The San Francisco call., 1897-06-21
A Whitehall Boat CapSizeS
Off Powell Street
Wharf.
Sailors on the Customs Steamer
Golden Gate Go to the
Rescue.
How the Captain of the Samaritan
Rect fed IN Error-A New Tahi-
Il, n Trader.

What might have been a calamity on
the waterfront was narrowly averted yes
terday by the prompt action of two men
on the United States Customs steamer
Golden Gate. Two young fellows called
Chocolate" Bariman and "Chief'' Bir-
mingham were out sailing in a whitehall
boat and were on their way in from Har-
Dor View, when The little craft capslzed in
the region OF Meiggs wharf
The accident occurred about 80 p NJ
Birmingham had just gone forward to take
the mast down and all of his weight was
on one side of the boat, when Bartman
happened to get on the same side, and in
a twinkiing the boat went over and the
two found them selves treated to an icy
bath without any preparation on their
part. Towels and soap were not in It
at all.
Powell-street wharf was crowded with
sightseers at the time, as was also the in
tervening G space between that and Meiggs.
Rudolph Benges and Eric Erickson, sail
ors on the Golden Gate, at once put out to
the scene of the accident in a rowbo
Birmingham had managed in the mean
while to climb upon the keel of the over
turned sklff, but for some inexpllca bic
regain his seat when he was reached by
the rescuers.
Bartman was not so lucky. He had to
stay in the water all the time, seemingly
Tor the same mysterious reason not being
able TO Chamber to point of safety. He
had a death grip OH the boats rudder,
however, and kept out of the water all the
time he was not swallowing the brine
Both men were brought to the wharf in
safety, and declared that they would
never do it again.
The British ship Samaritan, from De-
parture Bay, B. c., which has been lying
in the stream, was towed to the Pacific
Mail docks to unload cargo OF coal yes
terday by the tug Rescue. She made the
trip down in six days-tiYe from Cape
Flattery-the best time made for a long
period. Captain Baxter didn't know it
was jubilee day for all British subjects on
Saturday and forgot to hoist any flags
over the vessel, but when he found out
yesterday that such was the case he said
he guessed he would make up for lost
time, and every Union Jack that could be
dug up was placed on the vessels masts
and rigging.
The United States gunboat Concord
now Les oil Folsom-street wharf, just be-
yond the Monadnock. She has Just come
down from Mare Island, where she was
thoroughly overhauled, and in few DAYS
is expected TO 60 TO Sitka.
The American ship Commodore from
Baltimore with cargo of coal shifted
from Mission TO Beale-street wharf yes
terday TO discharge her cargo. The Brit
ish ship Wi ma took her place and will
begin dlscharging to-day.
The L:lah and Matte, manned bv a
crew of scientists, will depart for the
South Seas to-day. The wind and other
conditions were not favorable for her yes
terday.
natty little schooner, the Neptune.
brand new in every particular, now lies at
Howard-street wharf. She has just come
down from Captain Turner's shipyards at
Benicia, where she was launched a week
ago last Tuesday. After her fittings are
put in she will go TO Tahiti and run be-
tween tue islands as trader in the inter
ests of syndicate.