The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-10
SHIP TURNS TURTLE.
The Blairm0re Goes to the Bot
tom at San Francisco.
SIX MEN CARRIED DOWN.
She Was Riding It Anchor, In Ballase,
and Tide and Wind Combined
to Capsixe Her.

OF the Union Iron Works, the vessel was
struck by violent squaii. which, together
with swift fiood tide. threw the craft on
her starboard side, capsizej her complete
~ and sank her in less than five minutes.
Fifteen seamen struggled in the water.
Six were confined in the vessels hold and
were probably pinned down by falling dun
mage used 10 hold the ships ballast In
place. The imprisoned seamen never
reached the deck. as did their comrades
engaged with them in handling the ballast
below. and their bodies are imprisoned in
the hull. The Blairmore's mast lies level
with the bay bottom utder seven fathoms
Of water. and not n sign of the sailors
sunken tomb Is visible above the waves.
Here and there on the surface Of the water
near the scene OF the calamity is piece of
drift from the wreck. but beyond this the
vessel and men have been completely swal-
lowed up.
The unfortunates who lost their lives
were, Thomas Ludwig. first mate; Henry
F.. Clark, able seaman; Roland Siegle, ap-
prentice. aged 10: C. Renebaum. able sea-
man: H. Sinstrand. Waterman: Sam Kerry.
steward. The latter was shipped here and
is native OF Brooklyn. The balance of the
men on board were those seamen usually
held on vessel after she discharges cargo
and Is awaiting cargo The regular fore
mast hands were all discharged on the ar
rival Of the vessel from NEWCASTLE with
coal two months ago. The squali that
caused the disaster was the most severe
experienced on San Francisco bay for
years. The wind was so severe that num-
Der of ships anchored near the Blairmore
signaled for tugs to move them up the bay
The flood tide, working at the keels of the
ships. had a tendency. being counter to the
wind, to upset hulls not weighted with
cargo.
The Blairmore. with her head toward
the Union Iron Works, was keeled over so
far that passing towboat captain hailed
her and asked Capt. Cav. her commander.
II he did not wish tow to the north end OF
the bay. Meantime the squall blew its
heaviest, the sea was heavy, and rain fell
in torrents. Capt. Cav dfd not think his
vessel had braved the perils of a number
Of ocean voyages to be wrecked in the bay
of San Francisco. so he refused the tow.
saying he would hold on little longer.
The tug had scarcely drawn away when
the Blairmore bave a sudden lurch dipped
her yards and fell prone on her starboard
quarter. Water rushed into her hold in a
torrent. The rapidly escaping air from
tho hold blew It, fountain-like. as high as
the lower yards. The men scrambled Oft
on the open ladder. The tug Active. with
another ship IN tow, dropped her lines and
blew for help. then sped to the rescue. but
too late. A boat was sent from the Brit
ish ship Yeoman. 1000 yards ahead Of the
Blairmore. In three minutes this boat was
alongside the upturned vessel and picked
up the men clinging to the Bla!rmore's
sides. Two men who had struck out for
shore were picked up by the British ship
Cromdale. The Woman picked up seven.
including Capt. Cav.
Capt Cav reported Immediately to his
agents and to the British consul. He said
the wind was blowing as stiffiy as he had
ever seen II at sea. Both of the Blairmore's
anchors were out. and he thought they
would hold her all right 1.-The tide was at
the food. and squalls were blowing from
the southwest" said the captain. ut was
a nasty combination, water broads;de 10
the ship and she light. with squalls bear
ing over hard to starboard. She went over
In twinkle. The first thing i knew she
was sinking beneath us, with five OF my
poor men in the hold and one thrown over
board" The second and third mates and
a number of men had reached the rail and
were awaiting boats from the ships Crom-
dale and Yeoman. The saved were those
not in the hold. the latter being drowned
like rats or else killed by being struck by
flying timber or ballast. The ship Is COM
paratiyely new, having been built at Glas-
gov in 1893. and registered l,76I tons. There
were go tons OF ballast IN the hold. and it
IL thought the ballast shifted and covered
niture will exceed s125.0oo The task OF
raising the Blairmore win be expensive.
Seven fathoms of water covers the ship
where she went down.
At the time the BlaIrmore was seen to
keel over the tug Active, which had Just
let go of the IBveresk. was at the sugar
refinery Capt Marshall Immediately saw
the danger and headed for the wreck. This
tug Alert, Cart. Brokaw, was also soon on
the scene and after the survivors had been
picked up the tug Rockaway, Capt. Lucky.
bearing Superintendent Dfckie, OF the
Union Iron Works shipyard. and a party
of workmen. steamed up. Capt Marshall
tried to get a line TO the Blairmore TO Keep
her up against the wind. but the weight
was too much for the tug, and the attempe
was not continued.
little later several men stood on the
side of the ship and worked with desperate
energy TO cut a hole In the steel. They
could hear the agonizng cries of tho i'm
prisonei sailors calling for help. Some at
least had escapedthA flying timbers and the
weight of sand. They were rroping In
darkness and shouting for aid. They could
hear the hammers ringing on the steel. but
they could see the rising tide. Their only
chance of life rested in the energy OF the
men working on the vessels side. Three
lives at least were to be saved II the steel
would WELD before the tide raised the wat
ers to the opening. The tide rose slowly.
and the rescuers worked with stubborn
zeal. There seemed time enough, but the
rnuff,ed cries within the ship grew weaker
and the waters swept gradually higher. un-
IN they washed the feet OF those who were
boring into the steel. IT was contest sell
dom seen In the harbor OF San Francisco.
and the rescuers lost. Just as the merest
ribbon OF steel remained between the en-
toTnbed sailors and life, a wave rolled over
the c,Irving side Of the ship. Although hope
had almost gone there was stili a chance
a hammer smashed cpen the steel plate.
The compressed air burst forth with ire
nendous force. spouting the water TO n
height Of thirty feet. Those who had tried
with all their energies to be rescuers
scrambled to their boats With a piercing
hiss OF air and water the ship sank lower
and The waves rolled over the spot where
a few moments before were heard the cries
for help. The men N the hold were beyond
help.
The manner OF the sinking of the Blair
NOR. IL peculiar, bat Il Is not the first
time that 4 vessel has "turtled" in this
harhor IN the same manner, and almost
In the same spot. on May Il. 1856. the
British ship Earl Of palhousle czpsized
opposite the rolling mills She had no
ballast. and the tug Relief had taken hold
10 tow her 10 the Oakland fats. When her
head was partly turned 20 the northsard
she heeled over TO starboard and went
down The seventeen members of the
crew were saved The American bark Ju-
la Cashier was another vessel which cap
sized in this hartsor IN similar manner.
She was moving under sail. one morning
in The early sixties. when she heeled over
AMI went down She subsequently drifted
OUT 20 sea bat was driven ashore on the
ocean beach south Of the Clin house
Cant. Cav was saved BY his dog Jack