The morning call., 1893-11-15
TALK OF THE SEA.
Claims Against ChiIe's
Government.
A TEST CASE TO BE MADE.
The Queer Fate of the Schooner
Ripping Wave.
INSURANCE MEN INTERESTED.
Legal Papers Which Contain Two En-
tertaining Stories of Many
Years Ago.
INSURANCE MEN INTERESTED.

The treaty entered into between the
United States and Chile on January %
1898, growing out of the Baltimore Incl.
dent, is about to be substantially tested by
two citizens of Humboldt County. The
treaty provides for the settlement of al
war claims and claims against the Chilean
Government made prior to war times.
By the steamer Pomona. which arrived
here last Sunday. came papers TO be for
warded to the Commissioner of Chilean
Claims at Washington. setting forth the
complaints of Michael O'Brien of Eureka
and James Kimball of Westport, Mendo-
cino County. for salvage amounting &c
$500 which they allege they were de-
frauded out of by the Governor of one 81
the South Chile provinces in the year 1868
The claimants were members of the
crew of the American schooner Ripping
Wave, which went ashore on the South
Chilean coast and was abandoned by heI
captain.
The Thomas Mcclellan Fishing Com
papy owned the schooner, and she was in
sured for $4,000, though valued at on ly
$4,000.
In O'Brien's statement he tells of having
discovered a tbree-quarter inch auger hole
in the vessels bottom, and thus two stories
are merged into one, as the insurance was
paid in full to the owners.
That two such strange stories should be
resurrected after the elapse of nearly three
decades is considered a very strange cir
cumStanee.
Just what action the Chilean Govern
ment will take In the matter of O'Brien' s
and Kimball's claims is hardly any more
interesting than the probable steps to be
49, .sn, III atoh
secured the vessels owners against marine
losses.
Thomas Mcclellan & Co. are we'll known
in this city and to them the story of the
wreck of the Rippling Wave is not news.
though the somewhat startling tale told
by O'Brien possibly is. Briefly narrated
this is that The crew of the Rippling Wave
returned TO her after she had been deserted
by her officers and succeeded in raising
her, whereupon the Chilean Provincial
Governor confiscated the schooner.
Lawyer Selvege of Eureka had Onsider-
able cores pondence with Minister Patrick
Egan on the subject and also with the
latter's successor. He has finally put his
clients claims into shape to be presented
TO the proper authorities at Washington
OBrlen's story is told in detail in the
manuscript as follows:
'On December 26. 1868, the schooner
Ripping Wave sailed from Boston for San
Francisco in command OF Captain ID. c.
Gushing. Six men and three officers con-
stItuted her crew. The vessel was cleared
at Boston. her cargo consisting of 123 tons
of coal, 10 600 feet of oak and fishing ma
terIal for Thomas McCollam & Co. of San
Francisco.
1--WE made no stops until we reached
MOntevideO. where we remained about
twenty davs and then set sail for the
Straits of Magellan. reaching there during
the latter part OF Aprl.
"Going through the straits we were
forced to anchor every night and kept this
up until we reached Shallow Bay. There,
in manner not entirely known 10 us, the
schooner went ashore at about 10 O'Clock
at night. The crew suggested that an at
tempt should be m ade 90 get her off, but
the skipper did not heed our advice. We
stayed by her for five or six days. and then
:he captain proposed 10 abandon her, as
provisions were getting short. He ordered
us to get ready, and we started for Sandy
Point, which we reached in less than a
week.
when we left the vessel she was lying
on sand beach, and her cargo was intact.
We went from Sandy Point to Monte
video. The captain wanted rs to go to
San Francisco with him, but we refused.
lie and the mates took a steamer for this
city.
LAS soon as the officers had gone we
(the crew borrowed a beat from the Gov
rrnment and went back TO the sunken YES
sci, which was by this time pretty well
under water. We labored night and day
getting out her cargo and tightening her up
with such success that we were able to haul
her high up on the beach and pump her
partly out. Still she leaked considerably,
and an investigation was made of her hold
timbeTs. Then we discovered a three
quarter inch auger hole right through her
planking.
Captain McDougall of the United States
steamer POwhattan came into Shallow Bay
at this juncture and gave US a supply Of
provisions. We got ready for sea aud set
sail for Sandy Point, reaching there in
safety in a few days.
"Whie we were at Sandy Poin. the
Chilean Provincial Governor, Dore de
Valo. came on board and Informed US
that he had come to take charge of the
schooner in the name of the Chilean Gov
ernment. He put US ashore and placed an
armed guard on board. For eighteen
months the Rippling Wave was under
this mans control, and finally he offered
her for sale at public auction, bidding for
her himself and obtaining possession of
her for $500.
I'VE had worked at odd jobs at Sand
Point during the eighteen months, deter
mined not to give up the ship. We pro-
lts
said that he had the authority to sell the
schooner, as she had not been claimed by
her owners.
81 was thrown into prison for protesting
too vigorously and otherwise maltreated.
|. "One of our number was sent to Valpa-
raise to put our case before the American
Consul. Having no money he was obliged
TO stow away on a northbound steamer.
This man saw the Consul and returned to
us with word to hold onto the vessel, IS
the matter would be investigated. We
waited. but heard nothing from Valparaiso.
Another man. James Kimball, was sent
north, but that was the last | ever saw of
Kimball until l reached California several
years later.
Five of US stayed at Sand Point for
twenty months, as the Governor OF the
province refused to let US go north. All
our letters were intercepted. and we could
not get word out of the country.
FINALLY we managed to get away on a
steamer. and reached San Francisco some
time in 1873. i Immediately went TO the
owners of the Ripping Wave and found
that they had been paid the $4,000 insur-
ance. They wanted to know why l had
m ot wriftnn tn than ahnut ha ooi7pro opd