Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, September 14, 1907, Image 1

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VOL. XLVI NO- 14,592.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
70
f
"
WELLMAN DRIVEN
BACK BY STORMS
Abandons Polar Trip
Till Next Year.
1IRSHIP WORKS SPLENDIDLY
Succession of Storms Pre
vents America's Voyage.
SPITZBERGEN DOES WORST
Whole Summer Marked hy Ha Ring
North Winds Balloon-House Is
Only Saved by Desperate
Efforts of the Crciv.
CHRONOLOGY OK WELLMAN'))
KXr EDITION.
December SI. 100.1. Chicago rtec-
ord-Herald makes announcement.
January 30, lo. Contract let for
(treat est dirigible airship ever
built.
May 30. Airship complete
June 15. Expedition leaves Faris
for Trornsoe. Norway.
July 5. Expedition sails from Trorn
soe tor Spitsbergen.
July !. Arrival at Lanes Island,
Spitsbergen.
August 28. Trip postponed to 1807
on account of defects In airship.
January IS. 1U0T. Wellman an
nounces from Paris plans for en
larging airship.
June Expedition sails from Trorn
soe for Spitsbergen.
June 8. Arrival at Danes Island.
July 8. Severe storm damages balloon-house.
July 25. Wellman announces gas
apparatus works perfectly and -balloon
about to be inflated.
August Airship siood flnal testa
perfect 1-. . ; '. '
August 'St. Wellman says unless
storms abate before middle, of
.September expedition will bo
abandoned fir this year.
September 2. Airship starts, works
, well., but Is driven back, by
furious storm.i Alr-iMp and. bal
loon expedition postponed to next
year.
TROMSOB. Norway, Sept. 13. Walter
AS'ellman, with Mclvln Vantman and
Felix Riescnberg. started for the
North Pole September 2, in the airship
America. The America was towed by
steamer two ' miles' from ' Camp Well
man, and then headed northward.
Although the ascent was made in
bad weather, the airship behaved ad
mirably. She answered her helm well
and the motors worked splendidly.
Meeting a gale, however, the America
was driven back over the mainland of
Spitsbergen. It being impossible to
battle against the storm, the valves
were opened and the airship descended
on a glacier.
The occupants of the car secured the
balloon. A rescue party from the
steamer reached the glacier an hour
and a half later and had considerable
difficulty in saving the airship. The
balloon portion had to be cut in two
and the car taken to pieces in order
to enable the rescuers to transport
them over the ice hills and fissures to
the sea. After two days work, this
was successfully accomplished, and on
the evening of September 4. the mem
bers of the party got back to Dane's
Island, whence they sailed for Trorn
soe September 8.
Try Again Next Year.
The America proved herself a great
success everything was saved. Mr.
Wellman arrived here last night on
board the steamer Frithjof from
Spitzbergen. iHe announced definitely
that the expedition had been aban
doned for this year, but that he would
make the attempt next year In a much
Improved airship. He will probably
'return at once to Chicago for a confer
ence on plans, and then proceed to
Paris, where the new airship will be
constructed.
During June the weather was fa
vorable to the work of preparation
and everything moved well. At that
time the prospects were of the bright
est. Mr. Wellman and his followers,
however, had ahead of them all man
ner of trouble and delays, because of
the bad weather which marked almost
all the remainder of the brief Spits
bergen Summer. During July and
August there were many storms and
high winds, it being declared that the
Summer was the stormiest known to
Spitsbergen for 30 years. Unprece
dented" was the word applied to some
of the weather-conditions rrue.t with.
Storms Threaten Tcstructlon.
But It was with . the . beginning of
July that there came the beginning of
the storms and high winds. On July S
a severe blow broke over Drake's
Island. The balloon-house, exposing
Its wide extent of surface to the wind,
was threatened with absolute destruc
tion, and it was only by the most des
perate and dangerous work on the
part of Mr. Wellman and his men that
this vitally Important structure was
saved from the wild Arctic gale.
Throughout July there was a continu
ance of high winds. These hampered
tlio preparatory work to a considerable
extent, ' although everything possible
pras dona to hasten the preparation de
spite the battle that had to be waged
against the elements.
On July' 25 Mr. Wellman was able to
cable that the gas apparatus was working
perfectly and that the Immense bag of
the America would soon be Inflated. On
August 3 the inflation was virtually
finished, the operation having been deli
cate and difficult in the extreme, because
of the huge dimensions of the America.
