Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-06
National City Strikes
on Shore at
RedOndO
Crew Takes Refuge in
Rigging While
Sea Rages
Intellectual Efforts Made to Pull Ves-
sci from Dangerous Position on
Beach-cargo Jettisoned
Without Avail

Pounded fiercely by the waves which
are rapidly beating her to pieces, the
two-masted steam schooner National
City, which ran aground near Hermosa
about o'clock yesterday morning, is
being buffeted to and fro and it is prob
able will go to pieces.
The vessel grounded during a dense
fog early yesterday morning, after her
commander, Capt c. Frederickson, had
made an unsuccessful effort to dock her
at pier No. 2.
| The vessel arrived at the outer end
of that pier at 5:45, but drew up along
the north side when wharfage room had
been secured for her on the south side.
Seeing his mistake, Capt. Fredrickson
drew the vessel back into the roadstead.
The fog had become so dense by that
time he decided to wait until daylight,
when he could dock with more safety.
The vessel was steered northward to
get sea room for anchorage but worked
too close inshore, with the result that
hfteen minutes after leaving the pier
she lay hard aground ree-quarters of
q mile from the dock.
Cling to the Rigging
The National City was loaded with
railroad ties for the Southern Pacific
company. There Nsts about 10 600 red
wood split ties on board. They had
been piled on the upper deck Of the ves-
sci, and the heavy seas which swept
over the vessel caused them to become
| disengaged from their fastenings and
several thousand of them were at once
swept into the sea.
This SprVnd tO 1iohtar tho x,oe.o1 aox
siderably and she rose from the sands
into which her keel had dug, but when
efforts were made to start the engines
and back and off from the shore 1t was
found that water had flooded the en-
gine room, putting out the fires. There
was no way for the officers and crew TO
fght the sea with the useless ma
ch1nery, so, despite their efforts the
snip was driven further and further in
Shore and when day at last broke the
vessel was found to be pounding in the
surf, scarcely ninety feet from the
shore
The sea at this time was extremely
high, and although the distance to the
shore was comparatively short officers
ana men were afraid to attempt to
reach it, and for several hours they
clung to the rigging waiting until as
sistance could be sent them from some
other ship in the harbor.
DeckIoad Is Jettisoned
About 10 o'clock the steamer South
Bay, Captain A. Sorensen, which had
been unloading at pier No. l, moved
outside and worked a haWser aboard
the stranded ship. This line was later
attached to the tug Coils and an in
efectual effort was made to float the
wrecked vessel.
While this effort was being made the
captain and crew of the wrecked boat
began the work jettisoning the cargo
and hundreds of ties were pitched into
the sea. AS these ties floated ashore
they were picked up by Mexicans Who
had been hired for the work and piled
along the beach. Hundreds drifted out
10 sea and 1t is probable several thou
SAND dollars worth will never be re-
covered
After the Coils had tried to float
the vessel 1t was decided to allow the
wreck TO remain where she lay until
the visit of the underwriters today. IT.
IS expected they will inspect the ves-
sci this morning and endeavor to learn
the amount of damage which was done
her
Owing to the water in the hold If
was impossible for the captain or crew
TO learn yesterday what damage had
been done the bottom of the vessel. 1t
was SAID, however, that it was prob
able hole had been stove in her lust
above the keel and the ties which had
been piled in the hold were floating
about.
Strikes in the Fog
Tn National City carried i'm addition
to her captain, First Mate II. Isaacson
and Second Mate c. Swanson, a crew
OF fifteen men, There were no passen-
gers on board, although it was rumored
yesterday that twelve women and two
children had sailed on the vessel on
the trip.
This morning, after the underwrit-
ers have visited the vessel the Coils
llnIAlIa..n.l