The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-28

done, but if you could see it done once
you would know for a certainty that
human hands and brains never worked
harder. faster. more skillfully and with
less friction than do those engaged in
handling the papers for the readers across
the bay.
About 80 o'clock every morning big.
heavy wagon goes flying down the we'll
worn board flooring of Washington-stree
wharf at pace that il continued a few
seconds too long would be sure to land
horse, wagon, driver and all into the
damp, salt water at the end of the long
wharf.
But the pace isn't continued a second
too long-that would be a waste of time,
and there is no time to waste. A face
from the wagon peers ont inquringly into
the gloom and voice pierces the darkness
with:
rs that the Millie?" or Hi. there.
where's the Mile mOored?"
Presently the answer comes up from the
black waters:
Here's the Mile; hurry up."
The last Injunction is scarcely needed.
Immediately the wagon is driven 10 where
the voice answered. and in much less time
than it takes to tell it has been backed up
to the side OF the wharf and the big bun
dies of CALLS are sliding down the chute
to the deck If the little steamer.
The bundles are all counted as they land
on the Mile. and when the last one has
been told off Captain Brown says in a
sleepy vn'ra:
IAN Ugh cast off r'
And ~ The big mail wagon rattles off to
the mainland the Miles shrill little
whistle sounds blast and the small craft
Is threading her way out of the crowded
dock to the open bay
If II is rough or wet weather the bundles
of CALLS are securely covered with tar
paullD before the wharf is left.
Now the voyage across begins. 1t is
quite voyage, too, for such small craft
as the Mile 10 make, though she could
probably go out into the ocean with as
much ease and safety. She is built like
the big tugboats of Spreckels and the Red
Stack line, and though in rough weather
the seas break ALL over her. she plows
her way through the pillows as uncon-
| cernedly as though the seas were like
glass. True. she rocks and pitches a Bit
even when the waves are only moderately
large, but she sails like a cork with nail
| in the end If it. Her engines and boilers
are below tie water line. This keeps her
bottom down in spite of everything and
| there is yet sufficient buoyancy left to keep
| her couple of feet or more out of the
water in the toughest kind of weather.
| Close the pilot-house and the cabin ami
! the engine-room and batten down the
!
! seas.
But there is no necessity for such pre-
| cautions now. The weather is mild, a
| little raw, perhaps. because little before
daybreak yet, and the waves are just lively
! enough to break into whilecaps.
Alloy, there, Frank" says Captain
| Brown. when the Mile is well out Oh the
! bay.
No other words are spoken. No other
words are needed. Frank knows what it
means. He comes forward to the pilot
| house, rubbing both eyes and gaping woe
! fully. Captain Brown rellnquishes the
wheel TO him and then goes into the cabin
! Tor wash aud a smoke.
By the time Goat Island is reached it is
| quite light and over the hills back of Oak
| land reddish tlnge is coming through
! The cloud banks. Stretched ont on a soft
| his c0rncob pipe and looking out over the
! broad stretch of waters, Captain Brown
seems to be taking life easily enough. 1t
| is warmer on the water than it was on
| land and the early morning air Is far
| fresher than it will be a couple of hours
later. yet not too fresh for enjoyment.
Captain Brown seems to think so at all
events, for he lies there drinking in its
| freshness and hesitating long to open THE
MORNING CALL that lies before him. still
damp as 1t came from the press.
In this the captain Is more fortunate
morning paper before breakfast, before
the other papers are delivered in fact
| The engineer is likewise reading his pa
per, but Frank. 10 the pilot-house, may
not read. Though the path is as the birds
fly, he must not take his eyes off the bow
of the Mile. IT'S the way with pilots, be
the track never so clear and straight.
The engineer is likewise cook. On top
of the en- CINE sits n big coffee-can, from
which there emanates a mnst delightful
0d0r. Eggs are in sight, bacon can be dis
cerned by the olfactory nerves and a big
earthen jug full OF butter sits on the shelf
Not till the return trip will they be cooked,
however, and by that time the three men
who man the Mile will have appetltes of
| guaranteed strength.
Along past the narrow-gauge mole the
Mile steams and thumps her way, then
| up the mouth of the creek, threading in
and out perfect labyrinth of ships and
barks and brigs and barkpntines and
brigantines and scho0ners and scows and
sloOps aud what not in the line of sea-