On August 4 another period of bad
weather began, lasting, with but brief in
termission, the remainder of the month:
August was generally characterized by
snow storms and winds from the north.
Despite the unfavorable conditions, the
work : of preparation went steadily for
ward. On August 5 the balloon was
allowed to rise Into the air a short
distance, and on August 11, after the
lahorlons work of attaching the nacelle
or car had been completed, the America
lifted in air for the first time the 12,000
pounds of car and partial contents for
the trip. More . bad weather followed
m ; a mmmmsm mi
. 1 v -
Walter Wellman. Who Haa Aban
doned Aerial Expedition to North
Pole, After Disastrous Attempt.
and winds from the north still continued
to blow.
Airship Works Well, Wind Delays.
On August 25 a cablegram was sent by
Mr. Wellman stating that the airship had
stood the tests' perfectly, and two days
later a dispatch was sent stating that the
America had been ready to sail for sev
eral days, but was retarded by opposing
winds.
The last direct word from Mr. Wellman
mas dated August 31. In that cablegram
he .said that strong winds had been
blowing from the north for three weeks
and stiU . eontiuued.The . America, was
ready to sail' 'but could not" d so with
out a shift or favorable wind. .Mr. Well
man had already explained that lie could
not sail 'after the first week' of Septem
ber, because the sun. would be loo. low-oJ
permit ' a voyage. The wind, "therefore,
had - to change speedily or the .voyage
would be out of the question.
The conditions that Mr. Wellman had
desired for his attempt to reach the un
discovered dot on the earth's surface at
which he aimed were fair weather, with
a wind blowing from the south at 12 or
15 miles an hour.- -If -he- could obtain such
a wind and such winds have been com
mon in past seasons at Spitzbergen and
if his ship did all that was expected as
to remaining in the air with unimpaired
lifting force, he has. always felt that he
would surety reach the Pole.
Had Means of Escape.
The Wellman expedition, however, was
not dependent wholly on the America.
The explorer planned to take with him
ten Siberian sledge dogs and two sledges
and a canvas boat. If the America had
obtained a fair. south, wind and had sailed
away, only to come to grief on the ever
lasting ice of the polar regions, then Mr.
Wellman would have taken to his sledges
and attempted either to reach the Pole
or get back to civilization by the old
fashioned method of polar travel.
Again, if the' America had sailed north
ward from Camp Wellman and . been
wrecked in .some expanse of open sea,
even then the voyagers would have been
ready. Their boat would have given them
escape from death. . With it and supplied
with necessary stores they would have
sought to make their way to the nearest
ice-field.
Nothing, in short, in regard to any fea
ture of an expedition waa overlooked
which could aid the aim of the leader and
his men. The America herself was pro
nounced nothing less than a marvel of
construction and ingenuity.
SCORES REVENUE AGENTS
Commissioner Issues Circular Letter
to Collectors.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 13. Commis
sioner of Internal Revenue Capons has
written a circular letter to all internal
revenue collectors and agents which,
while cautioning them not to "let up In
a vigorous search" for violations of the
law, he criticizes the misjudged activity
of Internal revenue employes in the field.
He says:
"Their disposition to make a record
subjects this bureau to endless annoy
ance and expense, makes a perfect fiasco
In the courts of their undue and hasty
action In seizing distilleries, making un
founded assessments and practically con
fiscating property . of . law-abiding citizens
who are endeavoring to live under the
law In a business the whisky business in
any of its forms always open to suspi
cion." Grand Army Encampment Ends.
SARATOGA. N. Y., Sept. 13. Vet
erans, of the Grand jTxmy of the Re
public who have been attending the
41st annual encampment concluded
their business today and adjourned.
Installation of officers elected yester
day, adoption of several recommenda
tions from- the committee on resolu
tions and Commander-ill Chief Bur
ton's announcement of appointive of
ficers took up the time of the veterans.
The encampment - adopted the report
of the committee on resolutions.
Toledo, Ohio, was selected as the next
meeting place.
I r i Xi. i
If V,
I 1
DOUBLETRAGK ALL
LINES TO PACIFIC
Harriman Decides on
Big Improvement.
ELECTRIC POWER IN MOUNTAINS
Will Extend to, Portland, San
Francisco and Seattle.
