The morning call., 1891-02-23
A TALE OF
DEATH AND
DISASTER.
Terrible Fate Of The Ship
EIiZabGtl'S Brave Grew.
NINETEEN LIVES LOST.
IIG UlIGl UlilCGr dlu GGFGl NGd-
men Survive the Wreck.
VIOLENT DEATH OF THE CAPTAIN.
First Mate Barclay Relates How HG ES-
capped a Terrible Death.
LITTLE BERTIB'S GRAPHIC STORY.
First Mate Barclay Relates How HG BS-
capped a Terrible Death.
LITTLE BER7IB'O GRAPHIC STORY.
An Explanation Of the Manner in Which The
Ship Became Ulnalag8abla-V Of The
Ting Relief 10 The Scene The LifG-OaT-
ing Crew Searching for SlTTiT0S-T0-
tai Loss Of The WT8kags SreFl
AlOlg The Shore.

OTeaJ interest was manifested yesterday
throughout the city over the news of the
wreck of the ship Elizabeth on the Tennes-
see rocks. just north of the heads, and the
awful occurrence formed the principal
topic of conversation in all the places where
people congregated.
News from the unfortunate crew was
anxiously looked for throughout the day.
and the Merchants Exchange was besieged
from morning till night by constant
str cam Of visitors TO learn the latest tidings
from the scene Of the disaster
UNIVERSAL soLICITUDE.
The uncertainty surrounding the fate of
those who remained on board when the gal
liant ship drove headlong upon the cruel
rocks excited universal solicitude, and
thousands of inquiries were made for infor-
nation as the day wore on.
Owing TO the dangerous nature of the
coast at the point where the wreck oc-
CURED, and the violence Of the seas which
broke with terrible fury along the shore,
little hope was entertained for the safety of
the ships crew, and when the tug Relief
returned during the day, after venturing
near as possible to the scene without dis
covering any trace of life, hope was we'll
nigh abandoned.
A RIFT IN TIE CLOUD.
Later in the day, however, it was reported
from SausaIito that the mate and three sea-
men had been rescued, and this tended in
some small degree at least to lessen the
horror Of the calamity.
The captains wife and daughter were
still prostrated by the terrible scenes
through which they had passed, and could
not be seen, but little BERTHE Colcord, the
eleven-year-old son of the captain, who
escaped with his mother and sister, gave
graphic account of the disaster, which will
be found in another place.
ONE OF THE RESCUED.
One of the seamen who were rescued on
Saturday by the tug was also interviewed,
and recited a thrilling story of the expert
ence of himself and his companions in their
battle with the wind and sea.
One point, which has not been made plain,
is the manner in which the ship came to 90
ashore, and which. with the aid of the ac-
cOmpanying diagram, may be briefly ex-
planned
DRIFTED BACK.
The ship was taken in tow by the tug
Alert, who succeeded in getting her in as far
as point in the channel opposite to Fort
Point, where terrific wind was encountered
blowing dead out to sea, and in spite Of the
efforts of the tug the ship drifted back
toward the heads, and at o'clock the haw ser
parted.
After this she drifted more rapidly, and a
few minutes later struck her bottom on the
four-and-a-half-fathom bank, which is COM
monty known as the Potato Patch" She
got off, however, without difficulty. and
without apparent serious damage, but drifted
steadily out of the channel, driven by the
ury OF the wind, which was blowing at the
rate of forty miles an hour.
COULD NOT CHECK HER.
Seeing the imminent danger the tug Active
succeeded in getting a hawser to the ship,
but could not check her headway. In the
meantime the Alert had run out another line,
and together the two tugs used every effort
to get the ship under control. She still con-
tinued to drift. and a third tug, the Reliance,
came upon the scene.
DRIFTED TOWARD THE SHORE.
From the latter a hawser was attached to
the Active, and the three tugs under tull
head OF steam strove to overcome the force
Of the gale, which still drove the Elizabeth
toward the rocks. In spite of all that could
be done she steadily drifted toward the
shore, and at o'clock she struck on the
rocks at the point marked 81" in the dia-
gram. The hawsers parted, and the tugs
were compelled to abandon the task of en-