The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-27
THE WETMORE HERE
Great Crowds Visit the Famous
Whaleback.
THE QUARTERMAsTER ON GUARD
Funny Scenes at the Bunkers The
Manzanita Runs Aground-Short
Crews on Big Ships.

The anxiously looked-for and much
talked-of whaleback Charles W. Wetmore
arrived IN port early yesterday morning
and went Immediately to the Oregon I'M
provement Company's bunkers and began
loading her cargo of Newcastle coal for
San Francisco.
Early In the day, as soon as it became
known that the vessel had arrived, people
began gathering from all quarters to view
her. In short time the bunkers were
almost completely lined with people, but
the quartermaster took stand at
the end of the gang plank and
aside from city officials, prominent mer-
chants, reporters and other imposing per-
sonages. none were allowed aboard but
ladies and their escorts. This annoyed
the crowd very much, and at times at
tempts were made by gangs of men and
boys to rush up the plank and force their
way aboard. The quartermaster was in
exorable, however. and managed to keep
them back pretty we'll. At times he was
so annoyed that he lost his temper and
threatened to pull the plank from
under their feet and give them
chance to test their swimming
abilities. He grabbed the plank
and gave it jerk that seemed TO make the
vertebre in his back creak like an I'M
creased wagon-wheel. But the plank did
not move and the half-dozen or more who
stood on 1t sent up a derisive laugh.
Finally the officer became good-natured
and the temper of the crowd seemed TO be
affected accordingly and some OF the tricks
resorted to to get aboard were really
amusing
Whenever reporter came along and
gave the usual countersign whole mob
would rush up-all reporters, editors, bust
ness managers and everything else on one
or the other of the daily papers-but the
quartermaster had too good an ear and
detected something not genuine in the
countersign and ordered them all back
across the dead line
big portly fellow, we'll dressed, who
looked enough of the aristocrat to be either
smuggler or gambler, walked up the
plank, and with an air of indifference an
nounced that he was Mayor Hall. And
am member of the council" came from
half dozen Threats behind
''Well. for heaven sake how MANY NAV
ors has Seattle got? ?" questioned the quar-
termaster. 1--WE have half dozen of them
on board now. If you fellows are really
city officials, you had better get back or
some of you will have to swim if you want
to continue in office" And, forthwith, he
cleared the gang plank
Just then three ladies came along. AS
they had no escort, a young fellow with an
eye TO business started up the plank after
them with as much ease of manner as
though he were married TO all of them.
and md
ordered him back over the dead line. As
he started down the plank one of the
crowd shouted out:
That's a nice way to treat gentleman
who Is with lady. Why didn't you take
her arm, Blly?"
a smooth-faced, sanctimonious looking
fellow walked up and said he was a
preacher and a great friend of Captain
hastings, and he wanted to go aboard to
see the captain, as he had not seen him
for long time. The plea did not work.
and he was ordered back. Quickly
putting his hand in his vest pocket he
took out cigar and gently slipped it into
the sentry's hand. This was a perfect
passport and he walked aboard without a
word. Two or three others in the crowd
caught onto the tip and shouted up to the
sentry, asking If a similar passport would
not admit them, at the same time each
exhibiting cigar. Eyes, bring them up."
he replied, and in less than a second the
plank was covered with men, every one of
them holding out cigar. This was too
much OF good thing, and the result was
that the whole crowd had to retreat.
little boy who was on board with his
mother began crying most piteously when
the vessel was being shifted TO bring an
other hatch under the chute. He thought
the vessel was going down TO Chile to be-
GIN the war. 4 gentleman who stood by
SAID he would see that the boys name an
peared on the roll of the Tacoma minute
men.
The whaleback has been written about
ana described over and over again, so that
description of her now would be wholly
uninteresting. She is IS feet beam. o65
feet long over all and II feet deep. She
looks very much in shape like gigantic
whale, and the name whaleback was Ger
talniy not misapplied. Her carrying cana
city Is 5000 tons. Captain Hastings said
she would probably run coastwise for
awhile carrying coal for the Oregon I'M
provement Company, though no perma-
hent arrangements have been made.
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