The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-12
ALL HANDS Persisted
Disabling of the Maggie Ross in
a Hurricane.
The perelict Picked Up and lowed Into
Yaquina Bay-In the Same Storm Was
the Steamer Arcata.

steamer Willamette Valley.
The Maggie Ross was picked 10 thirty
two miles south and ten miles west OF \ a.
auina Bay at an early hour yesterday morn
ing, stripped clean to the deck. Tie deck
house, bridge, boats ard deck-load were
gone. the smoke-stack lying on the deck,
the bulwaT6s fore and aft on both port and
starbodrd sides sWeptaway, and not living
soul on board her.
Lying on the after part of the deck.
jammed in between the after-bitts. was the
body Of Ii. C. Anuensen, cook of the i'll
fated steamer. The Willamette Valley
picked up the derilect yesterday morning.
and after considerable difficulty a hawser
was made fast TO her, and she started for
Yaquina Bay with her tow.
The Maggie Ross LEI. Coos Bay in COM
pany with the steamers Arago and Arcata
at o'clock on Sunday afternoon, and the
last seen of her before she was sighted by
the Willamette Valley was on that night,
when Captain Saunders of the Arcata saw
her about mile in shore making her Nay
down the coast
THE CREW OF FOURTEEN LOST.
The Maggie Ross left Coos Bay in charge
of Captain George Marshall, bound to San
Francisco with load Of lumber for the Cal
if0rnia Lumber Company, and carried
crew of fourteen all told, not one of whom
escaped tc tell the story of how his ship
mates met their deaths in the awful gale
that ragged for forty-eight hours along the
northern coast.
The Maggie Ross, like all the vessels in the
lumber trade,On this Coast, carried big
deck-ioad, and was loaded very deep. When
caught in the heavy gale that began about
o'clock on Sunday night, she was
probably so deep that the big seas went
clean over her, and she was unable to ride
the mountain waves that, no doubt, swept
her fore and aft. The fires were soon put
out, and soon the steam ran down leaving
tie vessel totally unmanageable in the sea
that ragged around her. Then the crew
climbed to the top Of inc house to await the
end that WAS not far of, for no craft could
have lived in such sea.
Nhen the crew lost control OF the vessel,
she soon ieli of into the trough OF the sea,
which would then make short WORK OF her.
The deek-lOad probably started, and then
struck by terrific wave, the entire deck
load with the boats and ueck-hOuSeS, and its
living freight were swept into the sea, and
either drowned or had the life crushed out
of them by the mass of lumber and wreck
age.
CRUSHED TO DEATH.
Annensen was DO doubt killed at the
same time, but as his body remained on
board the vessel he must have been either on
deck, or more likely in the galley, and was
crushed to death under the bits of the
lumber.
The crew of fourteen was shipped in this
city, and The names, as far as known, are:
Captain, George Marshall.
Chief Engineer, Is. Mckinney.
II. {. Annensen, cook.
Two mates an assistant engineer,
steward. five seamen, TWO fremen and boy
completed the list
The vessel was owned by the California
Lumber Company, which has an Office al
Bush street, and U. Greenwald is the man
aging owner. 4 visit TO the Office of The
Coast Seamen's Union was made In hopes
OF learning the names OF the Others Of the
crew, but only tHo of the men had Joined
the steamer on her last visit TO this port, the
others having been i'll the vessel for some
time, and their names were not on the ship
ping-list. The two that Joined the vessel on
her last trip were:
Alexander Burgensen, a native of Swe-
den, 43 years OF age.
Hans Hanson, a native of Norway, %
years Old.
Both we're single men.
THE WIDOWS OVERWHELMED.
A CALL reporter visited Mrs. Annensen
at her home, 600 Howard street, and found
the poor woman completely Frustrated by
the terrible news.
Tell me be is not dead" she exclaimed;
" it can't be true Why. l only got a letter
from him Yesterday, saying he was going to
leave the steamer as soon as she reached
San francisco, as he was tired of her. He
said be would take months rest and [
was expecting to see him walk in at any
minute" and then the poor woman sank to
the floor, bowed down by the weight OF her
grief.
Annensen had been cook of the Maggie
boss about year and had been married
about two years. He was said to be a model
husband and was noted for his steady
habits. He was about So years of age and a
native of New York.
Captain Marshall lived with his family at
a cosy home at 12S Silver street. The terri
bic news Of the husbands death fell like
tbunderboit, and broken-hearted widow
and two children mourned the loss of fond
husband aud father. When the sad news
reached her Mrs. Marshall refused to be-
lIeye 1t, saying her band had been run
ming 10 Coos Bay for fifteen years and had
been reported lost several times before
when shown copy of the telegram she
SANK into chair and sobbed aloud
CLEAN OF HOPE.
When she heard that the Arcata, which
left at The same time, had not yet been re-
ported, CLEAN of hope Lit up her face aud
she refused to believe her husband dead
until 1t was known that none of the Inflated
crew were on board that vessel. Then.
clasping her children TO her breast, she
gave way to the tears that could no longer
be suppressed.
The Maggie Ross was built at Pleasant
Point oregon. in 1883, and was 252 tons
register. She was lis feet long, 81 feet
broad and 10 feet deep. AS soon as the
news of the disaster reached this city fears
we're at once entertained for the safety of
the steamer Arcata, Captain Saunders, be-
longing TO the Oregon Coal and Improve
mPUf t1QmnauV the onlv Of ha tbr.o
vessels that left Coos Bay on Sunday after
noon.
The Arago. of the same company, had ar
rived some time before, and an account of
her terrible passage was published. Ship
owners and merchants on Change shook
their heads when asked what they thought
OF her chance OF arriving all right. while
many openly expressed the opinion that she
had gone TO the bottom with all hands.
THE ARCATA SIGHTED.
About O'Clock in the afternoon dis
pat was received that the Arcata was in
sight outside the heads and a general sigh
OF rellei went up from all concerned. A
CALL reporter was the first TO board the
steamer as she came up TO her berth at
EalleJo-street Wharf, and it needed but
glance to see that she had had rough time
OF II In her battle with the elements.
When asked whether he had picked up
any of the crew Of the Maggie Ross, Cap
tain Saunders replied that he had not.
80 she is gone, is she? Well, it's just
what / expected, and. to tell the truth,
never expected to get here myself"
While the steamer was being made fast
the reporter took turn around the decks
and was met by the steward.
What kind of trip did we have?
Well, sir, l expected it would be our last
have been at sea nearly forty years, but
This one takes the cake; and Idon't want to
see another one like it. Why, every win
dow In the cabin Is broken on both sides :;
there is not stitch OF dry clothing or bed
ding on board the vessel and nearly all the
provisions are spoiled by the water"
The crew told the same story and all
agreed that nothing but the courage and
skill of Captain Saunders, assisted by NJ ate
Reed and Engineers Kull and Brunbrook,
had saved the vessel In that terrible storm.
A TALK WITH THE CAPTAIN
AS soon as he was at liberty Captain
Saunders told THE CALL-man the story of
the steamers trip from Coos Bay to this
city.
ave left Coos Bay in company with the
a