The San Francisco call., 1896-03-05

craft of 1904 tons gross register, 312 feet
long, As feet l inch broad and 25 feet 8
inches deep. She is rigged as four
masted bark and all her yards are of steel
and in one piece. Captain George w.
Goodwin, her master, is well known in
San Francisco, having traded in and out
of this port in the Sterling, owned by
Rosenfeld's Sons. His first voyage to the
coast was in 1872, when he was mate OF the
ship Nearehus, and after that he took
command of the Sterling. He is
thorough sailor and treats the men under
him we'll. In consequence the Dirigo had
happy family aboard during her passage
of 153 days.
A general description of the Dirigo has
already been printed in THE CALL. Too
much praise cannot be given to Captain
Goodwin, how ever, for the shape in which
he brought his ship into port. She is as
clean and trim as yacht, and her decks
were washed until they glistened in the
sunshine Under full sail she presents a
very handsome appearance, and is GER
tainly the finest looking sailing ship in
port to-day.
The Sewells are noted builders of ships,
and their yards at Bath are the finest IN
America. They built and own the Roam
oke, the largest wooden ship afoat, and
now in port; the Benjamin F. Packard,
now on her way to New York from San
Francisco; the Susquehanna; the iron ship
Kenilworth, now on her way from here to
Europe with grain; the Henry Willard !;
the William F. Babcock, which went from
San Francisco to Honolulu to load sugar
! for New York; the Iroquois the Indiana,
! the Reaper and the Willie Rosenfeld. All
these vessels are well known in San Fran
cisco, and are all considered first in their
! class.
The Dirigo was brought in by the tug
| Hercules, but was docked by the Fearless.
| Williams, Dimond & Co. will have no
dealings with the Shipowners' and Mer-
! chants Tugpoat Company since that con-
Germs tugs, the Sea Queen and Hercules,
ran the Packard on rock in Mission Bay
| In consequence, when the Hercules
brought the Dirigo in the mem bers of the
firm of Williams, Dimond & Co. were
chagrined.
| The first tug to speak ship generally
does all her work while in port. This is
an unwritten law. but when the testimony
| in the case OF the Hercules was shown to
| John d. Spreckels and it was pointed out
| to him that the commerce of the port was
| bound TO suffer in consequences OF the COM
| bination he agreed to handle the Sewelis'
ships. Williams, Dimond & Co. said that
under no conditions would they employ
the Shipowners' and Merchants boats, and
that if no facilities were given their vessels
| by other tugboat com panies San Francisco
would suffer. 1t was in these circum
stances that the Fearless came to dock the
| Dirigo.
| Williams, Dimond e. Co. are now suing
| the Shipowners' and Merchants Tugboat
| Company for $25 900 damages to the Pack
ard. The latter firm plead that they can
| only be assessed for the value of the tugs.
| Experts on the stand placed the value of
| the Hercules at between $1,000 and $1,000
and that of the Sea Queen at 5000. II in
bringing in the Dirigo the Hercules
| had put her ashore all the owners could
have recovered would have been the
| value of the tug, whereas the ship and her
! cargo are valued at over 100000.
The Dirigo brought one passenger, DR..
A. Addison, who made the passage around
the Horn for his health. Among the crew
is young man named Charles Beckwith.
who worked his way to San Francisco in
order to attend the university at Palo Alto.
He has saved few dollars during the trip
and between terms he hopes to earn
enough to pay his way through college.
He found it almost impossible to get work