The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-08
THE loss OF THE BUCKEYE.
Discussion or the Responsibility for the
Disaster In BeIiinghann Bay.

whatcom, April 7..-speclaIA day or
two ago Captain Hahn. OF the wrecked
steamer Buckeye. telegraphed 10 Inspec-
tor Bryant for permit TO run the steam
or Brick. and 10 reply received dis
patch saying he would not license the
Brick 10 carry passengers and summon
fng Capt. Hahn aud his crew TO Seattle
Wednesday 20 testify at an inquiry into
the causes OF the Buckeye disaster. Capt.
Charles BowdeD. who was acting as mate
of the Buckeye and AZ the wheel
when the steamer swamped. called al the
PDst-Intclligencer bureau and gave his
version Of the unfortunate affair. which
Is fully corroborated by Messrs. Asher
and Bennett the two passengers who re-
NAMED at the wreck with him untiI res
ened by the tug Boydeu IN the evening
II IL quite true as stated by the Post
Intelligence, that there ~ not the best
OF feeling between Bowden and Hahn.
and the statements of the former reflect
seriously upon the latter Rowden says
the statement that Mr. Bennett was with
him In The pilot house when the vessel
swamped II an error. but that IL Is true
that some time before, when the steamer
was crossing Rosario strait 10 Anaeortes
and big wave washed into the cabin.
Bennett spoke 20 Bowden who was then
In the cabin. about the Insecure fasten-
fngs OF the doors, and suggested that they
ought 10 be barricaded. or nailed UP.
Bowder says he Immediately spoke 10
Hahn about the flooding of the cabin
and told him az the same time that yogf
and let the cattle loose below. Hahn, he
says. did nothing about the matter. and
after Bowd~n went out remarked 10 some
OF the passengers that he tBowden, was
afraid and that II would be "a heap
worse In Beilingham bay" Bowden also
says that when the steamer was being
loaded at Friday Harbor he protested
against taking on so much live stock
and that after leaving Anacortes he told
Hahn that unless he kept her head TO
the wind he would surely swamp her"
When the steamer capsiycd all the crew.
SAYS Mr.. Bennett. took 20 the only avail
able boat All was confusion. No orders
were given by the captain. and there was
total absence OF discipline among the
crew. After one or two OF she passan-
gers had got out OF the overloaded boat
onto the wreck Bowden says Hahn asked
him IN he would stay with the wreck
until he could go ashore with those In
the little boat and return. He answered
that he would. and Immediately climbed
hack onto the wreck and waited. mean
while doing all he could to assist Asher
hennett and Kaufman. who remained
with him. The little boat. however
though ~ reached the shore safely In
about an hour. did not return Hahn
says Howden. left the wreck and four
men tossing In the cold waters on frail
RATS, and went 10 Fairhaven. several
miles away, and reported 60 Cant Buck
ley. OF the tug J, T.. Boyden. that the
Ruekeye had capslyed. and barglneh with
him TO go ont and try 20 tow In the
wreck. Hahn. II Is claimed said. nothing
10 Buckley at FIRST about any persons
clinging TO the wreck and that ne only
learned about 10 several minutes later
from one Of the crew, 20 whom Hahn had
mentioned n Incidentally
This r. powders story lie speaks In
the highest terms OF praise Of Cant.
Rackiey and the crew Of the Roysen. and
says that as soon as the tug reached the
wreck and picked up the nearly exhaust
Ell men clingtng 10 the RATS Cant Ruck-
ley ordered small boat lowered and
sent two men ashore 20 the point where
Hahn and those with him had landed
Their boat was found all right high and
dry upon the shore. but the egohers OF
camp Are ana tracks upon the beach
were the only other traces % the seven
persons whom ~ had brought from the
wreck Rowien claims that n was clear
~ Hahn's duty 60 return 20 the wreck
and save those remaining upon H. and
that any one ~ the five other men who
went ashore NTH him could lust aS we'll
have carried she news to FalrhRven and
had assistance sent from there
Rowden has had long experience IN
Puget Sound waters, Tie built the schoo-
ner Perry in iS16, and Ia iSS had her
heightened and converted into "A steamer
fe was master OF her for sixteen years.
uutn she was sofa IN iSal lie SAYS she
Il now In Alaska. Referring TO the death
81 Kaufman. Bowden saws ne was I'M
douhteily dead when he was washed from
the raft not more than fvc minutes be-
fore the Boydcn reached the wreck.
Asher and Benne;t spoke highly ~ Bow
denis conduct. AMI say that hr aia much
10 assist them and encourage them 30
cling on untn relief reached them