The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-22
SEA AND SHORE.
The Coal in the Bark Gwalla at
Port Costa on Fire.
A sea-wall Shed Damaged-Wreckers Float
Off the FL Dorado-Departure of the Ala
meda-Movements of Vessels.

hour yesterday morning that hre mad
broken out on board the British bark
Gwalla, lying at Selby's Works, near Port
Costa. The news put the tug-boat men on
their mettle, and four at once started for
the scene. of the blaze. They were the
Spreckels boats, Active and Alert, and the
red-stacked tugs, Rescue and Sea Queen.
The Active was the first TO reach the
burning ship, but as the Rescue was close
behind, and the red-stack boats have the
contract to do the towing. the CAPTAIN at
once called the Rescue alongside, and she
was soon pumping several streams of water
into the burning vessel Soon after the
Queen arrived and also went to work. The
fire had broken out about $50 o'clock in the
morning, and by the time the tugs reached
her the hold of the bark was like a furnace.
All the paint had peeled off her bows, and
out of both the fore and main lower mast
heads dense volumes of black smoke poured.
The masts are of steel and Of course hol-
low, and made tirst-class smokestacks. Soon
after the tugs were alongside an attempt was
made TO smother the flames by stopping up
the vents formed by the two masts. Canvas
and sacks were tied over the mastheads,
but had very little effect on the fire. which
continued TO roar ii the ships held.
TONS OF COAL ON FIRE.
All the coal, amounting 10 over $50 tons,
was in the forward part and had been left
in her for stffening or ballast, but was to
have been taken out yesterday as nearly 300
tons of wheat had been placed IN the after
hold. In addition to the streams from the
tugs two lines Of hoses were connected with
the pumps in Selby'S works and also turned
on the fire. Steadily the water rose in the
Dark's hold, but it did not seem TO have any
effect on the burning mass.
Shortly after IL o'clock it was decided to
run the vessel on The mud, as fears were en-
tertained that she would sink if she re-
manned at the wharf. So she was run on til g
mud stern first. At O'clock word was re-
ceived at the Merchants Exchange that the
fire was still burning, although the ships
hold was half full of water.
The Gwalla is an iron bark OF 140S tons
and came here from Australia with cargo
of coal consigned to Husband 81 Brooks.
She was under charter to load wheat for
Europe.
SMASHED INTO THE SHED.
The Norwegian steamship II. w. Jarls-
berg made things very interesting when she
locked at Section 3 of the se-awall yester-
day morning. The ship used her own
steam, and after reaching the berth the
signal to back was given but misunderstood
by the engineer, who, instead of backing,
opened her out full speed ahead, with the
result that her bow struck the wharf with a
crash, tearing through the compound Stringer
and not stopping until about fifteen feet of
the vessels bow was under the freight-shed.
The damage 10 the vessel is slight, because
she escaped with few bent plates and the
loss of some paint The wharf and shed
suffered more, the former having been torn
up for about twenty feet, with big hole
punched into the side of the shed.
The mail steamship Alameda left for
Honolulu and Sydney about o'clock yester-
day afternoon. She took away a goodly
number OF passengers, among whom were
John d. Spreckels and wife, who are
bound to Honolulu on a pleasure trip.
wRECKERS ARE AT WORK.
A dispatch has been received by the
Southern Pacific Company, owners of the
Morgan line of steamers, that no sooner
did the revenue cutter McLane leave the
scene of the wreck of the steamship Ell
Dorado than the wreckers from Bahama
took possession of her and managed to float
her Off. The news was at once tclegraphed
to the Secretary of the Treasury and the
McLane was at once ordered back.
Another dispatch from London states
that the British ship Iverna has been in
collision at Havre with the Norwegian bark
Einar, but the extent of the damage is not
stated. This is the second time that the
lverna has been in collision since she
reached Havre.
During the absence on Thursday night of
the crew Of the se0w Lizzie NJ at Vallejo
street Wharf some one broke into the cabin
ber boots and other articles, amounting in
value to nearly 800.
Outside the heads yesterday the weather
was fOggy. with light wind from the south
west. The barometer stood 1885,
MOVEMENTS OF SHIPPING.
The City of Florence and Celtic Chief
went to Port Costa, the Omara to the roll
ing-mills, the bark Richard III to Harrison
street and the j. b. Thomas and Eurasia
came down from Port Costa loaded. To-
day the Culmore will 90 to Beale street, the
Ivy to Howard No. ., Eudora to Oakland
and the Carondelet will tow to sea.
The Haytian Republic left for Port An
geles. the Jewel for CaSpar, Karluk for Ko-
dak, Celia for Coos Bay, Willamette Val
ley for Yaquina Bay, and the schooners
Prosper, Chetco, Western Home and Helen
Merriman for coast ports.
The arrivals yesterday were the steam
ships Signal from Tacoma, Whitesboro from
Greenwood and the schooners Lilly, Nep-
tune, James Townsend, Newark, Eclipse
CHARTERS REPORTED.
Among the reported charters are the fol-
lowing:
Norwegian bark Lotus, lis tons, lumber
from MoOdyville to Melbourne, Adelaide or
Port Prize. 93 5s, chartered prior to arrival
by WEIGH & Co.
Bark Mount Washington, 1162 tons, coal
from NanaimO to this port, option OF San
Pedro, chartered by John Rosenfeld's Sons.
Ship Sea King, 1436 tons, now at Sau Pc
dro. coal from Nanaim0 to San Pedro. char
tered by John ROseufeld's Sons