The San Francisco call., 1898-02-22
KLONDIKE RUSH IS INCREASING The Australia Left on Her First Trip With a
 Big Crowd.
She Will Be Followed by the Steamers Humboldt and
 Excelsior To-Day.
tween South America and This Port Talked Of.

Three steamers were to have sailed for Dyea and Skaguay yesterday, but only one of them got away. The Hum boldt got in early in the morning from Seattle, and some few repairs have to be made, but as all her passengers and freight are ready for her she will prob ably leave some time this afternoon. The Excelsior, for Copper River was also late in completing her round trip, and she will receive freight and pas sengers to-day and will get away some time this evening. The Australia did come very close to getting away on schedule time. She was to leave at 2 D. m., but owing to the rush of freight at the last minute it was two hours later before she moved away from her dock. She took away 70 cabin and ITO steerage passengers, and nearly 400 more await her at Seattle. This trip will be made to Seattle, Juneau, Dyea and Skaguay, but thereafter she will run from Seattle to those points di- rect, connecting with the Walla Walla, Umatilla and City of Puebla from this port and with the State of California and Columbia, also from this port, through the George w. Elder and Ore gon, which will run from Portland.
 The Australia has been fitted out in a firSt-class manner to carry 500 pas sengerS. The old steerage has been fitted up for first-class passengers and quarters for the steerage have been fitted up in the tween decks forward. Electric lights have been carried throughout the entire ship, and an ex- tra force of men has been put to work in the stewards department and extra
 h0 -fnI who travels by the Australia will be well taken care of. All the old heads of departments, save the purser, have staid by the ship. Purser Campbell, who for years has been a favorite on the Umatilla, but who lately has been on the Victorian, running to Dyea and Skaguay, was brought from Puget Sound to join the Australia. He arrived yesterday and at once took charge of affairs and will remain with the Aus tralia as long as she is kept on the Dyea- -Skaguay route.
 The Australia took away quite a number of mules and over 100 dogs. She is the first vessel that has left here with the proper accommodations for the latter animals. Up over the house built for the accommodation of mules and horses kennels were put up for the dogs. and they will be fed and cared for during the trip. AS the vessel will carry rather small amount of freight in comparison with the num- Der of passengers, nearly 300 tons of pig iron was put in her hold before the work of loading began. She will thus be in fine trim to make quick time, and Captain Houdlett expects to make a record breaking run from here to Se- attle.
 The talk of an opposition steamship line between South and Central Ameri- can ports and San Francisco has been revived. Two large and wealthy cor porations, The Compania Sud Ameri- cana de Vapores, and the Pacific Steam Company, are said to be engaged in the venture. The former will run its steamers between South America and ports in Panama. They will leave Valparaiso once a week, touching at Coquimbo, Antofa- gasta, Iquique, Mollendo and Callao, arriving at Panama in ten days. Then the Pacific Steam Navigation Com pany will take up the running, touch- ing at the principal Central American and Mexican ports. making the run to San Francisco in twelve days. Tn this way the passage from Valparaiso can be made in a little over three weeks.