The San Francisco call., 1898-02-12
Four Stern-WheelerS and Six Barges Going Up
 on the Sintram.
The New Steamer Dirigo to Run From This Port to
 Dyea Direct.
Passenger Rates Between San Fran cisco and Eureka Take a Sud-
 den Advance.

The H1SC or the new TIVeT SledUleTS and barges for use on the Yukon are now being loaded into the ship Sim tram at Spear-street wharf. There are four steamers and six barges in all, and their building has not taken much over seven weeks. T. F. H. Whitelaw se- cured the contract from the Alaska Ex- ploration Company, and will more than fulfill his promise to have the boats un- der way for Dutch Harbor by March 1. l Three of the steamers are 1S2 feet 1 long, 36 feet inches broad and feet 6 inches deep, and will carry $50 tons of 1 freight on a four-foot draft. The other steamer is 150 feet long, 36 feet inches broad and feet inches deep, and will carry 250 tons of freight on a four-foot draft, while the barges are 145 feet 1 long, 32 feet 6 inches broad and feet 6 inches deep, and will each carry 400 tons of freight. The steamers and barges have been built in sections, and 100 machinists, carpenters and painters will go up on the Sintram to put them together at Dutch Harbor. The Sin tram will be lowed north by the tug Fearless. MT. Whitelaw will go north with the ship, and when the steamers and bargeS have been put together and on their way to St. Michael he and his men will return to San Francisco on her.
 The handsome new steamer Dirigo has been secured by the Alaska ukon Transportation Company, and will run between San Francisco and Dyea and Skaguay direct. No stops at way ports are to be made, and passengers from here will have to handle their freight once only. The Dirigo will be splen- q c and will make quick time on all her trips. She will get away on her maiden voyage on March l. The same compa- ny's steamer National City leaves to- day with 14S passengers, and among her freight will be 161 dogs, two horses and four mules. Captain Anderson, who made the fastest trip of the sea- son last year, goes out as master of the National City, and Charles Jenkins, formerly chief clerk of the Hollenbeck Hotel, Los Angeles, goes as purser
 Among those who will leave for St. Michael on the Rufus E. Wood will be a party of twelve from Los Angeles. They will take with them a fifty-foot stern-wheel steamer and will make their home on it until all their for tunes are made. The heads of the con- cern are: H. c. Register, manager; A. Buckingham, commfssariat; A. Howe, c. R. Lowe and George Groper, finance committee.
 The ship c. F. Sargent Is having her tween decks strengthened and is re- ceiving a thorough oYerhauling at Lit tie Main street.
 The British ship Star of Italy was placed on the Merchants dry dock yes terday for inspection. If everything is satisfactory she will be put under J. J. Moore & Co.'S flag.
 One of the results of the rush to the Klondike Is the advance in passenger rates to Eureka. The Homer was placed temporarily on the run in place of the Pomona, but as the wreck of the Corona will keep that vessel on the southern route, the Homer will con- tinue on the Eureka run. Then the Humboldt was chartered for the Klon- dike trade and that left only the North Fork and Homer in the business. In consequence the steam schooner has advanced her rates $2 50 for a first class passage.
 The Harbor Commissioners held short session yesterday and decided to have the seal of California put in the floor of the grand nave of the new fer ry depot in mosaic. The job was let to Braider & Posquali for $500. The his- tory of the building is also to be put in brass frame and fastened to the wall near the seal.
 The Harbor Light and Improvement Company wants the contract for light ing the water front from April 1, but the Commissioners took no action in the matter. c. F. Mccarthy & Co.'S bill for $4S7 35 was allowed. The con- crete in the rear galleries and floor of the waiting room of the new depot was made an inch thick, instead of three | quarters of an inch. and at first Com l