Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-16
MORE OF THE CLEVELAND.
Details of tho WrociSing of the Steamer
-2e Lives Lost.


--2e Lives Lost.
Victoria. p. c.. Dec 15.-The steamer
Cleaveland. Capt Hall, was stranded
in Barclay sound and three boats, con-
tanning twenty members of the crew
and two passengers are missing. The
captain, purser chief engineer. one
passenger James Lathbury, and boat
crew, reached Uclulet after spending
the night in an open boat with a big
storm raging. This is the story told by
Purser Whitbeck, who arrived at Nan
aimo at 8 o'clock this morning from
Alberni, and came TO Victoria on the
noon train.
The Cleveland, an iron steamer of
100 tons. owned by Charles Nelson of
San Francisco, running between that
city and Puget sound, left the Golden
Gate on the fth inst for Seattle. She
had been on the way for two days, and
was well out to sea when, during a
most severe gale, her shaft broke Sails
were then hoisted, and an effort made
to get to Cape Flattery. Heavy Winds
however. drove her northward. and af-
ter being buffeted about by the storms
for four days, being carried northward
all the time and in towards Vancouver
island. she drfted into Barclay sound
on the night of December 10th by the
west entrance and dangerously close to
Starlight reef.
There was n big sea running, and the
wind was blowing great guns. Fearing
that she would strike on the reef, and
knowing that If she did there would be
no hope for her, her officers decided
to take to the boats. Four boats were
lowered and they started out to seek
for a place of safety. An attempt was
made to land on one of the small is
lands, but II was unsuccessful, the
wind making II impossible. They then
started for another island and the cap
tain's boat made Alpha passage, in
which big surf was breaking. The
captain signplled to the other boats to
follow. but they failed to do so, and 1t
is supposed that being unable to see
the captains boat, after the signals
were given, they concluded she had
been swamped. After that time moth
ing was seen OF the three boats. Capt.
Hall landed his boat safely on the
beach after going through the Alpha
passage, and spent the night there.
Next morning his party made their
way to Uclulet village. where they were
cared for by John Markowitz, II store
keeper.
In the meantime the steamer had
drifted further into the sound, having
miraculously missed striking many
islands and reefs that lay in her pas
sage. She finally went ashore at An
derson camp. Lyall Point. on the north
west shore of Barclay sound. AS soon
as she had been located. Capt Hall
again took charge, but he found that
the Indians had been there and looted
the vessel
After waiting for some time for the
other three boats. Cant. Hall decided to
send the purser to Alberni to telegraph
to Victoria for assistance. The purser
started from Uclulet In n boat manned
by two Indians. hut did not get far be-
| fore hi, canoe capsized. nv threats
| the purser induced the Indians to take
| him back to Uclulet. where he secured
q crew of white men to take him to
| Alberni. Arriving there, he found the
wires down, so he came on to Victoria
There is little doubt that the three
boats containing the twenty members
| of the crew and two passengers have
met with disaster. Two boxes of bis
cults and pillow. believed to have
| been in the boats. We're picked up the
next morning on the beach; one of. the
| boxes was Mt the entrance to uclulet
arm, and the other further north.