INCREASE LINE'S CAPACITY
Flans Approved and Engineers Ap
pointed for"Ijow-Grade, Double--Track
Line From Chicago,
QuadrupllngTraffic Carried.
CHICAGO, Sept. 13. (Special.) As . a
result of his trip throughout the West
and owing to his unbounded faith In the
continued prosperity of the country, E.
H-. Harriman has approved plans for
spending between 175.000,000 and 1100,000.
009 to complete what he believes will be
the best double-track transcontinental
railway system in the country.
His p'an contemplates the construction
of a low-grade double-trick railway from
Chicago to the Pacific Coast at San Fran
cisco. Portland and Seattle, and its op
eration over the mountain sections by
electricity, generated by water power
from the Rockies and the -Sierras. The
completion of this enterprise practically
will have the effect of adding three single-track
roads, so. far as rapacity to
handle tonnage is concerned, to the trans
continental system.
Engineer Board Appointed.
Among the preliminary steps which
have been "taken. Is ' the employment of
Frank J. Sprague. . of .New. Yprlc.to.be
consulting engineer for the Harriman
lines. He has been made member of
a Harriman system board to carry out
thfc plans. Trie other -' members of the
board arc: A. 'ft. Babcock, electrical en
gineer; William Hood, chief engineer; E.
E. . Calvin, general manager. Union Pa-ctflct-
J. D. -Isaacs, consulting engineer,
and Uullua Jttvttschnitt, director of main
tenance and operation.
Mr. Sprague will Investigate the water
supply ' in the mountains along the line
of the Southern .Pacific for a distance of
150 miles and, If he. makes a favorable re
port, all of the trains will be operated
over the mountain division by electric mo
tors, the mountain streams furnishing the
power.
. Reduce Grade In Sierras.
Mr. Harriman contemplates the im
provement of the mountain section of the
Southern Pacific by building an entirely
new' line for a distance of 32 miles be
tween Rocklin and Colfax, Cal. This will
have a grade of 78 feet to the mile and
will be used as an uphill track. The pres
ent line, with Its grade of 116 feet to the
mile, will be used as the downhill track.
The company has just completed the
lengthening of all sidings on the Sierra
Mountains so that each will hold 42 cars
and three locomotives, such as are used
in taking a single freight train over the
mountain division. Borings are being
made and shafts sunk for the new summit
tunnel, which is to be five and one-quarter
miles long and which Is to lower the
grade by a total of 750 feet.
It is expected that. 450 miles of the
HARRY MURPHY SNAPSHOTS A. VISITOR AT THE
double tracking of the Union, Pacific will
be completed by the close of the year.
WILL GUARD LAND CLAIMS
Imperial Valley Settlers Form Vigi
lance Committee Against Jumpers.
IMPERIAL. Cal.. Sept. 13.-The land
fraud difficulties that have been promis
ing for some time to ripen into sensational
stages, took a new turn today, when a
meeting of a number of the best known
farmers of the valley was held hero and
a vigilance committee organized to pro
tect the rights of land claimants. Now
that there is no more land left for filing
here, peopMe are pouring in, seeking
claims that may possibly be taken from
others. There have been instances of at
tempts to take forcible possession of
claims, " but the vigilance committee is
designed to deal with this class of of
fenders. MILLIONS F0R STANFORD
Iceland Stanford's Brother to Leave
Fortune or $ 1C, 000,000.
STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Cal.. Sept.
13. Dr. Jordan has announced that
Thomas Welton Stanford, Senator Stan
ford's brother, whom he visited In Aus
tralia, has decided to. Jeave his entire
fortune of J12.O00.O00 to the university.
New Appraiser at San Francisco.
OYSTER BAY, Sept. 13. The President
today appointed John G. Mattos. Jr.. ap
praiser' of merchandise at San Francisco.
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.
TESTER TRAY'S Maximum temperature. 71
degrees; minimum. 47 degreea.
TODAY'S Fair. ' followed by Increasing
cloudiness." Light northerly -winds, shift
ing to southerly, and Increasing in force.
National.
Roosevelt approves orders to Evans regard
ing fleet's visit to Portland. Page 3..
Metcalf urges need of drydocks on Pacific
Coast. Page 1.
Government trying to prevent another coal
famine In West, rage 12.
Retirement of Elwood Mead ends strife in
irrigation work. ' Page n.
roil tics.
Senator. Simmons wants Bryan to withdraw
and proposes new Democratic ticket.
