, 1877-01-13
That PARTED L1NE.-The captair

of the bark Harvest Home called at
our Office yesterday morning, on ac
count of an item concerning a line
across the slip, which would bavel
knocked down the Zephyr's smoke
stack had not the line been rotten
As we declined to give a contrary
version of the affair to which we
were an eyewitness, Capt. Mattson
went around to the Tribune Office
and gave his account of the affair
which is untrue in two particulars.
In the first place, it says the Zephyr
blew no whistle on coming to the
dock. Capt. James Lawson ard our
self we're in the pilot house and
know that Capt. Wright did blow
the whistle. As for the assertion that
the bark was just hauling over from
Crawford & Harrington's wharf, she
had been alongside the Yesler wharf
before the Zephyr was abreast of
Freeport. That Captain Mattson
was entitled to hold on by one line
till he had the other fast, we do not
dispute; but he should keep man
by to slack it down and let any other
vessel in or out, that has a regular
berth at that wharf. We saw a man
badly hurt on Isthmus Slough, Ore
gon, one morning last winter by the
stupidity of Capt. Dilling, of the
Emma Utter, who ran line across
the Slough in the night. The steam
er Coos left Henryville about an
hour before daylight and, on pas
sing the Utter City bunkers, struck
this line. parting it so as to break
the arm of a man who stood by.
The captain of the schooner actual
ly had the gall to talk about suing
the steamer for parting his line, when
he really was amenable to severe
punishment for obstructing a navig
able stream. This is not as bad a
case, because nobody was hurt. The
truth is, these captains of coasters
have most of them got rich Off no.
thing and cannot stand prosperity.
And when they get into little port
like this, they think they can do as
they as they please. That Captain
Wright did not see the line when he
headed his boat for the slip is true,
but it is equally true that he after
wards called twice to the crew of
the bark to ''slack down the line''
and no attention was paid to it. The
Tribune would not be so ready to
accuse us of making unnecessary
fuss over it" if the fag end had
struck some man and broken. his
head.
OvERsTEPPED HIS LIMITS. - The
County Auditor of Pierce county
has been getting the least-honored
portion of his physique into sling
by issuing liquor licenses to whom
soever would apply for them, with
out waiting for action on the part of
County Commissioners. Judge
Lewis. now holding court there,
holds that the Auditor was merely
as the Clerk of the Board for such
purposes and that the Board, be-
fore they make any order granting
a license, must in open court be
satisfied from evidence that the ap-
plicant is a man of good moral char
acter, and their record should so
state. The bond must be sufficient
to secure to the county the sum of
one thousand dollars in case the par
ty licensed shall keep a disorderly
house. The duties of the Auditor
are merely clerical and not magis-
teriai. j. is therefore held by the
Court that all licenses issued other
wise than by the vote of the Com
missioners, are null and void, and
that all bonds upon such licenses
are vacated by said nullity CT Ii
cense.
The SHIRLEY. This fine ship,
commanded by the genial Capt.
Matthews, will sail from Tacoma
to-day for San Francisco, her cargo
being piles and lumber. The Ia
coma will tow her down to Cape
Flattery and then keep look out
for the bark Henry Buck, which she
will tow to Nanaimo, if she can find
her.
WANTED. - Two copies of the
WEEKLY DISPATCH of Dec. 3Oth. for
which cash will be paid. Some med
dlesome miscreant has, during our
absence, cut an article from one of
our files and we wish to replace it.
The next felloy trying that on will
get dose of the law.