The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-02-01

Passenger aud Pilot Csufrman. Who Was
Steering.
Seattle, Wash. Feb. l.--Twenty- five
of the passengers OF the ill-fated
steamer Corona. which was wrecked on
Lewis island Sunday morning, Jan. 23,
have arrived on the steamer Alki. which
rescued them from the lonely island
f. W. Pollock. who was passenger on
the Corona, in describing the wreck
said:
The accident occurred at $40 a. m.
Sunday. The morning gong had
sounded to awaken the passengers for
breakfast About 100 OF them had al
ready arose. Captain @. H. Pierce and
Pilot H. f. Cauffman were c. the bridge.
Itwas Cauffmans first tripS. pilot The
day was light enough to see the shore
on all sides. Suddenly. while the ship
was going at full speed, without warn
ing terrible shock occurred. followed
by a grinding succession of lesser
shocks. Instantly 1t was realized that
the ship had struck rock and a scene
of great confusion followed. The wheel
was reversed. but the ship settled on
the rock.
Ordered the Boats Lowered.
"The sea was calm and Captain Pierce
ordered the boats lowered. The women
were taken ashore first BY 10 o'clock
the passengers were all landed. The
stock and some of the baggage and
provisions were taken ashore. The pas
sengers remained on the island until
Thursday, patiently awaiting for pass
ing steamer to take them away from
place of great personal discomfort. On
Thursday the steamer Alki arrived and
200 castaways boarded her, about 100
remaining on the island in the hope of
catching north bound vessel About
10 o'clock Thursday night the Alki met
the steamer Oregon. bound from Port
land to Dyea and Skaguay. The two
steamers were lashed to gether and all
but twenty-five of the Corona's people
were transferred and started north
again. 1t is not believed that the in
juries to the Corona are serious"
Story of the Pilot.
Pilot II. f. Cauffman. who was on
duty at the time of the accident, tells
-the following story: $3.50
The directions on the chart say to
steer straight from Gibsons island to
the northwest side of Kennedy's island
In this water there are no soundings
marked in chart less than seven faith
oms deep and seven fathoms Is only
found at the extreme end of the island.
close to short. The soundings taken all
around the island ranged from five to
ten fathoms. with the exception of
where the ship struck, which was only
two and one-fourth fathoms. II is six
and half miles from Gibson's island TO
the northwest side. / kept the ship
due northwest for seventeen minutes
after passing Gibson's island and then
altered Ii to northwest by north, and
seven minutes later she struck
He Was Following Directions.
Mr.. Cauffman declares that he was
following directions laid down and that
he Is not to blame. Against Pilot Cauff-
mans declarations that he was on the
correct course is the steamers 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 course by which Cauffman run
the ship is well-known to mariners. and
that she was two miles out of her
course. He characterized the accident
to sheer carelessness. as do also some
of the passengers during the stay on
the island. Cauffman became more and
more the recipient Of caustic criticism
from the victims of the wreck.