The morning call., 1893-03-12
WRECKERS' WORK.
The Tacoma's Race With
the Storm.
HER ANCHOR-CHAINS CUT
The Peril of Non-Union Ship Through
the DastardIy Work of Some
One.

The American ship Tacoma narrowly
escaped wrecking Friday night through the
work OF unknown parties who cut her
anchor chains and SO rendered the vessel
completely helpless.
The Tacoma arrived here from Phil
adelphia February 10 with a general cargo,
which she discharged at Green street. In
stead Of wasting time while waiting for an
Eastern charter, Captain Gaffney accepted
a charter to load coal at NanaimO, for John
Rosenfeld's Sons.
She took on ballast for her northern trip,
and wishing TO avoid trouble on account of
having shipped a non-unjon crew, First
Officer Laryin with seven men cast loose
from Green-street wharf and dropped into
the stream.
II was the Intention TO pass the night at
anchor, or as long as might De necessary,
until the other officers and the remainder of
the crew should come aboard.
Having reached a desirable anchorage off
Lombard street at 6 80 o'clock P. NJ. the
starbnard anchor was dropped and about
fOrtyfve fathOms of chain paid out. Dur
ing tile night gale sprang up. and under
the beating of the wind and rain the bal
lasted ship tossed like cork.
She appeared to be slowly but steadily
dragging her anchor, and at o'clock in the
morning the first officer was awakened and
his attention called TO the condition of the
ship. He at once ordered the port anchor
let 90. The heavy mass of iron dropped
into the bay. The chain crashed through
the hawsepipe moment and suddenly
slackened. At the same instant the star
board anch0r-chatn parted. aud the vessel
sprung from her moOrings Rdrift
For what seemed to the terrified crew q
small eternity She ran with a strong ebb
tide past sections l, 2 and 3 of the seawall
al the rate OF 10 knots an hour Blue lights
ed until the SHnplV bepa atrra ay-
hausted, when torches were made of oakum
and turpentine and used for signals.
The ship sped like a racehorse through
the black night, the crew only guessing her
position as 1t was iutermittingiy discovered
by binding flashes Of lightning. Several
times collision with vessels at anchor
seemed inevitable when some fortunate toss
Of the waves would intervene and send the
ship on unchanged.
At length her signals were observed, and
the tugs Hercules and Sea Queen put out
from tile Redstacks' wharf and took the
vessel in tow, as she was of AlcatraZ and
within 100 feet OF the rocks. After some
difficulty IN getting line aboard a hawser
was made fast and the Tacoma safely do ked
at Green slTeet,
An examination was at once made and it
was discovered that the anchor chains had
been nearly sawed through, only enough
being left uncut TO sustain the dropping
weight of the chain. The work had been
k4 =
at the wharf. the several links being be-
tween the hawsepipe and windlass.
The cut link was taken to the Merchants
Exchange and placed on exhibition, and all
day long crowd of excited shippers was
about II, den0uncing the deep yiliany of
the deed and vowing to use their influence
to further the apprehension of the. mis-
creants.
Chief Crowley has instructed Captain
Dunleavy of the Harbor Police to run the
rs n urf If ha af oil IYanc
The Tacoma is owned by Charles Daven-
port of Bath. Me-, aud is heavily insured
1t is reported that insurance circles are
much exercised over the occurrence and
have concluded that it is high time to take
hand In suppressing these repeated out
RACES.
The tug Rescue dragged for the lost an
choTs and recovered them late in the after
noon.
A dispatch was received at the Merchants
Exchange from MendOclno yesterday after.
noon stating that the American schooner
Gussie Klosa was ashore on the rocks on
the south side OF Albion harbor, and is
probably total loss.
The Klose left this port on the 9TH inst,
under command of Captain Olsen, bound
Tor Albion. She is the property of j. w.
Graham Of this city. The schooner was
built at Fairhaven in 1876 and was So 96
tons net. She was So feet long, 26 broad
and deep.
L He UdIk htCHdiu III, WHICH returned TO
this port few days ago, having sprung q
leak and with her crew in semi-mutln0us
state, IS now having her ballast taken out
In order to repair her. In spite OF efforts to
stop the leak the bark continues to make
water rapidly, and her officers expect TO
find an auger hole drilled in her bottom.
The schooner Bender fouled the schooner
Lucy on the mud fats early yesterday
morning. AT o'clock the tug Active took
her off and mOored her in Mission Bay.
The steamer Arag0 is at Oakland Creek,
and will be laid up indefinitely.
Captain Paul Anderson has taken COM
mand of the schooner Laura NJ. Damon,
and Captain A. c. Sherman Of the steam
whaIer Orca.
The steam schooner Alcatraz Is coaling at
Mission q She has taken the cargo of the
Ale Ear. which came to port recently with
two blades of her propeller broken, and
Will leave to-day for RedOndo.
Captain Williams of the ship Goodrich,
who recently made an attempt upon his own
life, not having recovered sufficiently 10 re-
sumo the command Of his vessel, Will have
his place supplied by an English captain,