The San Francisco call., 1907-03-24
80 ClW AeAN szNVg EuT III

ehants' Exchange station. MIKE IS thu
marine disputes. Mike knows every
skipper in the world. or nearly all OF
them, and they all know Mike Mike
or his son or his lieutenant. Jimmy
Black, boards or speaks every vessel
that enters the harbor, but If I told
you for how many years he had been
doing 1t Mike might think was cast
ing reflections and without Mixes good
will half the charm OF Meiggs wharf
woula be lost so well let It so at
long time"
II anybody doubts the self-suficiency
OF this weather vanished colony let
him visit Meiggs wharf and start any
topic he may select. When he begins
20 talk Heine Benges will likely drift
along. listen. look and pass a verdict
on the quality OF the topic. Heine's
verdict will be brief and to the point;
Il may be profane. but IL it is IN
favorable the visitor would better
choose some other subject or go else
where for an audience.
With the stamp OF Heine's toleration
CHeine never really approves Of any
thing) the man from the outside may
continue and before he has talked ten
minutes. which VIII take him, on
Meiggs wharf. perhaps an hour. he
viii hnd himself among the best
informed original thinkers that ever
interrupted an expression OF ideas.
Let the speaker suggest a naval
topic. The conversation viii run
something like this:
visitor-Do you know that IN the
construction Of the battleship Oregon
they used I4s2s47s rivets?
Heine walks over TO the quarantine
steamer and peers into cabin-oh, Doc.
DR.. Drew-what IS IT. Heine?
Heine-Here's .. guy dat says dere's
1z.Szs.47s rivets in the Oregon.
Or. Drew dives into the cabin, re-
turns with an armful Of books. with
which he climbs to the wharf.
DR.. Drew-where is he? Makes me
tired to hear misstatements about our
navy. Every American citizen should
know that the Oregon's rivets number
fourteen million eight hundred and
twenty-nine thousand four hundred and
seventy-nine. Government specifca-
tions call for an odd number OF rivets.
In the British navy they always have
an even number. Russia figures hers
in fractions. Where is he, Heinee Bet
he's q foreigner. Wonder how he got
into the country All foreigners
should carry passports and wear the
brand r on their foreheads.
Visitor Gas DR.. Drew approaches):
Now. about that new japanese cruiser.
I am told
DR.. Drew-Before you go any further
I want to tell you the truth about (and
for half an hour the visitor is instruct
ed in international naval iore).
Visitor Caking advantage OF
psuse)-Now. Admiral Dewey once
"oId Man" Crowley Cbreal6ing in)-
Say. fellows. George Dewey and me
was Just like that Cgrasping one hand
with the other). I met him hrst when
he was executive
Heine-stow IT. pop. and let the
gentleman talk.
visitor-As was saying. Admiral
Dewey
Charlie Stephens, deputy collector
(waiting on the wharf 10 board a
Ilner)-I met Dewey when he came
through here. BY the way, talking
about Dewey reminds me OF what said
20 Miss Roosevelt
Heine-Now. dere's q bum. I uster
tink Teddy Rosenfelt was de real ting,
but when he champeened the Japanese
conclusion law IL was curtains for him
wild me.
DR.. Trotter Omitted States Marine
Hospital Service. on special quarantine
duty with the immigration bureau)-
Hello. Stephens How many japanese
do you expect on the Doric?
Stephens-Haven't heard. Doc.
visitor-Now. Admiral Dewey
DR.. Drew docking up from a book
he has been studying)-Here's what /
wanted TO show you. Now. IT'S q very
common mistake (and 90 on for ffteeu
minutes).
visftor-Yes. understand. doctor.
But was telling you about Admiral
Nike Fitzgerald--Thers she comes.
doctor. She'll be anchored IN ten
minutes.
Doctors board quarantine steamer.
customs ofnciais retire TO the barge
ONCE TO prepare their tape and sealing
wax, Nike and Heiney so to their re-
spective Offices TO telephone Steamer
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