The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-21
SAIL IN BALLAST.
Transporting Rincon Hill
to Panama.
The Pacific Mails Steamers Carry
Earth Instead of Freight in
Their Holds.

The Pacific Mail Steamship Company is
in distress Nowadays. excepting indeed
when a steamer happens to drift in or pre-
Dares to observe timetables by sailing out
of port, the dock is deserted.
Affairs had become so very gloomy and
depressing Mr.. Huntington reluctantly
gave up the mail contract between San
Francisco and Panama. Business did not
justify keeping expensive steamers in
active service tn carry mails at regular
periods. So it was decided to decrease the
fleets number by taking off one vessel
Without enough ships to come and go as
heretofore mails could not be properly
handled and consequently the Govern
ment contract was relnQushed.
Last Friday the Mail dock was cleaned
out Clerks and wOrkmen upon the wharf
were given holiday until the next steamer
would sail or arrive. CLEANED out" is a
slang term among dOckmen, who mean by
It that all goods, that is TO say, freight
have been removed and nothing remains
except trucks, ropes, tarpaulins and the
like.
So there was no freight in transit on the
Pacific Mail dock that day, a condition
which often exists there at present. Next
morning the idle men applied at the gate
for work. About 100 men were there.
Some flour was to arrive on :he dock.
why, | can assure you" said an un-
sue essful candidate for work yesterday,
that business Is so bad on the Mail dock
You may see steamers loaded with ballast
going out of this port for China and
Panama. Any day before a steamer sails
you can go down to the dock and see men
shoveling rock and earth into her hold.
They are carting Rincon Hill away to for
eign ports Earth is dug from the Second
street cut and in front of ST. Mary'S Hos
pital, and If much more be removed the
hospital foundations will be in danger. As
1t is, the HarriSOn-St rect bridge across Sec
ond street is threatened. II is not safe
even now. 1t is an i'll wind that blows no.
body good, however, for the men who
would be idle otherwise are busy digging
dirt 10 ballast the steamers"
visit was paid TO the scene Of Pacific
Mall operations at two points on Rlncon
Hill for the purpose of seeing how much
OF that eminence was still standing.
The excavations were seen to be assum-
ing prOr Ortions that give SecOnd-stre
cutting the aspect of a mountain .ravine.
On the west side of Harrison-street bridge
little is left above save tracks and trestles
OF the electric railway. The rocks are cut
away on both sides. leaving a narrow
causeway that may be dangerous when
the winter rains come. A short distance
to the northwest digging for ballast has
caused the picturesque old terrace where
Charles Warren Stoddard lived to be torn
down. Wagons are coming and going,
removing loads of rock TO the steamers
sides, where it is shoveled on board. Near
ST. Mary's Hospital is a favorite spot for
the excavation of ballast for Pacific Mail
steamers. The attack on Rincon Hill
seems to be simultaneous in both places,
evidence enough that freight is cons picu-
Gus bv its absence aDd that dirt is resorted
to for the purpose of navigating Pacific
Mail Company's ships with safety.