The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-25
Bark Atalanta Goes Down Off
Vancouver Island.
ALL THE CREW ARE SAVED.
Terrific Storm T0sses the Vessel After
Passing Cape Flattery.
She Springs Leak and the Masts are
Torn Ouf--She Belonged to the Pu-
get Mill Co. and Was an Old VESSEL
The vidette Probably Wrecked, Also.

VICTORIA, +. c., Dec. 2f-lSpecial. l.
The coasting schooner Katherine brought
to the city this morning the captain and
crew of the American bark Atalanta, lum-
ber-laden, from Port Gamble for San Fran
cisco, which was wrecked off the west
coast of Vancouver island in one of the
fierce gales of last week.
The Atalanta, whose captain and crew
came within an ace of finding an ocean
grave, was the oldest craft plying in
Northern Pacific waters, although she was
still regarded as stout seaboat. She was
OF s32 tons register, built at Ainsburyport,
III 1918, and III constant service ever
since. Her value at the time of her loss
was roughly estimated at $4,000 by her
owners, who are Pope Il Talbot, of the
Puget Mill Company. Her cargo consisted
OF 100000 feet of lumber and quantity of
iath of the value of S45, 900 or $4,000. Both
hull and cargo were insured in American
companies.
The story of the Atanta's last trip can
best be told in the words of her captain,
Frederick MoSher of San Francisco. who
was seen by the Observation-Disclosures cor
respondent Immediately after his arrival
mere yesterday lie SAID
We went 10 Port Gamble to load lumber In the
latter part OF November, this being my second
trip IN com mand. Our cargo was completed by
December 4 and on the day following the tug
1yee towed us out to Cape Flattery The
weather outside was found to be very rough,
aud so the tug returned with us to the straits,
where She dropped us in Neah bay.
Weremained there until the morning of the
ninth. and then went out under sail There
" n 80
west and proved very treacherous This
was sonly a sample OF the weather that
followed. IL was succession OF gales
night and day. A number OF our sails were car
ried away, and ON Sunday, the 14th, the ship,
which had strained badly, commenced to take
water at an alarming rate. All the pumps were
kept going, and this served TO check the inflow
Early on Monday morning a tremendous sea
broke over the ship and the water rising in the
bull lifted the cargo. The deck load was tossed
about by the saas that dashed over ii every
moment, and soon the masts, with every scrap
of rigging, the forward house, buIwarks aud the
long boat Went over the side. The windmill
pumps were next disabled and the water un-
checked soon filed the hull at the deck level.
At daylight the 18th. the maintopmast
fell and the lower maintopsal, the only sail
we could spread. We put hes abont and steered
for Cape Flattefy with the intention OF beaching
her We were then about 40 miles Southwest
of the cape. The wind veering as to prevent
me making Cape Flattery, then headed for the
Vancouver island coast.
The ships deck was then level with the sea-
which poured in over her In torrents from stem
to stern She was flush fore and aft, and how
she managed to keep afloat is miracle, the
water having filled the ship. No provisions or
fresh water could be reached, and all we had
was few biscuits.
On Tuesday morning we got small boat
lashcd to the capstan. and each OF us managed
to lash himself to piece of plank to keep afoat
when we went overheard, as we expected to
every minute.
meuced to break up, but the wind, hauling
from southwest to south, blew the lower fore
top yard square OF its own accord. At that time
we were about ninety miles due west of Flat
terry, longitude 126 degrees, IS minutes west,
latitude 3S degrees, 81 minutes north, at rough
calculations.
The ship was breaking up fast, SO seeing that
nothing else could be done we lashed two men
to the wheel to keep her before tho wind, ond
ate our last biscuit. Not word of complaint
was heard, though our lips and throats were so
parched that we could hardly eat, and then we
lashed ourselves to the stump OF the mizzen-
mast
on Wednesday we succeeded in launching the
small boat, which would only hold four The
sea was ntill raging Finally the second mate
and three OF the men contriyed to get in the
boat and il was swept away from us so vuiokly
we hardly had time to bid them good-by.
4 few hours later the bark broke amidships in
halves and eight were left on the cabin roof
astern
A little later the half we were on broke again,
the bottom sliding from under and leaving
us afioat on the cabin with our clothes torn to
ribbons. We had had nothing to est or drink
for over forty-eight hours, and the wind was
still blowing hurricane. We drifted all that
night lashed to pieces of plank and lying fat on
oir faces.
Early ir the morning of Thursday we sighted
land abo 4 ten miles off, and all day we watched
If gradually grow nearer the tide rocked us TO
and from it by inches. We were all numb and
stiff, and could only lie and watch the land that
meant life to US.
In the evening we were washed up on the
rocks, fortunately short distance from Penny 5
store at Ciayoquot. Here, strange To say, our
little boat h~d been washed up only couple of
hours before. The four men from the boat with
Mr. smaiies, of the Stockport, and the
captain and crew OF the Katherene,
were on the beach to help us, aud we all We're
haul on the rocks, safely. The steward was
paraIfzed end could not move. The first officer,
risking his own life, placed "A rope around his
waist aud hauled him up the rocks The men
were all cut and bruised, and my right hand
was broken.
enough for u.s. and with warm, dry clothes, food
and sleep we were soon new men. We remained
at Mr. Smailes until the schooner sailed. and
here we are, without even our own clothes on
cur backs, but all alive.
Consul Myers yesterday supplied the
captain and crew with new clothing
throughout, and they lett by the City OF
Kingston for San Francisco. The names
of the shipwrecked crew are:
CAPTAIN FREDERICK MosHER of san Fran
cisco.
First Mate HENRY OLSEN. of San Francisco.
second Mate JoHN ANDERSON, of Fan Fran
cisco.
steward JOHN ". WILBUEN OF Seattle.
JOSEPH LEST.
WILLIAM PoYERaAs.
ENIE OLSEN.
CHARLES Ross.
HENRY RosESDALE.
HENRY LARSEN.
WILLIAM PEAK.
C. LUSZE.
While at Clayoquot Captain Mosher
learned that another vessel must have
been lost, as part OF ship with the letters
Il. :. W. IT, on II came ashore. United
states Consul Meyers has taken charge of
the shipwrecked crew and will send them
20 Port Townsend tomorrow. II is be-
lieved to be the bark yidette, lumbcr-la-
den from Port Madison
Land Locator Arrested for Fraud.
TACOMA, Dec 2i. Special IN. III. Nc
Lean. timber claim locator, was arrested
today upon complaint of {. f. shillberger,
on a charge Of embezzleEaent. shillberger
saws he paid Mclean 500 To locate hlm on
2 timber claim. and later learned that Nc
Lean had located one Arthur Gould, Of Sc
~ t4sf Mr. Mel a n