The San Francisco call., 1909-02-19
French Bark Germaine Has a Narrow
Escape in Hurricane Gale
Liners President and Governor Will Soon Be
in Commission Again

The French bark Germaine, which
arrived here yesterday from Rotterdam
via Hobart, was roughly handled in
storm encountered November 2, and
narrowly escaped destruction. The
vessel emerged from that tempest,
which acquired hurricane force before
it subsided, heavily listed to starboard
and badly crippled otherwise. The
wheel had been carried away, two
boats washed overheard and extensive
damage done about the decks, to say
nothing about flooded living quarters
and a wrecked galley.
The Germaine. lopsided and steered
by a homemade wheel, was towed into
Hobart November u. Extensive re-
pairs were made, the cargo retrimmed
and December the Germaine resumed
its voyage. The run across the Pacific
was made in good time, and the yes
sci arrived here 223 days from Rotter-
dam. The Germaines cargo includes
$500 casks of cement and 1850 tons
of coke.
VIII Soon Be fn Commission
The Pacific Coast steamship COM
panys big liners President and Gov
ernor, which have been laid up tor some
time, viii soon be in commission agan,
as trade along the coast Is improving
beyond the capacity of the present Meet.
The Governor Will be brought over from
day or tomorrow and will sail from
here March l. running between San
Diego and the sound and calling at this
port both going and coming. II has not
yet been decided when the President
viii be put into service, but 1t Will be
soon.
AIbatrosx Is a Beauty
DR.. W. c. Hobby, chief quarantine
officer at this port, had the time of his
life yesterday in trying out the Alba
Ion r,1n for rrf1or m
tine work in this harbor. The Alba
tross will be used chiefly to maintain
regular communication between Angel
island and Tiburon, but there will be
The Albatross was given preliminary
trial yesterday by John Twlgg & Sons,
the builders, and DR.. Hobby spent the
day finding out If the Albatross con-
formed to the requirements of the spec
ifcations under which the boat was
built The Albatross was designed ac-
cording 10 suggestions made by Dr;
Hobby and yesterday he got his reward
for many hours of hard thinking, for
the Albatross fulfilled all his dreams.
The Albatross is the prettiest launch
on the harbor and one of the speedieSt.
II is 5S feet long, II feet in beam and
draws so inches 1t is equipped with
65 horsepower gasoline engine, can
travel at a u knot gait and cost S11,-
coo The interior is finished in mahog-
any and storage batteries supply cleo
trio light throughout.
Improves Liners Appearance
The height of the liner Alameda's
I. .smokestack has been reduced by eight
feet and the liners appearance very
much improved thereby. It was no
esthetic consideration, however, that
led to this pruning of the funnel When
the Alameda burned coal the long
smokestack insured a good draft. The
Alameda now burns oil and under the
changed fuel conditions the long stack
caused too much draft. As soon as
the liner docked Moore q Scott put a
gang of men TO work and yesterday the
superfuous eight feet of stack was
lowered to the wharf
The Alameda also is being equipped
with wireless and on the next voyage,
beginning tomorrow, daily newspaper
will be published on board containing
q summary of the worlds news, sent
from here every night by the United
wireless company.
VIII Carry Large Cargo
The Pacific Mail liner City of Para
will sail today for Panama and way
ports with full cargo and about 40
passengers. The cargo, of which there
Will be $500 tons, viii include 500 bales
Of wool for New York; 500 barrels Of
wine also for New York, and 600 tons
of -four for coast ports.
VIII Not Sail Until Sunday
The Hartman steamer Rose City,
which was scheduled TO sail tomorrow
for Portland, win not sail until Sunday
at II o'clock a. m The Rose City was
placed on the drydock and there it was
discovered that one of the propeller
blades was badly twisted as the result
of striking log in the Columbia river.
In order to make the repairs it was
found necessary TO postpone the steam
er's departure.
Sugar Ship in Heavy Weather
The schooner Helene, Captain Thom-
from Honolulu, with 25,616 bags of
sugar, fought gales all the way from
the island port. They came from the
southeast. southwest and east and kept
things wet and miserable on the Helene
for three weeks. The loss OF the
spanker during one gale was the only
damage suffered by the schooner.
shippers Are Suspended
D. Scroggins. pilot in charge of the
steamer Valletta, and c.. Fouratt, pilot
in charge of the steamer Modoc, were
both held responsible by the local in
spectors OF hulls and boilers, o. F.
Bolles and J. X Bulger for the colli--
sion of their vessels which occurred
during q fog on the Sacramento river
December 13 last. Scroggins was held
negligent in not stopping his engines
Fouratt in backing his vessel across
the channel. Both shippers were sus-
pended for five days.
ExOnerate Tug Captains
According to the report of the inves-
tigating board which has reached here
from Juneau, Alaska, the charges of
cowardice and incompetency. made by
Captain Nicholas Wagner of the i'll
fated Star of Bengal against Patrick
Hamilton and Edward Farrar OF the
tugs Kyak and Hattie Gage have been
dismissed and the officers exonerated.
The investigation of the tug captains
grew outs of the inquiry held here by
the local inspectors, following the loss
of the Star of Bengal with more than
100 passengers and crew. Captain
Wagner charged Hamilton and Farrar
with rdiPp In having deserted ha
vessel when she was powerless to help
herself The tug captains admitted
that they were in no immediate danger
and could have stood by until morning,
but that they cut hawser and left the
ship.
These admissions caused a tempo
rary stay in the examination of Cap
tain Wagner and ended in the inYesti-
cation in Seattle and Juneau
The examination of Captain Wagner
is still pending. The Investigations
here showed Captain Wagner in a ia
vorable light.
All the vessels belonged to the
Alaska nackarS' associations