The herald., 1896-04-10
WRECKED IN THE HARBOR
THE BRITISH SHIP BLAlRM0RE SUNK IN
SAN FRANCISCO BAY
New Iron Ship, While Lying at Anchor, is
Struck by a Fierce Squail, Turns Turtle
and Goes Down With Hall Her Crew The
Vessel Will Be Fioated
Associated Press Special Wire.


vessel than the accident which befell
the British ship Blairmore at o'clock
this morning. While riding at anchor
in Mission bay. one mile east of the
Union iron works, the vessel was struck
by a violent squall, which, together
with the swift flood tide. threw the
craft on her starboard side, capsizing
her completely and sank her in less
than five minutes. Fifteen seamen
struggled in the water. Six were con-
fined in the vessels hold and were prob
ably pinned down by falling dunnage
used to hold the ships ballast in place.
The imprisoned seXtette never reached
the deck as did their comrades engaged
with them in handling ballast below,
and their bodies are imprisoned in the
steel hull. The Blairmore's masts lie
level with the bay bottom. under seven
fathoms of water and not a sight of the
sailors sunken tomb is visible above
the waves. Here and there on the sur
face of the water near the scene of the
calamity is piece of drift from the
wreck, but beyond this vessel and men
were completely swallowed up. The
unfortunates who lost their lives were:
T. Ludwig, first mate; Henry Clark,
able seaman; Roland Siegle. appren-
tice; G.. Renebaum, able seaman; Fl.
Sinstrand, watchman: Sam Kerry,
steward The latter was shipped here
balance of the men aboard were those
seamen usually held to stand by vessel
after she discharges cargo and is a wait
ing cargo. The regular forcmast hands
were all discharged on the arrival of
the vessel from Newcastle two months
ago.
The squall that caused the disaster
was the most severe experienced on the
south arm Of the bay for years. The
wind was SO severe that number of
ships anchored near the Blairmorc sig
nailed for tugs to move them UP the
bay.
The Blairmore with her head toward
the Union Iron Works was keeled over
so far that q passing tow boat hailed her
and asked Captain Cav, her command
er, if he did not wish tow TO the north
end of the bay. Captain Cav did not
think his vessel had braved the perils
of a number of ocean voyages to be
wrecked il. the Bay of San Francisco, so
he refused. saying he word hold on II
little longer. The tug had scarcely
drawn away when the Blairmore gave
a sudden lurch, dipped her yards and
fell prone on her starboard quarter
The water rushed into the hold in tor
rents and the nen scrambled wildly out
on the open ladder A boat was sent
from the British ship Yoeman. one
thousand yards ahead of the Blairmore
In three minutes this boat was along
side the upturned vessel and picked up
the men clinging to the Blairmore's $
sides. Two men who had struck out
for shore were picked up by the British
ship Cromdale. The Yoernan picked
up seven, including Captain Cav. Cap
tain Cav reported Immediately to his
agents and to the British consul He
said wind was blowing as swiftly as
he had ever seen at sea.
At the time the Blairmore was seer
to keel over, the tug Active. which had
just let go of the lnveresk, was at the
sugar refinery wharf. Captain Mar
shall Immediately saw the danger and
headed for the wreck. A little later
several men stood on the side of the
ship and worked with desperate ener-
gy to cut a hole in the steel They
could hear the agonizing cries of the
imprisoned sailors calling for help.
Some at least had escaped the flying
tnbers and the weight of the sand.
They were cropping in darkness and
shouting. for aid. They could hear the
hammers ringing on the steel but they
could not see the rising tide. Three
lives at least were to be saved if the
steel were cut before the tide raised the
waters to the opening. The tide rose
slowly and the rescuers worked with
stubborn zeal 1t was a contest eel
dom seen in the harbor of San Fran
cisco. but the rescuers lost. Just as the
mereSt ribbon of steel remained be-
tween the entombed sailors and life,
wave rolled over the curVing side of the
ship. Although hope had almost gone,
there was still a chance. A hammer
smashed open the steel plate. The
compressed air burst forth with tre-
mendous force With,a piercing hiss of
air and water the ship sank lower and
the waves rolled over the spot where
few moments before We're heard the
cries for help. The men in the hold
were beyond help.
The manner of sinking the Blairmore
is peculiar, but it is not the first time
that a vessel has "turtled' in this har-
Dor in the same manner and almost in
the same SPOT, On May 12 1889, the
British ship Earl of DalEousie capsized
opposite the rolling mills. She had no
ballast and the tug Relief had taken
hold to tow her to the Oakland flats.
When her head was partly turned to
the northWard she heeled over to star
board and went down. The seventeen
members of her crow We're saved.
The American bark Julia Castner was
another vessel which capsized in this
harbor in a similar manner. She was
moving under sail one morning in the
early COS. when she heeled over and
went down. She subsequently drifted
out to sea. but was driven ashore on the
ocean beach south of the Cliff house.
Captain Cav was saved by his dog
Jack, which went overheard with him.
The animal was close to the captain
when the ship capsjzed.
II heard no voices inside the hold"
said the captain land I don't think
anyone else did. If anything was
heard it was the noise made by the ar
ticles flying around in the hole. think
all the men inside We're killed almost
instantly
"There was no use in cutting the
hole in the side of the vessel. That.
of course. let the air out and caused
her to sink. There was no possibility
of saving any lives The underwrit-
ers will look into that matter of cut
ting the hole and will have something
to say about it. The Blairmore has
never had any unusual tendency to-
ward listing. l have always found
her a staunch. reliable ship
HAWAIIAN NOTES