Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-11-19
The Pacific Disaster.
PENNSYLVANIA.

A dispatch from Port Townsend this
evening says:
Henry F. Jelley, supposed to be the
sole survivor of the Pacific, brought here
yesterday by the ship Messenger in a
wretched condition, having been on a raft
thirty-six hours before being picked up,
says the Pacific collided with some other
vessel whose lights he saw, but in his
interviews with Gilkey, Captain of the
Messenger, lasting twelve hours, he made
no mention of the lights of the vessel, and
some think him laboring under hallucina-
ton as to that. Experienced navigators
here think it more likely that she struck
sunken rock. Jelley makes statement
to the following effect
Took cabin passage on the Pacific from
Victoria, leaving about quarter past
nine ON the morning of Thursday, the
4th inst. There were about 200 people
on board. Steamed all day against
southeastern, the crew constantly
pumping water into the boats to trim
the ship. The boats abaft the paddle
boxes had no oars in them. The others
had about eight or nine. In the evening,
while in bed, heard crash, and felt a
shock as if we had struck rock. Heard
something fall as if rocks had fallen on
the starboard bow. The bell was struck
to stop, back and go ahead Went on
deck and heard voices say: "It's all right;
we have struck vessel" Saw several
lights at a distance, but do not think they
were colored; ! 1t paid little attention.
Returned to the cabin and noticed the
ship took a heavy list to port. Went on
deck to the pilot house, and heard some
one say: "She is making water very
fast" The Captain was coming out of
his room. Asked him if 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, butthere was no one at the wheel.
Went to the starboard side forward of the
paddlebox, where number of men
were trying to get the long boat out, but
could not Went to the port boat for
ward and helped five or six women into
it. Tried to get the boat off, but 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 an hour after the
steamer struck when she listed so much
to port that the boat was in the water /
was in that boat Cut loose from the da-
Wits, when the boat filled and turned over.
Got on her bottom and helped several up
with me. Immediately after the steamer
seemed to break in two fore and aft.
The smoke-stack fell and struck
our boat, and the steamer sunk. Think
about all the women were in our boat,
and fear they were all drowned when the
boat upset. This was about ten O'Clock
in the evening. The night was not
dark nor the sea very rough, but fresh
breeze sprung up afterward. Left the
bottom of the boat and, with another man,
climbed on top of the pilot-house, floating
near. The next morning [ got some life
preservers, floating near, and with their
ropes dashed myself and companion to the
house. Saw three RATS; the first had one
man on it, the next had three men and
woman; could not make out the other for
the distance except that there were people
on it. Think we were thirty or forty
miles south of Cape Flattery when the
vessel sunk. Passed the light on Tattoosh
Island between four and five in the
evening. Myself and companion were
on the pilot-house all of Friday
until about four p. m, when he
died, and | cut him loose. The sea was
running very high all day, the waves
washing over us. Soon after he died I
sighted a vessel. Called, and heard the
people on the other RATS calling, but the
vessel did not come near. Friday night
we had but little wind, but in the morning
the wind and sea rose. Was then within
mile of the shore of Vancouver Island.
Sighted two vessels on the American
shore, which passed on. About ten O'Clock
Saturday forenoon the Messenger picked
me up.
Jelley stated, informally, that there was
no terror or confusion on the part of the
passengers, and that if the beats could
have been launched and properly manned,
the sea being comparatively smooth, all
would have been saved.
The statement of Neal O'Haley, Quar-
termasters of the Pacific, rescued by the
revenue cutter Wolcott on the morning of
the It'll, is to the effect that there were
over 200 people on board the lost steamer.
He says:
I saw large vessel under sail, which
they said struck the steamer: saw her
green light distinctly. The passengers
crowded into the boats against the com
mands of the officers. l, with the chief
engineer, got port boat forward into the
water and got fifteen women and six men in
her. She was capsized by the. rolling of
the ship. / saw none of them afterward.
I supported myself by floating sky-light
about fifteen minutes, and then got on
portion of the hurricane-deck with some
eight others. On looking for the steamer
| found she had disappeared, leaving
floating mass of human beings. The
screams for help were fearful, but soon
ceased, and we were alone on the raft.
There were the Captain, second mate,