1934-10-01 — Page 14

THE HONGKONG・・ TELEGRAPH. MONDAY, OCTOBER

1934.

SAN FRANCISCO'S CLAIM,

TO FAME

'WORLD'S WORST CITY IN DAYS

OF BARBARY COAST

Д

The unenviable distinction of in defiance of any orders from the being dubbed the world's worst city captain, plied the crew with doc- has fallen to more than one of the Lored liquor and took them ashoro crowded cities of the world, but to some boarding-house where they San Francisco during the Intter were kept in a drunken stupor half of luat contury must surely until another akipper wanted have been well in the running for crew. They were then taken out the title, judging from the account and dumped on deck in a more or of "The Barbary Coast" as the less insensible state. underworld quarter of the city was In the meantime, "the crimps" known-given by Mr. Herbert had invariably managed to get in- Asbury and published under that

titlo.

to their passession the pay dus

to the seaman and most of his San Francisco certainly started belongings, and in addition, drew under the worst of auspices: Aa commission from the skipper to more settlement of 700 persons in to whom they supplied a crow. 1840 when the Californian gold Seamen were sometimes carried rush started, it rapidly swelled to off, an incoming vessel by main a city where the turbulent ploncers forces, and it was not uncommon of those days sought their rackety for two competing runners to scize pleasures under n lax administra-a allor's ear between their teeth tion of Mexican heritage.

and hang until he tried out An early Alcalde (Mayor) named the name of the boarding-house- Amende knew little law, but had a

mauter which had been most forcibly impressed on his mind.

and

on

violent antipathy towards Mexicans This, under the runners peculiar

cigarette smokera. To a Mexican arraigned before him code, was taken as settling charged with stealing a horse, he matter.

the

One famous runner in the 'D0's.

have

it looks like a big motel fish, but it la 'really a submarina, yest pocket type. Ten feet long and weighing 1,000 pounds. It has a speed of siz mlies an hour and suismerges to a depth of 17 fest. The in-

ventur, Barney Conneti, 30, of Chicago, is shown ni ho demonstrated the craft.

AGED PRIORY

DOOMED

SITE WANTED FOR HOME

ance formed part of the Priory BLUEBEARD'S

The measurements of the founda-

tlons (140ft, by 40ft) show that it must have been a building of con- sidorable size. It stood, na 17229 customary, on the north side of the cloister.

In the centre of the chancel a atono-built grave containing

naked but two questions--"Do you "Callca Jim," is said to smoke cigarettes?" "Yes, acaor." Shanghaied six pollcomes who were "Do you blow the smoke through sent, one after another, to arrest DISCLOSURES OF akcioton

him. The story goes that when

your nose?"Yes, snor."

"Then I find you guilty as charged, and may God have mercy on your soul. Constable, take this fellow out and shoot him. He atole the horse sure enough.”

THE VIGILANTS.

of

How the name "Barbary Coast" came to be applied to the old j Sydney Town waterside district of; San Francisco is not known, but it was highly appropriate. It centred round Pacific Street, the first street in San Francisco and start- ing with an aglomeration of tents and shacks, became a warren dark mean atroeta in which two murders a night was quite a moder- ate average. The numerous fires which devastated old San Francisco usually left this area untouched, as more often than not they were started by such gangs as the "Sydney Ducks," with due regard to the direction of the wind.

a

On two occasions in the city's early years, the more responsible citizens, under the leadership of man named Samuel Brannan, form- ed themselves into a Vigilance Com- mittee and nurnmarily tried and executed some of the more notori- outs gang lenders with whom the feeble city administration had found itself unable, or unwilling (for fairly obvious reasons) deal with, and these "clean-ups" seem to have had a salutory effect for the time being.

to

For three-quarters of a century "The Barbary Coast" throve on vice which reached a depth of de-i Eradation which was astounding.

As illustrating the topsy-turvy conditions which prevailed im- mediately after the gold rush in 40.common-iron-tacks of the emallest size, which were much in demand for nalling up cloth parti- tlons to the hastily erected shacks, were actually worth their weight in gold-one pound of gold avoiritu- pola buying a pound of tacks.

WOMEN ARRIVE. There was such a dearth of females in the San Francisco of the gold rush days that whenever a woman appeared on the street busi- Ress WDA practically suspended."

