The San Francisco call., 1896-02-26
ALONG THE WATER FRONT
Architect Swayne Will Supervise
the Erecting of the
Ferry Depot.
THE FREE PRODUCE MARKET.
Fast Trip of the Oimara to Melbourne
After Losing All Her
Topmasts.
THE FREE PRODUCE MARKET.

The difficulty between Architect E. R.
Swayne and the Brown estate over the
working plans for the new ferry depot is
almost thing of the past. AT the meet
ing of the Harbor Commissioners yester-
day Mr.. Swayne presented his contract,
which he wished the board to sign. After
few notifications suggested by Presi-
dent Colnon and which were agreed to by
Swayne's attorney it was decided to sign
the contract next Thursday, when the
architect will furnish a $4,000 bond for the
careful carrying out of the work. In this
manner another step toward the beginning
of the depot will have been accomplished.
The request of the fruit-growers of Sutter
County for free market on the water front
led to a long discussion. President Colnon
championed the cause of the farmers and
it was finally left to him to arrange the de-
tails of the preliminary work looking
toward the establishment of such a free
market as the farmers seem to desire.
Superintendent Wilder uf the Southern
Pacific wrote in regard to the complaint
of Wells, Fargo & Co. that the latter was
compelled to pay rent at the ferry. Wilder
denied that such was the case and said
that the express company was simply
charged tolls. The commissioners decided
to allow the two companies to fight out the
toll question alone.
Chief Engineer Holmes drew the atten-
tion of the board to the fact that the
steamer Hiawatha had charged $5 for sup
plying water to one of the States pile
drivers. This he considered about twelve
times more than should have been charged
according to the rates laid down by the
Supervisors. No action was taken in the
matter, as the mem bers of the board will
ba nf ha
The sealing fleet has been heard from
again. The schooner j. P. Eppinger was
spoken off the Farallones last Saturday
with 700 skins aboard. These have all been
taken on the coast and is considered to be
remarkable catch for this time of the
year. The captain reported having lost
boat and three men, but the schooner
Mary c, which arrived from brakes Bay
yesterday, reports leaving the boat and
men safe and sound at that point. The
Mary G also brought down the boat of the
steamer Willamette, which the captain
sent ashore to notify San Francisco that
his vessel was in distress. The men came
here overland and the boat was towed
down.
The reconstructed steamer Al-Ki will
leave for Alaska on March l next.
Splendid passenger accom- mmodations have
been built on her and she will be one of
the finest vessels in the fleet that regu-
ldTly run 10 Sllhds Iue Mc6ICO anu Clty
of Topeka are already on the Sound and
when the Queen joins them next June the
Pacific Coast Steamship Company will
have four vessels plying in Alaskan waters.
Albert Brown, John Burns and Thomas
Clark were all arrested yesterday on
charges of petty larceny by the Harbor
Police. Brown robbed L. Heinrich
while the latter was asleep and Burns
stole three razors from L. Acosta, 515 East
street. Brown and Heinrich are contor-
tionists who came here to get an engage
who stole knife and razor from his
boarding-master.
The British ship Oimara, which left here
on December % last, made the smart
run of so days 10 Melbourne. Australia.
She was caught in a succession of gales
and lost her fore, main and mizzen top
masts during the run.