Page 4.
Domestic.
Wellman starts for Pole, but storm drives
bark airship; will try again next year.
Page 1.
Great fait in price of stocks this year.
Page 3.
Harriman will double track lines from Chi-
cago to Pacific .Coast. Page 1.
Lusltania beats Queenstown record, but does
not equal .. Kaiaer. Wl'helm's speed.
, . Page 2.
Letten says he gave stealings to negreea,
who twice attempts suicide. Page H.
Break' in oDerators' strike at . Cleveland.
Tage 3.
Newspaper office dynamited In -Missouri for
fighting lawless element.-' Page 4.
, . -Faclfle Coast.
Railroads miueal when Assessor takes their
own figures. Page 6.
Eugene business -men pledge money -for elec
tric line tp. Portland. Page 6.
Bill Miner may have directed hold-up of
Northern Pacific. Page 6.
San Francisco fighting plague with Govern
ment aid. Page' 3.
Biggy becomes Chief of Ran Francisco Po
- lice and will put lid on. Page 4.
Vancouver lets Hindus shiver on streets and
Laurier may deport them. Page 1.
Snort.
Oakland wins from Portland at baseball,
core iO-5. Pago. 1,3. ....
Upton challenges for America's cup in 1008.
, Page 1. .
Commercial ' and ' Marine.
Local wheat market affected by car short
age. Page 17. .- .
Decline In wheat at. Chicago. . Page IT. .
Buoyant recovery in stock market. Page 17.
Two more steamships chartered to load
wheat here. Page '16.
Portland and Vicinity.
Police fight against Captain of 'Detectives
Bruin nearlng. a climax. Page 10.
Colonist business of O. K N. Company
double that of 1006. Page 12.
Mount Hood Railway will enter Gresham.
Page 18. -
Policeman Deigh. of Seattle,, trails dlvorcea
wife to Portland and kidnaps his little
girl. Page 9.
Robert Hawe -vindicated by woman pas
senger on Columbia. Page 11.
Counoll gives notice that streetcar tracks
must be removed from Klllingswortn
avenue. Page 10.
'
SHELTER FOR.
DUSKY HINDUS
Vancouver Lets Them
Sleep Standing.
LAURIER MAY DEPORT THEM
Says as Paupers They Are
Liable to Such Fate.
THEY APPEAL FOR RELIEF
Lauricr and Ishtl Negotiate for
Japanese Restriction Immigrant .
Japanese Steamer Driven From
City Orientals Insolent.
MAY IEPORT THE HINDUS.
OTTAWA, Ont.. Sept. 13. In re
Ply to a dispatch from Mayor
Bethune. of Vancouver, asking what
should be done with the 800 Hindu
immigrants landed there, the Pre
mier, Sir Wilfred Laurier, " today
sent the following telegram:
'T have your telegram asking per
mission to house in drill shed at
government expense 900 Hindus
landed yesterday at Vancouver. I
would understand from such request
that these Hindus are paupers, there
fore liable to deportation. Minister
of Interior will send tomorrow spe
cial officer to deal with th ques
tion." 4
VANCOUVER. B. C. Sept. 13. (Spe
cial.) Premier Laurier and Ishii, the spe
cial envoy of the Foreign Office of Japan,
will meet next Monday at Ottawa
and complete an arrangement ' for
the limitation' of Japanese migra
tion to British Columbia. : TiTis
was the official solution of the Oriental
problem announced In Vancouver . thW
afternoon.. More than that, the Federal
government . will send a special repre
sentative . from Ottawa to make a com
plete Inquiry and report to the govern
ment the faots specially relating to the
Hindus.
For this Is. Hindu day in Vancouver
with a vengeance. Last Saturday's riot
was a little thing compared to the pres
ent problem of housing ' a lot of bctur
baned immigrants who claim protection
and hospitality on the ground that they
are British subjects. When 900 of them
arrived two days ago on the steamer
Monteagle, Mayor Bethune proposed as
the cheapest way of getting rid of them
the chartering of a special train to carry
them from Vancouver to Ottawa, where
they would act as horrible examples for
the Dominion gdvernment to take les
sons from. Considering the nuisance
they are becoming, the $10,000 that a spe
cial train would have cost would have
disposed of the question cheaply."
No PJace to Iiay Their Heads.
