The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-10
ALONG THE WATER FROM I.
Captain Jones Of the Ship Prov.
ince Turns the Tables
on His Men.
he WANTS BLOOD MONEY
The Steamer Walla Walla Will Take
Freight to the Sound for
Dollar Ton.

The boarding masters and Captain
Jones of the British ship Province are
having lively time of it. When the yes
sci arrived from Newcastle, n. S. W.,
nearly all the men deserted. The skipper
looked on complacently while the men
stole away and made no effort to stop
them. OF course every Jack tar that de-
serted left whatever wages were coming to
him behind, and that was just so much
gain to the owners of the ship.
AT the present time there is good sup
ply of sailors ION the beach," and the
boarding masters are anxious to get rid of
them. Some of the men have run up big
bills and the only hope the landlord has is
to ship the sailor and secure his advance
of $37 go 1t was over the same advance
that Cantain Jones and the boarding
masters locked horns. The skipper de-
manded So premium for each man he &C
cepted. OF course the master was DESTROYS
of doing the best possible for the ship, and
the $3.50 or $500 saved out OF Poor Jacks"
advance would go to the profit and loss &C
count of the owners. The boarding-mas-
tiers made vigorous protest over the mat
ter, ut the captain told them that one
Mordaunt would fill the ship at the SIS
cut if they would not. They accordingly
signed the men, but the real fight will
begin this morning when the advance
notes are being cashed. Captain Jones
will then demand his blood money and
the boarding-masters will refuse to pay 1t.
The rate war has been carried into
Puget Sound, and the steamer Walla Walla
will take out an enormous cargo to-mor-
row. Freight rates have been cut to 81
ton for general merchandise on this ship,
and salt is being carried for so cents e ton.
The Columbia which sails to-day for Port
land, also takes freight at the 81 rate, and
in consequence there is more merchandise
offering tnan she can carry. In both cases
all the passenger accommodation has been
engaged, and the two steamers will go out
crowded. Flour, shrimps and other arti-
cles of merchandise which the Chinese
want to get to Hongkong in hurry are
being sent to Victoria. B. c., on the Walla
Walla, in order 10 catch one of the steam
ers of the Empress line. Other classes of
goods are also being shipped, and the
steamers OF the Pacific Mail and Occidental
ana Oriental Steamship companies are sui
fering in consequence.
The Walla Walla is now on the drydock
for her annual inspection. At the same
time she will receive thorough overhaul
ing. and Captain Wallis expects her to
make extra good time to the sound.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company's
Santa Cruz, advertised to sail for San
Diego and way ports to-day, will not get
away until tomorrow night at o. clock.
Some repairs to her machinery have neces
STATED the delay.
The transfer men and the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company have taken up the
cudgels. When the steamer san Juan ar
rived last Sunday the runners attempted to
gain an entrance to the wharf. A free fight
ensued, and in consequence a man named
Lee, employed by the transfer company,
was thrown bodily from the wharf and an
expressman named Cohen was arrested for
disturbing the peace. The agent of the
Mail Company says he will pay no atten-
ton to the rulings of the court, but will
keep solicitors off the Mail dock a all cost.
The steamer Evandale, on which 40 per
cent reinsurance was paid last Saturday,
arrived at Yokohama, thirty days ont,
yesterday. She look the place of the
Belgic on the run to the Orient and car
ried nearly 5000 tons of freight. She was
not expected to make quick time as it
took her twenty-five days to come to San
Francisco. but when the news of a cyclone
in which several vessels were supposed to
have been lost reached here the under
writers Immediately sought reinsurance.
All the overdue steamers have now been
either spoken or have arrived.
A very sleek and well-dressed swindler
has been working the water front for the
San Quentin awaits him. He has been
passing himself off as the master of the
American ship John Mcdonald, and as
such has secured various sums Of money
from butchers, grocers and chambers. A
few days ago he went to the Bulkhead
butcher shop on Steuart street and or
dered meat, potatoes and a quantity of
other goods, to be cent to Fosom-street
landing, with instructions for Henry Pc
terson to take them off. When the arti-
Giles were On their way to the wharf he
said he was short OF cash, and borrowed
$50. Peterson told the driver of the wagon
that the John Mcdonald was not in port,
and the owner of the butcher-shop would
not believe him until he had communi-
Gated with the exchange. The swindler
worked" the water front for nearly $500,
and if he is ever caught and some of his
victims get their hands on him, they will
not wait for a court of justice to settle the
difference.
The tug Alice has been sold to the Pa
ciic Steam Whaling Company. For years
she has been thorn in the side OF the
Spreckels and Shipowners' and Merchants
towboat lines, and the news of her with
drawal is glad tidings to them. The little
tug has been free lance and rates on her
were always considerably lower than on
the other vessels. She was owned princi-
paliy by J. c. Wilson, the Tubbs Cordage
Company, Captain G. Enos and Engineer
Willis Lamb. The two latter Will now be
out of job. The whaling company will
completely overhaul the Alice and will
build Lighthouses on her. She will then be
sent to Alaska and will ply as tender be-
tween the company's canneries.
The vessel that the barkentine C.. c..
Funk was in collision with last Sunday
was the schooner Volante. The latter lost
her bowsprit and all her headgear, but was
not otherwise damaged. An inquiry into
the cause of the trouble will be held by the
inspectors of hulls and boilers.