The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-03
THE UTOPIA HERE
Brigssslns BlAkelsy - q
Geek Inlok


brought down On the Tnp<ka last Mo-
any. Almost At ne sams s.ne . suesuago
from Capt. OBrsen was received by the
owners q the vensI. announsing tn ar
rivsi a. Port Townsend Of the vessel
after an unsverssEl TRIP from Cook snlef.
and precisely AT 3.ss O'Clock yestsssay a.
tWnson the black hall doomed - ID e.
Eost bag and the vessel pulled In 70 Yss-
Ter cock. AMID the applause Of = large
number OF frfenda of the U1op1a IT.
oneials ard the management
II had been known that Capt OrIrsen.
enc Of the most popular mariners On the
Coast, while In Alaskan waters came near
dying from an abscess. and but for the
fortunate presence OF . surgeon whe per-
formed . perilous operation. would have
s1ccunabed 70 the destroyer. But No cne
Was prepared to see 10 rennrkao3o q
change IN . human being in swo bf4ee
months From an active. energetic man
whose rutGcund face gave ample evidence
OF health. Capt OBrien had been xxus-
formed into Apparently an old man 1t IL
needless 70 say that not only the csuxatn
bun also all of the officials Of the boat were
heartily congratulated upon thar ssfe re-
turn. and they all expressed Themselves
~ greatly pleased TO get back to SEATTLE
ana 70 civilization again.
The Utopia salieG from Seattle on Aprll
T. at about 5 O'Clock a. m. with 10 pas
and men. Tor TurnaSain arm. and u -
believed the vessel would speedily return
and make second trip about May for
tho same destination.
Upon arriving 1T Cook inlet the Utopaa
found solid field OF ice confronting her.
and Il vas deemed impracticabie to pro-
coed further on her voyage. The stenm-
er Lakne and feet of vessels, both
steam and sail. were therefore compelled
faP a shaU Tha . hrn~
ed with the Utopia TO handle her paasen-
gers from Coal harbor to Turnagain
arm and returned to this city. From time
to time reports Of q conflicting nature
have been received as to the Utopia, her
pertiou condition IN the almost Arctic
region. and OF her treatment Of pasxen-
gers. and many soul whose father or
brother accompanied the Utopia TO the
far-o6 frisid Land was harrassed by re-
ports OF a heart-rending description.
Capt OBrfen. in his recital Of the inct-
dents of the trip. has put his mark Of
condemnation upon the apparently unjust
rrmors.
At his Battery street residence Capt
o'Brien was found last night. reclining
on . lounge In the parlor. feeling. a. he
expressed himself happy to be home
again." and somewhat recuperated from
the labors of the day In reply to Ques-
tons the captain said:
The Utopia sailed from Seattle on April
T. The trip was uneventful- We were
four days 10 Sitka, via the inside route
to the north end Of Vancouver island. and
outside thence the remainder OF the yoy-
age. The vessel laid over at Sitka two
days to enable us TO take In fresh water
and to give our passengers opportunity
TO Sc the city. Tho run from Sitka to
Cook Inlet consumed four days, making
our time. including stoppage. exactly ten
days. The voyage was absolutely pleas
IRE trip. there being at no time q blow,
We had an occasional beam swell. but
nothing more. Upon arrival at the inlet
We found the ice too thick to tackle and
therefore returned to Coal harbor. wherU
my physical troubles eliminated To be-
brief, had been indisposed = good part
of the voyage, and upon returning to Coal
harbor I was removed to the shore and
DR.. Rogers, of Oakland, Cal, who for
tunateiy happened to be there, performed
a surgical operation which saved my life
While I WAS on my back the command OF
the Utopia devoiFed upon Capt. Chester.
the pilot. who made two trips to Resuy.
rection and Two Nile creek. carrying both
Utopia and Lakme passengers"
What is there in the statement that
M. Wakefield intends suing the Utopia
FOR overeharge of the Lakme passengers?'
81 do not understand the basis Of Mr..
Wakefeld's claim. made a contract with
him, fulfilled my part OF it and had his re-
ceipt. This report is on a par with other
rumors which / have from time to time
seen In the papers OF Seattle. such as the
Utop.a's not feeding her passengers prop
eriy. There has never appeared a greater
misstatement of fact Let me explain:
The vessel was fitted out with provisions
for 10 persons for twenty-five days She
arrived at her destination in ten days. and
therefore had on hand provisions for
twelve additional days. This was con-
suuned IA due season by the waiting pas
sengers. 1t was not to be expected that
the vessel was intended to he equipped at
the outset with provisions for all summer,
or for al Arctic picnic Suffice 1t to say
that the Utopia carried ou. IN every sense
of the word the contract made with its
Passengers. and ! know that our passen-
gers were better fed than those Of any Of
the crafts at the inlet"
Capt o'Br.en was reticent as to the
mining outlook at Cook inlet and edged
out of giving his own opinion with the
statement: From one OF the pioneers of
Cook inlet who appeared TO know all
about mining interests. ! learned that the
mining outlook wss not good Owing to
my Illness ! was unable to make personal
examination OF the situation.
The captain brought the gratifying
Biakeley. which was sighted shortly after
the Utopia left Cook irie, on May "a
As communication was not had with the
vessel Capt oBrien could give no fur
Their particulars. Nothing was heard Of
the Lincoln.
The Utopia VIII on Thursday mex. re-
slime her old run between Seattle an Van
! couver. =. c
Capt. s Jensen. who plotted the Utopia
from Coal bay 20 Seattle. and formerly the
| plot Of the schooner Ella johnson. stat
| ed that the Blakeley was sighted BY him.
/ but she did not come close enough 10
enable him 10 make Inquiries as to the
reason for her diiatorfness The only
vessel not reported at the inlet szi5 the
| captain is the Lincoln. and the .ynnrss-
sion Is strong that she has foundere.l.
| The trip from the inlet to Seattle was
| very delightful. the Pacific being a per-
/ fee, mirror"
/ The reported serious rnsshap to The
| schooner Bryant e cenie5 by passengers
| OF the Utopia. who report that she IS on
| her honswzrl voyage and ought 70 hA
| II Seattle within the next ten davs Re-
! garsirg mining interests Capt Jensen re-
I marked. The ice and snow al Cook ss,et
/ - Simply awful. the snow being at places
1 taliy hfty feet deep ard melting No cr,-
| f-srtlnlty there for prospecting although
| the country Is srsked out I'm town lots
I and mining claims fro miles. Among
cur few passengers were Cart Wakefield
/ Of re Isksne. and r Rail. merchant Of
| SIX Mile creek. who Is here 10 ay IN a
stock"
( In a talk with Capt ". J. Bryant. owner
/ % the vessel bearing that name he STATED
/ to a reporter that the reported serious
| damage to his craft had no foundation Ia
/ fact. as reports received via the Utopia
were to the contrary
I Maritime ..F-5-fAz