Seven hundred of them are a munici
pal charge in Vancouver tonight. - They
have spent the few dollars they had when
they arrived or have become victims of
sharpers, and now they stand helplessly
on the street corners. They cannot be
arrested as vagrants, for no police sta
tion in the country would hold 700 men.
They sent delegates to a special meeting
of the City Council this afternoon to ap
peal for help and a place to sleep in.
They declared that the open air was too
cold and that they would all die of pneu-
GRANTS PASS FAIR
monla, as 15 of their fellows did . last
Winter. There Is not a vacant house in
town and the Government declines to
give the use of the drill-hall for their
occupation. From present indications
they will have to sleep standing up until
the Government special envoy arrives
from Ottawa next week.
Shut Ont Japanese Arrivals.
. While rioting is over for the moment,
the authorities are taking no chances in
the arrival here of further shipments
of Japanese. The steamer Woolwich, due
here in the morning, cannot obtain berth
ing privillges at any city wharf for fear
of trouble. She will go to North Van
couver and there, away from mobs and
riot, her human cargo will be put ashore.
She has 700 or S00 direct from the land of
the Mikado.
No decision has yet . been reached re
garding the proposed exclusion of Jap
anese over IS years of age from the
public schools of the city, though the
'
I. 'Nfe' 1
Sir Thomas Upton. Who Haa Chal
lenged for America's Cup.
Mayor is very much In favor of that
course. One hundred and fifty Orientals
ranging in age from 6' to 24 enjoy free
education in Vancouver. The separate
school is not proposed here, but what the
civic authorities propose Is to exclude all
over the compulsory school age limit.
Orientals Become insolent.
, Twenty rioters who took part in the
disturbances of last Saturday night
have been committed to stand trial In
the Assize Court of Vancouver- in Octo
ber. Chinese and Japamle who have
returned to their work since the riot
act in a noticeably insolent manner.
J. McGregor, who was stabbed yes
terday by a mob of angry Chinamen In
Canton alley, is recovering. Every
Chinaman and Japanose going abroad
in the streets Is armed, and many ar
rests of Orientals have been made for
carrying concealed weapons.
CHINESE AND JAPANESE FIGHT
Desperate Battle on Alaska Vessel
Ends in Chinese Victory.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 13. One
hundred and fifty ' Japanese cannery
hands engaged In a desperate battle with
knives on the high seas during the voy
age of the bark Electra to this port from
Nushagak, Alaska, and the enoounter
terminated only after more than a dozen
of the contestants had been wounded and
as many more put in irons.
Hardly had the vessel put out to sea
from Nushagak before a' fight occurred
between three Japanese and a Chinaman
in the bark's forecastle. This was only a
forerunner to the battle to come, how
ever, and on August 20 a war among the
two races began in earnest. Assembled
on the forward deck, the Chinese, who
outnumbered the Japanese, started the
trouble over the apportionment of food.
A desperate fight followed, resulting in a
victory for the Chinese.
The Electra was nearly wrecked during
the storm In which the ship John Currier
was lost off Unimak Pass last month.
ORUMA FINDS- A DIFFERENCE
Says San Francisco Backed Rioters,
While. ancouver Fought Them.
TOKIO. Sept. 13. In the Hochi this
evening Count Okuma contrasts the anti
Japanese disturbance at San Francisco
with the Vancouver riot briefly as fol
lows: 'The latter occurrence must not be
placed in the same category as the
former. The San Francisco authorities
directly or Indirectly, countenanced the
act of the rioters, while the municipality
was a center of corruption, almost a state
of anarchy prevailing. I liken the San
Francisco riots to the Boxer outbreak.
President Roosevelt's attitude at first was
very fair and admirable, but after his
conference with a delegation from San
Francisco a change came which sadly
disappointed us.
"The Vancouver incident was quite dif
ferent. It was an outrageous act, limited
to laborers and unsupported elsewhere.
The local authorities sincerely did their
utmost to suppress the riot and protect
our countrymen. They even went so far
as to give permission to our compatriots
to take measures of self-defense. The
sincerity, so fully evinced, of these really
worthy local authorities of our allies in
their efforts to protect our rights makes
us confident of effecting a satisfactory
solution of the deplorable situation."
Japan Rewards Diplomats.
TOKIO, Sept. 14. Viscount Hayashi.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, has been
promoted to the rank of Count and M.
MoCono and M. Kurlno have been created
Barons in recognition of their services
in concluding the treaties with France
and Russia.
