The morning call., 1890-09-21
ITEMS FROM
SEA AND SHORE.
The Latest News Regarding The
Wrecked Steamer Ajax.
Loss Of the Pilot-Boat eff Cape Disappoint-
ment - Safe Arrival Of the Norma
at Astoria-vessels Overdue.

Regarding the steamer Ajax, whose loss
was reported yesterday, the Oregon Coal
and Navigation Company, the owners, yes
terday received the following dispatch from
Captain Donaldson
The Ajax went ashore on Blunts Reef, ten
miles north of Shelter Cove on tie 18th inst. at
o'clock in the morning. There was very
thick fog at The time. l Will try and get the
Newport to call in and take the crew 10 San
Francisco.
The Ajax was a wooden steamer and not
iron as reported in the morning papers
yesterday. She left Coos Bay for this port
on Wednesday, and on Thursday morning
struck on Blunts Reef, which bears about
due west from Cape Mendocino. The pas
sengers ard crew were afterward all landed
safely at Shelter Cove. Shelter Cove is to
the southwark of Cape MendOcino and it is
surmised that after the ship struck Captain
Donaldson thought that he could bring her
down here all right. but she made water too
fast and finally sank, but not before he had
placed all hands in The boats, which landed
at Shelter Cove. From there The captain
walked to Petrola. the nearest telegraph
station, and sent word down.
WILL COME ON THE NEWPORT.
Yesterday. Goodall, Perkins & Co. tele-
graphed to Capt ain Green OF their steamer
Newport, which runs from mere to Pot Ken
yon, Ferndale and Eel River and which is
now on the way down here, 10 put into
Shelter Cove and pick up the shipwrecked
crew and bring it to this port. The New
port was expected 10 arrive at Shelter Cove
about 10 o'clock last night. 1t is an open
port and the passengers would not 90 off TO
her. probably, until daylight this morning
In that case the vessel will net arrive here
until tomorrow morning.
The Ajax was the finest vessel in the Ore
gon Coal and Navigation Company's fleet.
She carried 500 tons of coal, and had made
eighty round trips, seldom varying an hour
in her arrival and departure from schedule
time. She was valued ut $4,000, and in
sured for $4,000, Captain Donaldson, her
commander, came out here five Years ago in
an English ship, and has been in the COM
pany's employ ever since, working lis way
up from quariermaster. He formerly had
command OF the Arago and the Arcata. re-
lirying Captain JeSsen of the latter vessel
when he took command Of the Hum boldt
Captain Nelson says that he Is a splendid
navigator, and that he would have no hesl-
tatiOn in again giving him command Of a
vessel if he is eXonrrated from blame when
the investigation is held BY the United
Staies officials.
Blunts Reef, where the disaster occurred,
is the place where the steamer Northerner
struck IN 1853, when 400 lives were, lost
This was the worst wreck ever known on
the Coast.
WRECK OF A PILoT-BoAT.
A dispatch received at the Merchants EX-
change yesterday from Astoria states that
the pll0t-bOat Governor Moody was wrecked
off C.pe Disappointment early yesterday
morning. Several Of the crew We're injured
The Moody was built at Astoria in 1885, and
was of 90 tons register. Her dimensions
were: Length 50, beam 21, depth 10 feet.
The schooner Norma, which lett This port
twenty days ago and about which some
anxiety has been felt. arrived at Asst ria yes
trrday he captain reports that she en-
cOuntered a terrible squa!l on September 4th
during which the fiying-jib, mainsal and
some of the rigging were carried away, so
that oHly small sail could be carried.
The weather was thick at Point LObos
yesterday and the wind light from the
southwest until o'clock in the afternoon,
when it hauled to the west. The barometer
read: o'clock in the morn ing, 90; noon,
30.03; > o'clock in the evening, 29.99.
MAKING LONG TRIPS.
A number of ships are making long pas
sages from New York, Baltimore, Philadel-
phla, Genoa, Glasgow, Hamburg, London,
Newcastle England and Newcastle Aus |
tralia). Owing to the terrible experience of
the ship QUEEN Victoria when near the line
shippers are beginning to feel uneasy. The
American ship Henry Buck is now out los
days from Newcastle, Australia. When 20
days Out she was spoken by the W. Is. God
frey with her fOletOpgallant mast gone and
short of flour. 1t was too rough to render
any assistance. The Tacoma Is out $50 DAYS
and The York Own 159 days from New York;
the Alex McCallum is out 100 days from
Baltimore and the James DrummOnd lbs
from Philadelphia. The Drumbarton Rock
is out 129 days from GLASGOW; the Inch
Keith rs days fIOm Hamburg; the Gretna
1876 days, the Boutwell, 13S days and the
Ho3podar AS days from London, and the
Eaton Hall 132 days and the Prince Edward
I'D days from Newcastle, England.
The new missionary vessel Robert w. Lo- |
gan, built by Captain NJ. Turner for the |
American Board OF Foreign Mission, made a
trial trip on the bay yesterday. The wind |
was too light to suit the builder or the cap |
tain, but the craft did we'll
The tug Roberts, Captain Smith. will go |
On fishing excursion outside to-day, ledv- |
ing Misson-sreet Wharf at : o'clock. She
will @ TO DuXbury X, eff. where she met |
with such splendid success three weeks ago. |
STEAMER FOR AUSTRALIA.
The steamer Alameda, Captain Morse,
sailed yesterday afternoon for Honolulu and |
Australia, carrying full list of passengers |
and freight. Among the passengers were |
Mrs. a. L. Eite of San Jose, Judge Pinker- |
ton ana vile auu GeOTBe hclgeOu Oh HOMO |
lulu and John West, Commissioner Of Agri- |
culture at Victoria.
The Pacific Mail steamer San Jose arrived |
from Panama yesterday morning, but |
brought no news from Salvador and Guate- |
mala further than has been already re- |
ceived.
The British ship ". J. Pirrie had the Bear |
flag, which was present d to her by the Ma |
tive Sons, flying at her masthead Yesterday. |
The TWO new sch0oners King Cyrus and |
Carrier Dove have been chartered by Rem |
ton, Holmes & Co. TO load lumber at Puget |
Sound for Aust ALA. |
The steamer Zealandia, hence, arrived at |
Sydney on Friday, and the ship Margaret |
arrived at Shanghai yesterday.
MOVEMENTS OF VESSELS.
The bark Prior Hill went from Green |
street up to Vallejo City Yesterday.
The ship Spartan shifted from Port Costa
to Selby's.
The ship Jason towed to McNear's Wharf, |
Port Costa.
The bark G. n. Wilcox hauled into the
stream from the sea-wall.
The ship Province will go to sea to-day.
The tug Rabboni has gone on North's
Ways for repairs.
Major W. Ii. Heuer, U. s. A., Engineer of
Twelfth Lighthouse District, has given
notice that the steam fog signal at Point
CUnceptiOn Light Station will be discon-