The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-31

sured, and Stockton has but to fulfill its
agreement, which P. A Buell. declares will
be done within week.
There were many stories told on the
voyage One of the best was by H. J.
Corcoran, who declared that during foggy
weather the steamers of his company de-
termined their course through the Car
quinez Straits by the echo of their whis-
ties. There was one sort of an echo at
STAIRS Mills, another at Vallejo Junction
and still a different one at Selbys.
This method of navigation under diff
culties seems to be an I'M provement on
that OF the Nantucket skipper, who told
where he was by the taste of the lead as it
came up with the ooZe from the bottom
1t was within a few minutes of train
time when the Leader ran up against the
bank, some miles distant from Mohrs
Landing and three miles from Bethany
and the station. There was a hurried
scramble down the plank to a point on the
bank, and a march Indian-file along the
levee. There was break in the levee, and
boatman, who was fortunately at hand
was sent ahead with a courier to secure
teams from a neighboring farm in order to
reach Bethany. It took the boatman
several trips to ferry the crowd across the
break in the levee. Engineer Storey
started off on a running walk for Bethany
to see whether he could reach there in time
toAwire request that the train be held for
the party.
Some of the others hurried past the farm
house with the intention of gaining the
track and, if possible, tagging the train.
They were about hundred yards away
when the train went by, ignoring the fran
tic efforts to hail it with hats, handker-
chiefs and voices.
Engineer Storey had only got well
started for Bethany, the three miles of
which grew with every step.
This was the last train which left last
night for San Francisco by the way of
Bethany and the steamer Leader had
already headed down Old River. There
was only one recourse left and that was to
take wagons to Tracy, nine miles away.
Only one wagon of small accommodation
could be had at the farmhouse. P. A.
Buell. constituted himself driver, and with
Claus Spreckels and two others of the party
started in haste for Bethany, where he
hoped to secure another wagon, which
would return and pick up the rest of the
party who were trudging along the ties.
The advance guard OF the walkers met
the second wagon near Bethany, which re-
turned to pick up the stragglers. The per-
sons were packed in the wagon like sar-
dimes, and John Mohr of Mohrs Landing
whipped his steeds into gallop for Tracy.
Captain Payson, who had made quiet
little bet with Manager Corcoran that the
steamer Leader would not reach the land
ing in time for the train and had won.
grew emboldened by his success and Of
fered to wager that the wagon with it's
load of ten would not reach Tracy in time
for the Stockton local, bound for Oakland
by way of Livermore.
A. H. Levinsky accepted the wager.
There was quite good deal of chatting
between the disputants, but Captain Mohr
got his improvised stage to the depot at
Tracy one minute ahead of train time, and
the rear guard and the advance guard of
the directory met at the station.
The ride to Midway was without Incl.