The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-28
The Vessel Broken to Pieces on the
Rocks OF the MendOeinO Coast.
FIVE LITES LOST BY THE DISASTER
The Engineers, Steward, Fireman and One Sailor
DrOWnSd-sarrow Escape Of the First
and Second Mates.
Ereeial 10 THE MORNING Gait.

WEsTPoRT, March 27.-Tbe steamer Ven
ture was wrecked this morning at O'Clock
at ROckpolt Both the engineers, the stew
ara, one OF the iremen and one sailor were
drowned. The vessel has broken In two
ard gone to pieces on tie rocks.
The first mate was washed off the rocks
once and then climbed to safety.
The second mate was washed off the rocks
and then climbed upon the stern of the
vessel. Il rope was thrown to him upon
which he came ashore. Seventy-fve thou
sand feet of lumber was aboard.
A rough sea came suddenly while the
vessel lay under a cable, tossing the vessel
so hard that the crew were unable to cut
the cable and save the vessel.
The Venture sailed from San Francisco
on the evening of the 10Th and reached her
destination on the following day. She lay
off Rockport until daylight on Monday
morning. when she ran in to the cove and
was made fast to the mooring buoys under
the chute.
There is absolutely no shelter at Rock
port from west or northwest wind, and
the vessels that load there have TO be ready
to put TO sea at a minutes notice.
NO place en- the entire coast OF California
is so dangerous for vessels as this, and
should craft, either sail or steam, get
caught there i'll blow she is certain to 90
ashore on the rocks and be pounded to
pieces by the heavy seas in very short
time.
A short distance from the mainland are
two Islands and 10 these the lumber Is car
ried on wire suspension bridge. The yes-
sci TO be loaded lies as close as possible to
the island and the lumber is carried out to
her by means of chute. At the least sign
OF a blow the work of loading ceases. and
the vessel puts TO sea, where she Is often
compelled to stay for davs and even weeks
until tie gale is over and she can return TO
receive the balance of her cargo.
U hdtr these circumstances the crew
often work till far into the night in order TO
get loaded as soon as possible This is
what the crew of the Inflated Venture did,
and by Saturday night when they quit work
they had taken $4,000 feet of lumber on
board. NJ one thought Of danger when
the days work was done ana Captain john
son and his crew, with the exception of the
lockout man, retired to rest.
About "a o'clock 1t began to blow from
the westward. The crew were at once
called and preparations were made to get
the steamer away from her Dangerous posi-
ton and out to sea. Steam was rapidly
rising in the boilers and In few minutes
more there would be enough to carry the
vessel out through the breakers that began
10 roll in with ever increasing force.
Suddenly tile vessel was caught by a
heavy sea that threw her bows high In the
air and the strain on the mooIings caused
them to part.
CAPTAIN Johnson gave tine signal to the
engineers 10 go ahead at full speed, but
there was not enough steam to work the en-
gines. and the steamer swung around into
the trough OF the sea. and, before the crew
could realize their danger, was swept broad
side-on toward the cruel rocks.
Seeing that the vessel was doomed. Cap
"a johnson called TO- iha crew TO save them
selves, but before a beat could be cleared
away the Venture was on the Tock-bound
shore aud the heavy seas were beating her
to pieces. The first mate sprang overheard
and swan for the rocks under the chute,
which he succeeded in reaching, but he was
instantly caught by high wave which tore
him from his hold. Again he struck out for
his life. aud succeeded in hing place
# safety.
Second Mate Wilson also tried TO reach
the shore by swimming, but was torn from
the rocks. He regained The vessel again
and was saved by means of rope thrown
from the shore.
Captain johnson and part of the crew
also reached the shore, some by swimming
and others by means Of the ropes thrown to
them by the people, who had gathered near
the chute at the first call for assistance.
One of the sailors was almost ashore when
he was caught by the undertow and
drowned before assistance could reach him.
Fireman James Strand was never seen
after the steamer struck, and was probably
crushed by the shifting lumber Steward
Carlson no doubt met his death in q similar
manner, as he was not seen TO leave the YES
sci. Both the engineers were drowned
while trying TO reach the shore, which was
more than $50 feet away.
Almost as soon as the steamer struck the
rocks she was broken IN two amidship, and
soon the beach for several hundred yards
on each side WIS Strewn with pieces OF the
wrerk and cargo.
The two fremen were father and son.
Both have families in this city.
The two engineers. together with the first
mate. only Joined the steamer the day be-
fore she sailed on her fatal voyage and as
their names are not on the company's pay
roll they could not be learned last night
Steward Carlson also resided in this citv
and leaves family of four to mourn his
untimely death.
The sailors were shipped from the office
OF the Coast Seamen's Union, and as the
oitce is net open on Sundays their names
were not learned.
Captain johnson has been in charge of
the steamer for about three years and is
considered one of the most careful men on
the coast.
w. Il. Hill, the managing owner of the
vessel, was seen by CALL reporter, but he
could give no further information regarding
the loss of the steamer.
The Venture was built in this city in 1883
and was about 249 ton burden. She was 1877
feet long. 80 feet beam and 10 feet deep.
She was valued at $50 600 and was insured
Tor $4,000 She was owned by w. Is. Hill
and others, and was rated one of the best
boats OF her class on the coast.