The San Francisco call., 1907-01-06


spent the day watching the
shore.
The Government not only
called the revenue cutters
into service, but set all the
wireless telegraph machin-
cry on the coast in opera
ton and sent word to the
airship to hold themselves III
readiness for emergency Or
ders. The wireless operat-
ors at Goat Island, Mount
Tamalpais and the Faral-
lones sought all day to get
in touch with points further
south. The City of Panama
is not equipped with wireless
apparatus.
Friends of the passengers
and citizens generally in San
Francisco spent an anxious
day yesterday. The news
paper, telegraph and steam
ship offices were eagerly
sought for news of the ship,
but the reports were con-
flicting and uncertain. One
early message from Santa
Cruz stated that a vessel
had been sighted on the
rocks off Pigeon Point. This
was later denied. A sub
sequent telegraph message
was to the effect that a YES
sci could be seen far out at
sea battling with the storm.
This also was denied later.
The officials of the Pacific
Mail Company believe that
their liner and the 10 per-
sons on board her are safe,
and that she will put i'll an
appearance at Mazatlan to-
day or tomorrow. She left
4 San Francisco December 81
4 for Ancon, on the isthnus
lof Panama, and is about
due at Mazatlan. The Pa
tlcifie Mail officials base their
! confidence on the report
made yesterday by Captain
Fenlon, master of the Stan
dard Oil Conpany's steamer
Maverick. The Maverick
arrived here January 2, and
yesterday, when the report
was made public of the find
ing of life RATS from the
City of Panama. Captain
Fenlon fastened to the Mer-
chants Exchange and there reported
that at o'clock on the afternoon of
January / he had met the City OF
Panama off Point Sur. considerably to
the southward of where the RATS
are said TO have been found.
Captain Fenlon does not remember
that the little liner showed any signs
of having been in trouble, and before
passing beyond signaling distance the
steamers exchanged Happy New Year
greetings.
The City OF Panama's life RATS were
carried on the awning deck aft" said
General Manager r. p. Schwerin yes
terday, "and IL she was rolling badly
or II she shipped sea there II is easy
TO understand how the RATS might
have carried away and slid overheard.
The fact that the RATS were pro-
visioned and equipped with oars, boat
hooks and other paraphernalia signifies
nothing beyond the fact that the Pacific
Nail Company keeps its RATS ready for
instant service in accordance with the
law governing the running OF steam
vessels. That the RATS were found
am prepared TO believe, but no subse-
quent report has shaken my faith In
the vessels safety We believe that
the City of Panama Is all right. and
that Monday night or Tuesday morning
will see her at Mazatlan."
Schwerin's faith Is not shared by
everybody i'm the Pacific Mail service
and more than one of Schwerin's sub
ordinates. fully as competent to judge
as sehwerin, think the vessel has been
lost.
The City of Panama is the smallest
and one of the most ancient of the
ships of the Hartman navy. She has a
bad name among seafaring men and
more than one OF her officers has quit
the Pacific Mail service rather than
make another voyage in the City of
Panama
Those who believe the vessel lost
point to the probability that the sea
that carried away the life RATS also
swept from the deck some of the after
houses and. instead of running over
board through open rail and scuppers,
poured into the engine room, which. on
the City of Panama, is practically wide
open at the top. Under the most favor
able conditions the City OF Panama is
heavy roller. Once upon time, in the
days of her youth. when Captain Sea-
bury was her master, the City of Pan