and personnel, and to the writer, I am. boldier Phil Green, as I was known in the past.

Bear Mountain For an account of how Bear Mountain, back of San Andreas, received its name, we can go back to the San Andreas Independent 'pi March 5, 1859. The clipping, exhumed by J. A. Smith of San Andreas, reads: "Perhaps few people, even in the neighborhood of San Andreas, are cognizant of the circumstances which gave name to this range of mountains forming the fine southern background to San Andreas. We will state it as given to us by one of the 'oldest white a '49-er: Ten years ago the miners' pick had not yet defaced the shaded, gulch and green hillside, nor had the rude ax of the pioneer opened that ruthless crusade against the green tenants of the wood.

An ordinary hunter could fetch down his buck in an hour's hunt in any of our ravines or river canyons, and whoever had the taste and nerve for such could "bring a grizzly to bay at any time, by beating the chapparal that lines the southern slope of Bear Mountain. Our friend in. one of his morning rambles through the suburbs of the' chaparral aforesaid, being fatigued, threw him chaparral atoresam, Deing latiguea tniew n.m self down upon a bank of moss, and casting his olnstpr Vs that shaded a small bench spot on the side of the mountain, he saw two cub grizzlies amusing themselves playing football with a pine bar, in genuine schoolboy style. Soon another and another joined in the fun, until all ages and sizes represented to the number of 21. Our hunter had an old and trusty 'Pike County' rifle with which he was about to change the nature of the sport, but knowing the pluck of his game, he 4ks looked around for a place of retreat after he should have opened fire.

Not being able to find a tree within 200 yards of the spot, he decided that 'discretion is the better part of valor and decamped in a perfect grizzly panic without firing a shot. This story, in connection with several adventufes which occurred subsequently, in the same range, sufficed to establish the name of Bear Mountain. That's a fact." Old Times The Knave: I anvnow a grandmother and was a very smalL child when brought to California. (Oakland) from Nevada, my birthplace. I have lived in Oakland all my life (or around Oakland).

I remember when our mothers and fathers would pick up the families (which were large families then) and hike ourselves (picnic lunches, ice cream freezers and all) over to what is now Trestle Glen, but then it was Trestle Glen Parkland did we have fun, for their camp meetings there. What 'fun it was for the kids to walk the high trestle on the hjok-out all the time for a car to come down on them. Oh those were the good old Also I remember when Kahn's and CapWell's stores were on the corners of 12th and Washington Streets and the floors were plank floors and low ceilings. The fun we used to have sitting on the old city halL steps to watch a parade come up Washington Street and the big time the families would ave. aften their suppers on the Fpurth of July; to walk for miles to sit on the edge of Lake Merritt and watch the grand ire-worki put oil.

Oh, a to in The Kmaye: Sevef almonths ago, I wrote-about the old mining town of. Amador GHSyIn late Knave column, I saw the name of Carrie True coaraman; i rememDer ner very wen. weiHjTaylirae in the fog of entertainments, wViph Carrie i 11 A True appeared there with a traveling troupe. Her mother had been a schoolmate of one of aeifiiTwas4 f. ehmi7 flnH was wrv much thrilled go with my friends behind the curtains, a great event at that time in my life.

We heard from Carrie True for several years after. I also read a short sketch of Tom Thumb and wife recent Knave article, I was visiting in Vallejo in, I believe. 1869. Tom Thumb and wife were touring the country at that time. JQ a -T siHPw8lk when the course were was out on the sidewalk when the coupie were about to enter their hotel.

They'had a tiny carriage made in the shape of a large walnut. It was lined with satin, and was Open, arid Tom Thumb and wife sat together on the seat. Their coachman sat on a high seat driving two very smiri ponies He got down to help the couple-alight, and he had on knee breeches i and velvet coat and a high hat. I was "standing so close I could almost touch Mrs. Thumb.

She wore a very elaborate dress, with hoop skirt. As I had come from the small town the whole affair was quite a novelty to me, and although almost 86 years old, still can recall everything about their appearance. Mrs. Helen Dean Bolander. Gentleman's Night The Knave-.

