The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-26
Wrecked on Rocks Near Cane
Beale, Vancouver Island.
ALL THE GREW csr ASHORE,
The Well-Known Freight Steamer
Meets the Same Fate as the Idaho.
Driven Ont OF Her Course by the storm
-sealer C. H. Tupper Goes Ashore
in Peddar Bay-A Norwegian Bark
Wrecked With Thirtysseven Lives.

VICTORIA, Jan. 2a-tspecias. l-wednesaay,
JANUARY p. goes down in history as a memorable
day IN the annals OF British Colombia shipping.
for today no less than FIVE vessels well known
here came to grief, the steamer Michigan the
schooners Tupper and Pene.ope, the steamer
Constance and the sloop Moilie
The wreck of the Michigan Is the most i'm.
portant OF the five mishaps, as s1e proves a to-
tai loss. She was proceeding from san Fran.
cisco TO Puget sound with fuli general cargo
In charge OF Capt. s. F. Graves, and when four
days out from her California pt.rt encountered
thick weather, with a heavy westerly sea
and strong winds. These e-emeuts, with
the treacherous currents running OF Cape Beale
on Saturday night, drove the ss,p thirty rlile,
north OF Bonilla point. in the same position AZ
the Old Idaho piled up near Rzce island. The
crew, which maintained perfect discipline, sue
ceeued In escaping to the shore in the ship's
boats with their personal effects and as soon as
the weather moderated it was diseoy-
cred that the keel was stove in and
there was no possible salvation for the
ship. Capt. Graves tried to corf;municate with
Victoria from Carmanah light but, the wires
being down and there being nS. possibility of
getting word there, he crossed to Neah bay in
an OPEN boat and wired here Tor the tug Lorne
she was out. aud SO Collector Milne and
Agent Gaud,n, OF the marine depart
ment, at once investigated with a view to
sending ont the Dominion steamer Quadra
to the rescue If lives were endangered. This
was not the case ami SO the American tugs Sea
Lion. Tacoma and Discovery started from Port
townsend ior the scene. They are expected
oack tomorrow with the shipwrec ked crew.
The Michigan had gained considerable fame
lately by her connection with a gigantic opium
deal. she was, however, well known both as a
passenger and freight steamer, being pioneer
OF these waters, having seen service here since
q 10 hJii
Wash, and registry at Astoria, Or, a. a vessel
oil 695 tons. Her present owners, the Union
Pacific. valued the Michigan at $40 900, while
her cargo would represent so, coo more.
Nearer home shipping was equally unfortu-
nate. The schoone-s Topper and Penelope col
Hded and the former went ashore at Peddar
bav and the steamer Constance, in rendering
aid. also came to trouble. Tho Two schooners
had anchored close in shore for the night.
and at 5 O'Clock in the mcrning started
Tor sea in company. In some way they fouled,
anu though the Tupper at once let go both
anchors heavy sea drove hey on the rocks
where she now lies on the sonth SIDE Of the bay
fully exposed, full of water and BADLY listed off
shore The Penelope, though sliehtly damaged,
proceeded to sea The Constance was sent to the
rescue as soon as news of the collision reached
port and would have accomplished her mission
had not her tow line become eut8ugled in her
proprelior, so that but for the pfoyidential ar
rival OF the Lorne, which towe-i her in, she
would have been dashed broadsidS on the rocks
The injuries to the Tupper will exceed s4,O0o if
she can be saved, which is dot hbtful she is
1o0-tou schooner owned by Capts. Kelley
and Baker, and is five years old, her
value being $4,000 The last on tie list is the
sloop Mollie, of eight tons, bo4lnd from Ma
nalmo Tor Victoria, which went Ca Macaulay's
point early this morning, and the five men
forming the crew were forced TO sysim for their
lives. The crew was saved, but tie sloop will