The San Francisco call., 1897-02-08
THE SCHOONER VINE SAFE.
At Least That Is the Inform alton
Given to "Captain Burns
by a Medium.

Captain" Burns, who makes his head
quarters with the J. f. Cunningham Com
pany, on Clay street, near East, is author
ity for the statement that the schooner
Vine, over which considerable anxiety is
felt, is all right and will be heard from in
a few days. According to him the chro-
nometer is out OF order and the vessel in
stead of being near the Carolines is not
within 500 miles of Kusai. He is a be-
lever IN spiritualism and asserts that
medium described the vessel and told him
exactly where she was.
The Vine left here on June 10 last and
while in one of the Central American
ports the chronometer got out of order.
Captain Luttrell could not procure an
other and had TO make his way to Corinto
with the aid of his watch. At the latter
port he secured a chronometer and sailed
for his regular cruise in the southern seas.
From that day to this the schooner has
not been heard from and Captain Mellan-
der, the company's agent in the Carolines,
had to go TO Hongkong to lay in supply
OF provisions on account OF the non-ar-
rival OF the schooner.
Il know that the Vine is overdue" said
Burns yesterday, 'but nevertheless l am
as confident that she is ahoat and that
all are well aboard as l am that L am
alive. A friend of mine, while in a
trance saw the Vine, described her TO me,
and told me that the next steamer from
China would bring good news from her,"
j. +. Cunningham, who is the i,slE III
the vessel, is hoping that Burns is correct,
and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of
the Occidental and Oriental Company's
Dorlc on the 14th inst.
Work on the steamer Portland Qate the
Haytian Republic) is being rushed, and in
a few days the new cabins and all the
woodwork will be finished. New boilers
are to be put in position, and the old yes
sci will be as good as new. When all the
changes are made the Portland will be put
on the Alaska route in opposition to the
steamers Queen and City of Topeka. She
will connect with the stern-wheel steamer
?. B. Weare at st. Michaels, the latter
carrying freight and passengers up the
Yukon River.
The Pacific Steam Whaling Company
will go extensively into the cannery busi-
ness next spring. 1t has a number of
establishments in Alaska at present, but
In few weeks vessel will be fitted out
with full cannery plant, and will go to
ChlIkat River. There the buildings will
be Put up, and everything will be in readi-
nes~ as soon as the salmon begin to run.
The merchants in the vicinity OF Davis
and Clay streets will be delighted when
they reach their respective places of busi-
ness to-day. The recent heavy rains
turned the street into a miniature lake
and business was at standstill nearly all
day Saturday. Early In the day one OF the
dealers hung ont the following sign: "a
lferaft given away with each dollar pur-
chase" Another merchant immediately
took the hint and put the following, in
the shape OF sail on plank and set it
adrift: Good fishing il this pond For
permission apply to the Superintendent
OF Streets" Sull another placaru read
mo ducks-only malaria--in this marsh"
The Superintendent of Streets took the
hint. and all OF yesterday gang of men
was at work fixing up the manholes aud
getting the sidewalks and streets into
proper condition for the next rain.
Captain Drisko of the wrecker Whitelaw
played III hard luck yesterday. He ex-
pected the steamer to be at Folscm-street
wharf yesterday morning, but when he
got there she was gone. After waiting
around all day he learned that she was a.
section of the seawall, and about 8 P. NJ.
started away to find out the cause of the
change. Early in the morning the owner
of the vessel ordered her to the seawall,
and the cap ain only learned of it after
waiting at Fol ON street six hours.