Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-07
MANY AILORSDROWN
Particulars of the Loss of the Helen
Mar.
THE ENGLISH COTTON SPINNERS STRIKE
Italian Elections Sustain the Gov
eminent.
WRECK OF THE HELEN MAR.
Story Of Hardship and Suffering Told by
survivor.

SAN Francesca, Nov. THE following are
further particulars concerning the wreck Of the
whaler Helen Mar. which Was sent TO the bot
tom OF the sea, drowning thirty-four Of her
crew after being crushed between two big ice
bergs.
The officers of the bark were as follows r
Q. Thaxter. master; W. F. Handy. first mate
Richard L. Ellis. second mate; Joahan Nina
third mate; John o. sra, fourth mate; VIM
Ward, fifth mate (saved); Antonio Leit,. An
tonic Paugalino, Louis Antoine and Franz
Birch, boat steerers; c. Nelson, preventei
boat steerer; Willis Bray, steward: A. Kershaw.
cook; u. Cook, cooper and carpenter.
The wife OF Capt. Thaxter. who ia a native Of
1t. Helene. has recently arrived in this city,
where che expected to meet her husband on his
return from the north. Second Mate Richard
L. Ellis belongs in Dartmouth. but for num-
Der OF wears has made his home in San Fran
cisco, when not in the arctic
The Helen W. Mar which sailed from San
francisco for the north Pacific ocean Deem
Der "a, 1881. was last previously reported July
l, lss2 having then taken one whale.
Acey kershaw, cook on the Helen Mar. who
came down from the arctic on the Belaiga, tells
a story of terrible suffering and hardship after
the wreck of the Mar
On October 6, when in latitude a north, the
vessel took two whales The crew was so busy
In trying out the catch that they did not OBJ
serve the swirl current carrying them toward q
great ice foe, in the center of which was huge
iceberg. When they observed their peril there
was no time left to escape wreck. They had
got out two boats, but had no time to get into
them before the vessel came into contact with
the foe. The sharp edge Of the ice cut through
her hull as a knife cuts cheese.
In moment two masts snapped off and fell
on the ice and the vessel went down as though
the bottom had dropped out. Just as she was
sinking Fifth Mate VIM Ward and four men
ieaped on the ice foe and saved their lives
They saw the captain and the first mate
struggling in the water. but couid not lend any
help. In FIVE minutes the captain and thirty
three men had found a watery grave. OF the
men on the foe besides Ward were Boat Steerer
Anot Paugalina, Cook Acey Kershaw and Sail
ors katsura and Perros. Their situation was
very bad, as the foe swept by icy winds,
and they had no shelter.
They hoisted shirt on a fragment of spar
and waited for help from some passing vessel
They spent forty-eight hours on the ice before
they were seen by the steam whaler Orlca,
which mistook them for walrusses. Soon after
the rescue the steamer Belaiga came alongside
and took them on board. All except Kershaw
were left at Unalaska, as thew were so badly
frozen they cannot be returned They will all
recover bu. Mate Ward. who will be a cripple
The saddest feature of the story is that the
captain was married in December last. Just be-
fore be sailed. to a lady in Nantucket. He
brought her here and took her as far as Una
laska. From there she returned TO San Fran
cisco and is now in Oakland.
The vessel was built in 1855 in New Bedford.
She is owned by Wright & Boney of San Fran
cisco. All the crew are from this place.