The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-05-24
ALONG THE WATER FRONT.


The steamer Queen is being treated to
a coat of paint inside and out.
Pilot Empkins took the American ship
Alameda up to Portland yesterday after
noon in tow of the Ocklahama.
The steamer State of California will
be down from Portland this morning
and leaves out for San Francisco in the
afternoon.
The Mendell and Lincoln changed places
yesterday, the latter taking the tow work
and the Mendell sounding the channel at
the mouth Of the river.
Word came from Portland yesterday
that the ship Southesk had completed
loading and would start down the river
for this city early next week.
The Mayiower came off the ways yes
terday and, as was expected, complete
ly knocked the novelty out Of Cap
tain Rehfeld's steam siren, by her bril-
liant appearance.
One of the five new hands shipped In
Portland for the Highland Home failed
to put in an appearance, and the vacancy
was supplied in this ciiy yesterday af-
ternoon. The Highland Home carries a
crew of % men.
The Alice Blanchard came in from San
Francisco and way ports yesterday morn
ing with 50 tons of Coos Bay coal and
twenty passengers for this city. After
discharging her coal she left up the
river for Portland
The British ship Highland Home, loaded
with 1877 tons of wheat, came down the
river from Portland yesterday in tow of
the Emma Hayward with Pilot Pease
in charge. She will go to sea tomorrow,
and Captain McWhir expects to make
a speedy passage home. The vessel is
bound for Falmouth or Queenstown for
orders, and her cargo is valued at $4,000.
Many of the deep-sea pilots, and most
of the waterfront people are awaiting
with great interest the result of the
soundings now being made by the sur
veying party aboard the steamer Mendell
at the mouth of the river. 1t is believed
that the figures will prove an increasing
depth, particularly on the north side of
the river, and a general deepening of the
channels in that vicinity.
Capt McWhir of the Highland Home,
1aNr htyh 10 la
circle of friends in this city and he
and his crew were well stocked with
books and magazines and papers ito while
away tedious hours on the voyage to
Europe. This custom of providing read
ing matter grltuitously for the various
outward bound ships is growing into
larger dimensions in this city every year,
and there is no way of disposing of those
old papers that have habit of accunu-
lating round the house, so meritoriously
as by presenting them to the ships, whose
crews find them source of mental COM
fort so great that landsmen can hardly
understand its magnitude.
1t Is every day becoming more apparent
on the water front that, at least during
lhe fishing season in the spring and sum-
mer months, there should be police
patrol boat for use at night Up and down
the river in front of the city. While
a few cases of net and boat stealing have
been given publicity lately 1t is known
chat far more thents in this line have
happened than have been reported. l'3-
where is there any disposition TO lay
blame or the police for these depreddtions
and the suffereres themselves realize
hat, with the present size of the night
iiitrol force in the city and the large
amCun. of ground that each man has to
eover on his beat 1t is practically inn
possible for the water front to Ieceive
anything like the adequate attention It
S entitled to. Even supposing that a
boat and net are stolen at the moment
when an officer happens to be az ;he
particular dock from which they are
aiken, he is practically powerless to do
lnything. On a dark night when the
.hieves choose to leave his challenge un-
answered, he cannot stop them. He dares
lot use his revolver, for he cannot get
close enough to find out whether the men
lre the real owners of the boat or not.
On the other hand, with two constables
In a light slliff. they could run up along
side any boat on the river and fully eX-
anime every suspect. This would not
only put a damper on such depredations,
but would also leave the patrolmen I'M
the city free to devote far more attention
to the safety of the business and resi-
ience portions. The cannerymen, 1t Is
would gladly provide the boat
and requisites If the city would furnish
the men for this very necessary service.