The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-08

The fate OF the Northern Pacific steam
ship Pelican. missing for nearly eight
months on the Pacific. should be decided
before the end of July. Mrs. Alexander
Cove. wife Of Capt Cove Of the steamer,
is now on the Sound hoping against hope
that the arrival of the sealing feet or a
revenue cutter from the Aieutian islands
win bring news OF the steamer. The OH
GERS Of the Japanese liner. Rsojan Maru.
that 10 to leave this morning on a voy-
age over the course followed by the Peii-
can. do not believe that there is any hope
for tho steamer and think that the seal
ing fleet VIII have no news Of her.
On October l2 the Pelican sailed from
Victoria with big, load OF ties for Tent
sin. China. On reaching the other side she
was to have been renodeled for the pas
senger service between Portland and the
Orient Two months passed and the Pesi-
can had not arrived at the other side.
Not a single vessel had reported her and
some apprehension was Ye;t for her safe
". When Capt. Helm arrived nearly a
month later he reported having seen "a
hfeboat but had not gone close enough to
the Pelican This Is the only sembsanee
or wreckage that was ever seen. Steam
ers ana sailing vessels have made round
trips over the same route but the mystery
OF the Peiican's disappearance has never
been solved.
Mrs. Cove, whose husband was In com.
mand OF the steamer, Is about the only
one that expects to see any one Of thcso
who sailed on the steamer. She recently
TSfis Ia b. 81
that she might get the report brought by
the English revenue cutter that has been
sent to the Aieutian islands. She thinks
that either the revenue cutter or one OF
the sealing fleet viii bring news Of he
vessel and her crew. She has refused 10
accept tho Insurance carried by her hus-
band. The marine underwriters who in
sured the Pelican, have rendered the
Northern Pacific company their insur-
ance. The ship H. D. Bendixon has been
dispatched with a cargo OF ties to replace
the one carried by the Pelican. StIi Mrs.
Cove has hope.
The Officers Of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha
steamer Rojun Maru have travelled across
the Pacific over the route on which the
Pelican presumably was swallowed up.
time and again. They have made three
trips since the Inflated steamer left. One
of the officers said last night TO a Post
lntelligencer reporter.
There Is one chance in a thousand
that the first vessel from the Aleutian
islands Will have some news OF the i'll
fated Pelican. 1t is the only possible
chance that the ship viii ever be heard
from and so slim a one that 1t Is hardly
worthy of consideration. II the vessels
machinery broke down and she was com
PEELED to seek harbor under sail the Aleu-
tian islands present her only chance for
in fat "a Gfavurn fvrS,v
some unknown cause the crew probably
had little chance to take TO the boats.
If they got away IN boats the only place
they could head for Is the Aleutians. The
northern course often takes the vessels
within sixty miles OF the islands and
some times much nearer. There is no
telling, however. where the Pelican came
TO grief.
1.-The reason / think that the crew OF
the Pelican is lost is that news would
have reached the Sound before this had
the crew succeeded In landing on the
islands. II Is true that no vessel has as
yet come in. but had the crew reached
there one Of the sealers would have I'M
undoubtedly shortened her cruise and
brought them 70 port. II the vessel had
made any OF the Islands under sail Capt
Cove would have found some way OF
sending the news to his owners. Hs
would not bet the vessel remain there
without assistance until one OF the seal
ers was ready 70 come back to the Sound
or a revenue cutter CHANGED TO visit the
islands.
: The fact. that the crew could rot sub
siss for that length of time on the provi-
sions on board the vessel adds weight 10
the unfriend!y belief that she Is lost The
islanders would hardly be able to furnish
food 10 the crew and although she had
double supply OF stores they would have
been exhausted long ago. The officers OF
the Nippon Yusen Kaisha line with whom
have talked never expect to learn the
exact fate OF the Pelican