Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1875 — The Disaster on the Pacific Coast. [ARTICLE]

The Disaster on the Pacific Coast.

San Francisco, Nov. 9 A dispatch from Port Townsend this evening says: Henry F. Jelley, supposed to be the sole survivor of the Pacific, brought here yesterday by the ship Messenger in a wretched condition, having been on a raft thirty-six hours before being picked up, says the Pacific collided with some other vessel, whose lights he saw, but in his interviews with Gilkey, Captain of the Messenger, lasting twelve hours, he made no mention of the lights of the vessel, and some think him laboring under hallucination as to that. Experienced navigators here think it more likely that she struck a sunken rock. Jelley makes a statement to the following effect: Took cabin passage on the Pacific from Victoria, leaving about a quarter past nine on the morning of Thursday, the 4th inst. There were about 200 people on board. Steamed all day against a southeaster, the crew constantly pumping water into the boats to trim tlie ship. The boats abaft the paddleboxes had no oars in them. The others had about eight or nine. In the evening, while in bed, heard a crash and felt a shock as if we had struck a rock. Heard something fall as if rocks had fallen on the starboard bow. The bell was struck to stop, back and go ahead. Went on deck and heard voices say: “ It’sall right; we have struck a vessel.” Saw several lights at a distance but do not think they were colored; but paid little attention. Returned to the cabin and noticed the ship took a heavy list to port. Went on deck to the pilot-house and,, heard some one say: “She is making water very fast.” The Captain was coming out of his room. Asked him if there were any blue-lights or guns. He said the blue lights were in the pilot-house. Got them and burned five. Noticed the engines still working, but there was no one at the wheel. Went to the starboard side forward of the paddle-box where a number of men were trying to get the long-boat out, but could not. Went to the port-boat forward and helped five or six women into it. 'fried to get the boat off, but could not move it. There were about twenty women in it. Heard the boats abaft the paddles had got off; but did not see them. Think it was about an hour after the steamer struck when she listed so much to port that the boat was in the water. I was in that boat. Cut loose from the davits, when the boat filled and turned oyer. Got on her bottom and helped several up with me. Immediately after the steiquer seemed to break in two fore and aft.! The sn»oke-stack fell and struck our boat, and -the steamer sunk. Think about all the Women-were in our boat, and fear they were all drowned when the boat upset. This Was about terf in the evening. The night was not dark nor the sea very rough; but a fresh breeze sprung up afterward. Left the bottom of the boat, and, with another man,.Climbed on top of the pilot-house, floating near. The next morning I got some life-preservers, floating near, and with their ropes lashed myself and companion to the house. Saw three rafts; the first had one man on it, the next had three men and a woman; could not make out the other for the distance, except that there were people on it. Think we were thirty or forty miles south of Cape Flattery when the vessel sunk. Passed the light on Tattoosh Island between four and five in the evening. Myself and companion were on the pilot-house all of Friday until about four p. m., when he died, and I cut him loose. The sea was running very high all day, the waves washing over us. Soon after he died I sighted a vessel. -Called, and heard the people on the other rafts calling, but the vessel did not come near. Friday night we had but little wind, but in the morning the wind and rose. Was then within a mile of the Shore of Vancouver Island. Sighted two vessels’ on the American shore, which passed on. About ten o’clock Saturday forenoon the Messenger picked me up. Jelley stated, informally, that there was no terror or contusion on "the part of the passengers, and that if the boats could have been launched and properlv manned, ' the sea being comparatively smooth, all would have been saved. »

The statement of Neal O’Haley, Quartermaster of the Pacific, rescued by the revenue-cutter Oliver Wolcott on the morning of the 7th, is to the effect that there were over 200 people on board the lost steamer. He says: I saw a large vessel unfler sail, which they said struck the steamer; saw her green light distinctly. The passengers crowded into the boats against the commands of the officers. I, with the chiefengineer, got a port boat forward into the water and got fifteen women and six meh in her. She was capsized by the rolling of the ship. I saw none of them afterward. Lsupported myself Dy u float ing sky-light about fifteen minutes, and then got on a portion of the hurricane-deck with some eight others. On looking for the steamer I found she had disappeared, leaving a floating inass of human beings. The screams Tor help were fearful, but soon ceased, and -we were alone on the. raft. There were the Captain, second mate! second cook, and four passengers, including a young lady. At one o'clock the next morning, the sth, there bleg a gale from the southeast, die sea making a clean break over the raft. We lasiied ourselves. About 4 a. m. the sea washed overboard the Captain, second mate, the lady and another passenger. About nine a.'m. die second cook died. It cleared up about four p. m. I saw land fifteen miles distant, and a piece of the wreck with two or more on it. About five p. m. anodierdied. On the morning of the 6th another died, leaving me alone! 1 About four p. ni. a large, empty box floated near me. Got it on the raft for shelter and slept soundly that night several hours. tynthe morning of the.7th saw land on both sides and was surrounded with float-kelp, which; made the water smooth, -it continued calm all day and night. At three a. m. I was rescued bv the cutter. " i