The San Francisco call., 1896-06-05
Captain Peterson Was Nearly
Lost a Year Ago in the
Lady LampSon.
MooRINGs FOR MEN-oF.WAR.
Lieutenant Phelps Thinks the Harbor
Commissioners Shou d Pro.
vide Them.

The A American bark McNear has been
causing her owners and charterers no end
of anxiety. She was loaded her with a
general cargo and among it were many
cases of dynamite. Captain Peterson took
command and when he was leaving the
wharf he was heard to remark: "If | get
well through this voyage I'll never COM
plain again. This was over three months
ago and the vessel was never heard from.
In consequence the general impression
was that she had either blown up or gone
down in a gale.
When the Alameda arrived the first in
quiry was about the McNear. No one
knew anything about her and she was
given up as lost. A few hours later J. ].
Moore & Co. received dispatch from Sgd
ney, \. s. W, sayin. the vessel had ar
rived all right and asking what kind of
coal was to be loaded into her, At the
present time the Newcastle IN. S. W.
miners are on strike and it is hard work to
get load for a ship. The McNear will
load union coal at the southern mines and
may be expected here in Septemb ber next.
Captain Peterson, who is in command
of the McNear, is accompanied by his wife,
and both OF them have had several narrow
tain was master of the sugar-boat Lady
Lampson. When that vessel was cast
away he and his wife were adrlft for
week in an open boat and it took them
months to recover from the exposure.
The McNear was Captain Pederson's next
command. He is one of the pricipal own
ers in the vessel.
Company's Columbia made the run to
Portland in forty. nine hours and the re-
turn trip IN forty-ive hours. She has
been thoroughly overhauled and new ma
chinery put in and the showing is good
one. 1t does not com pare with the Queen
and City of Puebla, however, as both YES
sells have run from Victoria, B. c., to
San Francisco in forty-eight hours and
better.
The following notice to mariners has
been issued by the Lighthouse Board:
Notice is hereby given that first-cIass can
buoy, to which is attached bell buoy, painted
red and black horizontal stripes, has been
placed IN 1S12 tathoms mean low water, to
mark Mile Rocks, entrance TO San Francisco
Bay, California.
The following are the bearings (magnetic):
Fort Point lighthouse, NE. 3s N; Bonita Point
lighthouse, NV; Mile Rock, NE. by E. Il E.,
distant one-eighth mile.
The schooner Norma, long overdue at
Honolulu, arrived safely on May p. She
was delayed by contrary winds. The Jes-
sic Osbourne and Sea King also arrived at
Honolulu and reioiced the hearts of specu-
lators. Ali three vessels were heavily re-
insured, so that the underwriters will
suffer.
John Ryan, shipwright, had a narrow
escape yesterday. He was at work on the
barkentine John c. Potter, and was over
the sioe calking the seams. Suddenly
the staging gave wa7 and Ryan and his
outfit went into the bay. His tools sank
to the bottom, his oakum foated away and
he was nearly drowned. Later he recov-
cred, and in the afternoon was hard at
work again apparently none the worse for
his ducking.
The letting of Pacifc-stre wharf to
John D. Spreckels e. Bros. Company was
not consummated yesterday at the regu-
lar meeting of the Harbor Com N issioners.
President Colnon and Com missioner Cole
do not want the tugs to use the new struc-
ture, but Chief Wharfnger Root is OF the
opin ion that it is the only way in which
the wharf can be made to pay. Accord
ing to him there will be 200 feet OF unoc-
cupied space when the big steamers are
in dock. This can only be utilized for
tugs or island traders, as the whole wharf
space will be used IN handling Australian
merchandise. No better place for the
South Sea Island traders could be found
on the water front and the chances are
mat the COmInlSSi iOnerS VIII look aJ IL IN
that light. The contractors have agreed
to make the necessary alterations i'll the
new shed and if all goes we'll the Oceanic
Steamship Company will dock its vessels
at Pacific street next July.
Commissioner Cole brought out the fact
that no work had been done on the lots in
China basin set apart for the San Joaquin
Valley road. President Colnon and Com
missioner ChadDourne both pointed out
that to take action in the matter at present
would hamper the directors of the rail-
road, and also that there was still plenty
OF time in which for them to act. On this
showing the matter went over for a
month.
Some time ago the cruiser Philadelphia ia
went adrift during southeaster, and was
nearly lost on Angel Island. Yesterday
Lieutenant Thomas S. Phelps appeared
before the board and urged the COM
missioners to lay moorings for the men
of-war.
at the same time Chief Wharfnger
Root pointed out that the fairway ought
to be buoyed and lighted, and Lieutenant
Phelps agreed with him. The matter has
been taken under consideration, but the
chances are that the mooring will be laid
and the fairwav buoyed and lighted.
The building of the new Pos stoffice will
be done by Healy, Tibbetts & Co. Theirs
was the last bio opened, and when they
offered to do the work for $4938 they
ob-