The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-19

PORTLAND. Or, Nov. 1s.-A special 10
the oregon.an from Yaqnina, Or. says:
The British ship Atalanta, Capt Charles
McBride. from Tacoma 10 South Africa,
with wheat. was wrecked off Alsea bay
sixteen miles south of Yaquina bay, yes
terday morning. She carried crew OF
twenty-seven men. and all were drowned
but three. The ships masts have heer
blown away. the decks swept clean and the
vessel has been broken in TWO amidships.
The Atalanta sailed from Tacoma last
Saturday with cargo OF .7a3 tons Of wheat
for Cape Town. and her skipper had made
a wager with the masters OF the ships Earl
Of Dalhouse and Imaerhorne in race for
the Cape OF Good Hope. The log book at
the life saving station shows that Thurs
day morning, between midnight and 6
O'Clock, the Cape Foul Weather lighthouse
was concealed by fog and heavy sheets of
rain. The Atalanta was sailing at high
speed Thursday morning when she went
on the bar. few rocks in the trough of
the waves attended BY heavy settling on
the bottom caused her timbers 10 give be-
fore the men could reach The hatchway.
The jar Of runing on snapped of he masts
IL they had been matches. The mas,s
and rigging went over the side in a tam
gled mass. like a forest before gaze. The
breakers swept the afterdecks and pound
ed In the cabius Those who escaped were
on deck at the moment Of the crash and
began to launch Iifeboat
While they were working with the davits
a wave passed over the ship, tore the life
boat loose and set ii afloat II was full of
water and the cars were gone. Several were
IN the boat at the time Of It's sudden re-
lease. All but two were washed overheard
from their struggling and dying compan-
ions These TWO picked up Il third. then in
the surf For three hours or more they
were buffeted about. until the storm wash
til them upon dry land. One OF the sur
vivors stated that the captain steered close
In to Cape Foul Weather. and. not seeing
the lighthouse. supposed the vessel 10 b.
some distance from shore. This caused
him 70 continue MS southeast tack too long.
At o'clock today the Atalanta lay about
"A mile OF shore in field Of furious break
ers Every swell passed over her works
Each hour a section Of the vessel was seen
10 fall away, and the timbers foated away
toward shore. y strong and steady south
easter bore the wrcckage rapidly to the
beach. II was this power that ena 5Ied the
II
Nfeboat flied with water. partly disabled
with wreckage and without oars.
The Nfe-saving crew. although notified OF
toe wreck soon after it occurred yesterday.
were unable % reach the scene until this
morning.
ore Of the survivors claims that the
wreck was due 70 the carelessness Of the
captain who paid for his folly with his
life. They were racing with another YES
sci aud were keeping close in shore in or
der 10 ze, the advantage Of the wind IN
tGcking ani 10 make shor. cat t. head
t1e other vessel Off They were close IN
shore. ana not seeing the light Al Cape
Fa9l Weather. steerei ahead un:I tacy
s,ruck The reef about four miles below NJ
sea bay. ana about one mile and A half
from shore w3ta stleh terrible force as 70
map the masts off like ;oothpscks. car
ry3ng gae rigging and everything WITH IT,
Two ~ ttc survivors nade thelr WAY %
a cabin. and awakening the occupants.
started th.u in AL directions for heip. The
farmers were sery SLOW i1 notifying tha
H<.-saH HtrE station al So4ib Beach twenty
n..t,s away. aa1 th,y liS not reach tha
vre.e tor .ea hou~s ae;er u occurred.
Capt Clark anI his life crew ea1eavored
ra r-a-a rhc week ami re~rue any tbat
,n.Ett SCI }s "a the wreck or rrrrcd Up .n
the fsr'ca~tle. as supposed by t1e Surv4-
>oEs. hag having 40 horses. lt WAS very If.
6ca,r ~ set ths SURF boat wagon ari ,ha
esonoa down Ehc beach toward tba week.
.Wtnty m4.s away. ana they Were COM
ltG1sJ - draw Z by aaoA.
tasy arrived al A-sea vssir Ii tne MORN
i~E ana n1sry;cE 20 tEa wreck .her f1u~!