The San Francisco call., 1897-01-20
Pilots on the Oracle S
Expect to Capture
Butler.
At Dusk Last Night They. Were
Chasing a Four.MaSted
Ship.
Harbor Commissioners and Govern
msnt Officials at Outs Over a
Question of Rent.

Butler. the murderer, and the British
ship Swanbilda are still the principal
topic OF conversation on the water front.
Two four-masted vessels are due from
Newcastle, n. S. W., and one of them IS
supposed TO have been sighted by the
steamer Rio de Janeiro a few days ago.
The pilot boat Oracle S. is outside await
ing the advent of the long-looked-tor YES
sci, and should Captain Jordan board her
he will at once place the murderer under
arrest should he be aboard, as he and the
other captains have been sworn in as
United States deputy marshals, and the
warrant for the arrest of Butler is on
board the pilot-boat.
At dusk last evening the pilot-bo was
standing up for four-masted vessel that
was 10 be seen in the distance. Again the
waiting detectives at Meiggs wharf were
all excitement, and the betting was as to
whether it was the Olivebank or Swan
hilda. Darkness fell before the vessel was
made out and it will be some time to-day
before her identity is disclosed. Should
she prove 10 be the Swanhilda the dreary
waJch kept by policemen and reporters at
Meiggs wharf will be over, but II the ves-
might watch" may prove to-be indefinite.
The Harbor Com missiOners met yester-
day with Mr.. Cole in the chair. President
Colnon and his family have gone to
Truckee for q few days in order 10 view
the ice carnival. Commissioners Cole and
Chadbourne were in attendance, however,
and the usual routine business was gone
through with.
A couple OF weeks ago Postmaster Nc
Coppin notified the board that the charge
for the quarters OF station D was 100 high
and that the Government would not be
able to pay the rent. At the same time 1t
was pointed out that in Eastern cities the
rent paid was not nearlv so high as the
amount demanded in San Francisco. The
matter has been thoroughly discussed by
aMessrs. Colnon, Cole and Chad bourne,
with the result that letter to the Post
master was formulated, concluding, alter
stating the situation:
All that is required of your depart
ment is the rental prOpOrtioned to the
charge for similar space occupied by other
tenants. This charge, the commission thinks,
should be $1,000 per month, TO include heat
ing. but not TO include lighting. The lighting
OF the entire building will be under the con-
troll of this commission. such charge being
made against each tenant as the meter may
show TO be due according to a rate fixed 10
cover cost merely.
The commission will also provide the apart
ments with the furnishing and accessories in
dicated in your communication OF this day.
As it is sOf the utmost importance that the
matter should be settled without delay, the
construction of the building being in
progress, you are earnestly requested to pro-
cure a decisive answer from the Washington
officers as quickly as possible and commune
cate the same 10 this board Very truly yours,
J. J. KEEGAN, Secretary.
At yesterdays meeting it was stated
that the central portion of the depot
would be finished inside of ten months,
and if the Government did not want ac-
commodations for the Postoffice it should
say SO at once, as the space set apart for
station d is wanted for other purposes.
Captain Ned" Mccoy is TO be the new
superintendent of the Spreckels Towboat
Company. He is a most able man, and
will prove worthy successor to the late
Captain Hawley. For several years Cap
tain Mccoy has been in Oregon waters in
charge of the tug Relief He will be sue
ceeded by CAPTAIN Randell of the river
steamer Monticello, and father of Captain
Glenn Randell of the Fearless. Captain
Randell left yesterday for Astoria, and on
his arrival there Captain Mccoy will come
to San Francisco.
The lighthouse inspectors have issued
the following:
Notice us hereby given that the bell buoy
marking 'Souza Rock, near the entrance to
Port Hartford, Cal, is again i'll good working
ord er.
This notice affects the list of beacons and
buoys, Pacific Coast, 1895, page IA.
The members OF B'nal BIRTH will take
an outing to Stockton next Saturday.
They have engaged 100 staterooms on the
steamer J. D. Peters and will leave at
P. NJ. They VIII have ali of Sundayein the
capital of San Joaquin County and will
reach San Francisco again about o'clock
Monday morning.
Fears are entertained for the safety of
the British steamer Kiaora (good luck).
She was built on the Clyde for trade be-
tween Auckland, N. H., and the Thames
goldtields, but Is now out over 200 days
from Glasgow and Lioyds has posted her
as missing. About nine months ago Alex
ander McGregOr, son of the owner, passed
through here on his way to England to
inspect the vessel, and he was presumably
on board. The Kiaora was a small vessel,
but very fast and was expected to make
the run between the goIdhelds and her
home port in better time than any of the
vessels on the route.
The steamer Monowai is taking in 300
ions of coal from the British ship Forfar-
shire. She had TO take so much cargo in
at Sydney that coal had to be left behind.
In consequence enough fuel has to be
taken on here TO carry the vessel back
home.
Engineer Edward Pait has not been a
success as a litigant. Some time ago
Engineer John Stevens of the steamer
Hope was taken sick and Pait was put in
MS place At SO IN uCd per uaS. lie worked
five days and Stevens returned. Pait de-
manded a months wages and Piper,
Alden, Goodall & Co. refused to pay him
for more than five days work He
brought suit and Justice Groezinger de-
cided against him. The case was appealed
and yesterday Judge Seawall sustained
the lower court. Piper, Alden, Goodali g.
Co. fought the case on principle and they
are consequently pleased over the out
come, even though there was only SIS in
volYed.
The Governor has ordered Major Cen
eral James TO board the steamer Australia
as soon as she arrives from Honolulu He
will represent the State and learn Mrs.
Willis wishes in regard to the landing of
the late Minister'S body. A guard of
honor accompanies the remains from
Honolulu and should Mrs. Willis so desire
the Governor will call out tae militia and
the transfer of the casket from the steamer
to the east bound train will be attended
with full military honors. Governor
Budd. in the first place, however. wants
10 ascertain the wishes of Mrs. Willis in
the matter before taking action.
Sheriff Lyndon Procrastinates.
Charles B. Russell has filed petition in