The San Francisco call., 1896-04-29
Leaking American Bark Patched
Up by South Sea Island
Divers.
WORK DONE UNDER WATER.
Coal for the Oregon Now Ready.
Will Be Placed on the Battle.
ship Friday.

The American bark Seminole will go
back to Australia. California redwood is
now called cedar nearly all over the world
and vessels are in demand to take 1t to
Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia
besides the southern part of America. The
Seminole is not the first vessel by any
means that has taken lumber to Melbourne
and Sydney, but she pioneers the way for
fleet that is now up and loading for all
points of the compass.
During her trip from Newcastle, n. s.
W., to this port with coal, the Seminole
had remarkable experience. AS stated
in The CALL she sprang a leak and
Captain Weeden ran for one of the South
Sea Islands. Fifty tons of the cargo was
jettisoned. but nevertheless the leak could
not be reached. Finally it was decided
that the leak was due to butt that had
started in the lower hold and that repairs
would have to be made. Two pearl-divers
were engaged and it took them just an
hour to repair the damage. They made
no preparations, but simply dived into the
water and located the leak. On their
return they took piece of sheet lead, a
ham mer and some nails and went down
again. The hole was covered but not
m ade watertight, so another descent had
to be made. On this occasion the men
stayed down nearly two minutes and made
a thorough success of the operation.
''It was the cheapest and best job ever
saw performed in my life," said Captain
Weeden yesterday. THE men went down
perfectly naked, and as the water in the
southern seas is as clear as glass we could
see all their movements. They moved
around like fish, and after locating the
leak came to the surface just as fresh
air all the time. After mailing on the lead
they came up and drew a long breath,
came up the ships sides like monkeys,
and I'll swear you couldn't see a culver
in their nostrils or a heave in their fianks
even though they had been under water
nearly two minutes"
The Seminole is now at Oakland, dis
charging, and from there she will go on
the drydock for repairs, and thence to
PUGET Sound to load lumber for Australia.
The steamer Australia of the Oceanic
line sailed for Hawaii yesterday. The
bin passengers were:
Mrs. C. L. Allen, Mrs. E. F. Bishop, Mrs.
Belle &. Black, John Bergstrom, E. L. Brayton,
Mrs. B. F. Dillingham;, P. L. Duryea. Mrs. W.
Eassie, C. E. Edwards and WIFE, S. Ehrlich,
Miss c. Erichsen, Mrs. w F. Frear, Mrs. L. NJ.
Hayes, w. L. Hackett, Mrs. NJ. H. S. Jackson,
lngston, Mrs. J. H. Lovejoy, Ralph Low, E.
Low, A. B. Lyons Mrs. G. S. Morrill,, Mrs. w. C.
Ralston, G. r. Saunders and wife, o. G. Trap
hagen, Mrs NJ Widdefield, Miss Widdefeld,
Miss K. Widdefeld and Miss NJ. Widdefeld.
The list is a big one. but Chief Steward
James is one of the most capable men in
the service, and they are sure to be well
cared for.
There is trouble on the schooner j. NJ.
Coleman. She is now almost loaded for
the Amoor River, and crew was signed
yesterday at SIC. AS this is 81 below the
regular rate. the shipping masters are
and late in the afternoon
four of the men were missing. The vessel
has the machinery and supplies for a
sternwheel steamer aboard, but the
chances are that it will be several days be-
fore she gets away, as more men are ex-
pected to desert to-day.
The Oregon is expected to get out of the
drydock tonight or at high tide tomorrow
at the latest. She will then be towed to
the buoy off the Union iron Works, and
there 800 tons of coal will be put in her.
Piper, Alden, Goodall Company's schoon-
ers, will be used. and A. E. Pryor, the
superintendent. thinks the work can be
accomplished before Saturday. In that
event the Oregon will have her trial trip
next week.