Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-02-13

Pail PsRiies'sy Of a. Dis isler b. %
Lye-witsess.
Great CreAss Accorded 70 Cspsasn
Wsssh ~ tie O0eess
SD Grew.
By the George E. starr. which arrived
yesterday afternoon, the entire crew Of
the steamship Z matilda arrived at Scat
tie. with she exception IT Capt Worth,
Who had gone to Victoria with Mr..
Howard TO sse about raising the ship.
Through the kindness of
EDwAKD II. eRKKsLKAF.
second officer Of the UmatiiIs, the Posi-
lxrKr.LIoKxcKs In enabled TO lay before
its readers the first authentic account
Of the accident to the ship and rescue
Of the crew. Mr.. GreenIeaf said:
"Tfe Umat,Iia left San Francisco
for Seattle On Wednesday, February
9Th, with full crew and I'D tons of
freight. We had good weather up the
coast a. far as Cape Disappointment.
On the u8orning Of the 9th Saturday
came on deck at O'Clock and took
charge Of the ship, a. 1t vas rsy watch.
The wind was light, the sky overcast,
and the steamer making aboat ten
miles Der hour. I received my special
orders from the first officer, and alec
my general orders, that II Is came on
thick, or Ws sighted land, 10 call the
Captain Who had been up all night and
had turned in. At 5:45 Ne passed sail
vessel. bound south. in shore of Us.
Wind southeast, at that time. About
ten minutes 70 six " bad passing hail
storms. Al go the weather became
equally, and the wind began 70 haul -
n0rthWaFd. We were stseeinQ north by
west, half west, nothing TO tho north
ward, tho usual course by all vessels
coming no the coast. At 7:30 the wealth
or shut iu thick, and called the Cap
tain, No ordered. He turned ous imme-
distely, and inquired II l had seen land
at any time during my watch. ! told
him I had NOT. He then asked me how
| far could have seeu before the weather
closed In thick. told him could have
seen land at least nine miles. He then
asked IL the steamers course had been
made good. told him IL had, a. had
kept Gloss watch by the compass on the
| bridge, and she had not deviased from
her course. shortly after this First Or
fieer U Bsieu relieved me, aud vent to
breakfast. AZ 6:25 .. m. / again re-
lieved him, and he vent below for his
breakfast. Lees than five minutes from
this time, while standing on the bridge
at the weather side Of tho pilot house,
keeping Q lookout ahead through the
binding snow storm, saw what locked
like breakers ahead. No sooner had l
jumped for the hell poll, when the l0ok-
Out on the bow shouted
''BREAKaRs kI0Hr AHEAD"
runR "iull speed back" but before
the engines could DO reversed she
struck. The shock was very severe and
knocked things around fsa9fully.
At that time ws all supposed We were
ct 10 ut twelve miles of the coast line
aud out Of all danger. As soon a. DOS
ed her bilRes sounded, aud found six
| feet Of water in her forward. We then
took up one side of No. Z hatch 70 see
II she was making water bet Ween decks
and found five feet Of water and the
freight all ahoat. Captain then rune
| foil speed ahead, to keep her on the
rocks till the lifebosts could DO lowered
and at the same time ordered the big
ballast tanks pumped out. The a vas
hoavtug in from the westward, aud the
wind blo~ing north by east and snow
falling thick aud fast
A soon ~ abs struck and commenced
filing, the firemen and GOAL passers
! came on deck. Further observations
| were made, aud a. she continued filing
and setting none Of 10 expected she
would be above water in thirty minutes.
| Captain Worth ordered
THE BOATS CLEARED.
The best of discipline prevailed among
the crew. Every man ON deck stood at
his post and did As he was ordered. l
clea red away she port boat and lowered
her, and dropped her around to the
starb0ard side Of the ship, IA the port
side was very rough and there were
rocks ON the port bow. Bill hardigan
and myself got into the boat aud took
her around under the stern Of the Una
tilla. Bill got on board the ship, and
teok half the Grew in IN, boat, and
after making everything ready to leave
whom Ne could stay ne longer, again
boarded the vessel TO assist the captain
and 6rss officer. The captain had low
cred the starbOard bOat and placed the
remainder Of the crew ia it, bat Was
st,ll on deck. The first officer, Nj.
OBrien was engaged in clearing away
the life raft, which was finally launch
ed and attached 10 the port beat. At
that time the ship Was fast ON the rocks,
and the water had put DOT the iirss In
tho furnaces. and the engines ceased
working. The captain ordered me 70
take my boat and land the crew at the
nearest possible landing. and return IA
quick - possible 70 assist the Others. |
had seventeen men In my boat, only
four OF whom could handle an oar. The
ship vas settling very fast. and We did
not expect her 70 remain IN sight much
longer. when left the wind was blow
Ing very strong north-northsast, aud a
binding sn0w storm vas raging. Our
boat vas crowded and 10 had q rough
trip, a. it Was freezing cold and sSe
L OSDs 49, "ssAs~sOs 0nsA0oHkoUOlc MID
large crowd in her. After going ahou,
| . mtie ve came ~ = rocky island. net
bigger than house. where found that
! could make . landing. We left the
ship at $40 and got TO this islnnd NJ
lO:26. some Of the crew nearly persisted
from cold.
After landing the crew, the four men
Who could use an oar, two firvmeu. n
Qusrtsrmasser and q sAiisr volunssersd
70 return With me 10 the ship. 90 lend
AID TO thooe left behind. We had uos
gone more than half q mile when
sighted two large. we'll manned Indian
canoes coming from OF shore, I beok.
ousd them 70 follow our boat, which
they did. Shortly after shis sioht.sl
the captains boat. coming frvS the
ship. IL Vas ovcrerowded and slmo.s
unmanaReable. seeing this. the In.
diane sAot ahead. aud going slone,ids.
dextrously relieved the captains ts,at nj
. portion Of it, load. l then went aIonO.
sids Of the capsain's boat and inouirrd
u all banda voeo there. He said: "Yes.
al bat the hrst Other and two sailors'
Who preferred 10 take ehsnoes on ,he
life rain, and csss Oh from INV boas y
The wind vHs blowing frsshcr. the sea
running higher and she weather grow.
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