The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-07

Not one of the doeful forebodings about
the fate Of the City of Picking has been
verified except that Der shaft broke down
when more than three-fOurths of the dis
lance across the Pacific had been covered.
and that she had to proceed under sail. Had
matters been worse the steamer would have
been headed for Honolulu. where repairs
could have been effected. but being square
rigged on three masts the spread OF sail was
sufficient to jog her along at a moderate
speed, notwithstanding her draught Of u
feet. The delay is too brief to have made
anybody on board very anxious Passengers
NAV have grOaned over the loss OF time, but
their meals would not fall of In abundance
and very little in luxury, unless the supply
of fresh vegetables and fish ran short.
Books and amusement would while away
the time merrIly. While the Pacific Mail
officials had the fullest confidence in the
safety of the steamer. incidentally that con-
fidence was not quite shared by the public.
But only the opinion If engineers and sail
ors should count in such matters.
A well-built and properly bulkheaded
ocean steamer is now regarded as superior
to all stress of weather. provided the en-
gines and shaft or shafts keep working and
the propeller keeps driving. The Picking
is an old-type of vessel in her engines and
bulkheads. All large modern steamers
have triple expansion engines and three or
four times the number of bulkheads, which
are absolutely tight and without doors up
to the main deck. OF late double and even
triple pr0pellers, with the engines and
SHAFTS completely separated ana independ-
ent, have come into vogue, adding to safety
enormously AS was proved in the case o
the City of Paris, the demolition OF one set
r of engines should not affect the other set.
When the flooded compartments OF that
teamer were pumped out she got up steam
and proceeded without assistance from
Queenstown to Liverpool. The strong
bukheads saved the Paris. Even If cut In
two IL is said the separate sections would
float Twin pr0pellers enable steamer TO
turn within its own length, and the longest
vessel, be 1t 6U0 feet in length, can pass
through a lock under such control that it
would not crack an eggshell.
1t is quite certain that all crack passenger
steamers in future will have double pro-
pellers They add somewhat to cost and
the gain in speed is doubtful but about the
guarantee Of safety there can be no ques-
ton. Lessons like that afforded by the
Peking's experience drive home the fore
going conclusion. 1t is unfortunate for the
Pacific Mail Company that the San Juan,
which went to sea on Sunday on search
expedition. should have missed the DELAYED
steamer. Ii she calls at Honolulu she will
learn nothing about the Picking, and may
continue on toward Japan for n certain dis
lance. If anything, this emphasizes the
urgentn need there Is for telegraph cable TO
Hawaii. Surely the year will not pass
without that desirable contamination being
attained.
Should the measure fixing distance
tariff for Californian railroads be passed by
the Legislature it is believed there will be
an immense relief of rates on shipments to
interior points This is based on the fact
that the rivers Sacramento and San joaquin
will be open to legitimate trade. without the
Southern Pacific having the power to beat
competition out of the field. The mileage
basis of freight will compel the Southern
Pacific 10 accept IL at Stockton or Sacra-
mento at regular rates according to the dis
lance. Hence San Francisco shippers by
rail TO an interior point will only be charged
the rate by water and thu additi onal rail-
road mileage rate. Any system whic h
leaves our waterways to the interior free
from unfair blocking by the Southern Pa
cifc will give the commercial intercourse of
this State an enormous Impetus.
The proposal to erect pier on the ocean
beach opposite the Golden Gate Park may
possibly require the sanction of the Federal
Government, as. to be of any advantage, it
must run far beyond the line of breakers.
lD quiet weather the constructors will not
have an arduous undertaking, but the work
should be performed so we'll that repairs
will not be needed for many years. The
standards of the pier should be OF cylindri-
cal iron, strongly braced and driven to a
foundation which will not shift. Provision
may be made for dancing floors, kosks,
nusic-hall and orchestra stand, and there
should also be fights Of stair-landings for
boats, yachts and steamers. Almost every
seaside resort in England Las pier of this
description open TO promenading thousands
during the day and well into the night
Some places have two or three Of them. AT
Brighton the waves run just as high as they
are ever likely TO do along the ocean beach.
Allowance would have TO be made for a
height of twenty feet above high-tide mark.
The city of Toronto drew an income OF
S120.217 from percentages on street railroad
earnings last year. These roads are mostly
owned by Cleveland capitalists. and 1t is
pointed out that If Cleveland had the same
system the revenue coming into the city
treasury would amount to 100000. Some
money coming TO San Francisco from the
franchises granted with such prod gal gen.
erosity. That these franchises are all valu-
able prospectively, and most of them valu-
able at present, cannot be denied. They