The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-04-17
SAILORS DROWNED,
STRANGE ACCIDENT IN MISSION
BAY, SAN FRANCISCO.
An Iron steamer IL struck by n
sauall While Riding Mt Anchor
aud sinks In n Few Minutca-six
sailors Who Were at Work In
the Hold Are Drowned. Like Rats
in a Trap.

San Francesca. April 11.-No stranger
mishap ever happened to 4 vessel than
the accident which befeA the British
ship Baltimore to-day. While riding
at anchor in Mission sQuall; which, to-
getller with the swift flood tide. threw
the craft on her starboard side, capsiz-
ing her completely and sinking her In
less than fifteen minutes.
Fifteen seamen struggled in the
water. Six We're confined in the hold
and were probably pinned down by the
falling dunnage used to hold the ships
ballast in place. The imprisoned sex-
tct never reached the deck, end the
bodies arc imprisoned in the steel hull.
The RiairinOre's masts lie level with
the bay bottom under seven fathOms
of water. and not sign of the sailors
a,lDEcn tomb il visible above the
waves. Here and there OH the surface
OF the water near the scene of the
calamity is Il piece of the drift from
the wreck, but beyond this, the vessel
and the six men have completely been
swallowed up. The unfortunates who
lost their lives were:
Il. Ludwig, first mate; Henry Clark,
seaman: Roland Siegel. apprentice; G.
Reinhaum. seaman: ii. Sinstrand,
watchman; Sam Kerry. steward. The
latter WAS shipped here and is native
of Brooklyn. The balance of the men
OH board were the scamen usually held
to stand by the vessel after she has
discharged her cargo and is awaiting
another. The regular foremost hands
We're all discharged on the arrival Of
the vessel from Newcastle two months
ago. The stluall that caused the dis
astcr was the most severe experienced
OH the south arm of the bay for many
years. The wind was so severe that Il
number of ships anchored near the
Rlairmorc signalled for tugs to move
them up the bay. The flood tide, work.
ing mt the keels of the ships had ten
dency, being counter to the wind, to
upset those whose hulls We're not
weighed with cargo.
No Chance to Escape.
The BlairlnOre was keeled over so
far that a passing tow boat captain
hailed her and asked Capt. Cav, her
commander, if he did not wish Il tow
to the north end of the bay. Mean
while the squall blew its hardest, the
sea- was heavy and rain fell in tor
rents. Capt. Cav did not think his
vessel had blavcd the perils of a num-
Dor of ocean voyages to he wrecked in
bay of San Francisco. so he refused q
tow. saying lie would hold on 81 little
longer. The tug had scarcely drawn
away when tile Elairmore gave n sud-
den !lrch. dipped her yards and fell
on Eer starbOard quarter. The water
rushed into her hold IN torrents. The
rapidly escaping air from the hold
blew the water fountain-like as high
as the lower yards. The men scram-
hled wildly out on the outer ladder
a passing tug. with another vessel in
tow, dropped her lines and blew for
help to speed the rescue. but it was too
late. A boat was sent from the British
ship Yeoman, one thousand yards
ahead of tile BlairmOre. In three min
utes this boat was alongside the up
turned vessel and picked up the men
clinging to the Blairmore's sides. Two
men aud struck out for shore and were
picked UP by the British ship Cronl-
dale. The Yeoman picked up several,
including Capt. Cav.
The BlairmOre was comparatively
new. She was built at Glasgow in
1893, and was registered 1,7G7 tons.
There were 2GO tons of ballast in the
hold, and it is thought the ballast
shifted and covered the bodies. Tile
loss OH ship and furniture will exceed
$125.OOO. The task of raising the Blair.
more will be expensive. Seven fathoms
of water cover the ship where she
went down.