The Portland daily press., 1895-02-11
HALIFAX EXCITED.
Reported Wrecking Of La Gascogne
on Sable Island.
THE STORY HAS GAINED WIDE
SPREAD CREDENCE.

1t is Impossible to Learn How the Story
| Observation-Disclosures Will be noICommuni-
Save by Carrier Pigeons-Citizens Are
Agitating the Sending of Steamer to
| the Rescue.
Special 10 The PRESS.)
| Halifax, N. S.. February 10.-No one
| knows just how this rumoI originated that
La Gascogne struck on Sable Island, but
the city is full of the widest stories, and
| the newspaper men have been kept busy sall
day following them down.
| 1t is admitted that La Case oRne may have
| struck ON the rocks of that wild and dee-
olate island. The captains of all the
steamers have of late reported that they
encountered heavy gales. and PECULIAR
and dangerous fog seems to have hung over
the ocean, making navigation especially
dangerous. 1t Is not thought that La
Gascogne could have encountered the enor-
nous iceberg known to be somewhere on
the ocean. and which is believed to be simp
ly vast ice mountain, the longest berg"
reported for many years.
| Old captains who have been interviewed
| think that there is even strong possbil-
| ity tnat the great steamer struck on Sable
| Island, the grave of many another vessel.
| A long list of similar disasters have been
recalled but there is very little OF a cheer
| ing nature remembered. 1t is the commonly
accepted opinion here that if La Gascogue
actually struck on Sable Island, the crew
must have been lost. more deadly shore
could not we'll be immagined. and as one
old captain said today every bit of it
might be named "Dead Mans LEDGE"
| But the question every body is asking is
'sHow did the report originator" AS a mat
ter of fact the old saying must hold good.
"A little wind brought it, for the only pos
sible means of communication with the
island is by means Of carrier pigeons.
There is this possible theory to account
for the report. that pigeon may have been
sent from the island. and have been driven
out of it's natural course, and the message
of disaster have fallen into the hands Of
some person who spread the report while
through ignorance of its great Importance.
failed to send the news to the proper quar-
ters. This is all theory however.
| Not only is it possible that La Gascogne
may have struck ON the rocks aud
shoals of Sable Island. but those on the
|
fact, and some one from the Ill fated vessel
may have bsen picked up by some more fol-
tunate craft. The steamer might hav gone
down miles from the island, and it might be
years before the wreck would be discov-
cred.
If La Gascogne struck on any part of
kSabIe Island the possibility of the rescue
of any of her passengers or crew would he
| Jf.,1,+ 4 have oSkn Of ho ffr1n I
the wreck was result of the dangerous
fog to which reference has been made, the
probability of their escape would be great
ly increased. and if they all made the shore
in safety they could be wei provided for by
the government itself there.
Ample provisions are stored there, and
| the resident staff is there much to pro-
teot the supplies from dishonest visitors, as
for the purpose of rendering assistance to
wrecked vessels. A life saving station is of
little real use there owing to the peculiar
condition of the coats. @~@
| The men who comprise the resident staff
are of necessity obliged to stay months at
a time without communication with the
outside world. The government supply
boat will not leave for there until late in
the spring, and if the rumor of the loss of
| La Gaseogne is TO be verified or disap-
proved it will be by the chartering of some
strong steamer to go there. 1t was sug-
eested here today that this may be done by
| some of the great American newspapers,
much as the New York Fl eraId sent Stanley
to find Livings.o zone.
| If the officers in charge of the govern
ment station sent one pigeon as his messen-
| ger he might not send out second. sup
posing he had effected communication with
| the main land. If pigeon was sent out
| the fact must be definitely known in a
| short time.
! THE MISSING STEAMER.
La Gascogne sailed from Havre at IL a.
| m. ON January &c. She has not been sighted
| since leaving the channel. She has on
| board cargo of general merchandise.
There are forty-four bin and l1S steeIage
| passengers on her. Her crew numbers 2l0
persons all told. She is commnded by Cap
tain Baudelon. Her other officers are Sec
ond Captain Blanquil, First Officer Gautir
Second Ofii,er Pltou, Third officer Lande-
gren. Chief Engineer Martin, Second Engi-
neer LIE Bars, Third Engineer Gouverne.
Fourth Engineer Haman, Purser Japhet.
Assistant Purser Darendeau and DR.. Gar
| walls. La Gascogne is "a staunoh vessel Of
1890 tens register. She is $50 feet long,
So feet beam and "a feet depth of hold. She
was built at La Syne, France, in 1885. She
was formerly four-masted vessel, square,
rugged on The foremast. Recently she was
changed to two masted vessel and her
| yards were removed. She now has two
| pole masts and cannot probably sprea
enough canvas to be OF any zeal use to her
if, as ii is probable, she is drifting about
somewhere on the wintry seas in a dlsabi ed
condition. l. is dollars TO cents that Cap
tain Baudelon wished last night he had the
old rig on the steamer.
No News of the La Gascogne,
New York, February 10.-None of the