The San Francisco call., 1896-04-16

within five miles of the gold fields. Over
half a hundred men have made up their
minds to tempt fortune in the far north,
and the work of getting quarters ready for
them is rapidly progressing. AS the
schooner was formerly used as a sealer,
there is quite number of hunks in her
forecastle, but as there is not enough to
accommodate all who want to sail on her,
quarters have had TO be erected midships.
The news from Alaska which came down
on the City of Pueb yesterday goes to
show that men who left here early have
not Jared well, They were short OF money
and many Of them are stranded in juneau
and Circle City. Forty-mile Creek and
Birch Creek are crowded, and provisions
sell at ruinous prices. Flour is $8 per 100
pounds, bacon 40 cents pound and canned
goods 5O cents can. At Forty-mile Creek
| the thermometer registered so degrees be-
low zero, but at Cooks Inlet it only regis
| tered 15 degrees below zero. The climate
there is much milder than on the Yukon
and as the rush to that point has not been
as great as to Juneau and Sitka the miners
| are faring better. The Sophie Sutherland
| is now fitting out at Washington-street
wharf, and will get away next Saturday.
Captain Russell has been relieved of the
command of the City of Rio de Janeiro
| and other heads are likely to fall before
the steamer leaves the dock to-day. Cap
| tain William Ward, who was given a leave
| OF absence from the steamer China nearly
year ago, will succeed him, and it is said
that Russell will take one of the Panama
steamers. AS stated in THE CALL the Pa
chic Mail Company is not satisfied with
the manner in. which the Rio was handled
OF her last trip to Japan and a number CT
the officers will have to suffer. The burn
ing OF the deckhouses for fuel and the fact
that fhara CUa -
in the bunkers when the steamer reached
Honolulu tells very much against all con-
cerned.
The barkentine Archer arrived from
Honolulu yesterday with her foreto pmast
gone. She was short-handed, and the
men had so much to do during the passage
that they all deserted as soon as the anchor
was dropped. There were only three men
i'll each watch, and as one of the trio was
at the wheel the vessel had to be thrown
up into the wind whenever sail had to be
made or shortened.
Leaving Honolulu the Archer ran into
head sea and a gale of wind Before
anything could be done the toretopmast
snapped off and the forecastle and cabin
were Hooded. There were two passengers
Miss Eva Elliot and |. F. 1hrum The
latter was very seasick, and was washed
out OF his berth and nearly drowned. Miss
Elliot was good sailor, and stood the
olo" OuC WIN captain CdlnCun on Cne
quarterback.
The California Yacht Club will hold its
opening jinks in the clubhouse next Satur-
day night. The members are making ex-
tensive preparations, and a good time is
expected.
The question of raising the Blairmore is
still in abeyance. 1t is generally under
stood that the successful bidder is not at
all anxious to take the job of raising the
sunken vessel, and Lloyd's agents are just
as far from reaching a decision as they
were on Tuesday. Captain Hawkins, one
of the owners OF the sunken ship, is now
on his way here from England, and the
chances are that nothing will be done
until his arrival. In that event the wreck
will be sold as il lies, and the highest bid
der will have to take all the risks entailed
in raising it. This is the course favored
by the underwriters, and it will probably
be followed