The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-10-27

X Gable received II q. NO. Oct.
X 23.-The schooner Julia E. Whal- 4
X en- Is a total loss.
X 4
X ****k+k+* k+* Xxx 4 4
The above cable to Superintendent
Gaines yesterday forenoon was the first
news Of the wreck Of the ill-fated but
| famous schooner Julia E. whalen on
Midway Island. The dispatch indicated
also that the cargo Of provisions, live
stock, building materials and personal
property on the vessel had been lost.
The following cablegram from Mr..
Colly was received yesterday:
The whalen got opposite the entrance
at dark. The captain decided to dodge
of and on till daylight but the current
must have taken him further to the
eastward than he thought. The
schooner struck on the N. N. w. cor
ner Of the reef about 2 a. m. Thursday.
Captain and crew got into the boat
without saving anything but clothes
and reached here at 6 a. m, the boat
leaking badly and only one oar and q
piece Of one available. hence the length
Of time taken to come three miles. The
captain reports the Whalen was steady
on the reef and he had every hope Of
saving the cargo and possibly the ship.
He borrowed our boat and returned to
the vessel but was unable to board.
surf being too strong. On his arrival
back he still expressed hope Of being
able to save the cargo but this morning
showed that the vessel was breaking
up. The captain tried to get to her
again but she is practically in pieces.
the masts gone overheard and all car
go washed out. Nothing was saved
not even the mails. She had a very
rough passage and the pumps had to
be kept going to keep her free. She
leaked all the time.
Capt. Kinney of the Whalen was for
merly connected with the Inter-Island
service and the schooner
Julia e. Whalen was his first COM
mand.
The schooner went to pieces quickly,
dition beforehand. She had Jain tied
up in port here for many months. and
had been out of the harbor but few
times since her return from the voyage
to Marcus Island. The City Mill Com
pany is the vessels owner, and they
have no insurance. She was bought at
public sale for about $1,000. The cargo
was insured.
The cable colony at Midway has had
hard luck in getting supplies. A box
IF provisions dropped overheard from
4 passenger steamer near the island
several weeks ago was lost. The colo
ny. however, Is not in straits over its
'ood supply, although it has not had
'resh provender since the Hanalei went |
here.
HISTORY OF THE wHALEN.
The schooner Julia E. whalen, which
las come to such an untimely end on
Island, has had a lengthy SER
ice over a considerable portion of the
worlds sea for small craft. Original
Y an old New England fisher boat, she
lad some rough experiences before as
veil as after arriving in Pacific wa
ers.
The Whalen was built at Essex,
Iass., in 1886. She was S21a feet in
ength, twenty-three and une-half feet
n width, and ten feet deep. She was
f ninety-six tons net register. For
ears the Whalen made regular trips
rom New England ports to the New
oundland fishing banks and was known
8 a very staunch little craft. When
he gold excitement broke out in the
small vessels were for time
t premium in Alaskan waters. The
yhalen was fitted up and succeeded In
making a fair passage by way of the
traits of Magellan to Alaska. She
lade a number of trips from the Sound
ountry to Alaska and then went into
he South Sea trade, being owned by
ne Samoa Estate and Navigating Com
any. mick" Weaver of yacht Nor
anne was the leading spirit in that
ompany and he later used the Whalen
D make a trip with some of his
clients" in search for certain elusive
lines along the Mexican coast.
When w. c. Peacock, financial hacker
{ the Marcus Island Company, was in
an Francisco early last year in search
{ vessel to carry his expedition to
he celebrated Marcus Island he found {
he whalen and bought her. The YES
Il came to Honolulu and CAPTAIN
osehill sent her to Marcus Island and
ack at pretty good clip. the schooner
taking a smart voyage. Rosehlllre-
aired the craft and fitted a new deck
ouse on her. After her return to Ho-
oluu the vessel was sold. The owners ,
the schooner Charles Levi Woodbury. :
ought her for $1,000 at auction.
Since that time the Whalen has been I
gagged in the island trade. until her :
st voyage to Midway Island.