The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-28
Purser Mcdonald and Four Sea
men Lost Off Destruction
Island.
CHINESE PASSENGERS PLIGHT
They Are Not Allowed to Land on
American Soil From the Re.
turned Steamer.

1ACOMA, WASH, Dec. 2I.-No news
was received to-day concerning the where
abouts of Purser Mcdonald and four
men who left the Strathnevis in ships
boat while off Destruction Island and at
tempted to put into sore through the
surf, Much anxiety is felt for their safety.
and it is feared their boat may have sunk
and all the men been drowned. Purser
Mcdonald is we'll known in Puget Sound
around maritime circles.
He is about 40 years of age. He came
here from St. Johns, n. B., many years
ago, and acted as purser on the Washing
ton Navigation Company's steamer w. K.
Merwin, the Seattle and the City Of
Quincy In 1898 he accepted the posi-
ton of purser on one of the Northern
Pacific liners. He owns large ranch on
Puget Sound.
The steamship Miowera, which had the
Strathnevis in tow five days and brought
her to within twelve miles of the Tatoosh
light, where the hawsers snapped and the
steamers parted company, has not yet
been heard from. The prospects for her
safe return to port are gloomy. and those
interested in the steamer are greatly
alarmed.
Anxiety continues to grow for the safety
af the steamer Danube, which lett Victoria
about two weeks ago to search for the
Strathnevis and has not returned. While
she has been at sea the severest gales ever
known on the Pacific have swept along
the west coast, and it is feared she may
have fouhdered in the same storm in
which the Miowera disappeared.
b ha
awarded the steamer Mineola for towing
the Strathnevis to port has not yet been
settled, and no authentic information can
be secured at present on the question.
Maritime men believe the salvage award
will be between $50, 900 and 100000, to be
divided about equally between the Miowera
and the Mineoa.
Now that the Strathnevis is safe in port
new trials are besetting her Chinese pas
seneers Deputy Collector Drum said to-
day:
MANY of the Celestials who took passage
on the Strathnevis last October expected
to arrive in the Flowery Kingdom in time
to Ell iov the Chinese New Years festival
at home.
"The long delay has made them quite
late, and it is now believed large num-
Der of them will wish to abandon their
proposed trip to China ana return to
America. This plan can easily be carried
out by those holding return certificates
from this Government, but between fifty
and seventy-fve OF those who are among
Strathnevis' passengers are not armed with
the necessary credentials. to permit them
to set foot on American soil again. When
they left they said they did not wish to
spend more CT their lives here. Now
it is a serious question whether
they can-one that will, no doubt, be
referred to the head Of the Treasury De-
partment for decision. Chinese laborers
who leave the United States must own
$1,000 worth of property before they can
secure a certificate emitting them to re-
turn to this country"
Collector Saunders of the Puget Sound
customs distr;ct attends to the inspection
and passing upon all Chinese immigration
questions of his district in person. There
are five or. six Chinese among the list OF
the Strathnevis who are under the ban OF
deportation.
Should the steamer return here it is
doubtful if the United States Marshal
will perhaps be kept aboard the Strath-
nevis until she is repaired and sails for the
Orient, or until they can be transferred to
another steamer for the same destination.
A common plea among Chinese who are
refused landing in the United States
from steamers from foreign ports is that
they thought they would not want to re-
turn to America again and burned their
certificates, but changed their minds
afterwards and felt confident they would
be admitted on Identification.
The scheme has often been played by the
hard hearted sons of the far East, who had
never before been out of the borders OF the
hermit kingdom. Customs inspectors
smile with satisfaction when they think
how the castaways on board the Strath-
nevis will not be able to enter this plea.