The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-22
THE j. G.. FORD LOST
FOuled on Making Harbor
and Sank at Sea.
A MYSTERIOUS GREEN LIGHT.
1t Is Carried on a Launch That Runs
Vessels Down-The Identity of the
DereIict Discussed.

that the sealing schooner Brenda arrived at
that port at 1 o'clock Monday aftern Don,
having on board Captain Charles Brown
aud crew Of eight men of the schooner j..
c. Ford OF San Francisco.
The Ford was bound from San Francisco
for Grays Harbor with cargo of lime, ma
chinery and ballast.
On the 14th inst, while going into Grays
Harbor, she struck the south spit, losing
her rudder, the keel TO the mainmast and
all the dead-wood.
She got off and put to sea in leaky con-
dition, managing to keep the water under
control until her pumps gave out on the
10th. She then began to fill gradually. The
following morning the lime took ire and
tie vessel was doomed.
A large iron collier passed bound south
and paid no attention to the Fords signals
OF distress. This is supposed to have been
the keweenaw, bound from Seattle TO Dan
Francisco.
The same afternoon the Victoria sealer
Brenda hove in sight. rescued the captain
and his crew and saved $1,000 worth OF
property from the sinking ship. Ten hours
after the abandonment the Ford sank.
The lost schooner was q three master OF
$50 tons. She was valued at Sl4,5O0. and
was owned bv the S. Z. Slade Lumber Com
Browns eighth interest was insured Tor
$3.50 There was no other insurance.
There is a strange craft on the river. She
Is a launch with but one light exposed at
night-a green one. She acts in ghoulsh.
mysterious way, but that she is real tangi-
bic boat the crew OF the steamer Constance
is ready TO swear. The experience the Con-
stance had with the launch was most re-
marka5le one.
1t was on the last trip of the steamer to
this city. She had almost cleared Potato
Slough, a tributary of the Mokeiumne,
when the pilot made ont a green light bear
ing down on her straight ahead.
The Constance slowed down, but the light
came on at the same rate. and the steamer
finally stopped altogether and backed. Even
then, when the stranger was almost on her,
she had made no peTeeptible alteration IN
her speed. but bore swiftly down on the
Constance, giving her savage glanclng
strangers build. had her stern badly
smashed. Even then she scarcely changed
her course, but kept straight on her way.
The people aboard the launch are either
wilfully malicious orfwoefuiy ignorant OF
navigation. In either event IL would be
well for craft plying up the river to look
sharply out for battered launch with a
single green light.
Captain Hondlette of the steamer Aus
tralia and Captain George Morehouse of the
ship Dashlng Wave are the principal appli-
cants so far for the position OF bar pilot, to
be filed at the next meeting of the Board
Of Pilot Commissioners, on the first Mon
day in March. Captain Thomas L.. hnlpe.
deceased, was the late incumbent.
There is still considerable speculation as
10 the Identity of the derelict reported of
Cape Flattery.
a letter written by John Barneson, for
mer commander of the George Thompson,
was received from Port Townsend at the
Merchants Exchange yesterday.
In this letter BarneSon denies the rumOrs
that have been circulated TO the effect that
the deTeiiet was none other than the George
Thompson. He says the Thompson was
ashore on the Fraser River. but received no
damage
The opinion Of shipping men at Port
Townsend is that the wreck is either the
COwltZ or Matilda.
The:bark Cowlitz. Captain Hanson. sailed
from Port Gamble January % for this port,
and the bark Matilda, Captain Svenson,
sailed from Port BlakelY January % for
Honolulu. Neither ship has since been re-
ported.
The Custom-house and Appraisers divis-
ion will he closed to-day, except between the
hours Of and 10 A. NJ, for the entrance and
clearance of vessels only.
Vessels will discharge as usual and bonded
warehouses will be kept open.
Captain Blackburn. left for Nansim0.
The American steamer Protection, Master
Levinson, left for Fort Bragg.
The British ship Drumcllff arrived In port,
having left Liverpool October q. She had
good weather throughout her trip and made
II in 1l9 days. February Is. In latitude 81
deg. 81 min. north, longitude 49, deg. 81 "a In.
west. she spOke the American ship Indiana
bound tor San Francisco. Her commander,
Captain Davies is one Of the best-known
officers on the coast.
Captain Gallop. formerly of the schooner
Mary Dodge. has been transferred TO the
schooner j. q. Wall.
The British ship Helensburg reports that
on February !. in latitude Il deg. 10 min.
north, longitude 1lS deg. 30 min. west, J Ohm
Diese. a German seaman, IS years of age,
fell from the fore rigging overheard and
was drowned. A boat was lowered al once,
but no signs OF the sailor could be seem
The British ship Strathgryfe left London
September "a and reached this port last
night She reports an uneveutful passage,
with light winds and Gains; the only ex-
ception being off Cape Horn. when success
sion of heavy gales was encountered.
The schooner Maid of Orleans, while
lying at her wharf. at the foot of Main
street, Monday night. was almost disabled
by unknown parties. Her five-inch line was
almost completely severed and seven lam
yards of her fore rigging were cut through.
She was obliged to put In at Meiggs
wharf shortly after weighing anchor yester-
day to repair her damages.
The schooner had shipped a nOn-union
crew, which is IN ught TO have been the
cause Of the trouble. She was boarded bv
United States Marshals while lying off
Meiggs wharf in search of deserters. None
were found.
Two non-unlon men were sent up to
Eureka yesterday to replace sailors on the
lrpideufal WIN had hppn nprSuGdad at
that point to desert.
The schooner Ida Mckay shipped GREY
of three non-union men aud left for Eureka
An express team ran away in front Of the
Tiburon ferry early yesterday. scattering
the wares Of the fruit-venders and the
stands OF the waterfront fakrs. 1t
brought up between row of posts with a
great racket of breaking woodwork amid a
cloud of dust.
At 3 o'clock Yesterday afternoon the wind
was blowing off Point Reyes at a velocity of
20 miles,
The management of the Stockton line of
steamers has announced its intention of
placing runners on the front at the foot of
Washington and Clay streets soon.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company's
steamer Newbern arrived from Mexican
ports, at Broadway wharf. She reports
fair weather and an uneventful voyage.
The ship Santa Rosa was taken from the
seawall to Broadway.
The ship st. Mark arrived from New
York and was given a berth at the Union
street pier.
Steamer Oregon left Spear-street wharf
at 10 o'clock for Victoria and Portland.
The Oregon Coal and Navigation Com
pany's steamer Arcata left Vallejo-street
wharf for Coos Bay at4P NJ.
The steamer Daisy Kimball, Captain
Liebig. left Misslon-street wharf at o'clock
for Point Arena.
Steamer Gypsy, Pacific Coast Steamship
Company. left Broadway wharf 2 at 3 p. NJ.
for Santa Cruz.
The American steamer Walla Walla left
for Victoria and Puget Sound.
The steamer Columbia left for Portland
and Astoria.
American steamer Santa Rosa left for
San Diego.
The steamer Noyo left for Noyo.
The steamer Greenwood has left for
Greenwood.