The morning call., 1892-11-13
in A MARINE FOG.
1t Was Touch and Go on
the Bay.
MANY BOATS BADLY BUMPED.
Some Sea Captains Preferred fo Wait
but Others Decided to Take
the Chances.

Yesterday morning the bay was enyel-
oped in the thickest fog for q wear. ana
three collisions have been reported. none of
them serious, however.
Captains of scow schooners do not seem
to think they run any danger going out in
fog when there is no wind. They will 90
cut when they can't see ten feet and when
they have to tow the vessel with n rowboat.
heavy fog on the bay is regarded as a
serious thing among sea captains. Those
VINO know the port well and the different
currents which traverse IL, are very chary
OF rsking their owners vessels in its intri-
cacies.
But, ON the other hand, delay In starting
is often considered almost as serious. as
freights will not always keep, and markets
nave disagreeabie way of running down
when least expected to do so.
Accordingly. many risk Is taken when
the odds are rather against the vessels.
The Piedmont left Oakla at about 7
O'Clock. and had almost reached this side Of
The bay when she ran into the schooner
Fsnton. which had foolishly got in the way
There was no wind. ana the schooner was
simply drifting past the city front when she
was struck: She was not seen by the pilot
until the PIEDMONT was on top of her, and
then the engines wero reversed and the
speed slackened considerably.
but IL was not enough TO stop and the
schooner was struck glancing blow on the
starbOard side, which had the effect of
knocking off n few hundred pounds of coal
ana Scraping away some paint Nobody
was hurt and the schooner proceeded on her
way.
The San Rafael also contributed her share
10 the morning fun. She was coming along
under fair head Of steam. blowing her
whistle, when the first thing her pilot knew
he was on top OF the schooner Theresa
There was slight glancing blow, but the
overhanging deck OF the San Rafael caught
the sails, ropes. etc, of the schooner and
the wrecked schooner was towed to a pIa ce
OF safety soon afterward.
The fog was so thick that Captain Mont
gomery Of the Maiden City did not start on
ms voyage TO Melbourne until nearly noon,
although he had in tended to start at day.
light. lie said he would rather wait few
hours than run the risk of having to stay
here the rest of the winter TO make repairs
The ship swung around in the tide while 4
boatman was on board of her. and Whsn he
started ashore he pulled for the Union Iron
Works. and after about fifteen minutes
began TO wonder where he was. He very
wisely stopped rowing and soon drifted
against the Mail dock. and then recognized
his bearings.
The steamer Santa Cruz was struck by the
Ilburon as she was backing out of Broad
way wharf Both vessels were going slowly
and there was no great damage done.
The log also extended up the river into
the tuie lands, and in the thick stuff both
the Mary CARAT and the Dauntless struck
mud banks and were detained several
hours.
The cause OF the fog was undoubtedly the
unusual heat which has fallen TO the lot of
the city and Interior during the past few
DAYS. II is expected that unless rain falls
before long the coast will be visited with
thicker fogs than ever and unusual precau-
tions 10 have the buOys and whistles at
tended 10 will have 10 be taken
The whaling steamer Thrasher, CAPTAIN
Weeks, arrived yesterday, twenty days
from Fox Island. She took sixteen whales
on her voyage and brought down 500 barrels
Of oil and $1,000 pounds OF bone Her
voyage was uneventful and free from casu-
alties. Mate OGallagher's death from kid
ney trouble is the only thing the vessel re-
ported.
The fire tug GOvernor Irwin is being given
the thorough overhaGling that she has been
oadly In need of for some time, but could
not be spared as there was no vessel to take
her place. Now that the Governor Mark
ham is in good trim she can be kept in or
der and take the others place whenever
repairs are needed.
The schooner,Queen, Captain Thona gle,
sailed yesterday for GuayaQui with nom
union crew. Ii was the same old story
with The assistance of the police.