The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-28

IHenuaDie sell POSSESSION. capt nun
ter deserves much credit for the way
in which he brought the steamer
through.
As TOLD BIZ THE Log.
The history of the perilous aiven-
ture is taken from the log as follows:
On November "a at ! o'clock a. M
the Idaho was at the north end of
Hecate strait, where she encountered
q terrific gale from Z. s. L. and ire
mendous ). Z. swell.
At a. m, the gale increasing the
ship was slowed down, heading Z. y.
L. At 5 a. M. the gale had increased TO
a hurricane and shortly after a reef
was sighted Off the lee bow. The ship
was then unmanageable and drifting
towards the reef Head sail was made
TO pay off ship; the jib blew away
and all efforts 20 keep her from
drifting on the reef were fruit
less. At 800 a. IN. it became neces-
sary to cut away the mairmast which
First Officer j p Bowen accomplished,
a high sea running over the ship. As
he was making his way to the main
mast on the upper deck, tremend-
Gus sea struck the ship amidships,
carrying away the rail and washing
him across the deck against the lee
rail. Part of the ships guard was also
broken off and carried with the swell
up on the deck, striking man that
stood by the first officer and knocking
him senseless for the time against the
skylight. The main mast cut away,
the boats were cleared and got ready.
At 10 a. IN. the starboard anchor
was let go to bring the ship to, the
line, bran snew seven inch hawser,
snapped just like thread, and We
lost both.
At 1918 p. IN. the ship was got
about 10 ). W. by drag consisting of
a coil of seyen-inch line and kedge
and two five-inch lines of 100 fathoms
each from starboard bow. After get
ting the ship around in the course of
an hour into clear water, she was got
under control, leaking badly, two
pumps keeping her all right.
The reef on which the Idaho struck
is south of the Gander group of reefs
in Hecate strait.
PASSENGERS NARRATIVE.
Mr.. Clarence w. Coulter and Mr. c.
F. Depue, who were aboard the Idaho,
related their experience at the 0cci-
dental last evening 10 very interest
ed group of listeners. Mr.. Coulter has
been completing and equipping the
new ten-stamp mill OF the Takou con-
solidated mining company, on Gold
creek, about two miles above Juneau,
and MIR. Depue is secretary of the
Eastern Alaska Mining and Milling
company, whose diggings are on
Douglas Island, near the famous
Treadwell mine. Mr.. Coulter narrated
the story of the Idaho's adventure as
follows:
well, sir. We had given the boat up
for lost. and everybody had on life
preservers. tell YOU no other ship
but the Idaho could have stood it.
We left Klawak, Prince of Wales
Island, about o'clock last Thurs
day morning and about 7:30 we
reached open water and, although we
had quite rolling sea, Capt. Hunter
thought everything was favorable for
pleasant trip. and he decided to go
down through the outside passages of
the Hecate strait, but in Intervening it
began TO freshen up, in fact. TO blow
ahitI anu lsOial tidt AAlilt Oii IL
grew worse. On Friday night the
storm increased to what the captain
called a hurricane. so We hove the YES
sci to, and she remained in that posi-
ton until the storm got control
of her. she was then drifting
before the wind until she struck
the rocks on the Gander Reef
about 8 O'Clock Saturday morning.
She drifted right up against the rock
and by that time there was terrible
sea raging, which list picked the yes
sci up and set her down upon the rock
about amidships. The waves then
lifted her up and she slipped OIL. As
soon as she struck all the passengers
who could get in gathered into the So
cial hall, aud the steward began issu-
ing lite-preseTvers. We simply waited
10 see then what the vessel
would do. 1t was possible she might
strike another rock. The suspense
of this waiting was agonizing. We
didn't know but she might go down at
any moment. First Officer Bowen
went down into the hold and found
out that she wasn't leaking very
I badly. lie came mp on deck and re-
+ ported il to the captain, who immedi-
ateiy ordered the main mast cut. BY
/ that time We could see that she could
come around with the wind OF
course We Omitted before the gale I'M
{ I'll =. M, and then the captain got
. her running well before the wind. We
started scgsSs TO see Ii we could get
/ in under the heller Of Queen Chal-
lotte lSiau1. When We came in under
the lee OF the island the storm abated
some, - the c. plain kept her running
night along tei1re the Mind, until some
tine SATURDAY night. "a hen he changed
hl> course and heaGed In the direction
OF Cape SJttt, at the head of Van
eouver ! land. de took her into
little cove II make repairs to her ma
ciloerN. We eft there at 1880 p. m.
aud this morning about 1 O'Clock We
arrived ia Port Townsend safe and
sound.
( Everybody ted very cool. Ny
wife waS the only lady on
board. Its curious what funny
things would come up right at the
most cIitics, moment. Nv wife said
{ TO our Attie 10y, Chester we are all
going o. die No Ne amt going to
die, M, lie Answered quick a. a flash.
Ne'> going 10 seattle. Capt Hunter
and MIR. bowen, tie first officer. did
! the work. NJ. Bowen and the second
oihcer, Mr.. Bradley, eat that main
mast Gown hale the vessel was rock
ing ana rom =. smoother than many a
WOO maa .s,.id chop down tree
on try land 10 was 4 pretty fine
piece o. w0Fk. When the boat struck
The rock, pssce OF the guard
about IL ieet long vas completely
torn OF the hall ana thrown up on the
I hurricane Geek, where il Knocked a
sailor enseiess. Al the lige poultry
on 9eeS Wa killed MIR. Depue's
( sta Groom waS crushed in. and the
water blocked up hi, door with boxes
I - that he cnulan I get out. His pre-
'sieAment Wa>n't very enyiable There
NeIe about ito persons aboard all
tod The water rose 20 high in the
vessel that the coal-pasSers had to
/ stand in 1t up u their waists.
4 Fog REPAIRS.
| PoKT TOWNSEND. Nov. 1.-THE
Idaho leaves tonight for Victoria TO
go on the dry dock there.