The morning call., 1893-12-15
NINE LIVES LOST.
The Schooner Mary Brown
Long Missing.
SAILED FROM SAND POINT.
She Was Due at Victoria on
October 10.
TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD.
Frank Gafney and James O'Brien, as
Well as Captain Brown and
Crew, Perish.
TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD.

The little hunting and trading schooner
Mary Brown, in command of her owner,
Captain William Brown, with nine people
to be accounted for. is among the long
overdue vessels, and. in the opinion of sea-
fariDg men. the missing craft may be
counted among the lost and those who
sailed on her never more to be heard from.
The Mary Brown sailed from Sand
Point, Alaska, probably in ballast, for
Victoria on October last and with the
fair winds then prevailing she should
have reached her destination within about
sixteen days. But seventy odd days have
come and gone since then and still no
tidlngs of her have reached anxious hearts
in this city and elsewhere. Among the
nine people on the boat when she left
Alaska were two passengers and four
seamen, who paid their fare down partly
with money and partly in work, while
regularly employed on the vessel Captain
Brown bad two Esquimaux, a man and a
boy. Who the four seamen were and
where they belonged is as yet unknown
here. but 1t is supposed they were from
some of the sealing vessels or whalers
operating In the waters OF the far north.
The two passengers, however, were we'll
and favorably known In this city, and
many friends lament them as dead. They
were Captain Frank NJ. Carney and James
l.. U Brlen. both Young men In the employ
Of the Lynde & Hough Company, whole
sale hsh-dealers and commission mer-
chants on California street.
Captain Carney went into that employ
during his boyhood days, seventeen years
ago. AT the age OF q he was master of
one OF the cOmpany's schooners, which
position he continued TO hold until re-
Gently, when he lost bis vessel in a wreck
de was returning 10 this port TO arrange
to give up seafariDg life and to take
charge OF the compaDy's business at Sand
Point, consisting of an extensive store, a
warehouse. wharf and hotel. The
captains wife and three children now on
a farm in Lake County. were to go up with
him in the spring. Captain Gafney was a
native Of Santa Barbara, where he first
saw the light. thirty bres years ago. and
where his relatives still reside.
James l.. OBrien was a native of Maine
With bis parents he came to this State in
his infancy. thirty-fOur years ago, and
when at home he resided with his father
and sister, the latter being Mrs. Il. ii.
HaZelton. for eighteen or twenty yenrs a
teacher in the Denman Grammar School,
al 420 Ellis street For the last seven or
eight years he had been secretary to the
Lynde d HOugh Company, residing in
this city in the winter and having charge
of the company's station at Sand Point
during the summer season. He was re-
when disaster overlook him.
Captain William Brown was well known
along the coast, and for many years he
was connected with the Alaska CONNER
cial Company. Saving up his means he
resigned MS position three or four years
ago. had the schooner Mary Brown con-
structed in this city by Dickie Brothers.
at cost Of about $1,000, and started into
business on his own account, hunting,
sealing and fishing along the Alaskan
In faA In
native OF Alaska, and made his home at
Misoga Bay, where he leaves quite family.
One OF his children is in this city attend
ing school.
Captain L. E. Noonan, president of the
Lynde q Hough Company and an old salt
with many years practical experience
along the northern coast, speaking of the
unfortunate party yesterday said: "Gaf-
pey and O'Brien were very popular young
men with their friends and acQuaintances
Their long connection with the company
and their qualities and abilities made their
loss a severe one. But" continued the
captain. "it is not an assured fact that
they are lost. Though their chances seem
exceedingly slim there is just a possibility |
that in the spring they may be heard from. |
Captain Brown is said to have remarked |
before leaving Sand Point that owing to |
the passage of the law prohibiting the use |
OF firearms in certain Alaskan waters he |
would have to engage expert spearmen |
from among the Indians along the coast. |
1t is possible that Captain Brown in this |
connection approached land ana was driven |
ashore in a storm. Ii so, the men might |
now be with the Indians, and owing to |
the severity Of the winter and the long |
distances be unable to communicate with |
the outside world. Once ashore their hard |
ships would be many. but their lives would |
be in no special danger"
The captain evidently had but littls |
faith in this possibility. as he admitted |
that the schooner left Sand Point with a |
favorable wind and a straight course for |
Victoria, and to put right out to sea would |
be the only thing to do.
William O'Brien, father of the missing |
man of that name. said he and his daugh- !
ter had no hope of ever hearing again from |
the son and brother. He had written |
them saying they might expect him home
on November 10; that when he left Sand |
Point he would sail direct for Victoria.
where he had some business to attend to-
As OBrien had the schooner chartered to |
take him ana Captain Gafney to Victoria,
II was not likely he would permit Captain
Brown to put into the islands for native
hunters. Besides" said Mr.. O'Brien,
''about October 10 the schooner encouu-
tered fierce storm, and as there was no
shore TO be driven onto she undoubtedly
was wrecked. The schooner Czarina.
which left Sand Point four days after the
Mary Brown. was in the same storm, but
was only sixteen days in making the trip.
GOD may" concluded the old father,
bring back nv boy again, but it does not
seem possible"