The San Francisco call., 1896-03-16
ALONG The WATER FRONT
Purchasers Of the Sharpshooter
Find They Own a White
Elephant.
The Monitor Comanche Will Be
Open for Inspection Next Sun
day Morning.

The purchasers of the British bark
Sharpshooter are Just beginning to find
out that they have white elephant on
their hands. The vessel was dismasted in
the Gulf of California and after many
vicissitudes finally reached portin tow of a
Mexican revenue cutter. She was after
ward towed to San Francisco by the tug
Fearless and the trouble over her insur-
ance and freight money has not yet been
settled.
Captain Watts tried again and again to
come to an understanding with Grace d
Co. and the underwriters, but failed and
finally the bark was sold to the highest
bidder. A syndicate OF which ]. f. Cum
ningham and A. p, LorentZen were the
principals purchased the wreck, but they
now find that instead of $4,000 or $4,000 for
repairs it will cost all of $4,000. When it
came to chipping the rust from the hull it
was found that many of the plates were
worn through and in consequence over
sixty new ones had to be put in. In order
to strengthen the vessel layer of cobbles
has been laid along her keelson and this
b as been cemented over making one solid
mass which will be hard to dlslodge.
When her repairs are completed the
Sharpshooter will appear as barkentine.
She will be as good as new, but then her
OWhClo COu1Q nave UulIb d llCW ScSScl lOI
Just about what she has cost them. The
Sharpshooter will take the place OF the
schooner Viking in the South Sea Island
trade and Captain Luttreu will probably
go out in command of her.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company S
Umatilla sailed for Puget Sound ports yes
terday with over 270 passengers. Or these
nearly 1OO are men bound for the Alaskan
gold fields. Hundreds more are on the
way, and there is bound to be much suf-
fering as the ice and snow around Sitka
and Juneau have not yet begun to melt,
and 1t will be another month before any,
body can make start for the mines. The
Government officials are well posted as to
the seasons IN the north, and the Secretary
OF the Treasury in fixing April Is as an
early date for the cutters to start for Ber-
ing Sea from Port Townsend said it was
the necessity of keeping a close watch on
poachers that entailed such an early de-
parture. Half a dozen vessels are now fit
ting out fOr the mines, and 1t is safe to say
that over 1000 men will leave San Fran
cisco for the Yukon, without counting
those who will go from Alameda, Fresno,
Stockton and Sacramento via this port.
The steamer Bonita arrived from south
ern ports yesterday morning. AS soon as
her cargo was discharged she was steamed
up to South Vallejo, where she took aboard
300 tons of -four for Newport. The San
Francisco mills are reaching out for the
southern trade, and this will not be the
last cargo the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company will carry.
The monitor Comanche was visited by
almost every member of the Naval Reserve
yesterday. They were all particularly we'll
pleased with the vessel, and by next Sun
day will have her ready for inspection. On
that occasion they will run the launch
Amy and the steamer Caroline, besides all
the boats owned by the battalion. The
usual charge will be made, but in this in
stance the profits will all go into the treas
ury of the Naval Reserve, as its officers
are anxious to raise money enough to put
their steam launch in thorough repair.
During yesterday afternoon squad of
men from the second company fixed up the
thing shipshape. Three men from the