EXCAVATIONS

PLUCKY WIFE

ACTRESS PLAYS ON DESPITE PAIN

has been discovered. From the position in which it was found it seems evident that the Miss Enid Sass, who takes Л skeleton is that of the body of some principat part In "Bluebeard's Prioress highly esteemed by the Eighth Wife" at the Lyceum nuns. The grave has probably Theatre in Edinburgh, was taken been there for over 450 years. suddenly I just before the rise

of the curtain one night recently.

Miss Sass WDA in great pain.

St. Katherine's Priory, Exeter, founded by the Benedictine Nuns In the twelfth century, has been acquired by a local builder for the purpose of demolishing it and raising small houses on the site.

Large quantities of encaustic Although it is little known and, in- deed, has only been investigated as tiles wore unearthed, depicting the a place of historic interest within various works and symbols of St. and a doctor and surgeon who were the Inst year, St. Katherine's Katherine. Her wheel, for exam-called, diagnosed it as being caused Priory

contains, among many ple. lo other interesting things,

very frequently found. by sub-acute appendicitis. teenth-century oak screen which in Some of these tiles are still in quito! After some attention, the pain the oldest of that period surviving brilliant colour, as is some stained subsided a little and Miss Sass wie and therefore may be said to be glaas found on the game spot. able to go on the stage. of national interest.

Aleantime, the

a. thir-

Another interesting find in this

audience hal place was that of three silver coins, been kept waiting for about fifteen two of them of the reign of Henry minutes, and there was a general

The Priory would have appeared, until quite recently, to be no more than an old country farmhouse. It was surrounded by some scattered VII. and the other of James Lexpression of sympathy when Mr.

been The part of the Priory have

i

which would

BOW re-Masterton, the house manager,

taken for the usual outhouses asso-maining intact formied the western announced the reason for the delay. elated with that kind of building: boundary of the cloister, and and few people knew that these had once been a

cellarium the

originally comprised a church and {1 cloister. Children played about în and main entrance hall on them freely and did considerable ground floor, with the Prioress's damage without, of course, realiz-room and the guest hall above. ing the historic value of what they were destroying. After the last owner left, the house itself fell into dilapidation and most of the win- dows were broken by stongs,

EXPLORATION.

THE OAK SCREEN.

When Miss Sass appeared, she wow given a tremendous ovation, which was renewed at the close of the performances. She acted with her usual sparkle, although obvious- ly in pain, and the audience ap- preciated her pluck in carrying on.

HEROIC RESCUE. ABOVE CLIFF

YOUTH ATTACKS BENEFACTOR

At the south end of the guest

Both the doctor and the surgeon hall stretches the oak screen. A

remained in the theatre througout. scale drawing of the screen, show the performances and were in the ing the curious joint incorporated | wings to give Miss Sass assistance Anyone who had looked over the in its construction, appeared in the if she required it. house before any exenvations had July number of the "Journal of the been carried out would have Royal Institute of British Archi- thought it only an ordinary country dwelling-place, with its

This guest hall also con- white-tects." washed ceilings and ornate wall-tains a twelfth-century fireplace. papers. But the buller, who

St. Katherine's Priory, or, as it bought the ground kindly gove permission for the house and out-is locally known, the Polaloe Priory. lying site to be explored. Mr. be viewed any day. Mr. A. W. Everett, an Exeter archaeolo- Everett, who showed the round and gint, agreed to carry out the work. explained the history of the place, and began operations in July of will be there each day, and will be Mr. G. Gully, of Cliftonwood last year. He at once stripped glad to do this for anyone in-Crescent, Bristol, was passing away the external Inth and plaster terested. The Priory is near the along the walk at Seawalls Cliff, yards 250ft. above the Avon Gorge, when and revealed the older building Polslon Station Halt, 300 which had been hidden from sight north of the Exeter-Bristol main he noticed a youth standing out- since the suppression of the Priory road where it passes that point. side the protecting railings; the Mr. Everett is now excavating the man was acting strangely and site of the Chapter House.

muttering incoherently. Once a man poked his head Intohis victims returned from their bulldogs were removed. The con-chance of saving this historic place outside the railings is only a few the north, east, and southern It seems that there is now no Realizing his per-the ledge the auction room and shouted,

