The San Francisco call., 1897-08-19
RUSH OF FRUIT
ON THE FRONT
River Steamers Cannot
Handle All the Freight
Offering.
Pears and Mushmelons Thrown
Overheard in Order to Clear
the Wharves.
Bids for a Clock in the Tower of the
New Ferry Depot Opened and
Discussed.

| The Harbor Commissioners held short
session yesterday morning to discuss the
bids sent in for the building of clock in
the new ferry tower. The Seth Thomas
Clock Company offered to put in the
clock for $1750 and wanted $500 for the
| dials. The bid OF the Howard Watch
| Company was more complicated. They
agreed to put in the clock and the inside
dials for $2567, the outside dials for $1600
and an electric attachment for $z5. They
also submitted an offer to place electric
clocks throughout the entire depot at
reasonable price. No action was taken in
the matter. There is only difference of
$S7 between the two bids and the Com
missioners want to thoroughly examine
the matter and take expert testimony be-
fore the contract is awarded.
The Stockton steamer J. d. Peters came
down yesterday with load OF wheat that
| brought her down to the guards. She
went alongside the British ship Yarana
and put the entire cargo into her. This
is called "stiffening" for the big Britisher
and from here she will be towed to Port
| Costa TO load for Europe.
The fruit trade from the Sacramento
and San Joaquin rivers has caused almost
as great a rush on the Jackson and Wash
! ington street wharves as has the rush to
| the Klondike at other points. River
| steamers are scarce and men cannot be
secured 10 handle the fruit. Yesterday
and the day before pears and mushmelons
were thrown overheard because they were
too ripe and the supply exceeded the de-
mand. The Sacramento River boats can
! not handle the rush ana in consequence
| the California TRANSPORTATION Company
| has been compelled TO borrow the A. 9.
Freese from the California Navigation and
Improvement Company. The Kreese will
run on the Sacramento River until the
| glur is over.
The British ship Kambria arrived from
Ionquln last Tuesday evening and an
chorei IN the faIrway. While making for
San Francisco on her first morning trip
yesterday, Captain Wilson of the Sausa-
| Tito nearly ran the ferry boat into her.
Owing to the dense fog the Sausaito was
| under slow bell and men we're on the
lookout at the bow OF the steamer. The
en- ines were reversed when the cry "Ship
right ahead" came, but it was not a mo-
ment too soon. Captain Wilson handled
MS vessel Ike yacht, and In a few mo.
ments all danger Was passed.
The matter was reported to Chief
Wharhnger Root, and as soon as the fog
lifted he looked into the matter and found
that he Kan bria was right in the fairWay
and menace to not only the Sausalito
but also the 1iburon steamers. Captain
Brownell was notified to move his vessel
but failed to 10 so. The agents were then
notified, aud at 4 P NJ, when the KAN
bria was still at anchor off Powell-street
wharf, Chief Root ordered the Governor
Markham 10 go and move her. A few
minutes after she got under way another
tug reached the bria and after the
anchor ", hove up towed her out OF
harms way.
The steamer Santa Rosa for the first
time in wears was three hours late in
reaching port yesterday. AS rule she Is
as regular as clockwork, and the day she
is due 1t Is usual thing for johnny
! Hyslop, the lookout man at Point Lobos.
| to mark to himself IS o clock, it's about
time the Santa Rosa was showing up"
Then he would take his glas, es and in d
few minutes would see the pride of the
Pacific Coast Steamship Company poking
her nose through the morning haze.
Hyslop was disappointed yeste rday morn
! ing, but then it was no fault of the
! steamer. She was delayed nearly eight
hours taking on an unusually big cargo
OF wheat at Port Hartford.
| The sailors on the American ship Sim
| tram complain that Boatswain Mike
Sweeney and Mate Michael Hansen beat
! them during the voyage here from Balti-
more. Their injuries cannot have been
very great, as none of them will swear to
complaint charging the officers with
cruelty on the high seas.