The morning call., 1893-04-26

the side, as the Alaska would come broad
side to the seas and then swing suddenly
about.
i was in the captains boat. To get an
awful impression OF an angry sea one has
only 10 be Heating on 1t in small craft.
We could not see the Melancthon at all,
except when we rose on the crust Of q
mighty wave, which, a minute before,
seemed about to engulf us.
AS we poised on the top of the mountain
oil water we could see the schooner plung-
ing about so much that it began to look
dubious whether we would be able TO get on
board Of her.
1T seemed only the fractional part OF a
minute that we would pause on the wave
top, then down we would drop into valley
Oh plack water with rapidly W hich almost
took our breath away
:, As we neared the Melanethon after more
than an hours hard rowing, drenched to
the skin and nearly frozen, an immense
conner dashed the mates boat against the
schooner. staying in the boats side and spill
ing her crew into the sea.
Luckily we were not far away and lent
hahd In picking them up. The crew of
the schooner got a line to the wreck aud
one OF The men in the water managed to
We would stand away until big wave
mad passed, then row alongside and get a
man or two aboard. After two or three
attempts we were all safely on deck and
ny ..1 before sixty-knot gale for the south.
Inc Melancthon's crew were green hands
and we had to help to sail the vessel.
DO notthink she would have weathered
the storm if she had not picked us up."
lheTe Is some uncertainty as to who res-
eued the SHIPS cat and dog. The captain
Chains the honor and so does Seaman Ber-
rltt. The latter has possession of them.
however, and declares that he shall never
go 10 sea without them, as he has formally
adopted them.
1t would have been impossible for Cap
tam Drannan to have lowered the boats
sooner than he did, as the seas were break
ing over us most Of the time''
Nhen samuel Blair, owner of the Alaska
was seen last evening by a CALL reporter
ne sa'd; ne ship is gone, and that is all
She may have stove hole In her bottom
IN some unaccountab!e manner, but really
dont know as much about the case as
you do.
he vessel was insured for $4,000 and
her value was about $4,000.
Il Will have $1,000 10 pay out to her crew
tomorrow, which l will do without delay.
as nave no doubt they need the coin"
MI bar was not at all excited when the
news reached him OF his loss. He listened
10 the recital OF the disaster calmly, express
ing himself concerning it in few short
sentences.
The Alaska was built at Kennebunk. Me-,
IN lo6S and in her prime was con sidered a
splendid vessel
Shlps, Ike persons, become too old for
active service, and 1t is thought Icy many
that the Alaska had passed her DAYS of use
1uiness and that the 1900 tons of coal which
she carried for Husband & Brooks was
100 much of strain for her ancient timber.
however, there are other Wel-preseryed
vessels in the coast trade which are several
years the seniors of the abandoned ship.
Inc bark California, for example, was
bullt IN 1913. and is still good for number
OF years service. The bark Bounding BIZ
low l9, SID OH the ways in 1884. and the brig
Glencoe in 1913. There are several more IF
these pioneer coasters left, but gradually
they are passing out Of existence.