The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-11-12
STEAMSHIP FOuNDERED IN THE
PACIFIC.
Over one hundred Lives Lost.

SAN FRANCISCO. November O. ne i
following Press dispatch is just receiv
ed:
SEATTLE, W. T., November 7.
"The Daily Dispatch received the
following special from Port Townsend
this morning: The American ship Mes
senger, Captain J. ], GiIkey. arrived,
nine DAYS from San Francisco. and re-
ports picking up, twenty miles south of
Cape Flattery, part of the pilot house
and Henry L. Jelly, the only survivor
of the steamship Pacific, which sailed
from Victoria at Q o'clock Thursday
morning, and foundered forty miles
south of Flattery, as O'Clock Thursday
evening. Jelly hoated on the pilot
honse from 8 o'clock THURSDAY night
until 10 o'clock Saturday morning,
when he was picked up by the Messen-
ger. Several boats were launched. hut
all foundered. A. F. LEORMES.'
SAN Francisco. November "a
dispatch from Port Townsend, last even
ing, SAYS Henry F. Jelly, supposed to be
the sole survivor of the Pacific, was
brought there yesterday by the ship
Messenger, in a wretched condition; hav-
ing heen on a raft thirty six honrs be-
fore being picked up. He says the Paci-
fic collided with some other vessel,
whose light he saw, bnt in his interview
with Gilkey. Captain of the Messenger.
lasting twenty-four honrs, he made no
mention of the lights OF the vessel, and
some think him laboring under hallucin-
ations a. to that. Experienced naviga-
tors here think il more likely that she
struck a sunken rock.
Mr.. Jelly makes statement to the
following effect:
Took cabin passage ON the Pacific.
from Victoria, leaving about a quarter
past o'clock on the morning of Thurs
day, the 4th inst. Abont two hundred
people were on bard. We steamed all
day against a southeaster. Between 8
and 9O'clock in the evening. while in
bed, heard a crash, and felt shock, as
if the steamer had struck rock. ] then
heard something fall, as If the rocks had
! fallen. The starboard bow bell struck
to stop, back, and go ahead. ] went on
deck, and heard voices say: "It's all
right; we have struck a vessel" Saw
several lights at distance, but do not
think they were colored, but paid little
attention; returned to the cabin and
noticed that the vessel took o heavy
Iurch to port; / went on deck to the pill
ot-honse and heard some one say: "She
is making water very fast" The Cap
tain coming out of his room, ] asked
him il there were any blue lights or
guns. He said the blue lights were in
the pilot -house. got them and burned
five; noticed the engines still working
hut no one at the wheel. I went to the
Starboard side, forward Of the paddle
box, where a number ofmen were trying
to get long boat, but conld not; went TO
the port boat forward; helped five or six
women into it; tried to get the boat off.
hut could not move il. There were
about twenty women in it. Heard the
boats abaft the paddles had got off, but
did not see them. Think it was about
IN hour after the steamer struck when
he listed 80 much the port boat was in
the water. was in that boat. Cnt loose
from the davits. the boat filled and turn
ed over 7 got on the bottom and help
I'd several mp with me. Im mediately
after the steamer seemed to break in two
fore and aft The smOke-stack fell and
struck our boat. and the steamer sunk
Think abont all the women were in oui
boat, and fear they were all drowned
when the boat upset. This was ahout II
o'clock in the evening. The night was
not dark nor the sea very rough. bnt q
fresh breeze sprung up afterwards lef
the bottom of the boat, and with anoth
er man climbed on the top of the pilot
honse, floating near. The next morning
] got some life preservers floating neal
the honse, and with their ropes lashet
myself and companion to the house
Saw three RATS. The frat had one man
on it; the next had three men and a wo
man. i could not make ont the Other
+ for the distance, except there were peo
pie on it. I think we were thirty o.
forty miles south of Cape Flattery wher
the vessel struck. Ipassed the light OIL
Patloosh Island between 4 and in tn,
evening. ] and my companion were OF
the pilot-house all of Friday until p
NJ, when he died. Cut him loose. Tht
sea was running very high all day, tn,
waves washing over us. Soon after hi
died I sighted vessel. called, and hearf
people on the other raft calling, but the
vessel did not come near. Friday nigh
there was but little wind until morning
when the wind and sea rose. was thel
within a mile of the shore of Vancouv
er Island. Sighted two vessels on tn,
American shore, which passed on. Ahou
10 A. NJ. Saturday the Messenger pick
ed ME up.
HENRY F. JELLY.
There was great excitement in thi
.ity on hearing the news. Telegraph
md newspaper offices AMI the Merchantt
Exchange were besieged by people wht
had friends and relatives on hoard.
No one seems to know the names o
he Hurlbnrt- Rockwell Troupe, but it i
supposed Fannie Marston was one o
, them, and that the others were perform
ers, picked up in that part of the conn
try. The steamer Los Angels will b
dispatched on her arrival. tomorrow
to save the survivors, if any. JelI,
stated, informally, there was no terror o
confusion on the part of the passengers
and that if the boats could have beel
launched and properly manned, and th'
sailing comparatively smooth, all would
have been saved.