The morning call., 1894-11-15
BAD FOR SHIPS.
A Long List of Recent
Disasters
ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST.
The Record Has Never Before
Been Equaled.
ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST.
OF DOLLARS GONE.
Within Less Than Fifty Days /;
Score of Vessels Have Been
Lost or Damaged.

The marine disasters that have occurred
in the waters bordering the Pacific Coast
during the month of October and during
the past days of the present month of No
vember have never been exceeded in num-
Der or total of loss in dollars and cents by
any record of corresponding period of
previous years. Coast storms, to. have
scarcely commenced to blow with the
vgor of midwinter gales. Judging from
the long list of wrecks already recorded
for the beginning OF the season the end
will show an appalling loss OF life and
properly.
The loss of the British steamer Crown
of England cannot be attributed to the
storm. In her particular case the fog Is
accountable for the wreck. but in nearly
every other instance the winds and the
waves caused all the trouble.
Commencing with the wreck at sea of
the ship 1vanhOe, Captain Griffi0, which
occurred about October 1. twenty-five
lives were sacrificed and about $4,000
worth of property destroyed. The Ivan
hoe left Seattle on Septem Der %, with two
ladies ana Frederick Grant of the Seattle
Post-lnteligencer as passengers.
During a gale which blew hereby soon
after she passed Cape Flattery the ship
is supposed TO have opened up and gone to
the bottom with all lands on board. The
skipper OF the schooner Samuel Dutagd
subsequently reported that he saw the
Ivanbue disappear on the afternoon OF
September %, about ninety miles south
east of the cape.
On October IL dispa ches we're received
telling of the grounding of the schooner
S. DanlelsoD on the spit at the entrance 10
ha @ W %
ashore while crossing over, and for several
days /; was thought she would be total
loss. She was finally pulled off the bar.
but not until she had suffered extensive
damages to hull and rigging. Her entire
deckl0ad of lumber was st.
The next big loss in shipping circles was
caused by the Bleaching OF the pretty 2U9
ton schooner Nora Harkins. which on the
night OF October 10 was dashed Oh the
rocks at the south entrance to HOquian
harOOr and completely des royed. Her
crew barely escaped with their lives. One
man, a sailor, named Canton, was lost IN
the breakers while trying to swim ashore.
The Harkins was insured for $4,000. but
she was worth double that amount.
On the same date that the Nora Har-
kins ran aground the schooner Electra,
commanded by Captain Wilson, struck the
rocks near Cambria and knocked her en-
Tire bottom out. She proved total loss,
but all of her crew were saved. She was
insured for $1,000, and was not worth very
much more as she had been III active ser
vice since 1875.
October 10 seemed to be an unlucky day
for ships, Tor on that date the schooner
Portia came to grief also. While APP
preaching Stewards Point under command
of Captain Carlstrup the Portia was blown
on ledge anu went to pieces soon there
after. The Portia was only small vessel
of 66 ions, built in BenIcia in 1888 The
SOTOu for WI ha N rlifr n
her loss fairly, not taking her cargo into
consideration.
The day following the three wrecks just
told abDut tie wind asSalled the schooner
Cnetco, which as trying TO make West
port, and drove her on Needle Rock. The
Chetco was another Benicia-buiit craft.
There IS little hope that she will ever be
saved to become as valuable 20 her owners
as she was before the accident.
The abandoning OF the brig Z. w. Lucas,
at O'Clock on the morning Of October q,
set another derellct drifting about the Pa
cific. The vessel was lumber laden and
bound for this port. On the days of the
10Th to the "a h she weathered a succession
of heavy winds and high seas. At the
time mentioned on the oath she sprang a
leak and gave signs OF going to pieces.
Her crew left her in boats and were after
ward picked up 10y the steamer Homer
anu taken TO YaQuina.
On October 80 news came from Eureka
that the fOur-masted schooner Excelsior
had grounded near the middle grounds,
entrance to Humboldt Bay. The tug
Ranger went TO her assistance, but could
not get her off. Three tOw5oats tried to
move her the following day, but did not
succeed. The vessel was lying in an easy
position, however, and resting on sandy
bottom. After the expenditure of large
sum OF money she will probably be saved.
The steam-sch0Oner Silver Spring, Cap
tain Hhrdwick, was lost az $3.50 o'clock on
the night of November at Rockport
Her crew put to sea in boats to escape
being dashed ashore by the waves that
heavy gale had raised. They were picked
up by the steamer Cleone and taken to
port. The Silver Spring was 1S4-ion
vessel and was built In 1888. She was in
sured for So. $50 by her managing owner,
w. A. Mitchell.
An unusual amount of damage was done
to vessels in the coast trade during the re-
cent storm. Almost every ship that passed
through the blow reported the loss OF sails
or some part of the rigging.