The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-26

The prize In the shape Of the revenue
cutter Oliver To1cot<, drawn By George
WHEY. Joshua Green and Peter Falk at
tire government auction sale. was sold By
them wednesday afternoon and Is now the
prooertv CT the Pacific Steam Whaling
company. Of San Francisco
The terms o. TIRE sale cannot be learned.
as they are considered strictly private by
all parties concerned. but there Is 10 doubt
that the purchasers at auc=on have real
lied a handsome profit on the deal. The
government inspecting officers, 50 far as
their Investigations have gone. report most
favorabiy on the condition Of the vessel.
50 Il Is probable that the price On thu last
sale was much nearer her true value than
thai paid by Wiley and associates.
Captain o. ]. HUMPHREYS. suparInteni
snf OF the cannery department OF the
whaling company. negotiated the pur-
chase Of the sx-cutter. or rather he i'm
n1edsateiy ccnSummated the deal. as he
came up from san Francisco with explicit
Instructions 10 secure the vessel Capt
Humphries was IN Seattle about March 10.
attending 20 the purchase OF supplies for
his company's Alaska cannertes, which
were sent up on the steam schooner
Jeanne SAILING on that date Incidentally
the captain made an inspection OF the
woicott then tied up a. Central dock. and
on mis- return to San Francisco made re-
pert on her TO ths head office. His psn-
cipais Immediately sent him back 10 Seat
tie. with the result that the retired terror
10 smgxglers changed hands Wednesday.
In an interview al the Butler last even
ing Capt Humphr.es said:
Il came Up from San Francisco for the
express purpose OF buying che Wolcott.
and now that my mission is accomplished
viii return below tomorrow. VIII be IN
Seattle again. however, In about a week
10 supersntsnd the few repairs 10 be made
on the vessel. and will then remain here
until take Ter north, which will be with
In the next month.
'.OEr company Is going TO put the VOL
colt on as q tender TO run among our
canneries in Alaska We VIII have five
oanneries IN operation this year-those at
Hunters bay. Copper river Prince Will
lana Sound and Chignik bay are now
running at fun blast. and construction has
commenced on our new plant at kariuk.
The cutter. just as she IS, is admirably
fitted for this service. and Ii viii not be
necessary to change her housing in any
way In fact. the only repair necessary
IS on the boiler, and about 81 500 will Be
spent In fixing this up.
The Wolcott is In excellent condition
in every other respect. The government
has spent a good many dollars on her In
recent years, and she has been well taken
care of. Her hull. as IL Is today. could
not be replaced for $4,000. Repairs on
the boiler are now in progress. and by ths
time / get back from San Francisco the
government inspection win be completed.
Then l am going 10 take her out Tor
trial spin. The engines are In fine shape,
but are the oid-fashioned low pressure.
IF had made the purchase before repairs
had been commenced. / would have taken
out all the old machinery and put in
new boilers and triple expansion engines.
Then nothing on the Sound could have
touched her. As 1t Is. however, we VIII
let the machinery stand fer year or SO.
when we are ready to go north all our
supplies. stores and coal viii be taken on
at Seattle. The government stripped the
cutter OF all her boats, and have already
contracted for two metallic life boats 10
be built here. which Will cost $3.50
"Mr. Charles Tracy viii return with ma
from San Francisco and win be- chief
engineer. With this exception the entire
complement OF men will be engaged here.
I will command the vessel myself.
1--WE. will run around among the can
nerfes until late I'm the fall. and win then
go to San Francisco for the winter"