The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-03-28
KING OF LAYSAN
WRECKED


and the combination set the schooner
toward the reef She was swept back
with irresistible force. Captain Schlem-
mer soon perceived that his vessel was
doomed and he called TO an hands TO
hold on. The vessel was swept onto ,
the reef on her beam end. the stern
striking the reef first But the Ken
nedy showed what staunch little
vessel she was for she stood the first |
shock and the subsequent pounding |
for some time before she was slowly |
broken
The boats on the schooner were /
launched and the Captain and his crew /
started aashore. one Of the boats was /
capsized before reaching the beach. The |
crew had to go about 600 yards from |
the wreck TO the beach. The seas !
were continually rushing on rendering |
their escape more perious. The ac- !
cident occurred about $3.50 o'clock I'm !
the afternoon. Had the storm oc-
CURED at night fall, not a man would ,
have reached the shore alive.
As it was not one of them got ashore
with more than their clothes. Fortuna
tely some Japanese had been left on
the island by Captain Schlemmer to at
tend to the guano deposits and secure
some guano with which to load his lit
tie vessel on her return from Midway.
The Captain and his companions were
housed as well as the means afford
ed. When the weather subsidized the
work of trying to save as many Of the
stores from the vessel as possible was
begun.
/ The mail for Midway was taken
ashore as We're considerable Of the
naval and cable company's stores for
Midway. Much of the cargo was dam
4 aged. Practically nothing belonging to
Schlemmer or his men was saved. In
/ fact ]. G. Green who went out as mate
and had purchased an interest with
Schemmer in the enterprise, came back
! with only a suit of clothes shoes and
an undershirt The men worked like
beavers getting as much of the cargo
, as possible ashore. They succeeded
in getting a considerable portion of the
stuff from the schooner. Both of the
small boats were lost.
The contrast of their plight with the
possibilities Of a profitable cruise that
was apparent was fairly heartbreaking
There was i'm the warehouse at Lay
son 1900 tons of guano and i'm the
fields ready to be gathered 300 tons
} more, supplies sufficient to have kept
the little schooner running between
Honolulu and Laysan for months. On
March II the second big disappoint-
ment of the cruise occurred. The gum
boat Petrol hove i'm sight to the south
ward of the island. She passed with
in two miles of the island. Captain
Schlemmer and his men felt certain
that she would stop and pick them up
/ but the vessel steamed past and went
f on to Midway
The officers of the Petrol state that
!; the reason they did not call at Laysan
on that day was because nothing was
seen of the wrecked craft. A flag was
noticed but as the officers knew that
: people were always living on the ISL
and it was surmised that this flag
had been set by them. A strong swell
was running at the time and it would
not have been safe for the vessel to
b have ventured any closer than two
miles in toward the reef, to have made
any observations.
. Inc Gelfel arrived at Midway MdfCn
/ 10, discharged her stores on Sunday
had to lay off work on Monday owing
to heavy swell but resumed dis
> charging Tuesday and got away for
Laysan Tuesday evening. The Petrol
took on board from Midway Lieutenant
G. s. owen and DR.. w. r. c.. High and
20 marines of the guard. The vesse
stopped at Laysan Island March % and
= there found the wrecked crew. AS
many stores as were thought worth 1t
were brought back by the vessel. Cap,
tain Max Schlemmer, Mate ]. c. Green
Second Mate Charles Krohn and ST,
> japanese of the wrecked crew wer,
taken aboard and brought back t
Honolulu.
Captain Schlemme states that Their
was no insurance on his vessel. Sh
q will prove q total loss. Green hat
invested in the vessel also, so boil
men will lose heavily. A great deal o
sympathy was expressed for Captain
= Schlemmer and Green this morning
" Schlemmer has a contract to suppl.
u the Pacific Guano and Fertilizer Work
with guano. He will try to maxi
~ arrangements to send another vesse
~ down after guano as soon as he car
~ settle up his business affairs.
a BACK FROM THE VOLCANO