The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-26
THETAC0MA AGROUND
ORIENTAL STEAMER RESTS ALL
DAY ox THE BEACH.
She Ruas Ashore on Maury Island In
Fog, bss d. safely Pulled or
Yacht AEsfe on . Pleasure Janss

SPECIAL rsspaseh 70 TIE Post-TntelnSenosr.
TACOMA. sept. gi.-Tns Oriental steam
- Tzcorls. q the Northern Paci9c steam
ship cgmpanv. wsns aground On Msury
Island about = o'clock THIS morning IN =
dense fog and was hauled II tn!s after
noon A. 3 o'clock none the worse FOR tbs
grounding. The spot where the Tacoma
grounded o. Just arouEd Browns point. ard
has long been co1s.1ered a dangerous
place By shipping men. especially n thick
weather.
II fog. such as prevailed this morning.
tbs masters ~ vessels have only reckon
Tx % depend On. and 10 matter how care
fal tsleE are. or h0w cautiously they feel
their way along there Is always a chauce
for the vessel 20 meet with Just s1ch q
mlsaap as occurred this morning. Had
there been fog station On the point with
siren screNch.ug cut her warning nots
from time 70 tiEne. the accident might have
been aveTtee. a. the captain could have
told about how far OF shore he was AS
Il ~ss. he had successfully rounded the
point ard undoubtedly thought he was on
the proper course when the ship pcked
her nose into the sandy beach and rested
there as easily as though she were IN a
dry dock uutn full tide a. 3 O'Clock. when
with The aid OF the tug Sophia, she vas
pulled OF and again started on her way
this time with fine. clear weather.
Another thing that initiated against the
chances Of Capt. Whistler keeping his
ship OFT the beach was his inability to take
sound.ngs. owing 10 the deepness OF the
harbor and the abruptness OF the shore.
Had he been able 70 get sounding he
could have told from the depth Of water
just how close IN he was.
Capt. Whistler IS an especially courteous
master and has met with but few rnishaps
during his long career. On a number OF
occasions he has expressed himself as be-
Ing fearful OF accidents on the Sound dur
Ing foggy weather for the very reasons
mentioned above.
AZ few minutes after O'Clock this
morning the steamer left the wharf here
lie Kept well out so as 70 round Browns
point. and after making the swing pro-
ceeded along cautiously on his course. He
evidently went too far out 20 make the
point. as the position In which he struck
VIII show. Fortunately, the beach on
MaGry island Is sandy and free from
rocks. so that the grounding was so easy
and gentle that but few OF the passengers
were aware that they were fast on the
beach. The tide was out fortunately "a
water
When the passengers learned that the
steamer was aground. some OF the ladies
made a show OF being frightened but on
assurance from Capt Whistler that every-
thing was all right. they soon Gained
down and went about their arrangements
for their long voyage as II nothing had
happened.
Al o'clock the tug Sophia was sent IN
the scene by the managers Of the cam.
pany and al 2.9o got line aboard and soon
had the steamer clear of the beach. once
more anoat. the Tacoma steamed away
as II she had JUST left the dock.
The handsome Seattle yacht Agrie with
r. r Sweeney and party aboard saw the
Tacoma on the beach as they were com
ing into the harbor about noon and renort
the sight a. a pretty one
The damage VIII be very slight Tho
greatest Inconvenience being the deten-
ton. "o'eH-
APT cater. the official pilot OF the
Northern Pacific Steamship Cours,,- 80.
the steamer out. and as such is rAanon-
sibie for the nishap. The managers az tho
company do not eensure him. as the Jog
was extremely thick and difficult 10 navi-
gate IN.