The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-05
MARINE

Proclaiming her approach several
hours before arrival, by wireless, the
United States Army transport Thomas,
Captain Lyman, last evening at 9
O'Clock docked in the Naval slip, from
Manila and Nagasaki. There was a
big crowd to meet her and hundreds
aboard who scrambled to get ashore,
for the troopship, as she announced by
wireless, expects TO get away for San
] Francisco at II O'Clock this morning
and the officers and their families and
| the troops on the ship were anxious
to touch land and make the most of the
all too brief stop after the long voyage
from the Orient.
BLOCKADE ON THE GANGWAF.
There were several hundred soldiers
/ on the forward deck, packed thick
locked and there was but one gang
way and that was put up forward. The
result was that when the gangway was
ready there was a rush of soldiery
for the wharf, but officers stationed
themselves at the head of the gangway
| to take the names of those who were
getting shore liberty and to pass the
| word that all must return to the ship
+ by IL o'clock this morning, the time of
sailing Cabin passengers were there
fore stalled on the upper deck until,
an officer in authority shouted out to
| clear a gangway. Then the only thing
that could be done to clear pathway
for the cabin passengers was done, the
taking of the names Of shore-going
soldiers was dropped for a time and the
congestion relieved by rush of those
nearest the rail. After that officers
and ladies filed through.
There were scores on the wharf to
meet friends and a bunch of them
made a rush up the gangway to see
If their friends We're aboard; and there
was another blockade and it was near
Iy 10 o'clock before all who wanted to
get ashore had landed.
RUSH FOR RESTAURANTS.
In short time the uptown restau-
rants, all restaurants in fact. We're
crowded, such is the craving for shore
food after a long trip on a steamship,
particularly with troops who have to
depend on the monotony Of rations.
There was a peculiar demand for
straw berries, strawberries and cream,
and restaurant proprietors were sent
/ hustling out to the Chinese fruit
stores, just about closing. to buy out
their stocks of strawberries. One
Army officer went to a restaurant with
no less than six ladies and ordered
| strawberries and cream for seven. The
proprietor declared there We're none.
well, make an effort to get some, we
viii watt said the officer, and he
and the ladies took possession of seven
seats to wait, and their waiting was
not in vain.
800 TONS OF WATER.
| The Thomas is in a hurry to get to
the Coast and there is no necessity
of her killing time here, as much as
her passengers would like to remain
and as much as Honolulu would like
to have them. She is full UP with
Nagasaki coal, and all she had to
take on here was three hundred tons
of water, which was put aboard be-
fore daylight today.
TROOPS ABOARD THE THOMAS.
Aboard the Thomas are 127 enlisted
men, casuals, of the Army; 100 enlist
ed men, casuals, of the Navy; "a en-
listed men, casuals, of the Marine
Corps; SIG enlisted raen of the Eighth
Infantry: So officers; 15S civilians, of
the War. Navy and Insular depart
ments first and second cabin; several
miscellaneous, and altogether 1851 pas
sengers.
Louis E. Dermer died at sea on
April %. ]. E. Eklund, a mate in the
Navy, left the ship at Nagasaki.
Frank E. Green, ex-captain of volun-
teers, also left at Nagasaki.
Passengers for Honolulu were Mrs.
Custino, whose husband is a native
of Hawaii; Mrs. James Miller and
Miss Ida Vowel, an employee of the
Navy Department. There are several
here who may get transportation to
San Francisco if room can be made
for them aboard.
THE SEA sERPENT's GHOST.
A truthful account Of what some
deepwatermen on the good bark George
Curtis related as being told to them
by one of the other watch, in regard
to what had the appearance of being
and may have been a sea serpent, for
all any lubber may know, has called
forth the following saline epiStle from