The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-20
TIDINGS OF THE
FIVE LOST MEN.
THE OCEAN SPRAYS BOAT FOUND
GROUND TO PIECES ON
THE BEACH.
SHE WAS LOST AT MIDDAY
THE NAMES OF THE LUcKLEss YES.
Sells CREW AT LAST AsCER-
TANNED.

The schooner Ocean Spray, which was
overturned after leaving Iversens Landing
a week ago last night, was towed to the
mud flats inside of the Pacific Mail dock
yesterday morning. She is now high and
dry, and the work of clearing her hold and
cabin is in progress.
Captain Zaddart of the schooner Bender
Brothers, which arrived from Point Arena
yesterday, brought an important piece of
news regarding the wreck of the Spray
The boat belonging to the schooner was
washed up in fragments on the rugged
shores of Iversens Landing on last Thurs
day morning. The captain received this
intelligence from the manager of the liver
sen Trading Company, whom he met at
Point Arena. The manager is stationed
at the landing and he told the master of
Ocean Spray put to sea it was blowing a
gale. The wind he said, howled about the
bluff and the waves rushed up on the rocks
at least 100 feet in height.
The finding of the pieces of the Ocean
Sprays skiff at Iversens Landing gives
color to the theory that the vessel was
overturned shortly after she put to sea and
that the crew had attempted to launch the
boat.
ut looks like folly" said shipping
| man yesterday, "to venture to express the
opinion that the crew has been picked up,
for the men had about one chance in a
thousand to escape. On the other hand, it
seems strange that not single man should
have got away. The boat would not have
been of much use to them had they sue
ceeded in launching it, but the men could
have clambered upon the starboard rail
and hung on till picked up by some pass
ing vessel. They may be now bound to
some northern port While it must be ad-
mitted that the chance of their having
js eli eli how
chance. The accident to the Ocean Spray
should emphasize the necessity of over
hauling coasting schooners and call atten-
ton once more to the number of old YES
sells in the service"
1t is considered strange by coast
schooner men that the sidelights should be
below if she went over the night she left
Iversens Landing. 1t is probable that the
disaster occurred next day when the wind
had died down to a light breeze and the
crew. weary and worn with their hard
stormy night, were asleep either on deck
or below, and the solitary man at the
helm had carelessly dashed the wheel, a
habit among shallow-water sailors.
Close inquiries among the crews of coast
ers arriving from the north fail to elicit the
slightest information concerning the lost
men. From Mr.. Iversen 1t is for the first
time learned that the crew of the Ocean
Spray was: Captain, Charles Omundsen;
mate, Martin Lorentsen; cook, Joseph
Rogers; seamen, Chris Carlson and John
Peterson.
But little is known of the mate and
cook, and OF the two Norwegian sail
ors nothing can be learned along the
water front. 1t was their first trip in
the schooner, and they were en-
ployed by Omundsen shortly before she
| sailed. They had no residence ashore and
were of the class of men who drift from
vessel to vessel along the coast. Omund-
sen owned a share In the schooner valued
at about $500, which he had insured to
| secure the man from whom he had bor-
rowed the purchase money. The disposal OF
| this claim will doubtless cut some figure in
the final settlement of the salvage question.