The San Francisco call., 1896-06-06
IN ONE BIG TOW
FROM PORT COSTA
The FearleSs Brings the
Gantock Rock and
SharpShooter.
DULLNESS ON THE FRONT
Few Vessels Coming In, and the
Bulk of Those in Port
Are Tied Up.
THE STEAMER PERU ARRIVES.
She Brings News That the Cholera
Is Making Great Ravages
in China.
THE STEAMER PERU ARRIVES.

For weeks past business along the water
front has been particularly dull. Owing to
the strike in Newcastle, n. S. W., very few
coal ships have arrived and the vessels
from other ports are. few and far between.
At this date the disengaged tonnage in
port is SO, ,758, while last year at the same
time it was only 13, ,285. Out of thirty-two
vessels awaiting cargoes in Newcastle only
five are on the way and no one knows
when the others will get under way. One
half the vessels listed as ION the way
have not yet started, and the tonnage ex-
pected is nearly 100000 less than last year.
sausalito and Benicla are crowded with
idle ships, and from the outlook it may be
months before one of them secures q
charter.
As a result Of the stsgnation in shipping
the tugs have had very little to do and
yesterday the Fearless made the biggest
tow in weeks. She brought down the
British ship Gantcck Rock and the Mica
raguan barkentine Sharpshooter from
Port Costa. The former is loaded with
wheat for Europe and the latter has also
wheat for Australia. The big tug and the
two vessels made pretty picture as they
passed up the bay.
The Sharpshooter has been in trouble
for over six months and she was at it
again yesterday. Captain Dan Haskell
dropped her off Jackson-street wharf, but
the crew did not pay out enough line and
she drifted down on the Postal Telegraph
Com pany's cable. The anchor fouled the
telegraph line, and it will take several
hours to-day to clear the obstruction.
During the last few days the bulwarks OF
the Fearless have been painted white for
luck, but it will be many day before she
gets two tows on one trip again.
The engineers on the whaleback City OF
Everett and the United States Inspectors
of HuIIs and Boilers are at outs. The
vessel went to sea with one disa bled
boiler and two burnt-out furnaces and In
spector Phillips thought she was not in
condition to make the run to Puget Sound.
The captain and owners OF the vessel
thought differently, so the City of Everett
put to sea, Just what viii happen when
she gets back remains to be seen.
The accident to the whaleback happened
in a very simple manner. She was In port
and the fires under the forward starboard
boiler were banked. The port boiler was
being blown down, but the connection be-
tween it and the starboard boiler had not
been cut off. In consequence, as the
steam from the port boiler blew off that
rom the other one went with it. Soon
both were empty and the starboard boiler
and furnaces burnt out. 1t was lucky no
water was turned on, as then there would
have been an explosion that would have
wrecked the whaleback.
The monitor Comanche is without a
fireman and an assistant care-taker The
only man left in charge is the coxswain,
and in consequence the members of the
Naval Battalion have to do the work. A
week ago Fireman Anderson and Sailor
Lindquest got drunk while ashore for pro-
visions, and in attempting to regain the
Comanche were twice capsized and nearly
drowned. Lieutenant-C mmander Turner
interceded for them, and they were for
given, but warned not to offend again.
They dio not heed the warning, and yes
terday got drunk again. While boarding
the monitor Lindquest fell down the
hatchway and broke his shoulder blade
and arm. Signals were set, and the doctor
from the Monadnock went to the injured
mans assistance He will be confined to
his berth for month to come, but Ander-
son was placed under arrest and sent to
Mare Island on the Unadilla yesterday.
1t will be many moons before either man
gets shore liberty again.
The Pacific Mail Company's steamer
Peru arrived from Hongkong via Yoko-
hama yesterday with the following passen-
gers:
R. D. Porter, Mrs. R. D. Porter, H o. Porter,
r. Il. Porter, NJ. W. Porter, C. L. Hutchins on,
Mrs: c. L. Hutchinson, Lieutenant-Commander
E. W. Sturdy. Miss l. E. Locke, Mrs. C. Chap
pelle, NJ, Chappelle, Constance Chappelle, DR..
w. A. Browne, Rev. E. W. Woodman, SiA V.
Cumming Cum H. Mrs. H. seabrook, Egerbon Davies,
Miss l. 4. Thompson, Miss c. Thompson Allan
Hughes, Mrs. A. Hughes, Captain George LIE
Favour, DR.. N. Gartau, A. L. Koch, c. Crosby,
Miss NJ. Crosby, Captain P. Bougouier, c.
Auceaux y. Straub, O. Nerot, Lieutenant Uen-
dr1ck, Mr.. and Mrs. Sam Ale Tye.
The black plague has gained alarming
proportions IN China, and when one of the
crew cied under suspicious circumstances
the Japanese authorities quarantined the
vessel. Every body and everything was
fumigsted, and then the vessel was al
lowed to proceed. While the Peru was at
Hongkong Lieutenant Commander Henry
Adair OF the British gunboat Pigmy shot
himself. People who came over on the
steamer say he had been despondent for
some time before taking his own life.
Among the Peru's cargo was 1895
pounds of opium, the duty on which is
$79,950.
Captain Genereaux of the schooner Ma
rion has taken unto himself wife, and
every body on the south end was congratu-
lating him yesterday. When the vessel
ooi4OA AOA CCo0t1S LIS lIlSiQS were all down
to see him off. Mrs. Genereaux was at
the wheel when last seen, and her husband
was teaching her how to box the compass
The bride is daughter of George F. Weeks
of Oakland
The schooner William Bowden and the
steamer Bertha are both loaded for the
Alaska mines and will sail to-day at high
water. The Jeanie is loaded for the Arc
tic, and the three vessels will be anxiousIy
looked for, the two former by the miners
and the latter by the whalers.