The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-06-29
THE NEWS.
NEWS FROM THE RoDGERs.
Full Account OF the Burning of the Los
Vessel


steamer idaho, arrived from Sitka, give
the following full reports OF the burning
of the United States exploring steamel
Rodgers in ST. Lawrence bay, and thl
rescue OF her crew:
AT the time the Rodgers was burned
she was lying off shore about "a mile and
half. The fire was reported at about
S:45 in the morning. Everything was
done to save the ship. The fire was IL
the lower hold, forward, and Its proba
Bile cause WAS spontaneous combustion
and the place where il originated was
SO situated that it was next to impossi.
BILE TO get stream of water ON it. The
officers and crew fought the flames TO no
purpose. The fire gained so rapidly that
it became evident to her commander
that all attempts to savA the ship would
be fruitless, so about p. IN. the ship
headed fer the beach, in hopes that by
scuttling her sufficient provisions might
be saved TO subsist The party until res-
cued. Although from six 10 eight feet
of water rushed into her fire-r0om, ow-
ing to the coal and timber being choked
the water did not fiow forward to the
seat of the fire.
/ The ship at this time lay about Two
/ hundred and fifty yards from shore, sur
i rounded by soft slush twenty inches
I thick, too hard 10 force the boat through
under ordinary circumstances. For
4 tunately the ship was provided with a
/ bidarki, bY means of which the men
were enabled 10 carry a line to shore
1 At 10 p. IN. the flames had proceeded so
4 far aft that it was determined to abandon
| the ship. Up to this time the whole
company was busy in fighting the fire
and making jetsOn of the eomhustible
cargo, boats, provisions, etc. But little
success was, however. had in securing
the latter. The condition of the ice Was
| such that 1t took till 2 a. m. the follow
ing day to land what could be saved.
The boats were hauled up and the whole
party encamped upon the beach for two
| days before any attempt was made 10
communicate with the natives, who came
down with few dredges to assist the
party to their village, distant about seven
| miles.
Three barrels of flour and one of beans
and sugar, one ton of tea, aud about 800
pounds of pemmican; seyenty-tive
pounds of tobacco. eight of Remington
rifles, 5000 cartridges some trade articles
| and all five boats, with complete outfit,
were loaded. The trip from the boat 10
the village was very laboriOus, owing 10
| the exhausted condition of the ships
| crew, ii being over hills with snow four
feet deep. The village consists of elev-
en- huts, and the tribes are known AS the
| Tehanketchi's and inhabit all that por-
tion of Northeast Siberia. The officers
and crew were distributed among the
different habitatiOns, when they settled
down for II long winters seIge adopt
ing themselves to the custom of savage
| lie.
1t soon became evident that the sup
ply of walrus meat of the natives was in
sufficient for such Il large party, and Il
redistribution of the new bacon became
necessary among the different villages
along the cost, which was done within
q range of thirty five miles. On the 4th
of February, Master G. F. Putnam, com
manding the supply depot Mt Cape
Serdge Karmen, arrived at the viii
lage with four siedges loaded with penn
mican and other provisions for the ship
wrecked party, he having heard of the
loss of the ship through natives. He
started on his return trip 10 the depot i'll
bad weather, and was overtaken by n
terrible gale of wind, with drifting snow,
when two days out. and was obliged to
turn back and endeavor to reach VII
lage on the southern side of ST. Lawrence
bay. About twelve miles from North
Head he became parted from his native
escort and not being able 10 see ten feet
ahead of him, he was carried out to se1
on an ice foe. Later in the day he was
seen about seven miles off shore, abreast
the village. Vigorous attempts were
made TO rescue him by four of the Rod
gers crew and two natives in a canoe,
but owing to intervening ice they were
unable to reach him, and put back after
going three miles from shore. This
WAS The last ever seen Of Putnam
Master NJ. Warning, leaving the ships
party in charge of Ensign Story, pro
-, IL
searched the entire coast to Indian Point
and thence to Plover Bay, but found
not trace of the unfortunate officer.
On the way down the coast four dogs
were identified Us belonging to Putnam's
sledge. One of them had wound
through his neck rs if made by pistol
bullet, a circumstance which is unac
countable. The conduct of the natives
is reported excellent, and their humble
hospitality profuse. Their provisions
of WARNS and seal was at times very
scarce, and they often went without food
themselves to afford relief TO the white
men.
The Rogers party subsisted entirely
on native food, pemmican being princi-
pally reserved, II being found necessary
TO take il to the boats for preservation.
Only one single instance of misbehavior
upon the part of the natives is recorded.
During the absence of Mr.. Warning in a
search for Putnam, a turbulent chief,
with band OF followers, came from "A
nelghboTing village and demanded the
white mems provisions. The situation
was a critical one, but owing To the
| firmness and decision with which En-
sign Story handled the case ali danger of
a collision was avoided, and the maraud-
| ing party were sent off hungry.
No Indications of scurvy made their
appearance until late in February, when
several officers and men were subjects
of slight attacks. When at PIover and
Marcus bays, Warning left with the ma
tives letters to be delivered tn any whal-
ing vessel which might visit these places,
| informing them of the condition of the
shipwrecked crew.
Captain Owens, of the steam whaler
| North Star, of New Bedford, got one of
these letters, and forced his ship through
The ice opposite the st. Lawrence bay,
reaching there on the 18th of May
| tanning his ship on the outer edge of
| the ice so as not 10 be carried to the
northward by the large foes of ice float
| ing by on the afternoon of the 18th,
1 when the party safely boarded the North
| Star.
Before leaving, Mr.. Warning ISSUED
| to the natives all uneXpended trade
| goods, provisions, rifles, ammunition and
boats as a recumpense for their kind
treatment, which was immensely salts
factory to these harmless creatures. So
should party of wrecked mariners
| ever be cast away in that vicinity, they
can rest assured of friendly reception.
| Officers and men all unite heartily in
speaking of the generosity and trouble
| taken by Captain Owens in effecting
their rescue. Previous 10 their being
transferred to the Corwin he offered to
land them either at Fort St. Michaels,
Alaska, or San Francisco. On the night
of the 18th, being clear of ice at mid
night, the Corwin put in an appearance
and all hands were Immediately trans
ferred.
The Corwin left San Francisco on the
23d of April. steamed straight for Ouna
laska, which was reached in ten days,
coated and watered the ship, and pro-
ceeded north, stopping at st. Paul Is
land, and obtained information from the
signal service Office in regard to meteor
illogical observation. The ice has been
unusually light during the winters bnt
little being seen at Seal Island. The
prevailing winds have been from the
eastward. On the second day after leav-
ing st. Paul the Corwin struck off st.
Matthews Island. She entered the pack,
and so remained, punching her way
slowly through May IA she struck
clear; was off Plover bay, spoke to the
whaling bark Hunter off New Bedford,
the crew being at the north head OF St.
Lawrence bay. Also ascertained of her
the loss of the bark Sophie, of New Bed
ford, Captain Coulser, near Ployer bay,
having been sunk by the ice. All hands
were rescued by the whalers present
About midnight they spoke to the North
Star with the crew on board On our re-
turn found great mortality amongst the
, Seal Islands from plenra-pneumonia
Reached Ounalaski May % Arrived
at Siika, on the Sd of June
Northwest Crop Reports.
CHICAGO, June 22.-Reports from the
northwest continue favorable to a fine