The San Francisco call., 1897-10-01
NORTHERN
NAVIGATION
RETARDED
Shortage of Coal Is Now
Reported at Una
laSka.
MAY DELAY VESSELS
BOUND SOUTH.
Return of the River Steamer
Charles II. Hamilton to
| St. Mich eli.
WENT ONLY UP TO FORT
YUKON.
| Thrsatened Disturbance at st.
Michael Checked by the Timely
| Arrival Of the CorW:n.
MAY DELAY VESSELS
BOUND SOUTH.
Return of the River Steamer
Charles II. Hamilton to
St. Mich eli.
WENT ONLY UP TO FORT
YUKON.
Thrsatened Disturbance at st.
Michael Checked by the Timely
Arrival Of the CorW:n.

UNALASKA, ALASKA, Sept. 2o.-The
steamship Portland anchored in Dutch
Harbor at o clock this afternoon, q little
more than eigat days from Seattle. This
is considered a remarkably short run, i'll
view OF heavy svells, headwind and heavy
seas. Captain William Kidston steerei
his vesse! safely through Unalea Pass
through dense teg in such a manner as
won for him words Of commentator from
all the maritime meo in the port.
The old Eliza Anderson. wIich made an
unsuccessful run for 81. Michael, is now
tied up in this port, Condemned and prsc-
ticaIly worthless. 1t is the intention %
have her remain here ali winter, while it
is problematical as TO whether she ever
leaves this port. The winter winds aui
| the heavy seas will in all probability
com plete her toGal destruc ion. One of
| her be!ated passengers attributed her
scape from the sea and The safety OF her
passengers more 10 u miracle tina to good
| luck.
The steamer Dora from Sitka reached
here last night and brings the story oi
| the wrecking of the schooner Hueneme.
| This schooner was under charter 10
i
] ing Company and was one of four lnat
/ left Seattle }reiehied with nerchs nd ise
and ium Der for s.. Michael She had OH
board the lum Der for two river steamers,
one lighter and steam launch com plete,
the machinery tor these boats being on
the steamer Portland. In consequence uf
| this loss the forty workmen under charge
of Moran Bros. on the Portland en- route
| F0r aI ha fioa lIN-
| labor this winter. They have been en-
gagged under a five months contract TO
put together these boats and to have them
| in read mess as soon as navigation opens
on the Yukon In Tie spr n
The Huenem me was wrecked on he even
| inc of Septem ber at tile east side of the
entrance of Unsmak Pass, approach hing
| Unamak Island. For twelve days the
| crew OF eleven men endured much hard
ship and suffering in their efforts to reach
a harbor of safety. II was auout o'clock
| on a night thick with fog and heavy with
rain that the schooner approached too
| close to the rocky shore and as a result
now lies With her Dottom knocked out and
utterly worthless. For several hours Cap
tain Peterson endeavored to pilot her
safely througti the pass and in turning
around TO heave to the disaster occurred.
The crew remained on board during the
night, but III the early morning were
There for TWO days their signal Of distress
remained unheeded. 1t was finally de-
cided that the maie and four of the crew
should take TO a boat and endeavor to
reach Unalaska, ABOUT seventy-four miles
distant. The weather was against them
and after drifting for two days they were
com PEELED 10 put ok to Unamak Island
They waited again for three DAYS Tor aid
TO relieve them from their distressing
situation.
The Ca plain, mate and three seamen
again provlsioned the boat and started
out upon what proved 10 be a mole sue
cessful expedition. Scarcely needing ma
ture's demands for sleep and food, they
braveIy struggled with the oars for five
long, weary days and nights. They hoped
to be overtaken by vessel or possibly
reach this harbor. When food had run
short and their exhausted energies could
scarce make further effort, the steamer
Dora hove in sight. At this time they
were but twenty-five miles from their
starting point.
Captain C. H. Anderson, master of the
steamer, lowered boat and went to the
relief and rescue of the struggling sailors,
picking them up last evening and bring
ing them on to Unalaska, where he ar
rived couple of hours later.
Captain Hooper, com mandaut of the
Bering Sea feet of United States revenue
cutters, was lmme diately informed of the
disaster. The cutter Grant was about to
steam for Seattle aud Captain Munger
was gwen orders TO pick up the six unior-
tunate sailors, who were then holding
vigil and waiting on the beach at Unamak
Island. In accordance with this order
the Grant lett last night and IN the course
of day or two expects to have these un-
fortunate seamen aboard her. Captain
Peterson was also taken on the cutter to
pilot the way TO the exact location CT the
wreck and will hen accompany the Grant
on her home ward voyage 10 Sea tie. The
mate and the three rescued seamen will
depart on the cutter Rush for San Fran
cisco tomorrow morning.
An unexpected difficulty confronts the
Portland and all other ships that arrive
in this port in a shortage of coal. Unless
speedy assistance i'll the arrival of coal
laden ship shall soon come, most serious
condition will exist here. The North
American Commercial Company has but
800 tons OF coal IN their bunkers at Dutch
Harbor. Every ton of this fueI has been
contracted for by the Government to sup
ply the cutters Corwin, Bear and Grant
on their homeward trip, all exI ecting 10
leave here for the south within q few
weeks. On his downward trip Captain Kid
ston had also arranged with this company
TO furnish him With 300 tons OF coal.
Upon arrival here to-day he was con-
fronted by the information OF shortage
and an inability TO furnish him With
supply.
The Alaska Commercial Company. with
bunkers located here, two miles across the
hills from Dutch Harbor, finds itself un-
able to come to the rescue of fuel-n eedins