The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-11


Gus, although less of a strain on the
nerves. 1t was the steering gear that
caused all the trouble this time. The
Ashtabula came into port with the
most marvellous steering gear that the
ingenuity. OF sailormen ever devised.
incidentally it was effective.
The Ashtabula left Taku April II.
The weather was bad from the first,
but on April 20 the tempest became so
slow down the engines and distribute
oil over the sides of the ship 10 break
the force of the waves. AT 8 a. m. the
following day, the tempest still raging,
the fanges on one side of the steam
steering gear bust into pieces. The
nan hand s5eee ,riag gear was brought into
his men tackled the job of repairing
the steering engine. They worked
steadily for Sc hours before the steam
gear could be used again.
There was another gale April 26 and
at its height the f1anges on the other
side of the steam steering machine
few into pieces Before the second
break was repaired the, hand gear went
out of commission, the crosshead bolts
that connected the heavy quadrant with
the steering mechanism being cut
clear through This left the ship at
the mercy OF the storm.
When Captain Harding and chief
Engineer Joseph +. Play rushed aft to
lnVeSfi gate the Ashtahgia's latest grief
they found the big quadrant flashing
about like mighty frail. At risk Of
lite and limb and after many failures
the quadrant was lassoed and gradual
~ brought under control. The Ashta
bula's steel wire hawser was then cut
IN Two and part dashed with chains
to each side of the quadrant NThe haw-
ser was then made fast to the steering
chains and led forward to the steam
winch by means of which the AShta-
buIa Was Steered for the last 400 miles
OF its voyage. For the guidance of
the steersman a compass was installed
IN beef barrel, which was dashed on
the main deck in front of the winch
lust inside the lghtship the Ashta
bula almost ran into a whale which
was being battered to death by a
thrasher. The Swordfish underneath
was keeping the whale on the surface
and when the Ashtabula went by. the
whale, said Captain Harding. was al
most ready TO take the count
Hartman Line to BE Extended South
According TO dispatches from Port
land, r. p Scllwerin, vice president and
general manager of the San Francisco
and Portland steamship company. has
announced his Intention of extending
the>run of his Portland steamers a s far
south as San Pedro, calling at this
port going and coming. The new serv-
Ice will be inaugurated when the
from Portland is ready for service
The Beaver, a new vessel, is coming
here TO be converted into an oil burner
Schwerin, who is now In Portland, went
north on the Bear, which left here
last Saturday on its maiden trip Ac-
cording to Schwerin's announcement,
the Bear, Beaver and Rose City will
contribute a five day service between
San Pedro, San Francisco and Portland
This will bring the Hartman ships in
competition, south of here, with the
Pacific Coast steams hip company, OF
which George H. Higbee is general
manager. 1t was reported yesterday.
from Los Angeles, that the inaugura-
ton of the Hartman service would be
the signal for the beginning of a rate
war and the Pacific Coast steamship
company would invade the intruder's
field by making Astoria and Portland
ports of call. Higbee said yesterday
that as far as he knew the Pacific
desire nor intention to indulge in a
rate war and that the report of its in
tention to send ships into. the Column
bia river. was all moonshine. A. J:
Frey, assistant to r. p. Schwerin and
his representative in this city during
Schwerin's absence, said: When
Schwerin left here the extension of our
Portland line to San Pedro was under
consideration but nothing had been
decided and I have had no communica-
ton from Schwerin on the subject"
Liner Asia Sails for Far East
The Pacific Mail liner Asia, Captain
Harry Gaukroger, never looked pref
tier than yesterday afternoon, when it
slid into the stream from its berth at
pier ~ and went scooting down the
bay on it's way to China. The day was
perfect and the Asia spotless in new
coat of paint The Asia is one of the
few remaining steamers that fulfllls
landsmans ideas OF beauty in marine
architecture The yards were trimmed
to the fractional part of an inch and
on each yard, neatly furled, was roll
of spotiess canvas. The only concession
tennae of the Asia's new wireless,
which were hardly noticeable in the
network OF ancient and honorable stays
and braces and other tackle depending
from the masts and yards, In spite of
the Asia's beauty, however. the liner
carried few passengers, having only
many in the steerage. The liner car
ried full cargo The passengers in
For Yokohama-G H. Allen. E. Beer, r.. S.
Curtice. Alfred B. Cook, Mrs. c. j. Farron.
H G. Huggins, Guy D. Lundy e, Matsuura,
SWEET, Carlton Wells.
Kobe-W S. Atkinson. Mrs A. Billings, A. t.
Cooper. c. Gorneman, II. f. Palmer.
Shanghat-C. NJ. Bishop, ]. A. Bristow, P.
" Hongkong-Mrs j. L. Buckley, George F.
Ellis. H. " Hall, Hong Yick, Mrs f. e. Kelly.
Miss A. 2. Klein, R. NJ Neatly. Miss G. Neatly,
<. strauss Mrs George Wagner and infant,
Joseph H. Walker, Lieutenant w. Zolner, Mrs.
W. Zoliner.
Join at Honolulu-FR ". Eagelston, II. A.
Everett. DIR. T. NJ. Moore.
Mariposa Bringing Many Passengers
The Oceanic steamship company's
liner Mariposa, Captain Hayward which
is due Friday from Tahiti, was 625
Monday night. The Mariposa is bring
ing a large number of passenge
many of them from Australasia Sir
James Mills, mana gfng director of the
Union steamship company of New Yea
land and one of the biggest men in a
commercial way in the southern lremi-
sphere, was to have been passenger,
but business called him to sydney He
will come this way later, but via Homo
lulu. william A. Prickitt. United States
consul to New Zealand, is a passenger
on the Mariposa.
Saw Halley's Comet at Sea
The officers of the Standard oil
steamer Ashtabula, which arrived yes
terday from China, had a fine view Of
Halieys comet the last few mornings
at sea The tail began peeping over
the horizon about o'clock a. M and
by o'clock the celestial visitor was in
full sight, from his starlike head to the
end of his millions of miles of tail. To
the men on the tanker's bridge it
looked like an immense searchiigf1t 1t
was visible until the sun came uD
when 1t faded out like the smile of a
Cheshire cat.
Captain Is Left in Hospital
ta no III Trs,