The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-18
LOSS OF THE BARK ATLANTIC
A Rotten Vessel Driven on Shore and
Thirty of the Crew Drowned.
Twenty-Five of the Men Said to Have Been
Asleep in Their Bunks, Under the Influence
of Whisky-An Investigation Probable.

SAN Francisco, Dec 1i.--At 2:30 this morn
ing tie whaling bark Atlantic was driven
ashore mile and a nalf below the Cliff House,
and went to pieces in q few minutes, not spar
remaining standing. The wreck was strewp
along the beach for three or four miles. About
twenty five men are believed to be lost The
captain and mate with eight or ten men, were
saved At the time of the disaster a dense fog
and heavy sea prevailed. The Atlantic left here,
yesterday afternoon, for cruise in the south
Pacific, after which she was to proceed north.
The Atlantic was an old vessel, having been
built in 1851; was 251 tons register, and was
owned by j. and w. r. Wing, of New Bedford,
Mass. She was commanded by Captain Thomas
P Warren The following is Captain Warren's
statement Of the wreck
"We were towed out to sea yesterday. There
was heavy head swell, and no wind. Thescur-
rents were so strong that we could not get outnof
the swell. We let go both anchors, but the sea
swept the desks and was so heavy that the
anchors could not hold We dragged ashore and
struck at 1l30 A. NJ Men were being washed off
during all this time by the immense waves
which dashed over. The vessel went to pieces
in an hour and half after she struck. There
dark. We succeeded in lowering two
boats, but the boats capsized before going
two boat lengths from the ship. The first boat
contained T. FL. Doty (the first mate), Anton
Perry third mate) and four or five of the crew.
That was the last we saw of them. In the
ond boat were myself, Second Mate Ring and
five men. When we were swamped the sea car
ried as in till we touched bottom, VIXEN We
dragged ourselves ashore We made signals
of distress, it was too foggy for any to be
seen."
As soon as the captain reached shore he
the life-saving station, a few hundred yards
away, and gave an alarm. The apparatus was
Immediately got out, but owing to the dark
ness and fog, it was some time before the wreck
could be located. A line was then shot over
her, but proved of no service, as ii became en-
tangled in the floating wreckage. and the vessel
shortly went to pieces The vessel was valued
at SO, 900, and her outfit at $15OOO insurance
So, ,00O
The captain and crew numbered forty two per-
sons, and up to the present time only eleven are
known to be saved One body has thus far been
recovered It is rumored that large portion of
the crew were intoxicated, and that twenty-five
were below. sleeping off liquor, when the vessel
struck, and thus met their deaths
TIE keeper of the life-saving station says the
first knowledge he had of tho disaster was when
Captain Warren made his appearance at A. NJ
The two men who patrol the beach all the time
were at the further end of their beats and knew
nothing of the wreck until an hour after the
vessel struck.
Major Blakeney inspected what was left of
the wrecked vessel. and called attention to the
vessels tmbers. He said ''They are so rotten
that slight blow will break them; the same
state Of things exists in every part 1t seems to
ma that a rigid investigation should be in order
and those responsible be made an example Of
In my opinion, this is little short OF cold booded
murder" Statements of a number of the sur.
vivors corroborate Major Blakeney's assertions