The San Francisco call., 1908-10-04
Shipping News and Gossip
Of the Water Front
British Bark Simla on Fire at Acapulco and
IS Expected to Become Total Loss

The big British bark Simla is at Aca-
puleo. being slowly destroyed by fire
and the crew, unable to quench the
flames. are standing by. waiting for the
end. News Of the Simla's predicament
was brought here yesterday by the
Pacific Mail liner Newport. When the
Newport left Acapulco haze of smoke
enveloped the doomed windjammer
whose lopsided mizzenmast and warped
decks told of the progress of the fire
that was gradually eating into the YES
sells vitals.
The Simla left Cardin December 1e
with cargo Of coal for Acapulco. iii
luck overlook the ship in the Atlantic
where the vessels master. Captain Cas-
son. was stricken with paralysis. The
Simla put into Port Stanley. Falkland
islands. and waited there until Captain
T. Nixon arrived from England to take
command
The vessel arrived at Acapulco
August u. with its cargo apparently in
good condition Suddenly, when about
l.e00 tons Of coal-ha been discharged
the balance of the cargo took fire.
Captain Nixon was ashore at the time
attending a garden party. He secured
the services of a little water boat, the
only fioating fire fghter available, and
FASTENED to his ship.
Pumping was stopped before the fire
had been eXtinguished, as Captain
Nixon feared that any more water in
the hold might cause his vessel to cap
size. Everything was battened down
and the crew took a truce and waited
for the fire to die for lack of air
When the Newport left the fire was
still very much alive. Captain Nixon
had given up hope of saving his ship
and was broken hearted The officers
of the Newport say that Captain
NiNon's efforts to save the Simla were
handicapped by the mutinous conduct
Of the crew, several members of which
We're in Jail at the Mexican port
The Simla is a four masted bark OF
2.214 tons register and is owned in
Liverpool. IT was built in 1890 at Port
Glasgow and has been a frequent Wis
itor at this port. The Simla narrowly
escaped destruction by fire at Port
Blakeley March :. 1904. when con-
fiagration in the fore hold damaged the
vessel 10 the extent of $4,000.
Newport Encounters Heavy Blow
The Pacific Mail liner Newport, Cap
tain Russell which arrived yesterday
from Panama and way ports, left Aca-
pulco at noon September %, the day
that port was visited, according to a
dispatch received here from Mexico
four deaths on board a Kosmos line
steamer. OF the earthquake or any
other unusual phenomena the New
ports officers neither saw. felt nor
heard anything, and there was no Kos
mos liner at Acapulco when the New
port left the Mexican port.
During the last few days of its pass
age the Newport experienced very
heavy northerlY weather The decks
were swept repeatedly by seas, but the
steamer suffered no damage. In spite
of the gale the Newport made the run
from Mazatlan in less than six days
The Newport brought $40 tons OF
cargo and % passengers, of whom II
We're Asiatics. The liner also brought
treasure valued at S10S,50S. More than
half Of this treasure was gold from
the Buffers mine in Salvador. The
Newport's passengers included: n
Pease and wife. J. Nelson and wife and
J. Shields.
Is Bringing Mammoth Cargo
Tie Pacific Mail liner Manehuria.
Whlch left Hongkong September 90 for
this port is bringing 1000 tons of
freight This is practically a full load
for the big steamship. The reason for
this mammoth cargo is that the Man
churla viii be the last trans Pacific
liner which will bring freight under
the old tariff arrangements whereby
Shippers were granted special transcOn- =
Ilnental railroad rates IS an induce
ment for their trans-Pacific trade.
The interstate commerce commission
has changed all that. and when the
new ruling goes into effect trans-Pa-
cihc lines running in connection with
transcontinental railroads viii not be
allowed to attract trade by modifica-
ttons in the freight charges
For Pearl Harbor Defenses
The Matson. navigation company
steamer Hilonian is to be laid up on
It's arrival here for q general overhaul
ing and its place will be taken by the
new steamer Luriine, which is sched-
uled TO leave here for Honolulu Octo-
Der p. The Lurline's cargo Will in
clude two great gun carriages for Pearl
harbor. These carriages and their at
tachments weigh 42S tons and are on
the way from South Bethlehem in 2C
freight ears.
VIII Carry Rifles TO Manila
Piled on the Pacific Mail wharf is a
large shipment OF rifles, which will be
sent 10 Manila on the Japanese liner
America Maru, which is due this week
from the orient. Only the smaller ot
the oriental liners running from this
port visit Manila, and to save trans
shipment on the other side the rifles
viii wait for the America Maru instead
OF going forward on the Korea.
Steamer Badly Damaged
The steamer Bandon, which sailed
Yesterday from Tillamook for this port
struck the bar there heavily and pui
back in sore distress. The water leaked
in to such an extent that the fires
were eNtinguished. The coaster now
lies on the mud fats, half filled with
water.
Water Front Notes
The Russian steamer Sungari sailed
yesterday for sydney by way OF
Eureka
Receipts OF lumber yesterday by sea
amounted to 1.100 600 feet.
Barkentine Irmgard Captain Chris
tiansen, cleared yesterday for Honolulu
The freighter Neyadan left Salina
cruz Friday for this port by way OF
Steamer Humboldt, which went
ashore q few days ago and was floated
arrived yesterday at Seattle
The army transport Burnside arrived
yesterday at Seattle from Alaska