The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-05
Wonderful Runs of the
Clipper Bark.
COMMITTEE OF ASSEMBLY
MADE A TOUR OF THE FRONT ON
THE STATE TUG.
Scrapiron Being Shipped to Italy-A
Schooner Load Of Wine for
Manila-New Vessel
for Coast Trade.

Captain Johnson Of the Hawaiian bark
Roderick Dhu played in hard luck during
this last voyage. When five days out from
Hilo the vessel was within 900 miles of San
Francisco, and Captain Johnson was fig
uring on beating all previous records.
The wind then turned contrary, and for
four days not even q fair days run was
made. Then the hoped for change took
place, but instead of the breeze coming
from the south it blew from the north
west and 1t took three more days for the
Roderick Dhu to make port.
The first day out from Hilo the clipper
ran 245 miles. Next day the wind held
good, and when the run was figured out
it was found the bark had logged 260
miles. All the morning of the third day
Captain Johnson rubbed his hands to-
gether and felt at peace with all the world
as he looked over the side and watched
his ship glide through the water. During
that twenty-four hours the Roderick Dhu
covered 290 nautical miles. The fourth
day the run was 275 miles and the fifth
200 miles. The latter figure was only
reached once during the remainder of the
voyage.
Even as it is, the run of the Roderick
Dhu is the best that has been made for
long time. The schooner Esther Buhne,
that got in from Honolulu yesterday, was
twenty-three days on the way, while the
fast brig Consuelo is now out fifteen days.
The schooner Aloha and the barkentlne
Archer took twenty-one days, while the
bark Mohican and barkentne Planter
each took twenty days to come from the
islands. So, all in all, Captain Johnson
has not much cause for complaint. The
Roderick Dhu brought from Hilo nine
cabin passengers and $1,000 bags of sugar.
The Assembly Committee on the San
Francisco Water Front came down from
Sacramento last Friday night, and went
around the baV the State tug Gov
ernor Markham yesterday. Those who
went were: Knowland (chairman), De-
vote, Brooke, Sullivan, Hanley, Conrey
and Merritt, Harbor Commissioners Col
non and Harvey and Rudolph Herold Jr.
The wharves and docks were inspected
and the proposed extension of the seawall
south to the Mail dock was discussed.
The Commissioners pointed out the ur-
gent necessity for more dockage factli-
ties, and the Assemblymen were all of the
opinion that the proposed extension
After the wharves had been examined,
the Markham was run up as far as Hunt
ers Point, during which time refreshments
were served. To-day the Assemblymen
a cruise outside the heads on the pilot
boat Bonita.
1t is not SO many years ago that scrap
iron was in great demand in San Fran
cisco, and vessels from Bombay and Cal
cutta came here with loads of old rails
and scraps. Things have changed, how
ever since the rolling Hills CtOSeG uOWu,
and now there is an accumulation of over
5000 tons of the stuff. 1t has to be got rid
of somehow, so G. w. McNear has char
tered the Italian bark Cavaliere Ciampa,
and she will take q load of the stuff to
Genoa, Italy. The charter price is q
shillings and pence ton, and If possible
another vessel will be secured at the same
rate to take the remainder of the load.
Labor is cheap in Italy, so the old rails
and scraps can be worked up in the foun-
dries there, while the San Francisco con-
Germs cannot pay a living wage and han
die the stuff
Captain Charles Nelson is having built
at Bendixsen's yards in Eureka a fine
new four-masted schooner of about $50
tons She will be 165 feet on the keel, 80
feet beam and 10 feet II inches deep.
The little schooner Bessie E. Stevens
is ready to sail for Manila with cargo
of California wine. She is 46 feet inches
deep. She has one deck and two masts.
and Captain B. Havner says he expects
her to make fast run to the Philippines.
The Stevens will carry crew of five,
besides the captain, and they all say they
would lust as soon sail in the little
schooner as in a full-rigged ship.
Chief Engineer Neman Of the steamer
Australia has a magnificent mastiff at his
home in Berkeley, for which he would like
to find an owner. The animal attached
itself to the genial engineer on the
the mastiff was on hand to superintend.
When Nieman started across the bay the
dog followed, and the chief tried to lose
him in the crowd, but when he reached
the deck of the steamer the dog was there
waiting for him. The animal has de-
veloped magnificent appetite, and the
sooner the owner turns up the better will
Chief Nieman be pleased
Chief officer McEwen of the Peru, is a
very sick man. and Will not be able to
go out on the vessels next voyage to
Panama. He has been succeeded by Chief
Officer Russ, formerly of the San Juan,
but latterly assistant teacher in Taylors
school of navigation.