The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-10
PASSENGERSANDH HORSES
TWEEN DECKS.
Eight Hundred Men Going bv
Way of Dyea to the
KIondike.
FIVE PECULIAR VESSELS WILL
DEPART TODAY.
Gold-Seekers Who May Be In Dan
ger While Journeying In
Ancient Hulks.

SEATTLE, WASH, Aug. 9.-The Will
lamette, which, aiJer weeks delay,
finally departed for Skaguay and Dyea,
presented a sight as she drew away from
the wharf at noon to-day which will not
be soon forgotten by those who witnessed
it. She is collier and has on her long
reach of deck the merest apologies for
houses, a pilot-house and forecastle for
ward and a half dozen staterooms and
small cabin Office. The 800 passengers
which she carries are berthed in between
decks The full length of the long deck
was absolutely packed with people and
the rigging of her two masts was crowded
up to the tops with the passengers who
wished to reach a point of vantage from
which TO wave adieu their friends.
The Oregon Improvement Company's
dock was packed with people long before
the Willamette finally got away, and the
overflow of the crowd extended down
along the water front for a mile or more.
Enterprising photographers in number
were on hand taking snap shots at the biz
steamer and at the crowd. Among the
crowd were quite a number who had put
in the entire night on the dock with
friends who were to leave on the Will
Iamette, waiting hourly for her departure
The crowd on the Willamette was de-
cidedlv different from any which has yet
gone north. There were several promi-
nent Seattle men among them, but by far
the greater number were from the East.
There was a considerable sprinkling of
hard citizens among them, and according
TO the Seattle police more than one face
was seen on the deck which had adorned
the rogues' gallery of half a dozen cities.
These were, of course, the exception. In
the main they were young, energetic and
res pectable men, Iured from their homes
by the tales of the vast wealth to be gath
cred in the north, and confident that they
would return with their share of the
golden harvest.
Beyond the mere fact of the vast crowd
which assembled to see her off and the
crowded condition of the ship itself there
was no incident to record. When the
time came she drew quietly away from
the wharf, moving slowly around in the
bay, and started off for the straits with
farewell blast of her whistle, responded to
by all the vessels in port, and with the
accom- panlment of scattering cheers and
waving handkerchIefs from those on the
dock. In addition to her 800 passengers
and 800 tons of freight the Villa mette
carries 800 head of horses and burros.
They share with the passengers the ac-
commodations between decks and rank
midway between the first and second class
passengers. The fare first class is $40
second class $40 and for horses $50. All
the passengers have apparently the same
character n claeOipp apcOro ~, Cd LOTT
The CALL correspondent inquired of a
friend leaving on the Willamette what
difference existed between first and Sec
ond class passage, and was answered:
1--WE pay twice as much as the other fell
lows. Aside from that the only differ
ence I can see is that they bunk with the
burros while we bunk with the broncos."
1t will take the Willamette good many
DAYS after she arrives at Dyea before she
can get her freight landed. With her
heavy draft she will lie conslde era BILE dis
lance off shore, and freight and passen.
gers will have to be landed on the beach
in small boats and lighters.
No more singular feet ever departed
from any port on the Pacific Coast than
that which leaves tomorrow, destined for
st. Micnaels. 1t consists of five vessels
all belonging to or chartered by the Yu-
kon Transportation Company, a new
incorporation created since the Klondike
news rolled IN.
The leading vessel of this feet is the
steamer Eliza Anderson, an ancient side
wheeler which in early days was on the
route between Olympia and Victoria. She
has been given a new coat OF paint to
strengthen her for the voyage. She will
carry 100 passengers, who carry tickets
guaranteeing that they be landed at Daw-
son CITY, II the weather proves favorable
the guarantees of the ticket will De met;
if not, it is unlikely that any OF those hay
ing tickets Will ever be heard to complain
OF the failure Of the company to keep its
agreement.
The remainder of the fleet consists of
Inc handsome little pilot schooner w. J.
BRYANT, the stern wheel river steamer w.
K. Merwin and the large Politkofsky, all
in tow of the powerful tug Holyoke. The
BRYANT and PoIitkofsky are both heavily
loaded with provisions as well as fuel,
and the latter in addition carries on deck
the timbers and planking for barge 70
be towed by the Merwin up the Yukon
after st. Michaels is reached.
The Politkofsky, now reduced to the
ignominous position OF barge. once
hoated the imperial flag OF Russia at her
jackstaff as the sole representative OF the
Russian navy in Alaskan waters. She
was built at Sitka in 1866 OF hewn Alaska
cedar, is copper fastened, coppered to the
bends and as sound as the day she was
launched. When first launched she was
fitted UP with copper boilers. She mount
ed two smooth-bore guns which now orna-
ment a scrap pile at Port Madison. She
was turned over by Russia TO the United
States at the time of the purchase OF
Alaska, was sold forthwith for song to
the Alaska Commercial Company, who
substituted ordinary boilers for the copper