The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-03-09

ened for some time to the splsh-splash of
the waves as they licked the teredo-
punctured piles and then lie watched the
antics Of a little army Of big gray rats on
dress parade around the Office, where q lot
OF freight clerks were always so extremely
busy IN the times gone by that they never
found time to answer questions put TO them
by the shippers ana merchants to whose
patronage they owed their very liveliho God.
Old Rip commenced to yawn ana felt as
il he wanted 10 go to sleep again, when,
very much to his delight, he discovered a
steamer.
I. was the City of Picking, lying there
idle and without any sign Of life on board
of her.
And there was another steamer next to
her, the City OF Sydney, which only couple
Of days ago had arrived from Panama, but
around her berth also there was no activity,
and what little freight she had brought to
this port had evidently taken but little time
to remove, for none OF it was in sight
Three men and boy were hosting box
on board OF the Oceanic, which was sup
posed TO be loading for trip to China, and
this trio seemed TO be the only live crowd
on the whole dock.
Let me Think" said Rip Van Wrinkle to
himself, and having meditated for some
time he returned 10 the wharf entrance and
asked Mr.. Center's man there where he
could find more lively times.
- want to see some excitement, some
busting and huStling and some signs Of
life, " he put it.
"Oh. let me alone" YEARLY replied Mr..
Center's man. go up to the Lombard
street pier if you want to see lot of people
working, ana don't loaf around here. This
is a graveyard, and you might fall over n
tombstone If you don't get move on pretty
quick"
Lombard-street pier is a long way from
the Pacific Mali dock, and there is no way
to reach il but by walking most of the dis
lance; but RIP was bound To see life, and
therefore he took Mr. Center's mans ad-
vice and left, heading northward.
Teams of all descriptions, pedestrians
huTrying to and fro, crowd of men unload
ing wagons and pilng up a miscellaneous
lot OF freight soon gave old Rip something
10 ponder over.
"rhis town has turned upside down" he
unused, land while was asleep they have
transferred their business from the south
end to The north emu of the water front"
OF course man who had slept ten years,
and therefore could not know ANYTHING OF
the current events, would reason that way !;
but IL did not take sly Mr.. Van Wrinkle long
to learn how matters really stood, and he
knows now as well as everybOd else in
this city that the great change which has
come over the shipping situation is due 10
the Inauguration Of the first rival steam
ship Company the Pacific Mail and c. =.
Huntington ever have been called upon to
meet on the field between New Y rk and
San Francisco via the Istbmus of Panama.
1t was as q consequence of this new reyo-
lutiGniZing competition that Rip found it so
dreaTy ana lonesome on the Haclnc Mail
Compary's wharf, and 1t was for the same
reason that he found matters lively on Lom-
bard-stTeet pier, where the ST. Paul was
loading preparatory to making the first trip
OF the North American Navigation COm-
pany's new Panama line.
The st. Paul will leave to-day at p. NJ,
and the last of her cargo was being stored
on her decks yesterday.
Chief Officer Downey was on the upper
deck of the boat and Freight Clerk Green
superintendent matters on the wharf.
Tie only regret these officers had was
that tho vessel is not three times larger
than it is. for freight enough has been re.
fused during this week to load three steam
ers like the ST. Paul.
The greatest part of the COZ tons the st.
Paul Will carry to Panama is composed of
California wine in casks, California brandy.
canned fruit, leather, bOraX and dried fruit.
I be st. Paul has new commander, Cap
tain c. II. Anderson. formerly of the
steamer Bertha and well known in maritime
circles.
Captain Anderson was found in his cabin
in company with Captain Erskine, who
was in command OF the vessel from the
time she was launched in 1876 to a few
weeks ago. when he retired TO take place
in the pilot service.
The two old salts were swapping yarns
when THE CALL reporter dropped in on
them, and as matter of course the St. Paul
was the subject under discussion.
THE only time | ever took this ship to
Panama was in 1873 said Captain Egskine,
land the Old-timers down there will duu bt-
less remember her well, because she took
on that trip one of the most valuable car
goes any vessel of her size ever carried.
1--WE had S2,000000 worth of furs, to be
shipped direct to England, on board, and
believe this was the largest shipment of
that kind ever made from here"
j he only passenger who will be accnmmo-
dated on this trlp of the st. Paul is Captain
ID. S. Austin, formerly connected with the
Pacific Mail Company. who has been ap-
pointed Panama agent for the Navigation
Company, aud who goes to take up his
station there.
The New York agency of the company is
held By the firm of Hanford, Parry, Heron
& Co, and the local agents are the Johnson
Locke Mercantile Company.
Captain Merry, the president of the Nav-
Cation Company, has but little 90 say now
adays when inquiSitive reporters disturb
his equanimity.
The fact of the matter is, Captain Merry
Is largely OF the opinion that premature
publication OF what he knows would be
hurtful to the company's interests. Hence
his reticence.
What interests the public most Just now
in connection with the new company is to
know what steamers and how many they
will be able to secure, and on that point but
very little Information can be obtained.
presumably because Mr.. Huntjngton's men
are ever on the alert to Interfere with pego-
tauons, the completion of which would as
siSt the new company in the carrying out Of
| its plans.
However, it is quite certain that within q
few days the Navigation Company hopes to
be able to announce that the steamers Mex
leo and Willamette, both owned by the Pa
| clfc Coast Steamship Company (Goodall,