No Pardon for Stensland.
JOLIET, III., Sept. 13. The Pardon
Board today denied the application for
pardon made by Paul O. Stcnsland and he
will have to serve out his full term of Im
prisonment for looting the Milwaukee
Avenue Savings Bank, of Chicago, of
which he was president.
CHALLENGES FOR
AMERICA'S CUP
Lipton to Build a Fourth
Shamrock.
MAY SEND OYER TWO YACHTS
Irishman Wants Another Race
for Salfing Honors.
MODEL BEING PREPARED
Formal Challenge AViil Be Mailed
Sunday for Contest in 1908.
Upton's Two Yachts May Sail
a Preliminary Race.
IXJNDON, Sept. 13.-Sir Thomas Lipton
will make another attempt in inns to re
gain America's cup for Great Britain.
The announcement was made this after
noon by Sir Thomas in London and by
the secretary of the Royal Irish Yacht
Club at Dublin. The challenge, which
goes to the New York Y'acht Club in tho
name of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, was
mailed from Dublin today.
The details of the challenge were ar
ranged when Sir Thomas visited Dublin
recently In the course of a yachting cruise
around the British Isles.
Sir Thomas Lipton admitted that the
Royal Irish Yacht 'Club was challenging
In his behalf and that a cable dispatch
on the subject would bo sent to the New
York Yacht Club today, advising it that
a challenge for tho cup would be for
warded on the Umbria, which will touch
at Queenstown Sunday next.
From other sources It waa learned that
Fife would be asked to design Sir
Thomas Lipton's challenger. If he Is not
already at work on the model of Sham
rock IV. for that is to be the name of
the new yacht. .
It has been reported that Sir Thomas
Intends to -send two yachts across the
Atlantic, and that after trying them out
on the Sandy Hook course he will enter
the better of the two In the races for
the American cup. but it is understood
that this cannot be done without the con
sent of the New York Yacht Club.
BLOW UP J0PL1N-PAPER
NEWS-HERALD BUILDING IS
WRECKED BY DYNAMITE.
Perpetrators Unknown and Manag
er Offers Reward of $1000 for
Information as to Identity.
JOPLIN. Mo., Sept. 13 Unknown per
sons exploded dynamite in the two
presses and four llnt.Sype machines of
the News-Herald, a local afternoon paper,
causing tfrrrnage amounting to $30,000. P.
K. Burton, manager of the paper, said
tonight:
"The outrage was perpetrated by per
sons who oppose the policies of decency
advocated by the News-Herald."
Mr. Burton offered a reward of J1000.
Every window in the building, which is
situated at Fourth and Joplin streets, in
the heart of the business district, waa
broken.
MORE DOCKS ARE NEEDED
Metcalf Talks of Naval AffairsLa
bor Scarce on Coast.
WASHINGTON. Sept.' 13. Secretary '
or the Navy Metcalf returned today
after an absence since June 29. when
he left for California to make an
nouncement of the cruise of the Atlan
tic fleet to the Pacific Coast! He re
ferred today to the Pacific Const trip
of tile fleet as dead issue. He said
he had been out of touch with the
Navy Department for so long that
more details had been made public
here than had been communicated to
him. He declined to discuss the Japa
nese question, saying that he had
heard too much on the subject, or on
the anti-Oriental Incidents in cities of
Washington and British Columbia..
Mr. Metcalf made a number of ob
servations of Importance in connection
with the visit of the Atlantic fleet to
the Pacific Coast. He found that,
while the Government has only one
dock on the Pacific Coast that is capa
ble of taking a battleship, there re
a number of private docks that might
be available if needed. Of these, three
are at San Francisco. The only Gov
ernment dock is at Bremerton, and
this location, it is believed, makes It
likely that the entire fleet may go as
far north as Puget Sound before re
turning to Atlantic waters. Concern
ing this probability, Mr. Metcalf says
that there is water enough at Bremer
ton to float the entire fleet at one
time.
The labor question on the Coast, the
Secretary said, is becoming more seri
ous each day, and he Instanced the fact
that the Navy-Yards at Mare Island
and Bremerton are working far under
their capacity by reason of a labor
famine. He pointed out that In the
West carpenters are being paid as
high as $6 per day.
The transportation question also was
found by the Secretary to be serious.
He said the railroads cannot begin lo
haul the crops, and the passenger-train
service is very heavy.