The San Francisco call., 1898-07-30
Large DereliCt Drifting
 Down the Coast.
GOVERNMENT VESSELS IDLE
SHIPPING MEN ANGRY BECAUSE
 NOTHING IS BEING DONE.
A Number of Small River Steamers Tied Up at St. Michael for Want of Engineers and
 Masters.

At the present time the following Unit ed States vessels are lying idle in the har | bor: lroquois. Vigilant, Active, Rush ant | Albatross. Underwriters and shipping | men are wondering why this Is so wher a grave menace to navigation is drifting about right in the track of coasters. Las March the bark Forest Queen sailed from Tacoma for San Pedro and has never since been heard from. The suppositior is that she capsized in a gale after leav' ing port and is floating around some where, buoyed up by her load of lumber
 About three weeks ago a derelict that somewhat resembled the missing bark was sighted bottom up in latitude 43.1! north, longitude 129.55 west. There were not as many idle government vessels 1T the bay then and no notice was taken ot the report by anybody.
 Wednesday last the schooner Louise al | Umpqua reported that in latitude 3SO. north, longitude 129.H west (on Point Reyes), the same derelict was sighted This fact was given publicity by the news papers, but not a government vessel has made a move toward removing this men, ace to navigation.
 Charles Ledbetter has been appointed to the State Harbor Police by Harbor Commissioner Herold, vice George Ecker resigned.
 The advent of the United States h. spectors of Hulls and Boilers at St. Mi chael has played havoc with the plans of many private expeditions that left here and Puget Sound for the gold fields. These people took their own river steam CTS with them and it was their intention to do their own navigating and engineer ing. They now find to their sorrow that they must carry a licensed master and T1Crt n are tied up in consequence. All Of them have to carry life preservers and in con- sequence those articles are at premium on the Yukon.
 The little river steamer May West came down from Dawson with 125 passengers She carried no life preservers, no fire she reached St. Michael the inspectors tied her up, and when the Portland sailed on the 18th inst. her captain was still trying in vain to get his vessel ready for inspection.
 The Portland brings the news that there was great deal of smuggling going on cers started up the river on the l1th inst. on a still hunt after whisky and snug glers.
 The Inspectors of Hulls and Boilers at St. Michael are Captain Whitney and Charles Lenhers. Both gentlemen are well known in San Francisco, Lenhers having been for years chief engineer of the big tug Fearless (now the gunboat
 Captain Clem Randall. late of the Fear less, was at St. Michael when the Port Ernest A. Hamill, which was built to tow barges from St. Michael to the mouth of the Yukon.
 The following extracts from a private letter dated "St Michael, July 1S," will be found of interest:
 A good many steamers are going up the river, and they are having lovely weather Oyercoats and furs out of the question Nearly all the steamers, the National City Grace Dollar and Charles Nelson, for instance are here awaiting a chance to get their pas plate building hotel here to accommodate the passengers.
 Leah started for Dawson July F. She had a barge In tow and also the propeller steamer upper Yukon. and try and find a deeper chan nel. This Is a good idea as reliable pilots (bOth than two feet of water anywhere above owe Fort Yukon. The steamer Belle has also gone up the riyer wt6n number 9f passengers and
 The town of St. Michael is overcrowded, and from the interior is very encouraging, and doz- of small steamers being built in the different coyes to carry prospecting parties up the river There VIII De a great exodus tn San Francisco this fall. however, one winter on the Yukon to be all anybody can stand. down the river to date July 13) is about s7 000 GO. That is the closest estimate that can be made. Of this sum about GO has been handled by the Alaska Commercial Company. Koyukuk Creek is being very much rlrospected Gold Is in large quantities in the gravel but about 800 women here all waiting for a chance to get to Dawson.
 and thor" that are getting ready to go are: Louise Leah Bel Bella ,s Rock Island Nc ], Rock City of soo St. Marie. Small craft awaiting engineers and masters or necessary alterations the Fl Sueno. Sunfiower. Eclipse. Panama Chief. Mabel Laun and a number of others. The river is said to be excellent for navigation. rtza boa 4y,al last four days. and inc prospects TOT getting over the Yukon flats are first rate.
 Giuseppe Giorso was arrested by the Harbor Police yesterday on a charge of an assault to commit murder. The pris- oner has been in hiding since last Octo- Der, and would not have been arrested informed Captain Dunlevy that he was back in town. Giorso and his son-in-law Guiseppi Uccelli. live at Ocean View, and have never been good neighbors. Last October they quarreled and Giorso drew a revolver and attempted to kill his son. in-law. The latter secured a warrant for his arrest, but. in the meantime Giorso had fled into the country. He returned last Wednesday and at once began quar- reling with Ucceli's brother and threat ened to kill him. The latter then informed the police.
 The American ship R. D. Rice sailed unusual in this save that E. l.. Colnon president of the State Board of Harbor
  ary seaman. In spite of the fact that he was rated as such on the ships articles MT. Colnon was on the quarterback with Captain Carver as the ship was lowed to sea by the tug Sea King MT Colnon | wanted to take a sea voyage, and. as the
 Rice is not allowed to carry passengers | he had to ship as an ordinary seaman al | 25 cents a month in order to make the | passage.
 The Austrian steamer Siam arrived | from Puget Sound yesterday with a load | of coal for John Rosenfeld Sons. This is | the Slams first voyage to this port, she | having been purchased by the Rosenfelds | to replace the Peter Jebsen, now the | Government collier Brutus. The Sian
 was built in 1893 and is 1991 tons net bur | den She is 3247 feet long .42.2 feet broad and 1S.4 feet deep, and carries about 300( | tons of coal. She is not very handsome | vessel but is we'll built and is fairly fast and Is a welcome addition to the coastine | fleet.
 Wu Ting Fang, the Chinese Minister