I enjoy your editorial features in the Knave, very much. The memories of the long ago are pleasing, interesting and refreshing. You call the turn on every detail on what happened one night in June, 1905. It was "gentleman's night" at the Reliance Club at 17th and San Pablo. In regards tb the double knockout, I was there and saw it.

It was Jack Capilas from North Beach, in San Francisco, and Charlie Riley, also from San Francisco. They both were lightweights; they connected with a right hand that came -from the floor right -6V the button. They both fell 3 a couple of cut trees. Eddie Smith stood between them, counted them out Capilas got up first and ran around the ring like he had rubber legs," swinging both arms. Charlie was still Eddie declared Capilas the winner.

I seconded Charlie, and that's how I got in to see the Pete Reconi, a goodj welterweight, 145 pounds, from San Francisco, who on the previous month had stopped Eddie Smith in three rounds, was to box a-boy by the name of 'Jack Donovan fromJIfiw York. This Donovan boy came here with a good reputation. Spider Kelley and Tim who Brought Donovan here, were having some- argument with Pete about the o- late George Gross, who was the matchmaker for" the club, was up against it for a main event, and everybody wanted to see Dojnovan fight, for he had trained at the club, arid was quite a favorite. George came into the ring to call off the fight. Some kid that was with me, however, called out, "Hey, Mike, we'll fight that guy." I had never fought in the ring for money before.

I didn't know what it was all about. Before I knew it they were taking oft my and had pushed me into the ring. I was declared the winner over Donovan in the second round. It was a lucky punch, I guess. I received $12, which included a $10 goldpiece.

It was the biggest money I had ever seen. went home and showed my dear mother the gold piece, and she said, "Mike, you go right back and put that back where you got it from." God bless her. This was my lucky night-Mike McClure. Tom Thumb at Colusa Dear Sir: I do not want to bejn the limelight too much, but I want to add something what Mr. Foster had to say, about Tom- Thumb.

I saw the Tom Thumb show atCplusa when I was a small boy. It was a riot A small Negro coachman drove four small Shetland ponies hooked to the carriage through Jh? streets of Colusa to advertise the show. In the carriage were Mr. and Mrs. Tom ThumlC Minnie Warren (Mrs.

Thumb's sister) and XMxiSM'i'S- Weelthaa the others. The show they gave did not amount to anything, but to us it gave a great thrjju, and the Colusa theatei? was packed to the1 I 'doubt, tha the present generation of chil dren would have given them second look. After the, left Colusa I. heard that Minnie Warren and Commodore Nutt had married. Later read in the newspapers that Minnie Warren Nutt haddied cnua-Duui.

i never of the H. Ford, An- w.tf -THE KNAVE tion of President Roosevelt and candidates for Congress who will support his program." Incidentally, the declaration contained one other interesting item, the assertion that "the Democratic can. become what' we determined to make it become." Old-line Democrats may take a second look at that statement before steaming up campaign enthusiasm. Sperry and the Fleet A naval man calls our attention to the fact that when the great "good will" fleet visited "tus it was Admiral Soerrv and not Admiral Robley D. Evans who brought it into San Fran- Cisco Bay.

Says lieut. upmar. uonaid m. Vidler: ''When the fleet left Hampton Roads, on its so-called 'good-will' voyage around Llit BllO Ull a wheel chair. On arrival at San Diego, he was Efc -iously ill, and was removed to the Govern- ment Hospital at Los Animas, and shortly after- ward passed away.

Admiral Sperry ook com- W'and at San Diego, and led the fleet till its j. in Hampton Roads. Admiral David Bagley, who wasxe.centy Jna8 FranciscQ was my divisional officer on the battleship Rhode Island. Admiral Hewitt was an ensign on the Rhode Island, valso. Your slight error brings to mind a yam often spun, but seldom chal- Qenged, concerning as Evans was affec- tionately termed by his gobs.

When the fleet arrived in Yokohama, Gimpy made his official visit to the admiral of the Imperial Japanese utners wno owea tneir oppormtuues owu-Navy. and wag Fav. Grace Kfoote, Helen none other than his own former steward. Broderick, Hal Skelly, Harry Langdon and was a good story, but an impossible situation, for as I mentioned before, Evans was not with the fleet. Coincidentally, that fleet of 16 bat- 'I.