The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-15
CREW NOT BIG ENOUGH
Mate of the Janet Cowan Ac-
counts for the Wreck.
THE CAPTAIN WAS NOT DRUNK
because the supply OF Liquor Had
Given Out-The Vancouver Coast
Should Have Lighthouses.

Port Townsend. Jan. i4-Special-Nate
Charles Legalle, OF the wrecked ship Janet
Cowan. consented this afternoon 10 make
q full statement regarding the wreck
and the character and behavior OF the cap
tain and handling OF the vessel, and he die
tsted the following while lying on his cot
at the marine hospital here;
In the first place, | want TO deny en-
phaucally that there was any bad feelins
between Capt Thompson and myself on
the voyage, or that the captain refused 10
accept my advice at any time. OF course,
there were little disagreements between Us
al times. just as there always are between
captain and mate. but Capt. Thompson was
one Of the most forgiving men j ever
knew, and after tiff with one or the OF
fcers or men during the day. Il was all
over by the time he sat down al table. He
was gTnn but that never caused any trou-
BILE between Us.
capt. Thompson was not temperate
man. and on the voyage l saw him the
worse for liquor a couple Of times. but dur
ing the last six weeks OF the voyage he
did not have drop OF liquor OF any Kind,
because there vas none on board. Beside
that. Capt Thompson did not seem 70 care
for IL when he knew there was none 10 be
had. and at the time Of the accident ne
was perfectly sober. am sure.
1T IS well enough 70 talk OF keeping en-
Vancouver shore, but that was impossible
with the gale We had IL is true we were
closer inshore than we knew, because We
lost more ground than we thought IN wear
ing ship. II is useless TO talk about follow
ing a schooner in. because schooner could
be close hauled and stand right up against
the wind. bat that is impossible with big
ship that is Eight In wearing out past
Cape Flattery the last time we were with
In four miles OF the light. but in getting
back we lost so much ground that we were
close in. and did not make IL because IL
was too thick to get our bearings. The
wind was not 70 be depended on, for It
changed as much as fourteen points dur
Ing the night. At midnight Capt. Thomp-
son and / discussed the advisabilty OF
wearing ship, but he thought 1t would be
best To walt little longer. Shortly after
that we went below together. and were
consulting the charts when a shout OF
Land ahead was given by Second Mate
Howell. and all hands were ordered on deck
Immediately. and ordered 10 wear ship.
This was at / O'Clock. and although every
effort was made 10 bring her around. Il
could not be done in time. and half an hour
later she was on the rocks.
The only complaint / have TO make is
that the ship was not properly manned.
She had 100 tons more OF ballast than on
her previous voyage from Cape Town to
Sydney but she did not have men enough.
Something Of the violence OF the gale can
be told when the staysau was torn into
shreds while being hauled down before we
went on the rocks, and yet the wind shift
ed and was blowing off shore within ten
minutes after We struck. There was good
reason for hurrying from the vessel, be-
cause from the way she was pounding on
the rocks We thought she would so TO
pieces within twenty hours. She has stood
the storm well. and as II turns out we
should have remained on board, where We
would have been all right.
''I want 20 say. that ! consider IL dis
grace for any civilized nation 10 leave such
a shore unprovided with signal stations OF
some kind There should be two stations
on that coast. so that vessels could take
their bearings and know where they are.
Then there would be no more accidents or
this kind Even II the government had
sent out out some patrol vessel along that
shore after the big storm. we would all
have been rescued. for on the second day
the weather was fine and boats could have
come right I'm after as. / will say that the
Cowan had the full complement of men. as
required by the Board OF Trade OF London.
and even three extra. but those matters are
easily arranged, and do not indicate that
the vessel Is properly manned"
Lsg1lle read the foregoing and said Il
was correct in every particular. and would
be his testimony before the British vice
consul when called upon.