The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-16
SCHOONER PROBABLY lost
THE ALTON, OF TACOMA, ENCoVNs
TIERS \ TERRIBLE GALE
Schooner Rather, Arriving Here. Re-
ports the Alton Very Likely sank
With All siaads-Schooners Row.

The news Of the prceable loss oe tho
schooner Alton. ce Tacoma, with fcuR
entrance % Cook iaies. and tia story u
the safe arrival OF two san Francisco
schoonsrs hong overdue at northern ports
was brought 20 tais city yesterday morn
ing by the schooner Rather. Capt. w. II.
Psersoa. The safe schooners are the Bow-
head and Golden Gate.
The men on the Rather have noe the
least hope THAI the schooner Alton CT thu
four men aboard her will ever be seen
again. They are satisfied that the scaoon-
er went down in the terrible gale that on
May - drove the Rather back 10 Saiaovta
for repairs. THE Aiecn was not seen after
wards. and being very short~haaaes. Capt.
wester was probably unable ~ get his
vessel To a place NJ safety.
The Rather saw the Alton at the en-
trance OF Cook iniet On May 81 when the
former was going into Homer for water.
Capt. WEBSTER. OF the Alton. complained
that he had been compelled to leave very
short handed. He had but two men aboard
besides his first mate. and they were
green hands. Capt. Winter said also that
he had no cook stove. The people further
up the inlet had tried 20 detain him antu
hs coah MI out his crew. but he was anx-
soGs TO get back 10 his hons port. He
proceeded down the inlet with the tide.
The next two days were very quiet and
the Alton could have sailed but few
miles. The Rather had 10 sooner got
away from Homer. on May .. than a
terrible southeast gale broke almost with
out warning. The gale was very severe
even fer the stormy waters OF the inlet.
and the staunch Rather with fun crew
had a great deal of difficulty weathering
ii. As it was. many OF her sails werc
torn TO ribbons. One big wave. borne
along by heavy gust OF wind, washed
away the schocner's balloon tlb. minute
later the flying jIb split. Then the fore
gan topsaii was blown away. Finally the
nlainsail split under the force OF the
wind. As soon as the storm moderated
Capt. Pierson put back to Saldosia and
repaired damages. Nothing was seen oe
the Alton. and although no wreckage was
sighted they believe she ia lost
The Alton was built at Marshheid. Ore
gon. and is now owned In San Francisco.
She was "a feet long. Il feet beam and
feet depth of hold Her net tonnage was
s4.ss tons. She was built In 1855 and was
not considered as staunch vessel as the
Rather. which Is built entirely of oak.
Can't. pierson reports that the san Fran.
cisco schooners Bowhead and Golden
Gate, concerning whose safety great
dea, of anxiety wss felt. have arrived at
Alaskan ports. The Buwhead was ninety
two days out from San Francisco when
she reached Yakutat. Her eighteen pass
engers had almost given up hope OF
bringing their long voyage TO an end.
They were short OF water and provisions.
Contrary winds and sewers gales beset the
schooner almost from the start and had
driven her far out Of her course several
times The Bowhead was built at North
Bend Oregon In 1891 and WAS 20 feet in
length.
The Rather spoke the ae-ton schooner.
Golden Gate off the Barren islands al the
entrance of Cook inlet. She had stopped
al several places along the Alaskan coast
to prospect and had met with no nlIshap.
She was built at Humboldt. Cal, in 1874.
and those who had friends among her
passengers feared for her safety on ac-
count of her age. The schooner Negus,
which left San Francisco twelve days be-
fore the Rather. arrived at the inlet about
a day ahead OF her.
The members OF a Conesyiie, Kan,
party were poisoned on May II. at Ladd's
landing. by eating canned cabbage. John
Truly died after several days acute III
ness. and Frank Clark. Of Missouri. bare
ly pulled through with his life. Several
other members Of the party wsre very
sick. An examination held showed that
the canned cabbage WAS the cause OF the
trouble Truby's body was brought down
and will be shipped East
Can't. Plerson gays that the latest gold
excitement In tie Inlet Is az Ma
mana. a small place on the beach.
about sixty miles up the Inlet.
some twenty men were at work there az
the time the Rather visited that point
They reported that they were taking out
from 81 TO so per day 10 the man. Capt.
Person purchased quantity OF gold
from the Indians a. Manana. Tae sold
was taken from the black sand on the
beach. and the men were expecting
stampede 10 that point from other camps
on the Inlet.
TIE messengers who came down on tho
RATHER were very much discouraged.
They had hardly gore away from the
beach where they were landed. They had
two big dredgers. which they did not at
fenrt 10 use. They went north expecting
10 find gold By the hatful the flrst time
they sunk their shovels into the gravel.
and were rot satisfied with wages. Their
names are Clint Rouderbush, w. ii. aic-
Kay. John r.. Fry. w. u. Mills. A. Stick
Ter Charles NJ Taylor, Robert Bartons
~--- Orr, H. III. Seymour George Moore. e.
r. Monson, Robert +. Clark and Frank
Patterson
The Rather Is now lying az Arlington
dock. but win leave IN few DAYS for
San Francisco She has n cargo OF canned
salmon for that port.
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