The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-08
A SAILOR AND TWO FISHERMEN
DROWNED.
Second Mate Smith of the Steamer
Westport Loses His Life While
Running Lines at Bear
Harbor.

of sugar. The death of the captain, first
mate and cabin boy were reported later
and at one time there were fears of foul
play, as Captain Baker was known to
have had a very tough" crew. The fol-
lowing extract from the ships log, which
reached here yesterday, gives full par
ticulars of the disaster and sets all doubts
on the matter at rest.
THE Kenilworth sailed from Hilo on
May %. On July at p. m, when in
south latitude 46 degrees IA minutes, west
longitude 116 degrees q minutes, the car
go was found to be on fire. An hour
later, as the fire was assuming a serious
character, the captain decided to bear up
for Valparaiso. To effect this he altered
the course Of the vessel to northeast
one-quarter north.
"At midnight the second officer went to
the captains cabin and was Mortified to
find the master of the ship dead. He had
been suffocated to death. All the doors
had been closed on account of the cold
weather, and the gases from the burn
ing cargo had gathered in the after cab
in and caused death. The first mate was
also found suffocated, and the body of the
ships boy, who was sleeping in the cab
in, his own room having been destroyed
by fire, was found close to that of the
mate. a passenger named G. z. Thrum
was found in very critical state, but
was got on deck and he finally recov-
cred.
THE bodies of the captain, first mate
and boy We're buried in south latitude 40
degrees 05 minutes west, longitude lis de-
grees % minutes. The names of the dead
are J. G. Baker, captain, 81 years; Ar
thur B. Piper. first officer, 80 years; Hen
ry w. Hobson, boy, 16 years. The fire
continued until the ship arrived in Val
paraiso.
The Kenilworth was taken to Valpa-
raise by Second Officer V. H General
and as soon as the news of the disaster
1l,sa IL Tot rNf
the Shenandoah was sent out to take
command OF the vessel Mr.. Thrum, the
passenger who so nearly lost his life, was
the bookkeeper of the Papaicu sugar
plantation, and was making the trip on
the Kenilworth for his health.
The Alaska Packers Association
steamer President, which arrived from
Nushagak Bay yesterday, brings the news
of the drowning of three fishermen.
Hugo Aldquist and Hans Anderson went
out fishing in a small boat. During the
night 1t began to blow and the little boat
was driven on a quicksand spit and cap
sized. Next day the men were missed,
and search party was organized.
Charles Olsen, mate of the. schooner
ship Oriental, went out along with the
party, and both of them were capsized
out of their skin boats. Mate Olsen was
drowned, but Captain Parker was res
cued. All three bodies were recovered
during the day and We're buried at Nush-
agag.
Nushagak the river steamers viva
and Victorian, bound for the Yukon,
put in for coal. Captain Yorke (broth
er of the Rev. Father Yorke) and
Captain z. Lewis, masters of the two
vessels, went in small boat to the
President. On their way back the frail
craft capsiZed, and had it not been for
the prompt manner in which the Presi-
dents crew got out a boat, both of them
would have been drowned. Captain Yorke
was completely exhausted when taken
out of the water, and II was several days
before he recovered from the effects of
his immersion.
The Viva was two months out from the
Sound, and her crew was surprised to
hear of the war with spain; steam
schooner undertook to tow the Viva and
another river steamer to st. Michael. The
job was too much for the steam schoon-
er, so the Viva was cut adrift and told
to shift for herself.
The steamer Westport got in from Bear
Harbor yesterday with her flags at half
mast. The vessel arrived at Bear Har-
Dor on September at a. m. Charles
to run line to the wharf. There was
heavy swell at the time and the boat cap
sized: Smith made bold struggle for his
life but went down before assistance
reached him. His body was not recov-
cred and the chances are that the under
tow took IT out to sea-
The British tramp steamer Condor has
been chartered by the United States Gov
eminent to carry supplies to the soldier
boys at Manila. She is being loaded with
provisions at Lombard street wharf and
will get away early next week.
The United States steamer Albatross re-
turned from Acapulco yesterday. She
went to the Central American port to look
out for Uncle Sans interests during the
revolution in Guatemala, but the fighting
was all over when she got there.
The. party of gold hunters, that came
are not going direct to the Klondike. AS
soon as the vessel is provisioned they will
sail for Cooks Inlet and will thoroughly
prospect that part of the country before
heading for Dawson. After landing her
passengers at Cooks Inlet the Agate will
be brought back to San Francisco and will
go into the coasting trade.
Captain Charles Rock of the bark Rode
rick Dhu has decided to retire from the
sea and turn farmer. For nearly so years
he has been sailor and for 20 years has
sailed in and out of the Golden Gate as
master of San Francisco owned vessels
He now thinks he is entitled to a rest
ashore. Captain Rocks first command
was the schooner Edward Lewis, after
which he was master of the Fairy Queen
and the bark Emma Augusta. Then he
built and sailed the schooner Martha W.
Tuft and from her went to the schooner
Premier. Later he was master of the
ships Sumatra and Detroit and then made
one Of four who purchased the ship Levi
G. Burgess. He commanded her for a
time and then purchased into the bark
Harvester. After that he was master of
the steamer Daisy Kimball and bark
Annie Johnson, ana three years ago went
into the fine steel bark Roderick Dhu
When Captain Rock and others purchased
the Roderick Dhu she was a British ship.
but he changed her rig and put her under
taken to farming Captain Rock will not
turn his back altogether on the sea as he
still retains his interest in at least a
dozen vessels
Captain Johnson of the bark Santiago
who succeeds Captain Rock on the Rode
rick Dhu Is one of the ablest of the pres
ent generation of masters. He was form
erly mate of the brig, Lurline and then
succeeded Captain Rock as master of the
bark Harvester. From that vessel he was
promoted to the bark Santiago and next
Saturday will take the Roderick Dhu out
on her voyage to Hilo. The vessel has a
large passenger list and a full cargo.
'eNA o
Vermonters VIII Entertain.
The regular monthly entertainment of
Native Sons of Vermont will be held to-
morrow night in Odd Fellows Hall. The