The herald., 1898-01-31
|CARELESSNESS
Caused the Wreck of The
Corona
PERSISTENT GOLD SEEKERS
RESUME THEIR JOURNEY ON
THE OREGON
Relief Supplies Piled Up at Portland
Ready For Shipment by the
Elder Tomorrow
PERSISTENT GOLD SEEKERS
RESUME THEIR JOURNEY ON
THE OREGON
Press Special Wire

five of the passengers of the Inflated
steamer Corona, which was wrecked on
Lewis island last Sunday morning, ar
rived here tonight on the steamer Al-kt
(which rescued them from the lonely is
land, f. w. Pollock, who was pas
Isenger on the Corona. in describing the
wreck, said:
THE accident occurred at $40 o'clock
Sunday morning. The morning gong
had sounded to awaken the passengers
for breakfast, and about 100 OF them
lhad already risen. Capt. G. IL. PIERCE
and Pilot H. F. Cauffman were on the
bridge. 1t was Cauffman's first trip as
pilot. There was light enough to see the
shores on all sides. Suddenly, while the
shin was going at full speed, without
warning, q terrible shock occurred, fol-
lowed by a grinding succession 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 remained on
the rock. The sea was calm. Capt
Pierce ordered the boats lowered. The
women were taken ashore first. by IL
loclock the passengers We're all landed
The stock and some baggage and provis-
lions were then taken ashore. the pas
lsengers remained on the island until
Thursday, patiently waiting for pass
ling steamer to take them away from
the place of personal discomfort. On
Thursday the steamer Al-ki arrived
and 200 of the castaways boarded her.
about 100 remaining on the island in the
hope of catching a northbound vessel.
"Aobut 10 o'clock Thursday night the
Al-Ki met the steamer Oregon, bound
from Portland to Dyea and Skaguay.
THE two steamers were lashed together
land all but 25 of the Corona's people
were transferred and started north
again.
the Corona is serious.
Pilot H. F. Cauffman, who was on
duty at the time of the wreck, tells the
following story:
1.-THE directions on the chart say to
steer direct from Gibson's island to the
west side of Kennedy's island. In this
water there are no soundings marked on
the chart less than seven fathoms, and
seven fathoms are only found at the ex-
treme end of Lewis island, close to the
shore. The soundings taken all around
the ship after the accident ranged from
five to ten fathoms, with the exception OF
where the ship struck. which was only
two and a quarter fathoms.
"It is six and half miles from Glib
sons island to the northwest slide.
kept the ship due northwest for II min
utes after passing Gibsons island, and
then altered it to northwest by north
= Seven minutes later she struck"
: Mr.. Cauffman declares that he foi-
lowed directions laid down, and that he
is not to blame.
Against Pilot Cauffman's declara-
tions that he was on the right course is
Steamer Pilot Thompson's statement
: who was on the boat, and who went off
= duty at 4 o'clock the morning of the
accident. He says that the reef upon
which Cauffman ran the ship is vel
. known among mariners, and that the
ship was two miles out of her course
E He characterizes the accident as sheer
e carelessness, and so do some of the pas.
!, sengers.
During the stay on the island Cauffmar
$ became more and more the reCe2
! of caustic criticism from the victims OF
the wreck.
+ The steamer Rosalie arrived tonight
from Alaska. Among her passenger:
was E. H. Wells, who left Dawson City
December 20. Wells claims to be the
bearer Of important dispatches from
Capt. Ray at Fort Yukon to the war de.
partment. He would give no hint of theil
contents. Wells also states that Major
Walsh has issued an order probihitinl
persons from entering the Yukon coun
try with less than 1000 pounds of sup
plies. exclusive of tea and coffee. Th,
c order was to be effective from January
Il 18th.
y ALASKAN RELIEF
o Portland, Or, Jan. 30.-The steame
e Elwood, loaded with government equip
: ments and forage for the Alaskan relic
ii expedition, is lying at the wharf at Van
: couver barracks ready to transfer he
freight to the steamer George W. Eide
when she arrives from Alaska today
> The Elder is scheduled to sail again OF
February I. She will carry the escort O
= sixty enlisted men and $50 tons of sup
y y plies, and the steamer Signal whicl
u sails from Seattle February I, will carr,
a ITO pack animals twenty -four men and
e = portion of the relief supplies Gen. Mer
= riam, commanding the department o
the Columbia, has decided upon landin
- the entire expedition at Dyea and push
ing forward over the Chilkoot pass a
fast as possible. He has notified tn
Chicago Snow and Ice Transportation
l. company, which has the contract +
, transport the supplies from Dyea to tn
+ interior, that it's train must be ready t
\ receive freight by February Is at Dyea
Gen. Merriam is working out plan t
{ ascertain the number Of people and tn
II amount of supplies that will enter Alas
ka this summer. Speaking of this mat
ter today he said:
From present indications a create
e relief expedition will be needed next win
l. ter than this. Hundreds are alread
e embarking for the gold fields withou
= more than sufficient supplies to last dur
n ing the summers prospecting. It an
e pears that thousands more are on tn
way in similar condition. While man
may come out at the end of the season
others will stay with the hope of pur
l. chasing supplies. The result may b
e disastrous.
d Therefore, it is my opinion that tn
# Alaskan detachment of the army coul
e not be better employed than to waite
= the trails and tally the men and provl
sions passing to the interior.