The San Francisco call., 1896-03-18

speaking trumpet that has been so thor
oughly tested on the big tug Fearless. In
order to satisfy themselves as to its merits
S. B. Matthews, the company's cannery
superintendent, and Sydney S. Smith,
chief.clerk, went out in a Whitehall boat
yesterday and took one of the instruments
with them. When away beyond the British
ship Reliance they could hear every word
distinctly and Captain Dan Haskell and
Mr.. Matthews kept up quite an animated
conversation although fully a mile apart.
The monitor Camanche was within hail
ing distance and the watch aboard was
ordered to go below and take stiff horn
of whisky in honor of St. Patrick. The
men looked around in bewilderment but
they did not go below-as the demijohn
was empty. The Reliance was decked
with flags in honor of Ireland's patron
saint. and Captain Haskell turned the tube
on the ship while Messrs. Matthews and
Smith awaited results few boat-lengths
away. Reliance. ahoy!" called Captain
Dan, and the men on deck ran to the side.
"Hurrah for ould IrelandP' and the crew
took it up and the answering cheer was
heard at Folsom-street wharf.
pleased with the new instruments that it
will equip all its vessels with them.
There will be one for each boat and when
the men are away from the vessel and
caught in fog they will have no difficulty
in reaching the schooners.
The Alameda was docking at Folsom
street yesterday after finishing discharging
at the sugar refinery. One of the speaking
tubes was aboard and with its aid and that
of the one on the tug Fearless the steamer
was docked in few minutes, in spite OF
the fact that the fog was so thick that the
look out could not see twenty feet ahead.
In honor Of st. Patrick's day the men on
the British ship Reliance were given
holiday and Captain Robinson saw that
they enjoyed themselves. The men on the
State dredgers and all the street-sweepers
were given half holiday by Chief Wharf
niger Root and the men thoroughly appre-
ciated the privilege. The officers of the
revenue cutters were all in full dress and
the sailors were logged out in their Sun
day clothes. Very little work was done
and Main street was crowded by people
anxious to get look at Uncle Sans reve-
nue. protectors when everything is on
'dress parade"
The Harbor Commissioners held a very
short session yesterday. President Colnon
is in Los Angeles, and as there was very
little business to transact Commissioners
Cole and Chadbourne cut the meeting
short. Secretary Keegan drew the atten-
tion of the board to the fact that English
vessels had been lodging the payment of
dues on their full tonnage. Captain
Beeching of the ship Ellesmere put in
rebate for 130 tons. He said the ship
turned out that much less than the Gus
tom-house papers showed she carried.
Commissioner Chadbourne said they could
not go behind the official record. Captain
Beecham got angry and said he would not
pay the bill. 81 move that the attorney
be instructed to at once begin action to
recover the amount" said Commissioner
Cole, and the motion WAS carried. The
Ellesmere will now have to move into the
stream and either her captain will pay the
bill or the ship will be ibeled.
Some time ago President Colnon discov-
cred that contractors when they were not
using their barges and pile-drlvers moored
them at the foot of Second street. AS they
vera taking up valuable space it was de-
cided to charge them wharfage. bill
was therefore sent to James McMahon, as
he was the only one occupying the space
last month. Mcmahon paid it, but yes
terday he entered a vigorous protest. The
matter went over for week, until Presi-
dent Colnon gets back, and then it will be
thoroughly discussed.
The secretary was instructed to adver-
tise for proposals for the erection OF new
shed over Howard pier 2.
The bark Empire will have a new stem
put in and will get thorough overhauling
at Main street. She will then sail for the
sound in ballast, and there will load lurn-
Der for Australia.
There was quite quantity of salt ruined
on the old whaling bark Emma F. Herri-
man yesterday. When her hull was being
tested two auger-holes were bored and the
men forgot to plug them up. When the
salt sunk the vessel to the level OF the
holes the vessel 6lled and sank into the
soft mud. At low water the Herman was
pumped out and the holes plugged. The
loss was only about 100 tons of salt.
The rush for Alaska still goes on. The
steamer Dora is being overhauled and the
bark Electra and ship Two Brothers will
be ready to sail in few days. All of them
are bound for the canneries, but passen-
gers for Cooks Inlet will be carried. The
miners on the Yukon and Douglass Island
are short Of blasting powder. SO the steamer
Yaquina has been chartered TO take a full
cargo of the explosive to Alaska. The ves-