The San Francisco call., 1896-10-03
TRYING TO SAVE
THE UMAT|LLA
Members of the Crew Say
She Will Be a Total
Loss.
Firemen and Coal-P Passers Driven
From Their Posts by
the Water.
BRAVERY OF THE OFFICERS.
Arrival of the Corwin With Some of
the Crew of the Wrecked
Wha'er Hidalgo.
BRAVERY OF THE OFFICERS

The fate of the stranded steamer Una
tilla seems to be in doubt. She is hard
and fast on the beach, but the officers and
crew seem to differ as to the practicability
of getting her off. Captain G. Miner
Goodall and Captain Bennett say the
steamer can be hoated, but the thirty
three men who came down on the Walla
Waila say she cannot Every one OF them
is from the engineers department and
they say that five minutes after the UNA
tiIla went over the rock they had to rush
out of the fire hole or be drowned like
rats. Chief Engineer Lacy, who was at
his post and as cool and collected as
though in his own room, saved the steam
remaining in the boilers until the vessel
was run ashore.
The men say the rush of water was
something terrible. 1t seemed to flood
the englne-room in a few moments, and
before the fremen knew what was the
matter they were up to their waists IN
water and the fires under the boilers were
out. Then the rush for the upper deck
began, but the chief barred the way.
When the situation was explained he al
lowed the men to pass and went below to
view the situation. He came to the con-
a sinking ship and engine-room full of
water the men say that Captain Hunter
and Chief Engineer Lacy were the two
coolest men aboard the ship. Had they
not kept their heads the Umatilla would
have gone down in deep water.
THE Umatilla did not strike" said
Mike Powers yesterday. "She went over
a submerged rock and it only stopped her
way for a moment. Then the engines
forced her along and the plates that let in
the wafer like millrace were torn out.
The steamer has an almost fat bottom and
as she lies now the holes cannot be reached.
Heavy swells from the ocean are now due
and should they set in the Umatilla will
go to pieces inside of a week. When we
left the deckhands were saving all the
cargo possible"
Captain Wallace of the Walla WaIIa
thinks the vessel can be saved If the fore
and aft holes are made water-tight and
pumped out. Then the Umatilla would
have buoyancy and the rent under the
boilers might be patched up. Captain
Bennett, superintendent of the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company's docks, is of
the same opinion and says the steamer
will be running again inside Of two
months.
On the 18th inst. the steamer Mexico,
that has been recently overhauled and
made into one of the finest vessels in the
fleet, will GO out In place of the Umatilla.
Captain Jepsen will go out on her as mas
ter. He has been for years on the south
ern route, and with Hall and Alexander
shares the honors of being one of the most
popular and successful captains that have
been on the run. As careful navigator
he cannot be beat. Captain Jepsen's place
on the Eureka will be taken by Captain
Conway of the Bonita, and the latter will
be succeeded by Captain Andrew Hall,
brother of the popular master of the
Corona.
Harvey Jacobs of Santa Barbara and
George Neidlver of Monterey, two of the
best known otter and seal hunters on the
coast, are going out on strange cruise.
They got in here on the Hermann, and
have invested $500 in the venture. They
we're paid off at the rate of $40 skin, and
as soon as they got their money they
went to Kneass, the boat-builder, and had
two otter-huntlng boats built to their
order. They are non-sinkable and fitted
for heavy weather.
The two hunters have purchased sup
plies for three months and will pack along
tent as well as two boat-pullers. From
here they will go to Monterey overland
and from that point will work the entire
American coast on the Pacific side. If
they meet with success and fill the boats
with skins run for a shipping port will
be made. If not the run will be con-
t1nued right down to South America.
The boats will be thoroughly equipped.
and every night when possible they will
be beached and the men will camp ashore.
Tney fully expect to take over 100 skins
inside of three months, and that means
at the least $4,000.
The Point Arena arrived yesterday with
a full cargo of lumber instead of general
merchandise. 1t will be loaded into the
Mary G. Russ and will go to Central
America for use on one of the railroads
now being constructed there.
One of the scow-schooners had a narrow
escape yesterday morning. Captain Alex
ander of the steamer Santa Rosa was feel
ing his way in in the fog when he suddenly
discovered the scow right in the fairway
He at once ordered the engines reversed
and headed the Santa Rosa inshore. He
got into the blight between Meiggs wharf
and Black Point, and had enough stearn-
way on to stop the vessel before bottom
was touched. 1t was clever piece of sea-
manship.
The United States revenue cutter
Thomas Corwin got in from Alaskan
waters yesterday. She brought down
Mate Wells and four men of the whaling
brig Hidalgo. As has already been re-
ported, the vessel went ashore at Point
Hope and became wreck. The men got
ashore July 70 last, anu lOT Two WcekS
lived on pancakes and doughnuts. They
had sixty days provisions, SO were in no
fear of starving. They were picked up by
the Bear and landed at Onaiaska.
The log of the Corwin shows that since
leaving San Francisco she cruised 15, 600
miles. The officers report that the Aleu-
tian ISLANDS wrre covered with flowers
when they left; that the rookeries had
been depleted, and that at least 1000 bull
seals were without families. Bogoslof
Island, that was thrown up from the
ocean some years ago, has not yet hard
ened, and smoke ana lava still pour from
the surface.
Captain Freeman Trask has resigned
from the pilot service. Captain Dan
Haskell, the popular and skillful master
OF the tug Fearless, is the most desirable
man for the place. The pilot commission
ers will decide the matter in few days.
A private letter states that three men
were lost overheard from the United States
revenue cutter Perry. No names were
given, but as the cutter is now at Astoria
the matter, If true, would have been re-
ported long ago.
Mr.. and Mrs. Mendelson to Receive.