The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-07
HOPE DEFERRED.
Pacific Mail Will Wreck
the New York.
IF THE BREAKERS DO NOT.
Captain Whitelaw's Services Are
Dispensed With.
PONTOONS ARE TO BE TRIED.
The Big Pumps and the Tugs Did Not
Work in Harmony Except on
One Occasion.
PONTOONS ARE TO BE TRIED

1.-THE City of New York is still on the
rocks" This Is a waterfront joke and
Lieutenant Schwerin is said to be contem-
pI ating cutting it out and sending it to
President Hunting ton to paste in his hat.
Having great confidence in Wrecker
Whitelaw's ability and the Judgment OF
the tugboat men. the public has all along
put much faith IN the chances for saving
the steamer.
When San Francisco first contracted to
build a new City Hall the public had
reason to suppose that the work would be
done in reasonable allowance OF time,
and we, the people, still have hopes,
alth ough that ancient pile does show signs
of having been bumped upon the rocks OF
treasury deficits. 1t is the same way With
the City of New York.
Possibly when bowling Southwestern
comes roaring up the coast and monster
waves dash over Point Bonita, some at
tempt will be made 10 save tie wrecked
vessel. that is. the pieces OF her that WASH
ashore.
1t appears that Wrecker Whitelaw and
the Red Stack .Towboat Comgany have
been employed by the Pacific Mall 0tean-
ship Company TO obey, not TO act accord,
ing to their own judgment. PACING Mali
officers, from the manager down to the
Chinese boatswain. have all had finger ID
the New York's pie, with the result that
the steamer is still at Point Bonita, ana
the prospects of getting her of have grown
beautifully less each day.
Ii Wrecker Whitelaw was ordered to
pump, the word passed to the tugboat COM
pany came six hours too late or vice versa.
Lieutenant SchweriD was on deck g0Od
part of The time, but 10 interested was the
lieutenant in keeping his company's secret
about the New York that he cOmmuned
not even with the wreckers Way down
in the innermost depth of his soul the
lieutenant felt confident that he could raise
the steamer, but so much did he fear that
his anticipation might reach the ears OF
reporter that he preferred not even to take
Captain Whitelaw into his confidence.
So when Whitelaw pumped the tugs
were at their wharf at San Francisco. or
when the tugs were present IL was low
water small. In the meantime heaven
was kind and nature smiled peacefully on
the ocean.
By chance the managers for the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company did succeed in
getting the pumps to working and the tugs
| to pulling, bat all for naught AS soon as
the New York began to get light she
was pounded by the swell upon the rock
until every Chinese seamen on board OF
| her took to the lifeboats and every piece
| of Chinese baggage was lowered over the
| side.
And the evening and the morning was
| the seventh day, to quote the scriptures,
| still Manager Schwerin was not able to
| saw. ut is good" and the newspapers still
| used the same old head lines: "Still on the
rocks"
For several days past the New York has
| been a sort of mystery. No one seemed
to know anything about her. The public
| heard in a vague sort of a way that the
| ctill tU0inU' and that
pumps were being ''placed." but still no
well-informed official cared to impllcate
himself by saying whether the pumps or
the Pacific Ocean had got the better OF the
fight.
Several tugboats took numerous barrels
| of cement out 10 Point Bonita and re-
turned with rum0rs of an attempt to place
canvas over the holes in the ships plates,
| and that cement would be used to do the
rest Hardly had marine circles rec0v-
cred from the shock occasloned by this
| intelligence than il was mentioned that
Captain Whitelaw had been deposed, that
| tugboats will no longer be called into
re0uisition, but that Lieutenant Schwerin
! and others have secured the services OF
another wrecker and that pontoOns will
| be hereafter used in an effort to raise the
| steamer.
Pontoons from Mare Island will be towed
down, and possibly loan will be made
from the Merchants drydock.
But. brethren of the sea, don't beave
| sigh OF relief! The pontoons have got to
| be repaired. This requires some time. and
1.-THE City of New York is still on the
rocks!'
First, the pontoons will be lowed down
from Mare Island. When? That is still
the question.
At any rate, the Pacific Mail Company
has undertaken to wreck the City of New
York itself, practically as we'll as theoreti-
cally. Captain Whitelaw will probably be
employed to "stand by," but that Is, per-
| hans. all he will be called upon to do.
! If smooth water Will assist In saving the
steamer under the new plans to be adopted
| by the Pacific Mail WreckiDg Company
there is no reason TO doubt that the cor
poraiion will be able to make a successful
dicker with Neptune.