The San Francisco call., 1897-04-13
STRANDED YkQU|NA
CANNOT Be SAVED
With the First Moderate
Sea the Vessel Will
Go to Pieces.
Lies in Dangerous Proximity to
the Long Wharf at
Hueneme.
Nearly All of the Tween. Decks Cargo
Removed by the Steams ship
Coos Bay.

HUENEME, CAL. April H. - The
freight steamer Yaquina, which went
ashore here yesterday, will probably be
total loss. The sea here has been calm
and there has been no wind or the vessel
would have been in pieces before this, as
it is old and rotten.
Wnen the Yaquina struck a seam was
opened in its side, ana the hold is nearly
full of water. The vessel now lies in ten
feet of water at low tide and within
twenty-five feet of the wharf. Its prox-
unity 10 the wharf adds to the steam
ships danger. and the first moderate sea
or westerly wind will drive it onto that
structure.
The fear of possible explosion of dy-
Mantle on board has subsidized. The
steamer Coos Bay arrived this morning
and Captain Hall, with Agent Greeuwell,
has with boats and an engine and der
rick on the wharf removed about all OF
the between-decks freight, much of which
is valuable. The tug Vigilant, with Cap
tain G. Miner Goodall on board, is due
from San Francisco tomorrow morning.
1t is fitted with powerful pumps and will
draw the water from the lower hold to
permit the removal of the balance of the
freight.
Nothing can save the hull. The sand bar
which caused the disaster to the Yaquina
mu st have been formed suddenly, as none
was known to exist near the wharf pre-
vious to yesterday.
The Yaquina left San Francisco last
Saturday evening for Los Angeles, and
put into Hueneme to land portion of its
cargo. Captain Hinkle, the former chief
officer of the Santa Rosa, was in COM
mand, and he at once made for the land
ing. During the night sandbar had
formed near the wharf, and on this the
steamer struck heavily, damaging its shoe
and warping the hull ait so that it was
impossible. to work the screw. The
YaQuina being thus disabled, the water
soon made its way in to the engine-room
and put out the fires. A haIf-hour later
the water was up to the main deck and all
hope of saving the vessel Tor the time be-
ing was given up.
In the YaQuina's hold were ten tons of
dynamite, besides lot of general mer-
chandise. The most valuable portion of
the consignments have been saved, and
Edwin Goodall is of the opinion that the
vessel will also be patched up and brought
back to San Francisco for repairs. Yes
terday Captain G. Miner GoodaIl went to
the scene of the wreck on the tug Wig
| liant Wrecking appliances and divers
went down with the vi, liant, and every
thing possible will be done to save the i'll
fated steamer.
Moss Landing and Hueneme are two
OF the most treacherous places on the
coast" said Captain Goodall yesterday.
In n Il
a dangerous way, and in the next tide the
current will change around and wash out
channel twenty feet deep in few hours.
i, The sea would be perfectly smooth and
no indication of danger would be visible
until probably the underpinning of the
wharf would give way. 1t must have been
something like this that happened in the
case of the Yaquina. When it stru OK.
| Captain Hinkle called to The wharfinger
| TO learn OF there was more water on the
| other side if the wharf and was told there
was. He then attempte to move to the
| other side, but struck again more heavily
than at first"
The Yaquina was built at Portland, Or.
! in 1882, and at one time was used as a
missionary steamer to Alaska. After it's
purchase by Goodall. Perkins e. Co. il was
| pnt in the coast trade and rem aimed in it
! up to year ago. 1t was then turned in 10
coalboat and held supplies for the
southern boats. Latterly the trade has
| increased to such an extent that boat to
carry com bustibles only was found neces-
sary. The Alex Duncan was accordingly
taken out of Oakland Creek and put into
the Yaquina's place, while the latter was
put into com mission and started on its
| first run last Saturday.
The steamer Coos Bay put into Hueneme
/ soon after the Yaquina struck and Cap
tain Hall at once went to the assistance of
the stranded boat. An engine and der
rick were rigged on the wharf and soon
all the freight on the tween decks had
| been landed.