The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-03
Underwriters Decline to Settle
the Laurada Loss.
WANT THE POLICIES RETURNED.
Charge That the Vessel Was Unsea-
gates of Litigation Have Been
Opened-Owners of the steamer
VIII Institute Suit-Several Ac-
tions for Cargo Loss Have Begun.

T1SkS on the Inflated StedIutr l<duitud
have refused to pay the policies. They
decline to pay the loss mainly upon the
ground that the vessel was unseaworthy.
Other contentious are raised, however,
namely, that the steamer was overload
ed and that she did not take the usual
course in going from Seattle to Cape
Nome.
Last Thursday representative OF the
underwriters made a tender of the pre-
MUM paid. together with q demand for
the return of the policies. The PROPOSE
tions were declined by the Seattle
Steamship Company. which owned the
Laurada, and that corporation, through
it's agent. f. A. Bell, announced yester-
day that it would sue the insurance
companies at the expiration of the six
ty days from the date of the formal
notice of the underwriters that they con-
sidered the policies void.
The action of the underwriters applies
both to the vesss and cargo, on which
there was a total insurance of about
$45 900. or the whole amount the cargo
carried $4,000. and the vessel $4,000.
E. Alexander. manager of the Canton
Office. Limited. of San Francisco, one
of the principal companies of those that
wrote policies on the Laurada. spent sew
eral days in Seattle during the week. He
made an investigation and returned to
his home. During his stay he called
.
local United States marine inspectors.
The local inspectors informed him that
they had held no investigation of the
Laurada wreck. owing to the fact that
she was lost in Alaskan waters. over
which they no longer held Jurisdiction.
Alaska having for some time had her
own marine inspectors.
Law Suits Are begun.
The refusal of the underwriters to pay
the policies held by the Laurada and
her patrons has opened up the food
gates of litigation. Suits in the sum
of $1,000 or 1900 have been instituted in
the superior court by cargo losers. 9th
ers are in course of preparation. Simps
son & Co., who were among the heaviest
shippers, did not carry insurance. Nor
did Edward r. Dunn. who had a big
live stock shipment on board the vessel.
The Laurada sailed from Seattle for
Cape Nome September IL. and was run
on the beach of st. George island in Ber-
ing sea September %. She had twenty
passengers and crew of forty-eight
when she sailed from Seattle by way OF
what Is known as the inside Alaskan
passage. Capt. White, her commander
concluded to reach the open sea by way
of Dixon entrance. In Active pass the
Laurada got on the shoals. but subse-
quently noated OF with the high tide
without injury. This was September l3
That day she made her way out to sea,
but had hardly cleared the island chain
when she encountered storms of great
violence. AS "A matter of precaution the
captain decided to turn back and dis
charge some of the Laurada's deck load
He made Metlakahtla. where he put OF
thirty tons of lumber and fifty tons OF
coal. Capt. White turned his ship TO sea
again and made Dutch Harbor Septem-
Der S The following day he sailed for
Cape Nome. September q. two days aft
er his departure from Dutch Harbor. the
vessel sprung a leak. The crew battled
bravely with the rising water. but de-
spite the pumps II slowly gained.
story of the Wreck.
The fires being in danger of being put
out any moment. and the vessel left
helpless at sea. Capt. White made for
st. George, the nearest land He had
almost circumnavigated the island be-
fore he found suitable place to beach
the steamer. Early in the morning Of
September 2s he ran her on the sand
and then got the passengers ashore in
safety. Not life was lost and the off,
GERS managed 10 get sufficient pro-
visions ashore to keep all hands untfl as
ststance arrived Two days later the
United States revenue cutter Corwin
came along and took on such OF the ship
wrecked as wished 10 30 20 Dutch Har-
Dor. A few came on TO Seattle on the
Corwin
Meanwhile Dunn had gotten OF his live
stock, numbering thirty-flve head The
cattle are still on the island
Several weeks after the wreck the
steamer Townsend, which went to pieces
IN Lynn canal about two weeks ago, was
dispatched 20 st. George with a wreck
ing outfit. hut the I.aurada was In a
helpless condition. Wind and sea had
battered her 10 pieces
Mr.. Bell states that the Laurada. be
fore she entered the Alaska traffic for
the Seattle steamship Company, was
thoroughly repaired IN this city; that
the work was favorably passed upon by
representative Of the Firemer's Fund.
one OF the insuring companies, and that
she was given a frst-class rating and
had made two trips 70 Cape Nome. Her
owners say that the fact that the local
United States marine inspectors permit
ted the vessel 20 GO 90 sea IS a SUM-
cient retutation Of the claim that the
"a.