The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-30
PASSEDTO HISTORY
Fate of the Historic Old
John Hancock.
WRECKED AT SAND POINT.
Commodore Perry's Old Flagship Is
Dashed to Pieces-The Crew Es-
capped From Tier in Boats.
WRECKED AT SAND POINT.
The schooner John Hancock is sunk.


The homes of the historic old vessel are
left to bleach on the beach at Sand Point
Fer adventuresome aud valuable career
is ended. but her name will live forever as
it has already passed into history.
The Hancock was born in 1850 al the
Charleston navy-yaId, and at that time
served as United States transport boat
and later was remodeled as a steam sloop Of
war.
Her first worthy feat was the trauspo rtlng
of a cargo Of flour TO the sufferers by famine
in Ireland at the time of the great distress
in that country.
During the trouble between the United
States and Japan tie vessel was put in COM
mission as Commodore Perry's flagship,
and in her cabin the famous Japanese
treaty was signed.
Progress in marine construction rendered
the Hancock useless as a waIshlp after
ten years of active Government service, so
she was sold to new owners who, shortly
alter the purchase, sent her to the Pacific
Coast around Cape Horn. On her arrival
In san Francisco harbOr she was purchased
By her last owners, MesSrs Lynde and
H0uSh OF this city, who rebuilt her, took
out her engines and converted her into
three-masted schooner She was used in
the Goldfish trade to convey supplies to the
northern stations, ana while acting in this
capacity as a carrier was wrecked on March
last at the point mentioned, and in the
following manner as described by her COM
mauder, Captain Gatfuey.
On March the Hancock pulled alongside
the wharf at Sand Point ana prepared TO
discharge her cargo, which was done until
the following afternoon, when she COM
meneed taking in stores for the westward
codhShing fleet.
The night of the 9th strong southwest
gale sprang uD, pounding the vessel heavily
against the wharf aud doing some damage
to her sturdy 0aken sides.
The gale freshened with the morning.
blew steadily all day, and toward night in
creased considerably in violence.
BY Z 80 o'clock it was blowing a hurri-
cane, rain fell in torrents and the sea was
breaking badly.
Additional moOrings were made fast to
the wharf, but notwithstanding this pre-
caution the vessel strained heavily, and
finally with grind tore away her forward
moorlng and swung her stern against the
wharf with a crash.
Almost simultaneously with this accident
the vessel dropped into the trough of a big
sea, tearing away her stern flashing and
dragging part of the wharf piling away.
reeeding roller caught her bTOadsides and
drltted her seward.
In striking the wharf the schooner's rud-
der was smashed, leaving her at the mercy
OF the storm. Captain Gaffney and his crew
were on board. and seeing that the wreck
of the stanch old Hancock was inevitable
took 10 the boats and landed with difficulty
through the high surf.
Hardly had they reached terra frma
when their doomed ship came drifting
| helplessly brOadsde on the beach. She
heeled over as she struck the sand and was
| lost in cloud OF water and spray high
! breaker broke over her; her seams were
| started and the waves work of demolition
was soon accomplished.
The Hancock's value was S6000 no In
| surance
! Her cargo was valued at $1,000, and the
| damage to the Sand Point wharf is said to
| be in the neighborhOOd of $1,000.
! -Four OF tie Yesseis crew and Captain
| Gaffney were brought to this city on the
schooner CzaIina yesterday morning.
Among the strange ventures in which the
| Hancock played . prominent part was the
! scheme of young Mexican, a merchant of
| Ensenada, Lower California, W no chartered
| her to clear for the coast of Lower Cali
| fornia some years ago.
| 5. H. Saiar0 was the merchants name.
/ lie had obtained concession from the
! Mexican International Company for six
| years for the exclusive right TO fish, hunt
| catch whales and turtles and gather she'll
! fish on aud off the coast of the peninsula
| from Port Banda to the mouth of the Rio
| Colorado.
Salarlo came to this city and interested
| some Chinese merchants in his scheme, the
| result being that the On YIck Company
| entertained his proposition, and shortly
| atterwaTd the Hancock was sent on an
| expedition to gather pearls, shells and aba
| ZONES.
| Hancock returned TO the Goldfish trade and
| lived TO meet her fate at the hands of the
! elements with which she had SO long and
| successfully battled.