The San Francisco call., 1898-01-28
TO ENTER THE
 ALASKA TRADE Splendid Ocean Steamer Australia to Go on
 the Route.
Her Place on the Hawaii Run to Be Taken by the
 Zealandia.
A Small Fire in the Offices of the Harbor Commission Caused
 Excitement

Vessels for the Klondike are still in
 great demand. and if the chartering
 that has been going on for the last few
 days continues the coasting fleet will
 soon all be on the route to the gold
 fields. The latest addition to the host of craft that will take part in the rush
 is the magnificent ocean steamer Aus
 tralia. On her arrival here February
 12 she will be withdrawn from the
 Honolulu trade and her place will be
 taken by the steamer Zealandia. The
 latter vessel will be brought down from Martinez to-day and will be fitted out for the island trade. She will have
 a refrigerating chamber put in and some minor repairs made, after which she will go out on the Australia's sail ing date.
 The Australia will be far and away the finest vessel that will carry miners to Dyea or Skaguay this winter or to St. Michael next spring. She has the best of accommodations for over 500 passengers, and being a 15-knot liner will be able to outrun anything in the trade. The chances are that her crew will be transferred to the Zealandia, anu d llCN OOdy VI LiCl VIII Dt pidCtQ on the Australia. The reason for put ting the Australia on the route instead of the Zealandia is that the Zealandia flies the Hawaiian flag and the Aus tralia has an American register
 Other vessels that are to be brought out of retirement and put in the pas senger trade are the steam whalers Karluk and Alexander. Both of them will be thoroughly overhauled and fit so ruary. The demand for tickets to Kot- zebue Sound is so great that the bark Alaska will not be able to carry all who want to go, and in consequence Captain Cogan is now negotiating for the purchase of the whaling bark Northern Light In former years the number of vessels that left here for the Arctic on whaling cruises was about twenty-five steamers and wind tanners. This year what with the rush to the Klondike and the loss of vessels in the Arctic only nine vessels all told will fit out this season. The steam whaler Thrasher, instead of going to the Arctic in search of whales, will car ry supplies to the canneries, and in her spare time will make trips to Dyea, Skaguay and St Michael
 There was to have been a meeting of the Harbor Commissioners yesterday to award the contracts for a concrete sidewalk extending the full length of the ferry depot, but owing to the fact that President Colnon and Secretary Keegan were engaged in the injunction suit in Judge Seawell's court, the meet ing was postponed until to-day. Com missioner Harney, Architect Swain, Chief Engineer Holmes and Chief Wharfinger Root were in the board rooms when a small fire broke out in the draughting department and caused considerable excitement. The fire was between the doors near the fireplace. and, none of the gentlemen named be- ing able to put it out. an alarm was turned in and the Fire Department soon had the blaze under control.
 The gasoline vessel Hercules will sail to-day for the Marshall group. She is 0 new boat built by Turner for the Jaluit Trading Company of Hamburg. and is the first vessel launched here to go at once under the German flag. Engineer Kraising has arrived here from Hamburg, and will go to the Mar shall group on the vessel Captain Dick Schwarting will take the vessel down, and he will have under him Nate Began, Steward Edwards and three sailors. Captain Schwarting has to be sent back to San Francisco by way of either China or Australia, but the com pany only guarantees to return the re- mainder of the crew to either Austra- lia, Manila or Hongkong. The Hercu- les will take down a general cargo for her owners. The last time Captain Schwarting left San Francisco for the Marshall group he was in command of the little bark John Wesley She was so old and out of date that no one ever thought she would reach her lestina- ton, but the hardy skipper got her there in safety and still lives to tell the tale.
 The tug Vigilant WAS laid m for z short time yesterday. While towing the