The morning call., 1894-07-06

This was only one incident of day
made up of startling and alarming rumors
OF suspension Of service and stories Of
withdrawal of all boats plying between
the creek and the city. The people Of
Alameda especially were in trouble over
the repeated bother they had been put to
In endeavoring to reach their places OF
business
A proposal was made that clubs of 100
or more residents of the Encinal City
charter tugs by the day for their exclusive
use and transportation and met at hrst
with favor, but was formally tabled alter
careful canvas of the situation.
The tide even played an important part
in the baking of the Southern Pacifc's
efforts to maintain half-hourly service
for its suburban patrons. The water
never did seem TO run so strong or persist
in remaining so low. The very mud flats
of the estuary seemed to stand out of the
water and declare themselves on the side
of the strikers.
Upon the Piedmont devolved the task of
first trying 10 clear the Oakland Broadway
wharf for San Francisco. She backed her
big clumsy null into the channel, but ran
up short against shallow.
For few minutes it began to look seri-
Gus for further navigation of the creek,
for the ferry completely blocked the fair
way.
Gradually the tide drifted her forward
and into deep water. and taking advan-
tage OF the opportunity she steamed away
without further mishap.
The crews of all the creek boats seemed
IN, no in toll nf wi oi TrOD tho
strikers or of an unknown enemy in their
midst. The boats made runs At the wharf,
backing almost as soon as they touched,
like shark attacking piece of bait.
Then the crowd got angry and CON-
menced to coin expressions and hurl them
at the steamers crew. The air was blue
with choice adjectives. but the storm of
words fell upon ear-drums that had refused
10 vlbrate, except when Fourth and Towns
end streets spoke.
While the Piedmont was irving to
straighten out in the creek the Newark
| and Oakland were on their way from San
Francisco with fairly good loads of pas
seDgers TO land at the modern Athens.
The tide got as badly twisted up as the
mass of humanity that was swearing on
Broadway wharf. 1t tried to curl the
Newark and Oakland up together and
wound lew provoking currents about The
city-bound Piedmont. The three steam
ers played at tag with the creek entrance
as base and seemed to be chasing one
! another up and down the waterway.
Pretty soon the two frst-men;ioned
steamers separated, the Newark starting
for the Narrow Gauge pier where she
| dumped her load of passengers, then her
crew calmly informed them that Oakland
vas just exactly three and Alameda four
miles distant in an air line.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the blockade
was partly broken. The mudflats hid be-
meath the rising tide and there was soon
enough water in the creek to allow of
regular service.
In the meanwhile the electric-cars from
over every line that turns wheel in the
cite. on the other side Of the bay had been
emptying hundreds of persons On the
already overcrowded Broadway wharf.
Strikers. women and children, soldiers and
civilians were in the crowd and with one
common spirit bore down in droves on
every approaching boat, literally taking it
by storm.
Six thousand tickets were sold in less
than an hour, and as something ike order
was restored the boats continued TO come
and 60 without further excitement among
the people.
The efforts put forward by the company
to land its boats promptly savored little
of an attempt to solicit public sympathy
by causing inconvenience to those who
were compelled TO cross the bay. Either
bo:ch management or williul Juggling
with the temper of the populace
caused all the trouble. Ferries can land
at the foot Of Broadway at any stage of
the tide, so steamboat men claim.