The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-29
NO ORDERS RECEIVED.
1t Is Probable the Flagship Will
Be DOCked in San
Francisco.
AN ACCIDENT AT THE YARD.
Frank Frahm Dying From the Eff
fects of Injuries Received
In a Terrible Fall.

VALLEJO, CAL, June 29.-It is not
likely, according to the understanding of
Commander Howison, that the PhIladel-
phia will come up to Mare Island till after
the Fourth. The department has not sig
nltled any intentions regarding the future
movements of this ship. However, it is
not thought here that there is any urgency
for services Just now. 1t is Just possible
that she may be locked and have her
bottom scraped and painted at San Fran
cisco, as the Hartford will occupy the
stone dock until July 90 at least. The
commandment says that to take the latter
vessel out of dock to make room for the
Philadelphia at this time would be simply
throwing $4,000 away. While the cost of
| docking the Philadelphia and painting her
at San Francisco would be double what the
same work would cost at the yard, still the
advantage is on the side of having the City
do the work if it be urgent, as the expense
and loss would foot up three times as much
If the Hartford were unlocked now. The
department has been asked to postpone
operations on the flagship until about the
22d of July, when the yard will be in
readiness to handle her, and such it is
believed will be the action of the Washing
ton officials.
There are two places the Philadelphia
may go to when overhauled-either to
Puget Sound or to Callao to relieve the
Monterey, which is still there. The latter
is thought to be its most probable destina-
ton.
The Baltimore is still in Chinese waters,
and will likely remain there until the lat
ter part OF August Owing to the fact that
most of her officers and crew are Eastern
men the department is contemplating
sending her to the Eastern seaboard rather
than to Mare Island. The cost would be
| about the same and it would not take
much longer. Thus q saving would be
made, in that the crew would not have
| to be transported East for discharge. Sea-
men when discharged at one seaboard are
sent at Government expense to the other
side if shipped there.
! Another motive which will prompt the
department to have the Baltimore go out
of commission at the East is the fact that
Admiral Carpenter retires in February
next. Leaving China in August, he would
reach New York about Christmas. By the
time his ship was paid off and business
Strengthened out it would about bring him
to retiring time, and he would be near
| Washington.
1t has been decided, and the work is now
under way, to excavate and lay bare the
roof-so to call it-of the tunnel clear to
the bay. Notches will then be dug in the
outside of the rock wall and piles driven
beyond the tunnel. On these 14x14 red
wood ties will be laid, bridging the tun-
mel, at distances of twenty inches. Con-
crete will fill the interstices, thus making
an excellent bed for the crane
Although the beginning of the fiscal
year has not yet arrived Mare Island is
booming. Everywhere about the yard
numbers of men are found busy. This nm
usual sight for June is due to special ap-
preparations, such as for the Hartford, the
new tug and the construction of a railway
around the big dock for the steel locomo-
| tive crane.
Frank Frahm, the old man who had
such terrible fall in the stone dock yes
terday, is dying. From eye-witnesses it is
learned that Frahm was at work on the
platform which has been built along the
Hartford's sides to facilitate the work of
the shipwrights The plank was being
bent into its position on the side of the
ship, and in getting back out of the way
| he unconsciously stepped through an
opening in the platform, and. falling head
first, backward, he struck the edge of the
lower step of the dock, twenty-five feet
below. His skull was fractured, one arm
broken and the bone of one leg broken in
two places. He is a native OF Denmark,