The San Francisco call., 1898-06-30
Carrier Pigeon Brought a Message From 1t.
WILL ARRIVE ON SATURDAY
STEAMER OREGON CoLLIDEs
 WITH CENTENNIAL.
Much Dissatisfaction Among the Pas sengers of the Dirigo Over the Long Delay in Getting the
 Steamer Away.

The big raft which left the Columbia River on the 24th inst. is slowly making its way down the coast. When two days ont it was sighted by ne steamer Ore gon about twenty miles northeast or Ya- uuina Head, comng along at the rate or about two miles an hour. The DarKehtlne Gardiner City, which arrived yesterday from Grays Harbor brought in a carrier pigeon which had been released from one of the tugs having the raft in tow. The bird was evidently intended to return to Astoria with a message to the owners or the raft but UOt lost and settled on the yard arm of the barkenttne.
 Captain Palmgren of the Gardiner City said yesterday: "On the 26th inst, at s D. m.. in latitude 43 deg. 54 min. north, longitude 125 deg. S7 min. west, a pigeon flew on board. It had a ring on It's leg marked "R U a 35' and a paper under It's wing containing the following writing: .Tpne 96 q. m-11O miles south of Columbia River; p miles off shore; speed miles; noItha rt east wind; quite a sea running; raft riding ike
 duck; everything k Kadt VII VII af sute1y y,ne 1 rive all right l am haNlns Ae4A G1 S stS' Sick all the time A-''
 The Gardiner City was about fifty seven miles off Cape Perpetua, so the pigeon in twelve hours must have hoWn about siXty-three miles in south Soutn- essterIy direction. As the bird was very tired the chances are that 1t covered four times that distance while 1t was on the "5rI5 The raft contains 5,25o,GOO feet of lumber and is in tow of the tugs Rescue ana Monarch. According to the message brought by the pigeon 1t IS only makitIs three knots an hour, so 1t Will propaoIy be Saturday before it arrives here.
 The British +,a shtP swanhilGa M Tes9eTday tgFiSSa affer q passage of seventy-one days. She has beaten the American bark General Fairchild, now out seventy-three oaysi British ship Eulomene, elghty-tWo 9ays, and Ardencraig, eighty-fve days, ana the bars Gladvs ninety-eight days. Captain Fraser and ship did not attract as much attnetion on this occasion as they dld on their arrival a year ago. That tlnle NUT Jarer Butler was one of her crew, and ,,olicemen and newspaper men were out in dozens and aboard the VesseI Iohs pc, De fore the anchor was droPpede SInce ,,neI n1iei Butler has paid the penalty or ms crimes, while the Swanhilda has been over lo England with wheat, to Australia With ,.a a general cargo, and back 5ere a agaim sins Wtoe sbe will again load wheat for Europe;
 The new coasting steamer Newburg was launched from the Fulton Iron WorKS last Tuesday night: ana %aS +o be tit+eI ont She is called after the sawmill or that name in Humboldt County, ana IS 15S feet long, 34 feet beam ana n,,t m tes9 sso O00 feet of lumber. Captain l.. Hansen viii command her, and Tom Houston will be the chief engineer. ,uo h,,,,.
 The new steamer Brunswick, also oullt for the coasting trade, was out on ner trial trip yesterday and proved herSeIt 10 be a fast and comfortable boat. BeIofe going into the lumber trade the oruH wick will make a couple of trips to St. Michael with gold hunters. In order 10 fit her for that purpose her cabin mas been built up and accommodation pro- Tided for over a hundred passengers.
 The lighthouse launch Hazel came to grief yesterday. As she was staruns TOT Goat island about p. m. her steam Whls- tIe broke and the little craft kept up q continuous screech until the steam in the boiler was exhausted. It took several hours to repair damages and get the Ha- zel ready to proceed on her way to the lighthouse station.
 One of Max Peppers mail wagons ran amuck on the water front yesterday Mays contract expires on the 1st of the month and the horse, thinking It would De out of a jOb did its best to commit sul- eide. It started on wild run for the ferries and getting among the posts that are placed in rows to protect passengers tore two of them down and continued on its way. People scattered in all direc- fions and the screaming and shouting only added fresh Zest to the horses exerttons. It turned in on one of the ferry slips Just as the steamer Garden City was coming and in a frantic effort to stop the horso went down and the wagon turned over on its side Neither horse nor vehicle will be used again on the water front for some time to come.
 After many delays which have caused q great deal of hard feeling among the pas sengers, the steamer Dirigo will at last get away to-day. For over week the gold hunters who are going north on her have been camping on the wharf await ing her sailing, but they, were put on from day to day until patience ceased to be a virtue and all kinds of profanity broke forth. Captain Hall answered Ques- tions until he got tired and then went, up town for a rest. The whole trouble has been over the river steamer City of Daw- son which the Dirigo was to tow to St. Michael. The vessel Is claimed by Birch 6, Co., the builders, while the people for whom she was built say they have paid all they owe on the craft. Should the matter not drift into the courts the Dirigo will start at D. m. to-day with the steamer Alviso in tow.
 The barkentine Tropic Bird arrived from Tahiti yesterday with three passengers. She is fl days from Papeete and Captain Jackson says it is the longest passage but one he has ever made in the vessel. It was due to light winds and calms. When the Tropic Bird was in Papeete the news arrived there that Spain had sued for peace and the war was over. The vessel Is supposed, to sail on July l with the French mail for Tahiti, but 1t will proo- ably be the 5th or 9th before she gets
 owing to the falling off in the Alaska trade the Alaska-Yukon Transportation Company has no use for the steamer Ex. celsior. The vessel has accordingly been returned to the Pacific Steam Whaling COupdLy anu VIII DS pldCeQ On the mall route between Unalaska and Sitka.
 The steamer Oregon, while trying to dock at Folsom street wharf yesterday. was caught by wind and tide and ran into the steamer Centennial. The latter was not very much damaged, but the Oregon sprung one of the plates below the main deck and will have to undergo repairs be- fore she can sail again.
 
 Celebrate the Fourth with California fireworks Buy, direct from makers. Cal ifornia Fireworks Co.,. 219 Front st.