The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-22

L
furlough. 1t was understood that he
was in high favor with the national au-
thorities for his service in connection
With the Arizona and it is understood
that his good offices were solicited to
secure a second charter for the Morgan
City.
Soon after the arrival of Captain
Barnston the Morgan City was again
chartered by the Federal Government.
This time the vessel was to be used
solely as supply ship. 1t was agreed
that the vessel should carry supplies
from this port to Manila at $12 so ton,
ships option weight or measurement.
This contract was made notwithstand-
ing the fact that a lower bid had been
made.
1t was announced that the Morgan
City would receive freight about De-
cember % last at Folsom-stree wharf.
The vessel was not then at the dock
and did not arrive there until January
2, early in the morning. Supplies for
the troops at Manila arrived, however,
and were placed on the wharf in readi-
ness for the coming of the ship. Among
these supplies We're $50 crates Of bacon
from Swift & Co. of Chicago.
This enormous quantity of bacon ar
rived at the Southern Pacific depot in
a reasonably protected condition. An
order was at once given that 1t be con-
veyed to the Folsom street wharf. On
January l the bacon was carried from
the Southern Pacific freight sheds to
the Folsom-street wharf in drays of the
Morton Delivery Company.
One of the severest storms of the
season was in progress at the time.
The consignment of bacon was carried
TO its destination in drenching rain.
The drays were uncovered and the ba-
con necessarily was soaked with water.
A protest was made, but it counted for
nothing. The receipts of the delivery
company show that the crates Of ba-
con were received in the midst of the
storm at the wharf
On the following day the Morgan
City, which had been in the stream,
locked at Folsom street wharf, and the
task of loading her began. The con-
signment of bacon, wet and dangerous
to other supplies in the ship, was
placed in the hold. Enormous quaint
ties Of flour and other provisions were
with conditions at the tropics insisted
that the damaged bacon should not be
shipped. 1t was argued that as soon as
the ship reached the tropics the bacon
would begin to steam and would not
only become worthless. but would de-
stroy the other provisions in the hold.
| The warning was unheeded and the
its conclusion.
1t is claimed now that the Morgan
City will convey to the Philippines moth
ing that will be of value to the United
States troops. The damaged bacon, it
! is asserted, will be worthless itself and
will destroy the other supplies. A pro-
test has been made to the Commissary
/ Department of the United States Gov
! eminent, but no reply has been given
CT in &c n1-dn nd will coil
| when commanded.
On Saturday, January Z, the Morgan
! City was loaded, the matches were down
and the ship was ready to sail. Then
came the unexpected announcement
! that the vessel should remain in port
until the Scandal should sail. The
! Scandal has been chartered as a troop
ship and at the very earliest will not be
ready to sail until the 25th inst. The
Morgan City, however. must wait in
! order that she may carry the families
of the soldiers that will go to the Phil
ippines on the Scandal. Thousands of
dollars have already been squandered
by the national Government in delaying
the Morgan City and thousands more
will be wasted before the vessel sails.
When the order came to hold the
Morgan City in port the announce
| ment was also made that the conditions
under which the ship had been char
tered had been changed. The shippers
were commanded to take no more
cargo, to wait for the families of the
soldiers and to prepare proper quarters
for the prospective passengers. 1t was
then announced that the ship had been
chartered at $500 a day instead of be-
ing secured upon the basis Of tonnage
capacity. The original charter had
been for $12 so a ton. The second char
ter made a tremendous difference in
cost to the disadvantage of the Gov
eminent A comparison of figures will
demonstrate this fact.
AS already indicated, the Morgan
City was chartered as a supply shin
upon tonnage basis, the Government
agreeing to pay S12 so a ton for freight,
At a very liberal estimate the CAPACITY
Of the Morgan City is $500 tons, which,
at s12 so a ton, would have netted
$31 ,250. 1t is perhaps interesting to
know that the owners of the vessel
under the conditions which have now
been fixed, will net S67 200 for the jour
ney of the vessel to Manila.
This sum as matter of course in
cludes the expense of the delay in this
port, the cost Of loading and unloading,
the tariff Of the journey and the price
of stevedores. The Government of the
United States has deliberately cheated
itself out of $4,000 and local shippers
are wondering why The matter has
occasioned considerable gossip and dis
cussion, but the Morgan City is still
at Folsom wharf and the expense of
her charter still continues