The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-22
SHIP ERICSSON LOST.
'Leaped Upon the Rocks of Bar
clay Sound in a Storm.
GREW ABLE TO JUMP ASHORE.
John Ericsson Built the Big Vessel
Forty Years Ago-The Barkentine
Planter Tempest Tossed.

VICTORIA, Nov. 21.-[Special. THE shat
tered fragments Of the pioneer ship Erics-
son Will, in all probability. be found today
strewn along the shores of Barclay Sound
and far out to sea, relics Of one of the most
remarkable vessels of the Pacific Coast
and OF Fridays storm. She was
caught in gale while bound from San
Francisco to Nanaimo for coal, driven into
Barclay sound and pinned between the
rocky shore of Entrance island and the
narrow lodges skirting it, going on about 2
O'Clock Saturday morning. The wreck had
already been badly battered when the
steamer Alert, Capt. Clark, passed en- route
to Victoria Sunday. The Alert was on the
way from Hesquoit and did not notice the
distressed ship till about four miles past,
when she put back to render assistance If
possible. The Ericsson's sailors were found
unbending the sails. From the ships
position it was evident she would soon go
to pieces. Her bow rested clear out of
water on gigantic boulder, while the
stern was awash, the ship being exposed
to all prevailing winds from the ocean.
He captain, with boats crew. had gone
to Beale lighthouse to telegraph for as
sistance. and so, not whiting to conflict
with him, the crew declined the volunteered
services of the Alert. They were getting
all that could be saved ashore to little
camp, and the vessel being in ballast and
her fate sealed, they thought the steamer
could do nothing anyway. The wire being
down, the captains word was not received.
Capt. Clark's report to the registrar of
wrecks, the only official information
yet received. states briefly that the
American ship Ericsson, Bennett
master, lies ashore at the
eastern extremity of Entrance island,
Barclay sound, about three miles north of
Cape Beale; that she is fast breaking up
and cannot be released, and that in the
disaster no lives We're lost. The gale which
did the mischief was not itself especially
severe, but the last of series which
caused unspeakable difficulty to shipping.
Entering Fuca straits, Captain Dow, of
the barkentine planter, also disabled in
Fridays gale. reports seeing the Ericsson
flying before the storm in the direction of
Dodge's cove. He said to the mate at the
time: THAT skipper must be crazy" but
he had no opportunity to investigate.
Indians in the neighborhood describe
the wreck graphically. They say they
heard strange noises and saw lights
fash out in the darkness, rain
and wind from the southwest
While they wondered and watched
they saw ship only ten yards
off. Her bowsprit struck rock and
smashed into a thousand pieces. Then
the ship herself came on, climbing up the
rocks like a thing of life, till she rested
out of the water. The crew, drenched and
weak, fell rather than jumped ashore, and
the sea began to batter the ship te
pieces as she lay. The Ericsson
could not help breaking amidships, and
she had already started when the Indian:
left the scene. The wrecked ship has a
record covering thirty years, many OF
which were spent in the Pacific waters.
was originally steamer sailing out Of
New York. After coming to the Coast she
was romodeled by a firm who purchased
her. and have since employed her in the
coal-carrying trade. 1t is expected Capt
Bennett will send for steamer, but antici
pating this action two will leave in the
morning.
The barkentine Planter, of San Fran
cisco. loaded with lumber from Port
Gamble to Honolulu. was towed in yester.
day by the tug Lorne. She had terrible
experience, and the crew never expected
to reach land. The vessel was wind
bound several days. but on Friday morn
ing set sail, and Friday evening, when il
was blowing a gale, was off Cape Flattery
The cargo shifted and the ship was thrown
OH her beam end. When towed in SHE
was in very sorry condition.
The ship Ericsson was of 1.56S.07 net tonnage
length, Dis feet; breadth, 4o4; depth, 90. Sh,
was built at New York in ISL, and owned i,
san francisco