The morning call., 1894-07-03
RIVER TRAFFIC BOOMING.
The Promised Fruit Glut Has Not
MaterialiZed.


The running of regular trains on the
broad and narrow gauge routes from Oak
land, Alameda and Berkeley to connect
with the Southern Paciic'S ferry boats
partially restored order at the foot of Mar
ket street. Commuters and purchasers of
single-trip tickets came and went during
the day and didn't ask questions.
People for up country, however. contin-
ued to arrive every hour, gripsack IN hand,
and prepared to leave town on the first
thing that would float toward the interior
or run inland on wheels.
The promised glut of fruit, the accumu-
ation of numerous packs that are stranded
along the river banks ii the valleys, failed
to become an actuality so far as the San
Francisco market Is concerned. On the
contrary, very little fruit was received, eX-
cept by schooner, and what did arrive did
not bear out the statement made by the
farmers, that only the choicest of the
choice, intended for Eastern shipment,
would be unloaded on the city commission
merchants.
Times are still continuing good with the
river steamboats, and the two Stockton
lines are fairly bulging with an exuber-
ance of joyful prospects Of outdoing last
seasons traffic records in a manner both
astonishing and gratifying to stockholders.
The Southern Pacific steamers Modoc
and Apache are still on the warpath after
the strikers, and are practically defying
the unions Sacramento passenger block
ade. The Apache is the fiercest warrior
of the two railroad allies, getting even
more than fair share of the homeward-
moving population that drifts down on the
water front.
Six hundred belated. tired looking and
disgruntled inhabitants of the farming
districts took passage for the capital on
that steamer at o'clock in the morning.
But just look at the Stockton boats.
What hustle and confusion and swear
ing there is at Washington and Clay
street wharves. The Weber and the J. D.
Peters, loaded with freight and clingng TO
the docks until the last minute as IL they
feared a little business might get away
from them, left at about $50 O'Clock.
Interest seemed centered in their depar-
ture, for a crowd of several hundred peo-
pie was at hand to see them get away.
The Peters carried about 450 passengers
and the Weber about the same number.
possibilities of connecting with this or that
train at stated way landings. Men tried
to figure it so that they would not have to
walk more than twenty miles to theiI
homes when they got off the steamer.
The revival of river steamboatiDg some
thing akin in its nature 10 the service Of
forty years ago has had magnetic inf1u-
ence on the negro population. Visions Of
tips from 500 half-starved and desperate
passengers who are willing to sacrifice
anything to get clear of San Francisco
have haunted the steamboat steward,
waiter and porter and caused him to seek
relief by imploring for chance to make
few trips up the river
OF course a few extra men were needed
to help Out. but then he river companies
did not expect TO have to face all Of the
unemployed forces of the cooks and walt
ers OF the city. 1t is needless to state that
parties desiring to interview the steam
boat officials must have bad no connection
with vessels culinary department
Strange as it may seem there is more
freight moving by water away from San
Francisco than there is being shipped here.
! The Peters. that arrived in the morning
| from Stockton and way landings, did not
bring down even as much as is her usual
custom, but long before the noon hour
truckloads of merchandise began to pile
up on the dock for shipment at O'CLOCK
when the vessel returned.
There were some odd scenes at the
! wharves when the boats went out. Lots
OF peo pie were among the onlookers who
expressed a wish that there were more
rivers in the State, and that towns north
and south of the harbor could be reached
by water.
There seemed to be a vague impression
among the unlocking multitude that the
steamers were an adjunct of the Southern
Pacific system, and two small boys. becom-
ing jmbued with the prevalent idea, took
occasion to hurl unpleasant remarks at
the perspiring deckhands and frelght-han-
dlers.
The strike has caused decided depre-
citation of business on the water front, ex.
cept at the wharves where the river stsam-
ers land.
Steamers and coasting vessels that are
at the piers waiting for cargoes of produce
from the country are forced to cease load
ing and wait for the time when traffic shall
be resumed
Beyond the charterng of one tugboat to
run to Santa Cruz to-day and an arrange
ment made by the Pacific Coast Steamship