The morning call., 1895-01-26
BAD BITUMEN DISCOVERED.
What Vas Being Used at the Ferry
Landings.
THE WORK TO Be DONE OVER AGAIN.
An Old Sea Captain Is Stricken Blind.
Another One Jumps Overheard
and Is Drowned.

When the contract was let to the Pacific
Paving Company to put 2l-inch coating
of bituminous rock over the concrete foun-
dation of the new ferry depot Harbor Com
missioner Chadbourne and State Engineer
Holmes preserved SAMPLES of the rock sub
mitted, which was to be the kind used in
the work.
These samples contained IA per cent of
bitumen, as called for in the contract and
set forth in the specifications.
The company went to work on slips and
6, and it has up to the present time covered
5000 square feet of space.
Mr. Chadbourne and Mr.. Holmes have
kept an eye on the laying of the bituinen,
and few days ago began test of the ma
terial being used. A sample was also SUBJ
mitted to Chemist Price to be tested. The
result was that less than II per cent of BIZ
tumen was found in the rock, and that
found p assessed no adhesive qualities, be-
ing easlly crumbIed between the fingers.
Notification was Immediately given the
paving company, and it was positively in
formed that no such work would be &C
cepted.
Commissioner Chadbourne insisted that
the entire 5000 feet should be taken up and
contract.
The company could make no excuse in
the race OF the facts, and it gracefully
agreed TO obey the Commissioners COM
mands in an honest and straightforward
manner. The present pavement viii
therefore be taken up Immediately and re-
laid with rock that will have to stand the
tests to which the State Engineer will sub
ject it.
This is the same company that paved
Third street, and it was the analysis of
Chemist Price that saved the city on that
occasion.
While being towed into port yesterday
the American ship Wachusett swung in
near Lime Point and the tugs haWser
fouled her headgeaT, carrying it entirely
away. This Is not the only trouble the
ship has had since its departure from Ma
naimo. In a gale she was driven into
Challam Bay, where two anchors were
dropped and ninety fathoms of chain paid
out. The wind went down and one of the an
chors was pulled in and the vessel allowed
to swing to While the hands turned into
their hunks. In the morning it was found
that they had drifted long way seward.
An attempt was made to heave the other
anchor, but the Windlass, being broken, it
could not be done. The chain, therefore,
had to be cut, causing a loss OF the anchor
and fifty fathoms Of cable. She put to sea
in the face of the storm there and came
down all right until she struck the tow
boat.
A Howard-street cable-car crashed into
wagon heavily loaded with coal on East
street, near Mission, yesterday morning,
doing considerable damage to both wagon
and car. No one was hurt, but the drivers
of both vehicles accused each other of
being responsible for the accident.
The notorious schooner Vine has come
to the front again with new misfortune.
Her second mate with two of the crew de-
serted Yesterday morning taking with them
her best boat, which they turned adrift
soon after landing. Thus the schooner has
lost three men and a boat, but Captain
Burns is still undaunted, and has his
weather eye out for that undiscovered
island in the South Pacific.
The British ship Buteshire, which fouled
her anchors in the blow Of last week, was
dragged by tug to Mission Rock yester-
day in order to have the anchors parted
and brought up.
News comes from Boston touching a
misfortune experienced by Captain Work
of the American ship St. Mark during his
last voyage between that port and Cebu,
Philippine Islands. He was stricken
blind, and it is thought that his case is
hopeless. Off the Cape of GOOD Hope the
ship encountered a heavy sea, which
smashed all her boats.
CAPTAIN Work has been making trips to
and from this port for the past eighteen
years He has made many warm friends.
One of his peculiarities was always to
ship, if possible, colored crew. On as
many as dozen trips he has been known
to leave this port with all colored men ex-
cept his first and second mates.
The British bark Linlithgowshire put
into San Diego yesterday on her way from
Valparaiso TO Portland for more ballast.
She lost her commander, Captain Lawson,
who committed suicide on December Ii by
jumping overheard. 1t is said that he was
delirious with fever. 1t was his second
trip in the vessel.
On Thursday night, while the steamer
Sonoma was on her trip up the river,
Chief Engineer Frisbie was stricken with
PARALYSIS. He was found unconscious in
the engine-room. On meeting with the
steamer J. D. Peters, coming down, Fris-
bic was placed upon her and brought back
to the city, where he was sent to the Ger
man Hospital. The unfortunate was an
oldtime employee of the California Trans
portation Company.
A richly dressed and very attractive
woman drew the attention of the police
and others in and about the ferry landings
and wharfngers' officers yesterday after
noon. She wore black velvet dress with
long coat of the same material trimmed
with black beads. On her head was
handsome black hat adorned with three
ostrich feathers, dyed light blue. She
looked like woman Of Is years, and had
pallid complexion as if she had recently
recovered from a siege of malarial fever.
She was quick and nervous in her move
ments, and carried notebook in one
hand and a pencil in the other. She
would fit up to a policeman, and while
asking him question jot down his mum
Der and pass on. At the offices OF the
wharfngers she would inquire about the
sailing Of some boat for Eureka or some
other place. AT the Office of Piper, Alden
& Co.. where the steamer Hope lands, she
tried to sell the young man on duty some
photographs. Failing she offered to take
an order from him for pictures at the rate
of So dozen, which he might pay on the
instaiIment plan. No one, however, could
get her name and address.