The San Francisco call., 1908-08-14
Shipping News and Gossip
of the Water Front
Underwriters Are Anxious for the
Safety of the Steamer Aeon

about the British steamer Aeon, which
was placed on the overdue list yester-
day and quoted for reinsurance at Is
per cent. The Aeon left this port July
6 for Sydney via Apia and New Zea-
land and under ordinary circumstances
should have been at Sydney by this
time. The vessel has not been heard
Of since leaving here
The Aeon is one of the British tramps
that have been running between this
port and the Antipodes since the
Oceanic steamship company discon-
tinued its Australasian service In ad-
dition TO a cargo of general merchan-
disc the Aeon carried II passengers.
The ships papers on file at the custom
house do not show the presence on
board OF these passengers as such.
They paid 500 apiece for their pas
sage and signed the ships articles as
members Of the crew.
The Aeon is a steel, single screw
steamer of 2,75s tons net and was built
in 1905 at Newcastle, Eng.
Fog for IS Days
For 16 Of the 19 days occupied in the
passage from MoJi the Standard oil
company's steamship Ashtabula, which
arrived here yesterday. was navigated
through q fog so dense that for all
that time It was impossible TO take a
sight. Making a trans-Pacific voyage
by dead reckoning and emerging from
the mists in the vicinity of the Light
ship is practical mathematics Of a high
order and a problem that the Asata-
bula ofhcers worked out TO a ships
length.
On the last two days of the voyage
heaxy weather was encountered ana
on Wednesday night the steering gear
carried away. A new length of chain
was substituted for the one containing
the faithless link and after delay OF
about three hours the big tanker pro-
ceeded- The Ashtabula brought no
cargo.
Chief Officer W. Read Of the Ashta-
bula was detached upon the vessels
arrival here and ordered TO the Win
neDago as master. He relieves Captain
Mcdonald, who is going to England on
q vacation George Hudson succeeds
Read as chief officer Of the Ashtabula.
Bids Opened, But No Action Taken
There was no meeting of the harbor
commissioners yesterday, owing TO the
absence, on account of his Wife's i'll
ness, Of President Stafford Commits
sioner Croker is in Europe, so Com
missioner Dennison, who was there but
could not by himself form a quorum,
declared recess until next Monday.
Before the adjournment however the
bids for furnishing material and paving
East street in the vicinity Of piers 42
and A and parts of Berry and King
streets were opened This work when
completed, viii connect the new Pacific
Mail wharves with the city Six bids
Tor SZS,S40-25, submitted by the Blan-
chard-Brown company.
Thinks the Whitehall Boat Better
Nike Fitzgerald, who for the last so
years has kept tab on the going and
coming Of shipping for the merchants
exchange, returned Yesterday TO his
post at Meiggs wharf after two
weeks automobile tour through So
noma county. Mike enjoyed his vaca-
ton, but is not greatly taken with
motoring as a steady occupation.
Automobiles are all right" he said,
and l had fine time, but give me a
whitehall boat with Jimmy Black for
ballast and Pete Whalen TO keep the
sail full and the fellows that prefer
dust to spray may have all the auto
mobiles"
Damage to Ouessant's Engines
Details were received yesterday of
the damage TO the machinery of the
French steamer Ouessant, previously re-
ported at Perrin in distress The CUES
SAINT was bound from Havre for this
port The record of damage reads like
one Of AssiA ant Surgeon Beasley's
diagnoses. Here il is: Auxiliary
pumps broken, slide valve rods broken,
starboard engine disabled. high pres
sure crank pin brasses broken or de-
fective and piston rod guide shoes
broken.
No explanation is furnished as to
how IL all happened.
Log Raft Comes to Grief
One Oh the log raItS waiting IN the
Columbia river to be towed to San
Diego by the tug Dauntless broke
adrift last night from FIavels wharf,
damaged the wharf at Fort Stevens
and went ashore. The raft, which is
strongly constructed. is holding to-
gether and probably will be floated un-
harmed.
Sue Owners of Cacique
Suit to recover s3,3O5.22 from the New
York and Pacific steamship company,
owners Of the steamship Cacique, was
trict court by the Moore & Scott iron
works. The suit is brought TO recover
an alleged balance due for repairs made
TO the steamer by the local company.
Drowned at Eureka
Word was received yesterday of the
death by drowning at Eureka of W. T.
Madsen, second officer OF the steam
schooner Tamalpais- The body was re-
covered and VIII be brought here for
Madsen, master Of the steamship Samoa
Water Front Notes
The tanker Santa Rita, Captain Cur
this port.
The liner Asia, Captain Harry eau
kroger. sailed yesterday from Yoko-
hama for this port
The liner Korea, Captain Andrew
Dixon, outward bound, arrived August
y at Yokohama.
Receipts of lumber yesterday by sea
amounted to 1,475, 900 feet
The army transport Crook will sail
September 10 for Manila. The Crook
will remain in the Philippines in the
interisland service, relieving the War
ren. which will come home for a gen.
eral oyerhauling.