The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-23
Rate on LaureIbank
Cut 20 Per Cent.
OPINION ABOUT HER DIVIDED
ARRIVAL OF THE OVERDUE
SAMoENA AT ASTORIA.
Terrible Experience of Captain James
Boyd of the Thornliebank and
Springbank in Aus
tralia.

The arrival of the schooner Prosper at
Port Townsend with news of the sup
posed speaking Of the overdue ship
Laurelbank caused quite a f1utter in re-
insurance circles yesterday. On Monday
it was conceded on all sides that the
stout vessel had gone down in the ty-
phoon that SO nearly wrecked the steamer
Zealandia and the British ship Heath
field and 80 per cent to reinsure was free
~ offered with no takers. Yesterday the
rate dropped to 70 per cent, and one gam
bier, who stood to win $500 on $500 in
Vestment refused $500 for his FISK
The facts of the case are about as fol-
lows: On August 81 the British ships
the Laurelbank for Astoria. On Septem-
Der % the British ship Glendoon left .fo-
kohama for Astoria, arriving at her des-
tination on October g. In his report Cap
tain Morrison said that the Laurelbank
and the Heathfield had been caught in a
terrible typhoon. The Heathfield put into
stanchions gone and her ballast shifted
From that day until the Prospers cap
tain thought" he saw her. nothing has
been heard of the Laurelbank
In the meantime the Heathfields dam
ages were repaired at Yokohama and she
reached Tacoma on the 11th inst The
Hawthornbank, sister ship to the Lau-
relbank, left Hongkong on the I'D of
August, nine days before the Laurelbank
Francisco on October 7. Since then she
has discharged and loaded, and is now
almost ready for sea again. From this 1t
would appear as though the chances were
all against the Laurelbank ever being
heard from again, and that the rate Of 80
per cent was fully warranted.
The chances are that the captain of the
Prosper was mistaken in the vessel. He
is not sure whether she had painted
ports or was lead colored. The Laurel
bank never was a painted port ship, as
just about the time she and the Spring
bank now in porD We're launched the
owners OF the Bank line abolished the
adOntRd he
style. The chances are that the vessel
seen was the Samoena, which arrived at
was sixty-two days out, and so per cent
reinsurance was paid on her. The takers
OF reinsurance, however, look upon this
as good sign. They won largely on the
Samoena, and contend that if she took
sixty-two days to reach Astoria from Ma
gasaki the other vessel is not overdue
from Shanghai. Never before has the
fate of a vessel caused so much discus
sion in shipping circles, and there are just
ton as the other. Those who remember
the Heathfields experience put the Lau-
rrelbank down as lost" Those who know
the strength and equipment of the Bank
line of clippers contend that the vessel is
dismasted and is coming along under
Jury rig; In support of their side they
under jury rig, and to the arrival of the
Samoena at Astoria after so per cent re-
insurance had been paid on her.
Andrew Weir & Co the Bank line)
own forty vessels, seven of which are
steamers. Many of these they purchased
all built to their order They are the
Beechbank, Cedarbank Con her way here
from England. Clydebank, ,Comliebank
landbank, Fernbank, Forthbank, Haw-
thornbank now in porD, Heathbank,
Glenbank arrived at Queenstown from
oregon yesterday after jettisoning part
OF her cargo in storm, Levernbank,
Gfakbank, o IdY,sb con Der way here
port, Thistiebank. TRornliebank now now at at
Tacoma) and Laurebank
The Elmbank will be long remembered
Japan with cargo of sulphur and while
she was lying at Green-street wharf IT
caught fire 1t was finally smothered out
and the vesse. savedl but on her next
voyage she became total wreck on the
Irish coast. The Comliebank and Spring
bank did not make unusually long pas
insurance was paid on them
Captain ]. Boyd of the Springbank has
Thornliebank and took that vessel to
Melbourne. Australia After discharg-
way to Newcastle, Australia, to load coal
for San Francisco. While setting the
topsails rope broke and a block came
the right jaw, breaking the 1awbone into
splinters. The tug was gone and dark
ness had set In. so the mate had to do the
six days Captain Boyd suffered terrible
agony and then reached the hospital in
Newcastle. He had to undergo two
operations and his jaw had to be broken
and reset twice. In the mean tine the
Thornliebank had sailed for England and
the Springbank had arrived in port The
day Captain Boyd was able to leave the
was brought in suffering from heart fall
ure. In consequence Captain Boyd took
hospital Captain Dobie of the Springbank
charge of the vessel and brought her here
while Captain Dobie remained at New
castle. On the voyage two pieces of the
broken jawbone worked out of Captain
Boyd's face and 1t is only a week or so
ago that the wound healed up.
The torpedo boat destroyer Farragut Is
to have another trial The Government
Works and the boat will have another run
against time this day week.
The cruiser Philadelphia sailed for
Acapulco yesterday. She will coal there
and proceed to San Salvador to protect
American interests during the fighting in
that country If there is any.
The Harbor Commissioners and the
Postoffice authorities are at outs over the
elevator used in the mailing department.
1t has not been run properly and yester-
day the board notified the Postmaster
that If a proper attendant was not put In
charge of the elevator at once it would
be removed.
Chief Steward James Glidden of the
Coptic is one of the most popular en-
ployes of the o. and o. Steamship
Company. Just prior to the ar
rival of the vessel in port last Monday
him with a purse and testimonial wish
ing him a merry Christmas and a happy
new year. Among the signers of the tes-
timona1 were ex-Queen Liliuokalani.
Colonel Macfarlane, Paul Neumann j. A
Wilder, DR.. c. H. English and Rev.