The San Francisco call., 1897-02-27
A New Steamer Completed
for the Vallejo
Route.
Later She Will Run to Alviso
in Connection With the Santa
Cara Raj way.
Louis Hansen's Attempt to Save His
Hat Nearly Cost HIM His Life
on the Pi. dmont.

The stern-wheel steamer Grace Barton
has been practically rebuilt and is now as
good as a new vessel. An upper house
has been built on her and in it will be
cabins and waiting-rooms for passengers.
tank has been put up near the wheel
house and there will be running water
through the vessel in consequence. On
all the other bay and river steamers the
water is supplied from pitchers and
water-buckets. The cabin will be a very
pretty one, and when ali the alterations
are com pleted the new steamer will be
one of the best of her class in the bay.
Her name Will probably be changed to
Menlo. as in the near future she will
probably be running between here and
AlViso in connection with the Santa Clara
Valley Railway Company.
The Piper-Aden- Goodall Company was
forced to purchase the steamer IN self
defense. They are running opposition TO
the Southern Pacific, and some time ago
when they wanted to lay the Sunol up for
repairs they found what that opposition
meant. They could neither beg, borrow
nor steal vessel, as Manager Pryor put
it yesterday. An agent of the railroad had
been around to every owner of a stern
wheel steamer in the bay, and the result
was that moi one OF them could be hired
for love or money. 1t was tqen the firm
determined upon purchasing the Barton,
and now they have one of the handiest
crafts in the bay. The Grace Barton, or
the Menlo, as she will probably be called
later on, will have her trial trip on the
bay some lime next week.
There is considerable rivalry between
the captains OF the bark5 Mohican and
Ceylon and the barkentine w. H. Di-
mond. When they discovered that
they were all to sail about the same time
q match was at once made. The Mohican
got in last night, making the run in
twenty days, not fast time considering
that the J. D. Spreckels has made it in
ten days, but nevertheless the other boats
have not yet been reported.
Louis Hansen, sailor, created sensa-
tion on the Jerry steamer Piedmont yes
terday. He was leaning against the rail
on the upper deck when the wind took his
hat, and ina vain attempt to get it Hansen
went overheard. The vessel was stopped
and boat lowered, but Hansen persisted
in swimming after his hat. you see," he
explained afterward, ait was The only hat
l had and | wanted to save il. l work on
schooners and was over at Oakland Greek
looking Tor a job, and was on my way
home when L fell overheard" When the
had been picked up he proceeded, and the
boat. landed the man at the Clay-street
landing. There Officer Dowd took i'm in
charge, but when the matter was ex.
planned Captain Dunleavy sent him to his
home at Ill Mission street
The British ship Port Logan will sail
probably to-day for CAPE Town with a
load of wheat. She is only 1888 tons reg
lister, yet her capacity is such that Captain
Pierce has been able to stow away $3.50
tons of wheat in her holds. number oi
vessels are going TO Cape Town, but,
strange to say, there seems to be no de-
mand for wheat in India.
The gypsies have been driven out of
Marin County, and they are now on their
way to San Jose, via MEMO Park. They
tore down half the fencing in Mill Valley
to use for frewood; chickens .and other
domestic animals mysteriously disap-
peared, and any loose article thai was left
lying around by the residents could never
be found when wanted. Finally
the residents of Marin County rose
in their wrath and drove out the
invaders. Two constables took them
in charge anil. brought them ali
10 San Francisco. There were eight
wagon-loads of them, and when Sergeant
Mah0ney saw them coming off the Sausa-
Tito ferry-boat he at once telephoned the
Habor Police station for assistance. Two
officers were sent down and the gvpsies
were told that they would have to move
on. They asked if they might go to
Santa Clara, and the sergeant said he
didn't care where they went so long as
they got out of San Francisco County To
make sure that they did not lose their
way a mounted policeman was sent along
to show them the San Mateo boundary
line.
There seems to be some doubts about
the movements of the batIle-shi pOregon.
1t has been stated that she will leave next
Thursday for Seattle to go on the drydock,
but some of her officers assert that she
will remain here for at least two months.
She certainly needs cleaning. and the
chances are that next Thursday will see
her under way.