The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-24
On Calm, Clear Night, When tha
Sea Was Smooth as Glass.
The Loss on Vessel and Cargo OF 1000
Tons of Coal Is $500. .ooo-The Hulk
Lies In Such . Positien Thas a
Cannot Be RAISED.

tons of coal on board from the Wellington
mines. At daybreak divers were sens
down to investigate, and reported that the
larboard streak for thirty feet had been
torn away. Water poured through the
hole, and the steamer filled in spite of the
pumps. large force of longshoremeu
was at once put to work throwing the
cargo into the sea, and at noon many tons
had been discharged over her side. Thd
ship then settled and rolled TO port, bury
ing herself under the water, the bow alone
remaining above. Many workmen had 3
narrow escape from being drowned. The
attempt to lighter the ship was abandoned.
At midnight the PosT-ISTELLIGEScED
correspondent returned from q last visit to
the wreck of the San Pedro. which, if any
wind springs up before morning will hayo
disappeard. Her bow, masts and smoke.
stack are now all that is TO be seen of the
finest collier on the Pacific coast, and
hopes of raising her are very slight. 1t is
about concluded that the loss will be conl&
plete, and it means goodbye to about $685.
600. The story told by the captain is
briefly rs follows:
The san Pedro, c. II. Hewitt commanding
had loaded 1900 tons of coal at Comax for SAN
Francisco, and was proceeding down under the
pilotage of Captain James Christensen, one o
the veterans of British Columbia, who up -
this date had never had an accident. The ine
tention was to drop the pilot, rs usual. about
half mile out, and somewhere between
Brotchie ledge and McCaulay's point, and the
ship was going dead slow, preparatory to stop
ping for this purpose. Both the captain and tho
pilot were on the bridge. The night was calm
and clear. but moonless and starless, and the
sea was smooth as mill pond. ship may
pass with safety either inside or outside o1
Brotchie ledge.
The san Pedro was taking the outer channel
and no one thought of danger. when, at $50
o'clock, she bumped, slid little, bumped again
more heavily. and became stationary. The enc
gines were reversed as the first shoch
was felt, but the steamer refused to either baee
or swing. The tide was then about half ebh and
rapidly falling, and the steamer, striking on the
sea side OF tho ledge, on her starboard biiga
soon listed to port After repeated whis.
tie signals to let those ashore know
of the steamers distress, one %
the boats was lowered and sent with
Pilot Christensen to the outer wharf, where
the telephone was made of to bring tugs In
port TO the collier's assistance Captain Sal.
mond, OF the Wellington, whose ship owed hct
salvation to the San Pedro only few weeks hoes
fore, was soon rouscd and he, In turn, lost no
time in getting the steamer Standard and pro-
ceeding with the crew of the Wellington to tho
disabled steamer. IL was about II when theYs
cargo to tighten the ship was commenced. Hst
list was becoming greater tho
tide continued to recede, and her dan>
ger increased every moment. The water w.
this time had filed the forehold, but there VS.
none in either the engine-room after coruys
paTtments so the steam pumps could be KEPT
going all night. crew of twenty 'longshores]
men was also beaten up at midnight by Captafn}
Salm0nd and they joined the men OF the tW0(
coliers in discharging the Pedro's cargo ovte4
the side. During the night tho San Bonita
from San Francisco TO Comax, entered the ofHn1z
TO take on pilot, and as her master wa15
made aware of the disaster he brought hi43
steamer alongside and hawsers were stretched3
ready to haul the Pedro of at daybreak. As>j
slstance was also obtained from H. NJ g.
Nymphe. whose divers went down for the pur.l
pose OF examining the ships bottom and the
character OF her injury before an effort Wi
made TO release her.
The tide about $3.50 a. M commenced TO riso.
but the ship did not mount with the risinn
water The divers made their inspection -
soon as light would allow, aud their report wG11
the reverse OF encouraging. They found I'll
stem broken for about twenty feet, large hol1
four feet square under the f0refoot, and So
ond plate from the cardboard and siarboard bilx1X
with rip Il hand-breadth wide extending a.
underneath the bridge about thirty feet Thc14
were the only apparent injuries, but they wrfU
enough TO show that the ship was all bu4
doomed. The work OF lightering her was con-
ttnued without a moments Cessation until 90
when, with sudden lurch, the steamer filed
aft aud sank.
Those at work upon her, fearful of going tof
the bottom with the ship, sprang overheard for
their lives, many being forced 70 swim. Aboue
dozen Of the first over the side clung 10 buoy
anchored over the dangerous reef, which had
been cut adrift by the steamer aud which, Aoat-
ing BY the wreck, gave those upon IL the fru-
preston that the ship was floating into deep%
water and the buoy remaining stationary
This naturally increased the panic, which<
was fortunately short.ltved. All got safely
ashore In small boats without any more
serious consequences than a wetting. Some 20
tons OF coal had been thrown overheard whel
the sinking OF the ship prevented further opefZ
ations. The steamer is listed at an angle q
forty-fve degrees, and ali marine experts Whe
have looked at her say she viii never Hoat aEain
The probability il that the ship viii be sold q
she lies to the highest bidder whose policq
would be to wreck her. As she lies. the firs
high wind will break her up Captain Clark9X
the harbor- master and surveyor for Loyds, mad
incomplete examination OF the ship thie
afternoon, and q further survey by the SHY
masters will be made in the morning, when
will be decided what next il 70 be done. Th4
lost steamer is the property of the Pacine iInE
proyemeut Company, a corporation composed q
/ Leland stanford, Croeker aud other heads Of th&
! Southern Pacific, and was valued at about $s0&
90, being by Tar the hneSt eOliler pyiHS III -
/ cifc waters. She was built by John Roach e
/ Sons and was classed as in thk1
/ American Lloyds. Her engines were modes5
and her fittings OF a class seldom found In cot
/ lier She was the fastest OF the cOal-carryinE|
/ feet aud in the nine years she had been ruu@
ming had earned for her owners upward Of "a
090,O00 One Of her sister ships, the san Pnebl1
was wrecked few years ago in Chinese water
! 1t IL understood that no Insurance. was carrie
| by the owners, the magnitude Of their interea
making il better policy for them 10 run rls
than pay premiums
THE steamship gan Pedro was built at PhH5
| deiphia in IsS2. she is an iron vessel, Of 33fX
feet Length, - feet breadth of beam and lQ
| feet depth. Her nominal horsepower is 290l
J and her registered net tonnage is 2,tf2 "A toni
I She has since 1888 been plying in the 60
! trade, until recently carrying the pr3
! duets OF the Carbonate coal lass.E7
/ owned By the southern Pacific Co.
pany, 10 san Francisco for the use
that company. The San Pedro is the mat.
| the ili-tated Tacoma, which was the hrsf 2
/ these superior eoiliers 20 reach the Coast =
| which was wrecked OF the coast OF Orngon h.
l.o3. on her fret trip down the coast IRE N
quiry which followed the loss Of the Tac0rna =
suited IN the suspension OF Captain Krous|
VINO, IN consequences thereof, became ipsHrl
and Tor scule time was conflned in an asylum. T
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