The San Francisco call., 1898-06-11

to carry soldiers to Manila. Had the Con- gressman who made the charges investi- gated the matter there would never have been any outcry.
 When steamers were in demand for the Klondike trade the Pacific Coast Steam ship Company paid the Oceanic Steamship Company $500 a day for the use of the Australia The Government is paying ex- actly the same figure for the use of that vessel and her sister ship, the Zealandia. With this difference, however. The Pa cific Coast Steamship Company fitted out the Australia at its own expense for the Klondike trade, while in the case of the Government charter the owners have done considerable of the fitting out.
 Another case in point is that of the steamer Humboldt, for which $S50 a day is now being paid to carry passengers to St. Michael. For the Klondike trade the Pacific Mail Company could have got more money than the Government is now paying them for the use of their vessels; but they refused point blank to withdraw them from the regular traffic. In the case of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, 1t was actually in want of steamers in- stead of having any to spare. No price has been put on the Senator and Puebla, and the loss of those vessels will seriously interfere with its passenger trade. The loss of the Australia and Zealandia leaves
 
 steamer for the Honolulu trade, and the loss of the Picking, China, Sydney, Colon and Para will seriously interfere with the business of the Mail Company. In no instance was anything but a reason able price asked for these vessels, so that the outcry was i'll timed and without foundation.
 The Pacific Coast Steamship Company will put the steamer Queen on the Puget Sound route, and Captain Jepsen, the popular master of the City of Puebla, VII, Will take the Queens place on. the Alaska route Captain Thomas will go out. in command of the City of Puebla on her her command the Senator. Tom" James. who made himself So. popular on the Honolulu run as chief steward of the pacity on the Senator, while w. E. Curtis, who has so ably catered to the. Puget Sound travelling public. will look after the boys in blue on the City or PueoIa; been immortalized. new schooner built at Nehalem Bay for the ,coasting trade has been christened after him. In Jew @ change will chronicle the arrival or the schooner Dewey with load of lumber from Nehalem Bay.
 chartered to carry soldiers to Manila will not be put in the St. Michael trade this season. Her passengers will go north on the steamer Humboldt, which arrived vessel has some of the quickest runs of any of the Klondike fleet to her credit. She made two round trips between Seat tie and Lynn Canal in 1s days hours, in cluding all stops. She will go on the drydock to-day, and will be ready to start for St. Michael in the early part of next week.
 The Alaska Transportation Company (Swiftwater Bills venture) got out or a peck of trouble yesterday. The concern had largely advertised the steamer Aloha to sail yesterday, but as the vessel will not be ready for some time to come the managers of the company did not know what to do. The company's river steamer could be chartered to tow her to St. Michael, and the passengers began to clamor. The California-Alaska Naviga- tion Company's steamer Dirigo was to sail to-day, so the Swiftwater Bill Com pany made a deal with it by which the Dirigo. and the Aloha's. passengers will qo ,ip on her The Aloha is to get her machinery in next Wednesday, and will sail for St. Michael about the 10th inst, towing the California Alaska Navigation Company's queen of the Yukon. which was to have gone north in tow of the Dirigo. In consequence of this deal the Dirigo will not sail for St. Michael until "wednesday next.
 St Paul. Leelanaw, Humboldt, Dirigo Tijlamook. with the river steamer Ride ont in tow. and the James Eva will all get away for St. Michael with passen- gers. The real rush will not begin, how, ever, until after the first shipment or gold
 One of Captain Freese's barges sank with 180 tons of coal at the Black Point Gas Works yesterday. The barge sprang iaak during the night and sank at her