Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-02
ON THE FLORIDA REEF.
A Ship Ashore and the Pickings of the
Natives.
Correspondence of TIE EVENING STAR:
MIAMI. DADE Co, FLORIDA, Nav 1


MIAMI. DADE Co., FLORIDA Nav H.
Every school boy in the United States has
heard of the Florida reef and the danger with
which it always menaces the unwary mariner.
II is but just to state that almost without ex-
ception the shipwrecks on the Florida reef re-
suit from risks taken by seagoing vessels in
running too near it in fair weather and. as is
sometimes the case in racing up and down the
gulf. Old sea captains on this coast say that
the largest steamers that pillow the ocean are
free from danger if they will but keep in the
gulf stream.
Last Wednesday morning as we were on our
way to the north end of Dade county news
came to the captain of tine schooner that a
steamship valued at half million dollars with
@5O0.O 900 cargo aboard. bound from New York
| 10 Havana. was wrecked off Biscavne life saw
ing station. Ii was then that we learned that
our captain was wreckinS master. He put
a his passengers ashore at this point and hur-
ried to the rescue of the distressed steamer.
The intelligence that an ocean steamer was On
the reef spread like wildfire.
In no time every craft on the Biscayne bay
and Miami river set sails across the bay to the
scene of the wreck. led by Capt. 'Brickell of the
wreeking crew. They found that it was the
steamship City of Alexandria; that she was
uninjured, but simply ashore on the reef.
WOULD NOT BE HELPED.
All day Wednesday and a portion of Thurs
day the captain Of the reef-bound steamer tried
to free her from her trouble. but to no avail.
The little fleet of rescuers were waiting mean
while. ready and anxious to relieve the disa-
bled vessel, but owing either to cupidity or
mlsludgment the ship was permitted to lie
pinoned on the reef for over forty-eight hours
Just after the order was given ito tighten up
by discharging sufficient of her
cargo aboard the surrounding schooners
to enable her to get off the reef severe north
easter set In. To save the lives OF the passen-
gers and crew they had to throw overheard
between two and three hundred thousand dol
lars worth OF the cargo. Much sank and some
was washed ashore, so that for hundred miles
up the coast from this point thousands of dol
along the beach. Hundreds of people living
on the Biscayne bay and Miami
river, even the Indian not taxed from
the Everglades, are on the beach
gathering III jetsam either for the salvage or
for a rainy day, generally the latter Barrels
OF lard. of -four, of meat. &C.. boxes of all
kinds of dry goods and all sorts of farming i'm
plements are being picked up along the beach.
This may be sad day for the companies that
insured the cargo of the City of Alexandria.
1t certainly is a glad day for the inhabitants
along the coast.
AsEA srREwN WITH WINE
About two years ago a vessel with a cargo of
wine went on the reef off this point and had to
throw overheard 600 casks Of the finest brands
Of the beverage. After spreading out several
miles it all came ashore. Consequently nearly
everybody living along the coast. especially the
wlne-bibbers, went on prolonged drunk" 1t
killed many of the old citizens, and some new
settlers never sobered up until they had
reached that bourne whence no traveller ever
returns, Several who stored away thousands
OF gallons Of wine now tipplers, simply
because 1t costs them nothing to be so.
Alexandria by Capt. Brickeifs wrecking crew
have been put aboard again, she having got off
the reef this morning. She has just steamed
of for Havana, much lighter and much later
than she was due there. The inhabitants here
about are still rushing to the coast as their FL
dorado. RSS