The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-11
FRANKS OF THE
]. WIND ON THE
WATER FRONT
Freight Steamers Had
Narrow Escapes.
~
SEVERAL VESSELS OVERDUE
WIND TOOK CHARGE OF SHIPS
. IN OAKLAND CREEK.
Modoc From Sacramento and Herald
From Vallejo Had to Seek
Refuge-City of Dawson
Broke Adrift.
SEVERAL VESSELS OVERDUE
WIND TOOK CHARGE OF SHIPS
IN OAKLAND CREEK.

-. The storm did not do as much damage
on the front as was expected. 1t blew
hard enough. but it did not keep up from
. any one quarter for any length of time
and when blowing it's hardest It came
<rom the south-southwest-a wind that
does not expose the shipping to very much
danger. At 8 a. m. il was blowing six
teen miles an hour at Point Lobos. At g
a: m It had increased TO twenty-four
miles an hour from the southeast, and at
noon It was back to the south and piping
along at forty-four miles an hour About
this time the bar began 10 get rough and
when az o. m. the wind chopped around
Il the s0uth-SOuthweSt and blew sixty
miles an hour. the pilot boats took shell
Ter under the Farallons.
AT Point Reyes the wind blew steadily
Erom the southeast at the rate Of thirty
miles an hour.
The British ships Norma and King Da-
vld are getting the full benefit of the
storm. They left here last Monday for
Portland in ballast and should run up
before the gale at railroad speed. Cap
tain Jones Of the King David will make
sure that he does not get past the Column
bia River on this occasion. Last year he
went out in a soUtheaster and was car
rjed so far north that it took him seven
weeks TO beat back 20 Astoria.
seattle.
" ashteDaw from Tacoma, ProgresO from
. Seattle. C0Quille River from Tillamook and
Barbara Hernster from COquille were
scheduled 10 arrive yesterday, but have
probably been delayed by the storm. The
arrival of the COQuille River at Tillamook
has not been ChrDniCled and the chances
are that she and the Barbara Hernster
are. bar bound. The Colon, from Panama
and way ports, was due last Monday, but
the storm should have helped her along.
She VIII probably get in to-day.
The. Southern Pacific TWO freight
steamers, Transit and Thoroughfare, had
a lively time Of it in the storm. The
Transit got across the bay from this side
all right, but when she was half way be-
tween the lighthouse at the entrance to
Oakland Creek and her own slip she went
on.the rocks. The tug Sea Queen was sent
10 her assistance and put a haWser
aboard. When the strain came the haw-
ser parted and portion Of it got into the
.. tugs propeller, disabling her. The black
stack tug Alert was passing at the time
planned his prediCament. On his return
trip Captain SlOVfCh went to the Queen s
assistance and towed her to place of
SAFETY: he Ihen made fast 70 the Tran
sit and pulled her off. The big freight
boat then got under way and proceeded to
her slip.
p The Thoroughfare got into trouble on
this side She was laden down with box
GERS Of merchandise and coal After
leaving the Lombard street slip a squall
struck her ana she heeled over so far
that seven OF the bOxCars CapsiZed and
dumped the merchandise into the star
board scuppers. The captain made up his
mind TO return TO the slip, as he was
afraid another squat might capsiZe the
vessel In order 10 do this the pin hold
ing the forward rudder in place had TO be
taken out and the one for the after rud-
der replaced. It was a dangerous job, as
the waves were breaking over the vessel
and the boxes Of merchandise were roll
ing about in all directions. A life pre-
server was placed around one of the crew
and with lie line attached TO him he
made his way forward and pulled out the
pin that kept the rudder from working.
He then went aft and made that rudder
fast, after which the vessel was steered
into the slip again. Both the Transit and
T.OrOughfare made trips after their acct
dents
The ship Wachusett. which drifted
down on the Western Union cable during
the night, was finally removed TO a place
Of safety by the tug Sea King yesterday
afternoon. The captain was satisfied 10
remain where he was, as the cable gave
him good holding ground, but the tele-
The anchor and chain were playing the
mischief with the cable, so the Western
o. Union paid for tug TO move the vessel.
The waves played havoc with Spear
street. Some time ago the city filed Ii in
as far as Bryant and made a passable
roadway out Of what had been a death
. trap Yesterday the waves got TO work
. IL fell into the bay until Osmer's saloon
. was left without the pale, and planks had
TO be put down 10 enable thirsty souls 10
get 4 drink.
The steamers Herald and Modoc were
late IN getting down the river yesterday
During the heaviest of the gale the Mo
doc took shelter behind Mare Island