The San Francisco call., 1898-04-25
Cuba and KOtze bue Held Equal Sway on the
 Water Front.
The Pumping Barge Char tered by the Farmers Now
 on the Sacramento.
Smart Work Done by the Stean1e Hunnbo at Between Dyea, Skag uay
 and This Port

Cuba and Kotzebue Sound divided the attention of the public on the water --ont yesterday. Cuba was represented by the coast defense steamer Monterey, the naval battalion sloop-of-war Marion ana the cutters Grant and Corwin, while the barks Rufus l.. Wood. Alaska and Mer- maid and barkentines Catherine sudden and Jane A. Falkenburg attracted the at- tention of the gold hunters and their friends.
 On the Monterey everybody was on the Qui vive, and orders are expected hourly for the coast defense vessel to go out on a cruise The boats, save two, have been taken off the davits and either to-day or tomorrow the warship's steam launch will tow them to Mare Island. few visitors were allowed aboard during the day, but as a general rule both officers and men were too busy to make thelr friends heartily welcome.
 Very few people were allowed on board the Marion and those that did manage to reach her deck had to pass double line of sentrieS. Half way up Howard street wharf the first guard was sta toned, while the second was at the gang plank. Nearly the entire strength of the battalion was on board during the after noon, and one crew went out in the whale boat for a practice row. Captain Louis Turner is hurrying back from the north to resume his command. and on his ar rival it is expected that the Marion will be hauled out into the stream and put in commission. IL is not so very long ago since the sloop-of-war was doing duty on the Asiatic station, and she is still good for many years of sea service. N hen the Yukon River opens the Marion may be put into service to convoy the steamers that will bring the gold down from St. Michael.
 On the revenue cutters very little was being done, as the captains and officers are simply awaiting orders.
 There was d steady stream of visitors to the KoIzebue Sound boats during the day. The bark Alaska is to sail next Thursday, and nearly all of her ll0 pas sengers were down during the day. Berths We're being selected, baggage stored away and things generally got in readiness for the start
 The Jane A.. Falkenburg has been thor oughly oVerhauled and is now ready for her passengers. It will be d couple of weeks before she gets away, but her owners expect to not only beat the Alas ka. but have their men on the gold fields d week ahead Of her.
 The alterations to the Catherine Sudden are not yet completed, but judging from the present outlook they will be equal If not superior to anything that will go north. The Sudden and t-alkenburg will both take their steam launches on deck, so that when kOtzebue Sound is reached all that will be necessary will be to put the boats over the side. man and pro vision them and start up the KuDuck River In the case of the Alaska the river boat has been built in sections and will have to be put together at St. Law can begin.
 The Mermaid was also well patronized by visitors yesterday, and she and the Sudden and Falkenburg will all get away about the same time. She also Is carry ing her launches on deck, so it will be a pretty race between the three boats to see which will get her passengers first into the river. Although going into practically unknown country, still every one, of the gold hunters expects to come back a millionaire in year or so.
 The Rufus F. Wood is not going to kotzebue, but will carry passengers and freight to St. Michael. She Is one of the Alaska Yukon Companys boats and should make quick trip to the Yukon
 The brig Harriet G, another of the klondike fleet coming here from the East, arrived from New York yesterday The gold hunters on board of her call themselves the Manhattan-Alaskan Trad ing and Mining Company, and after fit ting out here they are going oa to St Michael. Fhe Harriet G took l5I days 10 come here. On January 16 she was at Montevideo, and on March she anchored off Juan Fernandez (Robinson Crusoe' s) Island instead of putting into Valpa- raiso. They replenished their water
 
 sailed again the same day. The trip up the coast was an uneventful one
 The Spreckels tug Fearless, which ar rived from Dutch Harbor Saturday night will be turned over to the United States authorities to-day. Yesterday the crew was engaged in putting the hawsers ashore and getting their belongings to- gether. Captain Glenn Randaus friends were all down to see him during the day. and they gave the clever master of the Fearless hearty welcome home
 The barge Merritt from which so much Is expected by the farmers on the Sacra- mento River, started for her destination yesterday In tow of the tug Elizabeth Sne was tried prior to the start and the compound engine on board easily pumped 2Oo00 gallons an hour. The Elizabeth will take the barge halfway up the Sacra- mento. where she will be taken in tow to J. w. Browning's ranch. As told in last Mondays Call exclusively the barge Is to be lowed from ranch to ranch and pump water from the river over the leVees Into the irrigating ditches dug by the farmers. In this way 1t is hoped to ond one.
 The Humboldt Steamship Company's fine new steamer Humboldt. which ar rived from Seattle yesterday, did remark ably well on her last round trip to Dyea ana Skaguay. Her run from Skaguay to Seattle in three days and twenty hours including the necessary anchorages. is the fastest run on record while the round trip in sixteen days and twenty hours. fn- cluding two days spent at Seattle. speaks Tor itself. Of all the vessels that are and have been engaged In the Dyea -Skaguay trade the Humboldt is probably the one that has given the most satisfaction. She will probably make two more trips 10 Skaguay and will then be put on the St. Michael run.
 Among the passengers who came down on the Humboldt was Captain E. Glenn ent, the well-known Alaskan pilot. He was formerly master of the steamer City of Kingston, but gave up his vessel as soon as the rush to Klondike began He will probably go back north on the Hum boldt.
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