The San Francisco call., 1898-10-12

l overhangs the cliff near the prisoners quarters and knocked one Of the pillars away. For moment it looked as though ! the structure would come down on top of the steamer, but it did not It was enough to drive all the passengers from the forward deck aft, and some Of them were ready to make a landing, thinking the house would knock hole in the steamer.
 Everything worked as usual until we were nearing AlcatraZ,' said Captain Me Kenzie yesterday. Then the tide began to set the steamer fn toward the island and l tried to put the helm over so as to head her out. Then l noticed that the band on the wheel slipped every time we used the steam steering gear. so the yes sel was practically rudderless. l at once stopped the engines and went astern, but we could do nothing without the rudder against the set of the current, so we went ashore. Shortly afterWard the steamer TiburOn from Tiburon came along and Captain White came to my as sistance. He put a line over the stern of the San Rafael and soon had us in deep water again. By that time the slack in the belt had been taken in and our steer ing gear was once more in working or der. The steamer Is not damaged, as she went ashore very gently, and a few dollars worth of paint will put her in as good condition as ever The passengers were about half an hour late getting to their work and that was the extent or their sufferings
 It was lucky that it was perfectly calm yesterday morning or the San Rafael would not have fared so well. Had there been any sea on she would have been stove in and seriously damaged. As, 1t was everything, save the fog, was In her favor Had the ferry-boat been double ender she would never have gone ashore, as it would have been an easy thing to fasten up the disabled rudder and nave steered her from the other end. How ever all is well that ends well; and the San Rafael is now running as though no accident had ever happened.
 The O. and O. Companys S steamer Gae- lie did not get away for the Orient yes terday until 3 p. m., or two hours late. She is crowded with freight and pasSen- gers and will have to refuse to take any on at Honolulu. The delay was caused by the non-arrival of sailors rom h!are Island who are going to the neet at Ma nila- They came down on the Govern ment tug Vigilant. but owing to some misunderstanding they did not reach the Mail dock until 3 D. m The sailors are 10 take the place of time-exptred men who have no desire to remain in the Phlllp- pines. now the war is over.
 Among the cabin passengers was J. w. accompanied by his wife and three daugh- ters They are going to make tour of the world and will probably be away year.
 The British ship Lord Ripon from Ta- coma for Cork, has arrived at Queens town. She was caught in a gale and had a terrible time of it during the passage. She was thrown on her beam ends and her cargo shifted. The after bolts of the main deck bridge and the stanchions were smashed, and the foretopgaildnt mast carried away.
 There was slight accident on the belt railroad yesterday morning. Some cars were being put on the siding and the en- zine gave them too much of an impetus 1 In consequeflce one of them went clean over the bumper and crashed through a | telegraph pole, bringing the wires down in a heap. It took over an hour to repair | DSmpfih captain L. Q. Haven of the pleasure yacht Sappho, denies that his boat was [ in, Saturday night 4e pIe1eti states that his yacht was back at its moorings on time. Captain P ain Haven dI; had n1er1 and the Washington Volunteers |