The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-26

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out of San Francisco, the Oceanic
liner Sierra raced neck and neck
with the Sonoma of the same line and
although the engines OF both liners
were doing their best neither could
distance the other.
The Sonoma was making her trial
drip after four years of idleness pre-
paratory to being put upon the San
Francisco-Australia run via Honolulu.
The Sierra was leaving upon her regu-
lar schedule with a big passenger list
for Honolulu.
The Sonoma was supposed to pull
away at ten o'clock and the Sierra
was due to leave one hour later, but
for some reason the Sonoma did not
start according to schedule and it
was not until the nose of the Sierra
was pointed away from the Filberl
street wharf that the sound Of the
Sonomas siren came booming over
the waters of the bay.
All of the officers Of the Sierra
are hugely pleased with the Sierra's
feat Of holding her distance against
the recently overhauled Sonoma, and
Chief Engineer Smiths eyes glistened
with pride as he told the story of the
race this morning.
I'VE were scheduled to leave our
wharf at eleven a. m. Saturday morn
ing for Honolulu and, according to
schedule, the Sonoma was to have
been tried out an hour later. But she
didn't leave at ten O'Clock.
1--WE were just getting under way
when the Sonoma whistled and two
minutes later she came tearing along
behind us, ripping up the foam in
clouds and putting smoke like loco
motive.
"She was an elegant sight. Her up
per works were painted white and
made a striking contrast to her black
hull, her brasswork glistened and
shone in the sunlight. Her two long
smokestack had been replaced by
one, wide and squatty in appearance,
and this gave the Sonoma the effect
of appearing twice as long as the ST.
ezra.
ION she came and away we went,
neither gaining on the other until we
had to slow down to leave the pilot
and then the Sonoma seemed to forge
ahead like rocket and came within
half ships length of us.
Captain Trask was upon her
bridge and he was yelling like
schoolboy, at the prospects Of pass
ing US, but Captain HoudIette said,
We mustn't let them pass u.s. and we
gave the boilers all the pressure they
could stand.
we raced neck and neck like this
for two hours, neither being able to
gain an inch upon the other, until we
were off the Farallones, when the So
mona gave us three whistles and
headed back for San Francisco.
The Sonoma left for the Canal zone
Wednesday carrying a number of
Coast residents who are making the
trip under the auspices of the San
Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
Captain Trask, formerly chief officer
OF the Sierra, is in command of the
Sonoma, William H. McNulty is purs-
! er, Joseph Carleton, who has been in
the employ Of the Oceanic company
for years, is in charge of the stew
ards department, and DR.. George w.
Clark, formerly ships doctor on the
Sierra, is surgeon on the Sonoma.
There were two changes in the Of
ficers of the Sierra this trip. DR.. Mel
son has taken the place of DR.. Clark,
now on the Sonoma, and G. S. Hub
bard is in the wireless room for one
trip in place of E. M. Miller.
Mr.. Hubbard was wireless operator
on the Pacific Mail steamer Asia when
she went ashore on the China coast
some months ago and he is in pos
session of some photographs which
he snapped few moments after the
wreck showing scenes Immediately
following the disaster.
The Sierra dockeG at the Oceanic
wharf early this morning and her mafi
was landed at 7:45 a. m. In the cabin
were sixty-eight passengers, and two
in the steerage and one stowaway.
There was 2274 tons of general
cargo in the hold, consisting mostly
of cement, Wells-Fargo express pack
ages and four automobiles.
Among the passengers were w. G.
Irwin of Honolulu, James Moses, traf-
fic agent for the Santa Fe; Mrs. Ivers,
Mr. and Mrs. c. Worth of Los An
geles; w. ]. Dyer of Honolulu, DR.. F.
T. Duncan of San Francisco, Mr.. and
Mrs. B. B. Ellis of Chicago and Cap
tain and Mrs. w. ]. Gray.
The Sierra will get away for San
Francisco with full cabin from here
iua1ndipor