The herald., 1897-10-25
Now Lies at the Bottom of
the Sea
THE CAPTAIN AND ONE SAILOR
THE ONLY SURVIVORS OF THE
WRECK
For Twelve Hours Men Chung to the
Hulk Hoping for Aid That
Never Came
Associated Press Specia1 Wire,

Associated Press Special Wire.
POINT ARENA, Oct. 24-Close under
the rocky cliffs where she met her doom
lies, bottom upward, the torn and pat
tered, hulk Of the ill-fated steam schoon-
er Caspar, wrecked early yesterday
morning on a treacherous reef or the
crew of Is there remain but two known
survivors, Captain Anfinson and Sailor
Chris Larsen. A boat from the steamer
Alcazar was observed from shore to
take il, two dark, floating objects. The
watchers on land could not discern
whether some ships men or fitting haG
been thus picked up. although 1t was
thought one object resembled the body
of a sailor dead or alive cannot yet
be ascertained. The Alcazar Is lying off
Greenwood brig, unable to make land
ing owing to the heavy sea rurning.
So far but one body has been found.
It was cast up on the rocks mile from
the scene of the wreck and Coroner
Ainslee subsequently brought the re-
mains to Point Arena, where they were
identified. as those of Chief Engineer
George OffermawN An inquest will be
held here tomorrow.
Kelp abounds where the wreck oc-
Ourred and the thick seaweeG Is likely
70 prevent bodies from being washed
ashore for several days. Meanwhile a
sharp lookout is being kept for floating
corpsea The wrecked steamer has been
stripped by continuous pounding against
the rocks OF masts and decks ard the
keel is battered as If by mighty ham,
mer.
The Caspar struck the reef inside the
whistling buoy, orlly few yards from
that danger signal. After capsizlng the
ship was carried over the rocks to the
shore, nearly mile distant, by the force
Of the heavy waves This reef has long
been considered a dangerous foe by all
mariners, several vessels having struck
on 1t in the past few years. 1t is mar
row projection runring far out into the
ocean. The steamer Point Arena once
went over it, damaging her consider
ably. The Alcazar also struck it years
ago. besides scores of other vessels, but
none were ever wrecked, as the ocean
happened to be CAIN
The Caspar might also have escaped
destruction, but unfortunately heavy
wave cast her down with such force that
the vessel refused to respovxh TO the
wheel and was dashed against the reel
and capsized. When, the crew was
thrown into the raging waters cries OF
distress were uttered by the m'an, but
no help came. For hours many of them
clung 10 floating timbers until, exhaust
ed they fell one by one into watery
graves.
The alarm was not given in the town
of Point Arena until II o'clock, ten
hours after the disaster Unfortunately
all the boats here had only the day be-
fore been dashed to pieces by the sud-
den storm and little could be done TO-
ward. succoring the hapless crew. IL
was the life saving station that was
needed for might patrol would nave
seen the distressed steamer and every
man could have been saved At 1850
men were still seen clinging to the foat-
ing timbers, but no boats being obtaln-
able they firally sank. Adolph Peter
son and. Henry Anderson, two laborWlg
men, took their lives in their hands, and
in a river boat braved the sea. 1t was
only by miracle that they reached and
rescued Captain Anfindson and Sailor
Larsen When these rescuers started
out seafaring men conceded two more
deaths. but they bravely and success
fully performed their mission.
At this time two additional men were
seen struggling in the water, but be-
fore the rescue boat could reach them
they, too, had disappeared.
Many bitter comments are heard at
the failure to establish much neeoed
life saving station here. Such pre-
cautionary measure would, tend to mird-
mize these frequent nautical disasters.
GREAT LAKE DANGERS
CHICAGO, Oct. 24.-Dense fogs and
heavy seas all over the great lakes
brought disaster to several vessels to-
day Eight men reached here tonight
after terrible experience, leaving their
vessel as 1t sank in Lake Michigan.
Four vessels ran on the rocks and banks
and one suffered from a collision in the
fog. 1t was the Chicago steamer F. w.
Clifford that foundered. After three
hours the crew was rescued by the
steamer City of Sheboygan.