The herald., 1896-10-21
The Steamer Arag0 Is Knocked
to Pieces
FOURTEEN PEOPLE e LOST
The Remainder Rescued by Heroic Life.
Saving Crew
The Beach Strewn With Wreckage, but
None of the Bodies of the Drowned
Have Been Recovered.
Press Special Wire


to the Chronicle from Marshfe T. Or,
says: What eight hours ago formed por-
tions of the staunch steamer Arago are
now being carried home by relic hunters
and fourteen lives that formed a por-
tion of the ill-fated steamers precious
cargo have gone down into a watery
grave in one of the most distressing ac-
cidents that has ever happened in nav
igation history of this IHrt
The steamer Arago left her dock at
Empire City this morning with six pas
sengers and 700 tons of coal, bound for
San Francisco. She proceeded on her
journey to the bar. 1t was then o'clock
The weather was hazy and the bar quite
lumpy and at times breaking. Every
thing looked apparently we'll to go to
sea and the Arago was hugging close to
the north jetty and travelling slowly
The first breaker was encountered. This
checked the headway of the steamer
Then another caught her on the port bow
and swung her around. third breaker
struck with like results. The Arago was
then clear out of her course a. II before
she could be brought around again her
stern crashed against the jagged rocks
of the jetty, knocking a terrible hole in
her bottom. The sea that wal rolling
mountain high subsded for moment
as If to encourage the captain and crew
in their perilous moment.
1t was only for minute, though, un-
til they began to dash over her again,
sweeping her decks from stem to stern
The second breaker sweeping overheard
the after cabin with four steerage pas
sengers and a couple of members of the
culinary department, who were drowned
like rats, another sea carrying away the
smokestack. Captain Reed then sound
ed the whistle of distress and ordered
his men to man the lifeboats. Though
in moment of danger, truer or more
obedient seaman never served under a
master: there was no excited rush this
way or that the boats were lowered.
Second Mate Banks was in command of
one of the boats and the first mate in
command of the other. The passengers
remained on board and Captain Reed
had to take to the rigging, the house
breaking up with every sea and the re-
naming lifeboat had been washed over
board. John Norman, passenger was
clinging to the forward rigging, but was
not strong enough to climb up out of
the breakers. Every sea stretched him
out at arms length from the shrouds,
until, exhausted, he cried goodbye and
let go. He was last seen floating off by
the stern. The men in boats were bat
tling with the terrific sea. The first
49,. l1.~ =
no one appearing on the surface but the
mate, who swan to the second boat.
All this time the lifeboat was making
leeway against the breakers. Then
came calm spell and the jetty was
rounded. 1t was two miles to where
landing could be effected. BY this time
the life-saving crew had arrived on the
scene and took off the remaining sur
vivors, Captain Reed being the last to
leave the ship.
The Arago sunk in five fathoms of
water ten minutes after she struck
Her cabins were swept clear with her
decks and that all lives on board were
not lost is a wonder. The Arago is lying
on the beach not 10 yards from the hulk
that marks the remains of tia whale
back steamer Wetmore, which was
wrecked three years ago. The beach is
strewn with wreckage and only the two
masts of the steamer are visible None
of the bodies have been recovered
The lost, as far as known, are:
JOHN NORMAN, passenger.
E. MGRAW of Coquille, pa S5enger.
RICHARD WALTER, Oakland, Or,
passenger
w. e. BROWN. chief engineer.
WILLIAM WHITTLE, fireman.
ERICK WALL, fireman
ANTHONY M'DADE. fireman.
RICHARD PATTERSON, steward
F. FERNANDO, chief cook
J. KRUGER. sailor.
HENRY SANDERS, sailor.
BEN, the messboy.