The San Francisco call., 1896-03-13
Spare Spars and Deckhouses
Thrown Into the
Furnaces.
NINE DAYS TO REACH HONOLULU
After Taking In a Supply of Coal
Captain Russell Made An.
other Start.

The Pacific Mail Company's steamer
CITY of Rio de Janeiro has at last been
heard from. She had not broken down, as
was surmised, but was simply short OF fuel
and had to run for Honolulu TO replenish
her stores. Heavy weather was expert
enced from the outset of the voyage and
heavy head sea was encountered from
February 6 to February %, but why mail
steamer should run .out of coal IN that
short space of time is something the agents
OF the vessel cannot or will not answer.
The Rio de Janero reached Honolulu on
March 8 and at that time the Alameda was
in port Captain Russell at once began a
search for coal out as the Pacific Mail
Company does not keep supply at Homo
lulu he had to borrow from w. G. Irwin q
Co. Two days later she was ready for sea
again and sailed for Yokohama the same
dav the Alameda started for San Fran
cisco.
The fight of the Rio against the elements
was terrific one and was only abandoned
when Captain Russell saw there was no
hope of reaching Yokohama. He was then
only a thousand miles from his destina-
ton, and it was over two thousand back to
L
direction of Hawaii, however, and that de-
cided the master. The ship was put about,
all sail set and the Rio started on journey
that took her nine days to accomplish.
There were only 300 tons OF coal in the
bunkers. and to exc that out doors from
staterooms, parts of the deckhouses, sew
eral spare spars and part of the mizzen-
mast were used. Even with this assistanc e
only half-steam was kept on one boiler,
and had it not been for the gale that
howled behind her the Rio might still be
adrift in mid-ocean and out of the track of
all traders.
Among the passengers of the Alameda
was a. Bodelson, young man from Chi
cogo. He left here on the Rio to take
position in Yokohama, but in order to OBJ
tain it he had to reach his destination be-
fore the end of February. When, there
fore, the Rio put into Honolulu on March
he concluded there was no use goingany
further so he returned to San Francisco
and will go hence to Chicago and resume
business.
''The officers of the Rio were not bit
worried" said he yesterday. Captain
Russell knew what he was about, and there
Was nO uuedSlHeSS aiHOIIS Tie pdSSeuSeIS
or crew. 1t blew q gale rig ht in our teeth
almost from the first day we left San
Francisco and the old steamer made awful
slow time. The day we were due in Yoko-
hama we were still 1000 miles away and the
coal had run out. Captain Russell and his
officers held a consultation and decided to
put about and run before the storm.
When they began to tear up the deck
houses for fuel we got scared, but it came
out all right. When we reached Hawaii
had got all l wanted of the trip, so I made
arrangements and came back here"
Besides very valuable general cargo the
Rio had rearly a million dollars in
treasure aboard. She was well insured
and the underwriters were so scared
over her long voyage that 25 per cent rein
surance was offered on hull and cargo in
London yesterday. The Rio should reach
Yokohama about this dav week, but the
full particulars of her adventures, as
Captain Russell will relate them, will not
be known here for some time.