The morning call., 1893-02-07

dock the quartermaster was placed on
stretcher. transferred TO wagon and taken
to his home.
When the captain of the Griffith was
asked about the Picking he gave out little
satisfactory response, saying that 1t might
be 5 or o'clock before the overdue steamer
would reach the dock and discharge her pas
sengers.
On hearing this many anxious walters
left in order TO get something to eat. Others
proceeded along the wharves toward the
seawall. where they could sooner get a
glimpse OF the Picking.
Probably the san Francisco wharves,
from one end of the water front to the
other, never were thronged with such
crowds as were to be seen on the docks
yesterday. The crowd began to arrive
shortly after 10 o'clock. scattering from one
end OF the water front to the other, to the
places where either he or she thought the
best view Of the bay could be obtained.
For hours the cars from all quarters and
sections of the city discharged their loads of
humanity, q great throng of curious people
who were anxious to get a glimpse of the
Picking only just to see what she looked
like.
Probably they expected to see her side
battered in, her smokestacks missing and
her masts blown away. Whatever they
expected to see they scarcely knew them
selves, and it was evident from the way
they talked that they only just wanted to
see the Picking. that was all, to know just
what she looked like after being so long
overdue.
This was the leading motive that at
tracted the great crowd which piled down
to the wharves yesterday. the crowd in
creasing in numbers up till o'clock in the
evening.
A CALL reporter trayersed the entire
dock system of the city and saw these
crowds everywhere.
They lined the edge Of the wharyes. stood
on lumber piles and boxes of merchandise.
invaded the ships and steamers along the
front, and many procured boats. going way
out in the bay TO catch the first sight of the
City of Picking as she entered the harbor
proper.
The weather was beautiful, and the
bright sunshine made the waiting agree
able and pleasant. The young element was
out In force, and many managed TO get
perched on the spaIs and rigging of vessels
In the shipping and wharfnger Offices
gentlemen who were awaiting the Peking's
arrival. Every few minutes the Merchants
Exchange would be rung up for fresh in
formation.
The conversation of everybody was about
the overdue steamer. and all sorts OF specu.
lations were INDUCED in.
At the Chief Wharfnger's Office Harbor
Commissioners Bassett, Brown and Alex
al - ID a ~
about the accident to her machinery.
Il will bet that it was her shaft that
broke" said Commissioner Brown, "for
Captain Tanner. now of the A lbatross. but
formerly of the Picking. told me that while
on the Picking this same accident happened
to him number OF years ago and delayed
him either eleven or thirteen days, forget
which. He had to use his sails too"
Not only on the docks where the principal
shipping business is transacted and along
the seawall where the warehouses are located
did the crowds throng. Many anxious to
get good and long view of the incoming
steamer and having experience of the
topography of the city went up on the hills
TO wait for the Peking's arrival. They
fiocked to Telegraph Hill and were 10 be
seen on top Of the observatory at that
place. Others went TO the top of Russian
Hill and Caiforhia-street hill. The streets
on the SUBMITS of those hills were black
with people from the residential portions Of
the city. Others went out on the Preside
cars and took up stations on the Preside
hills in order TO catch a glimpse OF the
Pekirg.
There were thousands of opera and spy
glasses pointed toward the Golden Gate
from these high points OF observation and
behind the glasses were many eyes. which
strained eagerly for a sight of the great
ocean liner
Never since that memorable occasion
when Grant returned from his triumphal
tour of the world aud entered the Golden
Gate had such great crowds thronged the
outlying heights and city wharves to catch
q qIimnse of an incoming steamer.