The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-02-05
THE CORONA WRECK.
TWENTY-FIVE PASSENGERS ARRIVE AT
SEATTLE.
Pilot Cauffman Claims That He Was Not
at Fault in the Affair.-.The Two Steam.
crs We're I.ashed Together and all but
Twenty-Five Started North.

twenty-five passengers of the ill.
fated seeamer Corona, which was
wrecked on Lewis Island on the 23rd,
arrived at Seattle, Wash, Sunday
night on the steamer Al-Ki, which res
cuea them from the lonely island. E.
W. Pollock, one of the passengers, in
describing the wreck, said:
1.-THE accident occurred at 9:lO am.
Sunday morning The morning gong
had sounded to awaken the passengers
for breakfast. About 100 of them had
already arisen. Capt. G. H. Pierce
and Eliot Il. F. Cauffman were on the
bridge. It was Cauffman's first trip as
pilot, The day was light enough to
see the shore on all sides. Suddenly,
while the ship was going at full speed,
without warning, terrible shock &C.
CURED, followed by grinding success
sion of lesser shocks, instantly it was
realized that the ship had struck
rock, and scene OF great confusion
followed The wheel Was reversed,
but the ship settled on the rock. The
sea was calm. Capt. Pierce ordered
the boats lowered. The women were
taken ashore first By 10 o'clock the
passengers we're all landed. The stock
and some of the baggage and provis'
ions were then taken on shore.
"Ihe passengers remained on the is
land until the 9th, patiently waiting
for q passing steamer to take them
away from q place of great personal
discomfort. On that day the steamer
Al-Ki arrived and 800 castaways board
ed her, 100 remaining on the island in
tho hope of catching the northbound
vessel.
about 10 o'clock pm. Of the 9th
the Al-Ki met the steamer Oregon,
bound from Portland to DJea and
Skaguay.
"The two steamers we're lashed to.
getter aud all but twenty-five of the
Corona's people were transferred and
started north again"
It is not believed the injuries of the
Corona are serious. Pilot Cauffman.
who was on duty at the time Of the 40
cident, tells the following story:
Tho directions on the chart say t
steer straight from G.bson's island te
the northwest side Of Kennedy's island
In this water there are no sounding
marked in the chart less than seven ia
thoms deep, and seven fathoms is foune
at the extreme end Of this island, close
to the shore The soundings taken az
all under the island ranged from five t.
ten fatboms with the exception Q
where the ship struck, which was onl
two and quarter fathoms. It is 81
and half miles from Gibson's islam
TO the northwest side. l kept the shi
southwest for seventeen minutes afte
passing Gibson's island, and then altere
1t to the northwest by north, and seve
minutes later she struck.
Mr.. Cauffman declares be was follow
; ing directions hid down and that he
not to blame.
Against Pilot Cauffman's declare
;. tions that he was on the correct courf
/ is the steamer Pilot Thompson's state
t ment, who was on board, who went @
duty at I O'Clock the morning OF th
J. accident. He says the course by whie
: CauAfman ran the ship is we'll know
]. to marines. aud that she was two mile
!. out of her course. He characterize
Y the accident as due to sheer careless
IS ness, as did some OF the passenger
|. During the stay on The island Cauffma
"a became more and more the victim
"a caustic criticism from the victims I
u the wreck.
81 Horrible Crime.