The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-07

capt. N. l.. Johnson, OF the schooner
Nellie G.. Thurston which arrived in Sc
attic Monday evening at $40, from Nome
brings news of a wreck between Nome
city and Seattle that may have been one
OF the greatest disasters of the year in
Pacific waters
Capt. johnson reports that he left
Nome October is with a crew of six men
and carrying six passengers 1t was his
Intention to put in at Dutch harbor and
from there sail direct for Seattle. He
called at Dutch harbor. October a. and
three days later Saturday. October "a
during the morning, passed a lot OF
wreckage consisting of spars, riggings
with wire rope and small timbers. There
was large quantity of this material
On Friday. November 2. while about 200
miles from Cape Flattery. the crew dis
covered, as daylight approached. that the
schooner was passing through a great
quantity of wreckage. There was a sew
enty-mile wind blowing at the time. and
II was utterly impossible to closely ex-
anime any OF the wreckage. but enough
of 1t was seen to furnish some valuable
facts.
Much lumber of one-inch, one and one
half-inch and four-inch sizes was seen.
apparently portion of this had been the
upper works of some vessel, as II was
painted white on the exterior. and on the
interior blue. There was some material
that was painted only on one side. this
being white. A life boat. thought to be
of metal, was also sighted This boat was
partially submerged. but the captain be-
lieves 1t to have been about twenty-five
feet long. This boat was also painted
white on the outside with blue interior.
and in the end, which was above water.
was tank, supposed to be an air cham
Der. The tank was painted yellow.
Capt. johnson states that this wreckage
was scattered along for a distance OF
twenty miles from the place where first
sighted. 1t was composed of the class of
timbers mentioned. and some port lights
passengers thought he discerned a name
on a portion of the wreckage, but the dis
lance was SO great that he would not at
tempt to state positively that he was
Fifty miles beyond the bulk of the
wreckage Capt. Johnson sighted tank
which was similar TO that seen in the
wrecked lifeboat. This tank being very
light was out of the water and was rolling
over and over before the wind. From the
distance intervening between this tank
and the bulk of the heavier wreckage
Capt. johnson inciines to the opinion that
some time within the twenty-four hours
preceding the time that he first sighted
It. He Is inclined to believe that II was
The crew and passengers OF the Thurs
ton have INDUCED In some speculation as
to the probable name Of the wreck. but
could arrive at no decision. IL IS eVluent.
however that a disaster has occurred. and
from the sea that was running, and the
distance to the nearest land. II seems
very improbable that any one could have
escaped. The nearest land was probably
$50 miles and the indications are that II
any lifeboats were launched they were
destroyed as was the one sighted.
Capt. johnson, who Is now in the city.
will be perfectly willing to give assistance
to any person who desires to determine
what boat was wrecked. but as the sea
was very high and a strong gale was
blowing his observations were limited to
what could be seen from the deck OF his
own vessel. and practically all that he
discovered has been detailed.