Two ladies going by on the side enforced cruise they pooled their version of the remaining part was from demolition, so it would be feet wide--Mr. Gully, gindually walk." and the entire crowd im resources and one of their number, carried out by Sir George Carew, doing a good service to bring it approached the man and closed mediately abandoned the auction chosen by lot, traced "Calico Jim" who lived there for some time, to the public notice before it is with him. and rashed into the street to fed, and shot him six times--once by a number of different families, its cathedral and other historic with the sheer fall into the Port- to Callno, Chile, whither he had Subsequently, the house was owned destroyed for ever. It is a great At times they were within a few A struggle followed. watch the women pass.

pity that a city already famous for inches of the edge of the rock, Women-of a class-soon flocked for each of his victims.

until it was changed into a form- *in, however, to help the free-spend- DISTRICT BLOCKADED.

house at the end of the seventeenth buildings cannot preserve this ing miners to dispose of their Another character, "Shanghai century, in which state it remained lesser witness of its sacred past, way road beneath them. No help was at hand until two pussing gold, and already in 1862 it was Kelly," having to find crews for until last year. claimed there was no country in the ship," invited 90 of the rift raff

One may suppose that all that motor-cyclists saw the struggling. three ships, one a notorious "kell- world not represented in the way of The Barbary Const" to

TWELFTH-CENTURY CHURCH. will soon remind us of it will be amen, jumped over the railings, and birth- An arrival of a batch of ladies of

Priory Road, to join the Monks went to Mr. Gully's ald the edge brought to light the foundations of Roadt, &c., which already surround seized, put in a motor-car, and Mr. Everett's excavations have Rond, Abbots Road, Monkswell of the cliff. The young man was

# twelfth-century church which it.

taken to his friends,

Aviator Yevdokimov of the Soviet Army Blying corps, claima to have set a new world record for delayed

Jumpe when ho dropped more than 26,000 foot before opening his parachute. He is shown tangled up in the halyards of the 'chute.

the French demi-monde in 1850, day picnic on an old paddle steamer was duly recorded in the Pacific Drugged lquer was liberally sup- News ns. a notable social item. Plied on board, and 90 insensible Chinese girls were shipped over by one end of a ship from the other, men, scarcely one of whom knew the hundred and put up for auc-were later hoisted on board. tion. They rarely survived more three ships.

the than six years.

Chinatown and "The Barbary

The gaming houses from time to time arranged dances, at which, Const" were completely devastated

by the earthquake and fre 1906. As an organised centre of

according to an early

historian,

of

"the most extraordinary scenes vice and crime Chinatown came to were exhibited." The advertise- menta of

these houses all bore in end, but "The Barbary Coast" largo lettering, "No weapons ad- different guise, for Pacific Street rose again, though in a somewhat mitted.

In the '00's and '70's there were

became a thoroughfare of garish however, only two establishments in Pacific Hghts. Its "Industry, Street which could by any stretchenmined much the same, though of the imaginations be said to be some attempt was made to throw a carrying on legitimate enterprise, glamour over it.

Political "graft," of course, had

One of these was a cheap clothing played a big part in protecting store kopt by Solomon Levy, im-The Barbary Coast," and as late mortalised in the song-My name as 1908, Chief of Police Biggy, who is Solomon Levy,, and I keep a clothing store, away up on Pacific and opposed the opening of large disorderly houses under influential

and so on.

Street, a hundred and forty four," ownership, disappeared from a police launch in San Francisco Bay. His body was found floating in the

SHANGHAI" SCANDAL.

The word "Shanghai," as mean- ing the kidnapping of men for water a week later. ships, was Invented In San Fran- Public opinion Anally brought cisco, and the name probably owes about the passing of laws which its origin to the difficulties of enabled the police, on February 14, getting men for the long voyage to 1907, to blockade "The Barbary Const," district and close ita estáb- The scandal, soomed to have as lishments, and within a week the sumed very large proportions. In district was dead. A resurrection coming ships.

were met by "the was attempted in 1921, but

Zandmadebicent Spegillly terminated.

China,

WAR

in 1638.

At the time of this dissolution

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