The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-24
TIE MAGGIE ROSS LOST.
Totally Wrecked on Sunken
Reef at Russian Gulch.
The Captain and Crew Saved History of a
ship Which Misfortune Had Long
Marked for It's Own.

dispatch from Duncans Mills was re-
ceived at the Merchants Exchange last
night stating that the steam schooner Mag
gle Ross, owned by the Golden Gate Lum-
Der Company of this city, struck on a sunken
rock off Russian Gueh, Sonoma County,
at noon yesterday. and will be a total
wreck. Captain Marshall and the crew
were saved. but the bulk of the cargo is
probably by this lime the prey of the
waves.
The spot where the disaster occurred is
about 100 miles from San Francisco. and
not for from the historic Russian settlement
at Fort Ross.
The Maggie Ross left here for Coos Bay
direct about p. NJ on Monday. She would
steam about eight knots an hour under or
binary conditions. which would bring her
up with Russian Gul3h little before noon.
She carried a cargo of stores valued at
$1,000 and was herself worth aDouf SOS 600
Against this is an Insurance of $4,000 in
the Canton and Firemen's Fund of this
city. The ship was built in 1878 at Pleasant
Point, Or, and was 2S2 tons register I15
feet long, 50 feet beam and 10.j feet depth
Of hold.
If ever a craft deserved the name of a
hoodoo ship the Maggie Ross WAS that one.
Her career for the past year has been sue
eession of disasters.
On January 8, 1891. she arrived in this
port in tow Of the steamer Emily. She had
struck on Coos bar in coming out, causing
her TO leak badly. The Emily picked her
up 10 miles south OF Lake ATago with fires
out, the water in the hold being above them
The deck load had been thrown ever board
10 tighten her. The captain of the Emily
put i've men on board to assist and towed
her TO Port Oxford with FIVE feet of waetr in
the hold After II hours spent in repairs
the Emily towed the disabled steamer down
10 San Francisco.
There vas a stiff salvage bill, of course
but this was not the last of the Maggie's
mlsfOTtuneS. On December II OF the same
year 1881, while rounding Cape Arago on
the way TO this port the steamer was caught
In tremendous southwest gale which car
Tied away all her sails and smOkestack
SO that she rolled helplessly for days in the
trough OF the sea. Both the boats were
stove 10 and rendered unseawOrthy In
tying to clear the deck lumber one of the
houses fell, instantly killing the steward
Arensen. Another sea broke the legs of
two of the seaman, and yet another washed
the second mate overheard. The captain
and crew patched up the boats az well as
they could and put off, but, after consulta-
ton, the captain and engineer, with one Of
the crew, were put back on the wreck az
their own request. preferring TO take their
chances there rather than in leaky and
crowded boats In the heavy sea on an iron
bound coast. The boats were picked I'D by
the schooner Annie Gee, which landed the
men at MaTshfed. Or The captain
aud engineer were taken off the steamer by
the steamer Willamette Valley, which then
towed her in to Yaquina Bay. 1t was not
till February Of the present year that the
Maggie Ross left Yaquina Bay and came
down 10 this port to resume her trips, the
last OF which is now recorded.