The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-01-04
WENT DOWN
IN A STORM
Steamer Protection Lost Off
the River on New
Years Day.
ONE MAN WAS DROWNED
Second Assistant Engineer Car
rey Lost While the Boats
Were Being Lowered.
AT SEA IN AN OPEN BOAT
Fourteen Survivors Suffered dTeTribly
From Cold Before Being Picked
Up BY the Galgate.
AT SEA IN AN OPEN BOAT

Tho British bark Galgats. Captain
Gnnnth. arrived In port yesterday. having
on board Il Of the shipwreeked crew Of
tho steam schooner Protection. which
founderod 30 miles on the mouth OF the
Columbia at 4 o'clock on the morning Of
January l.
Captain O. Erickson OF the lost steam
er. states that hc let Seattle at o'clock
Thursday. December .. with go tons OF
coal for Fan Francisco. The weather was
fair until the steamer approached the
mouth OF tho Columbia, when a heavy
southoas, gale sprang up, The Pro-
lection was steaming under slow bell
and the sea was running very heavy
washing over tho vessel fore and aft.
on the morning OF Saturday. December
81. Chief Engineer Mooyes reported that
tho ship was leaking. and the pumps were
Immediately manned. The water In the
vessels hold was found 20 b. gaining on
tho pumps. which were becoming choktd
with slack coal.
Tho gale increased N fury and the
steamer rolled and pitched heavily. II
was then determined 20 jettison the cargo,
and about % tons was discharged from
tho tween decks. Finding the water
steadily gaining. Captain Erickson again
ordered all hands to the pumps The men
remained at the pumps all Saturday
night. and towards morning five feet OF
water was discovered In the hold. The
steamer appeared to DO sinking. She
was listed to starboard and her stern
was seen to be fast going down. Huge
waves continually swept over her fore
and aft. and Captain Erickson saw that
her doom was sealed.
At o'clock on the morning OF January
the lifeboats were ordered lowered. Sec
ond Assistant Engineer Carvey, while en-
gagged in tho work was struck by one Of
tho swinging boats. Carvey was knocked
overheard and drowned. Il being i'm
possible TO render any assistance in the
darkness. Little is known OF Carvey by
his shlpmates. he having Joined the
steamer at Seattle shortly before she
sailed.
After much difficulty the lifeboats were
launched and the steamer was abandoned
to her fate. First oGieer Gnffin had
charge OF one of the boats and Captain
Erickson commanded the other. Seven
OF tho men went into each boat The
boats were supplied with water. meat
and crackers, but the crackers were use
less as soon as they got wet.
The boats were able 10 keep close to-
gether during the day. The storm con-
unued and but little headway could be
made toward land, The men suffered
terribly from cold. as they had saved
nothing from the sinking steamer except
the clothing on their backs. As they
pulled away the Protection was laboring
In heavy sea, but remained afoat while
tho small boats were In sight
Captain Erickson believes that the
steamer did not sink for about an hour
after he had ahandonsd her She was
listed to starboard and seas were con-
stantly breaking over tho stern. which
was low in the water. The men In the
boats were in sight OF her for about Is
minutes and she was yet ahoat
Captain Erickson and First officer Grif-
fin agreed to steer on certain course
during the night, but the boats separated
soon after darkness set In and were lost
TO view. The cold was intense and some
OF the men In Captain Erickson's boat
we're growing weak. During the night the
second officer fell overheard from the
boat and. being exhausted, would have
drowned had not Captain Erickson saved
him, The captain grabbed the man and
pulled him into the boat, where he lay
down, limp and almost lifeless.
Shortly after daylight sail was sighted,
which proved to be the British bark GAL
gate The two boats were soon to-
Eether again and sighted the Galgate
about the same time. The men In the
boats were drenched with water and had
no means of making a light with which
to signal the Galgate, but the Britisher,
to tho delight OF the shipwrecked marin
ers, was seen to be making for the boats,
About O'Clock the bark neared the life
boats and the men were placed on board.
Some Of them were so exhausted that It
was necessary to haul them over the Gal
gates side with ropes Another night in
the open boats, Captain Erickson says,
would have caused the death Of two or
three OF the men. The boats were pro-
vlded with tanks, which alone kept them
afioat.
Captain Erickson and the members of
his crew speak In the highest terms of
their treatment by Captain and Mrs. Grif-
nth, Of the Galgate, Every comfort pos
sible was provided until the men were
landed in Astoria, yesterday, Mrs. Griffith
kindly attending to the wants OF the
unfortunate seamen.
Captain Griffith says rnat, early Mon
day morning, when IS miles northwest Of
Cape Disappointment, the two boats were
sighted, but were at first believed to be
drifting buoys. BY means Of his glass
Captain Grifith soon discovered that the
objects were boats, containing men. The