The San Francisco call., 1896-11-26
Return of the Wrecker Whitelaw
From the Remains of the
San Benito.
The Compasses Were in Perfect Order
and the Vessel Was Well
Fqu ppad

The busiest scene at the water front is
to be found at Mission-stieet wharf. All
classes of vessels are there. The big ship
from Australia is unloading coal, the
whaler is being retitted. the scow schooner
is unloading and the American ship is
taxing in a general cargo Tor New ork.
Steam schooners can be seen loading and
unloading and all IN all Mission and 2
presents the busiest scene on the front.
The Norwegian bark Stjorn and the
British ship Travancore are both alongside
Rosenfe,d's bunkers. The whaling bark
Cali ornia is being fitted out for South
Sea island cruise, the McNear is almost
loaded with lumber for Australia and the
scow schooner Piate is taking in a general
cargo Several steam schooners and small
craft are ID the intermediate spaces and
in CONSEQUENCE Wharfnger Short is more
than busy.
The wrecker Whitelaw got in from the
remains of the San Benito yesterday.
All she brought back was the steamers
chronometer. her compasses, the signal
lights, the steering wheel, the signal gun
and all the small stuff that could be saved.
''In all her life the Whitelaw never
bucked into q heavier gale than she en-
countered when on her way to Point
Arena" said Chief Engineer Collins yes
terday. 1--WE had terrible time of it and
yet the wrecker logged her eight and
seven-eighths knots an hour right along.
When we got to Point Arena the wreck
was breaking up and all we could do was
10 save anything that the waves had
spared. When the gale came up again we
had to put to sea again and came right
back to San Francisco. The San Benito,
cargo and all, will be total loss"
The San Benito's compasses are now
aboard the wrecker," said Captain White
law. There are seven of them and every
one is in as good condition as those of the
City of Peking, and the latter vessel got
in from China yesterday. The chronome-
ter is also aboard the Whitelaw and it is
in perfect order. We only had cursory
view of the wreck, but judging the stuff
we saved she was one of thr best formed
vessels that sailed through the Golden
! Gate. She was better equipped than any
collier have ever seen and that is saying
good deal. GIVE the devil his due and
| say from me that on any other collier in
The same circumstances the chances are
that the loss of life would have been
| twenty-siX instead OF Six"
When the second gale came up the
Whitelaw had to run for San francisco
1t was lucky she got in as soon as she did.
because at $50 P. NJ. it was blowing 66
knots an honr, while at the heads the
photographic Office recorded So knots an
hour. The San Benito was fitted with Sir
William Thompson's patent deep-sea
sounder, and 1t was saved from the
wreck With other saunders the ship has
10 be hove to in order to make sound
ing, but with the new invention an obser-
vatlon can be made when the vessel is at
| full speed. Crossing the bar Captain
| Whltelaw tested the new contrivance and
found that he could gauge the depth of
water on the bar while the Whitelaw was
| going full speed.
| The schooner Amethyst got in yester-
| day, and the captain reports having
| passed water-logged and dismasted
schooner on the 2fst inst. off Cape Bianco.
1t was blowing hard at the time and a
very heavy sea was running, SO the ere w
OF the Amethyst could not lower boat.
| The schooner Joseph and Henry was very
close to the wreck at the time, and the
| chances are that when she reaches port
some more definite information about the
derelict may be obtained.
| Mrs. Thorold, owner of the tug Ethel
and Marion, and the captain of the little
vessel had quite an alteration yesterday.
| The master of the vessel made a remark
| which the owner resented, and she went
! for him with her umbrella. The skipper
raced up the wharf and Mrs. Thorold
after him, and it was only when Officer
| I1EHncOSrIN put III OH appedrduCe tudI bnt
chase ceased. A new master will go out
on the Ethel and Marion to-day.
| The new steamer for the Hawaiian
| inter-island trade was not built by NJ at
thew Turner but by Hall Bros. OF Puget
Sound. She is splendid vessel and one
| of the best of her class, and has more
than fulfilled the expectations of her
| builders. She was called the James Spiers
in order to fill the requirements of the
| California law, but when she reaches
Honolulu her name will be changed to
| Mauna Loa.
The schooner Challenger, seventeen
| days from Seattle, put in last Tuesday
night leaking and had to be run on the
mud fats. She was in collision with q
steam schooner outside the heads, but as
heavy sea was running and gale blow.
| ing Captain Sovernd could not make out
| his antagonist. People on Change think
it was the Alice Blanchard bound north
| that did the damage.
The schooner Charles Hanson was un-
fortunate during the run from Grays
Harbor. On the 18th inst. Mate Gregoli-
son cave an order to jibe the mainsail
He went TO the assistance of the men and
his foot caught in a loop of the rope
With a jerk the sail tightened the tackle
and the leg was broken like a pipe stem
| The disabled man was put aboard the
| lighship Colum bine and landed at Ho
! quiam for medical treatment. The nexl
day Seaman Lane was washed overheard
from the Hanson and never seen again.