Manning (1914) -- Discussion: Questions, Comments and Coordination

[ggordon]

So they were setting the clocks according to actual local time rather than according to time zones. That explains it.

[ggordon]

The direct trip from Seattle to Unalaska was slow due to strong winds and rough seas. Then on October 7, with weather still a factor, a decision had to be made.

Sorry about all the html " Pasted into Wordpad, did a replace all " for a ".

9:20 received the following radiogram: R.C. Manning, - Medical assistance needed at Cape Sarichef Light station. Call there. Sig. Reynolds.
10:35 received the signal "W.O." Want a surgeon, Send me one from the nearest place." Answered immediately.
10:37 hoisted signal "E.W." Can a boat land. Can a landing be effected.
11:04 received answer "D" No.
11:05 hoisted signal "F.C." "I should like to know the nature of the sickness, if any before I send my boat."
11:34, took in the last signal no answer having been received.
11:38, hoisted "V.D." "What is the sickness?"
11:59 received the signal "H. E. A. R. T." in answer to "V.D."
12:15 as no assistance could be rendered during the prevailing weather, shaped course SSW1/4W for Akun Cove to await favorable conditions for landing surgeon at Sarichef Light House.
5:10, received the following radiogram. "R.C. Manning - Come to Unalaska without delay" Reynolds."
Steamed forward at 5:35 but at this time the weather s~~~t is thick and all indications pointed to an increasing gale so veered to 75 fathoms to await daylight.
8:25, received the following radiogram. "R.C. Manning - Arrive Unalaska no later than eight a.m. Thursday if practicable Reynolds"
As weather conditions continued unfavorable with a strong S.W. gale and driving rain it was impracticable to reach Unalaska at eight a.m. on Thursday.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0360.JPG

Looking ahead, despite continued strong winds and rough seas, the Manning arrived in Unalaska at 12:56PM the next day, where upon arrival the Commanding Officer took on responsibility as President of the inquiry into the sinking of the Tahoma.

[Randi]

In October 1914, the keeper of Cape Sarichef Lighthouse became ill. A cutter of the Revenue Service was sent to the station, and in removing him to the vessel the boat was capsized near the beach and the light keeper, a surgeon of the Public Health Service, and four men were drowned.
[For reasons beyond my understanding, this is posted under 1923]

William J. Pearson, first assistant, William A. Phillips, second assistant, and William Rosenberg, substitute keeper, cared for late keeper of station during illness; attempted to rescue person when Coast Guard’s S.S. Manning landing boat capsized.
[For reasons beyond my understanding, this is posted under 1915]

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1615426 ... y-journal/


https://www.jstor.org/stable/42913828?s ... b_contents

[ggordon]

They say the drowning occurred on October 10, a few days farther than I've gotten in the log. So presumably the Manning went back to the lighthouse. We'll see what appears in the Manning log when I get there.

[ggordon]

The five log pages for October 10 and 11 contain a detailed record of the events.

October 10:

7:30 lowered whale boat and sent same to land with ship's engineers. Light house flying ensign, union down.
Whale boat landed safely at 7:50, no breaks on the beach.
The gentle swell on the beach was not breaking, as told by Seaman Wold, who was picked up, and is now on board; the landing was made without difficulty
and the boat hauled up on the beach.
The following is related by Wold: "The sick man was brought down and placed in the boat accompanied by Dr. Jenkins and the boat launched." At this time
a slight swell was setting in as the wind had changed to Westerly "About sixty feet from the beach a wave broke over the boat filling her and almost at once she
broached to and capsized, all hands swimming for the beach." In the meantime the ship headed in for the beach to pick up the boat which was last seen as it was
launched, with no knowledge that it had capsized until the light station sounded its siren and displayed "N.C." distress. Immediately, at 8:45, sent in the second
whaleboat, picked up Wold and searched thoroughly for any other possible survivors, most of whom could be seen on the beach. Coxswain Darrow saw Kody
apparently unconscious limply moving his hands and shortly after, the boat veering to avoid striking on a rock, disappear. Wold believes Seaman Dalsgard
drowned as these two, with Kody, were all swimming together.
9:12, hoisted RKE and KCV, "How many crew saved?", but got no answer, other than acknowledgement.
9:35, whaleboat returned with Wold. Ship backing and filling in 11 fathoms, as close to the beach as deemed safe.
9:45, whaleboat equipped with hearing lines and ring life buoys returned to beach in effort to get information by wig-wag and take of balance of crew from point
North of light.
10:23, hoisted JNB and GRW "What is condition of boat's crew?" signal acknowledged but not answered.
10:30 whaleboat returned having wig-wagged to survivors to go to point north of light, but reply was "too rough".
By 10:30 wind and sea were westerly and landing impossible. By reason of the distance from shore deemed advisable on account of heavy tide, and wind, signals could not be
distinguished by hand methods. The fact that no answer has been made to our signals indicates that our men are disabled as the station crew seem unable to
send flag signals except by hoisting the answering pennant and the distress signals "N.C." and ensign inverted.
10:49 weather being such that it was impossible to land, set course SSW1/4W for Akun Cove
10:52 set signal UVO "I shall return."

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0364.JPG
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0365.JPG

October 11 the Manning returned to Sarichef:

6:38 sent in two whale boats, one in charge of Boatswain Pattersen and the other in charge of Coxswain Darrow. Hoisted "DIX" (Ready for action) which was
acknowledged from Sarichef Light House. Boats backed in close to reef and took off two men
7:20 Whale boats returned with C Magnusen, acting gunner and Chas. Murphy, seamen, the sole survivers, including Seaman Wold, of yesterday's accident. These
men reported that the whale boat had landed easily, that Doctor Jenkins had visited the sick man at the light house and found him to be near death. Two men
assisted the doctor to bring the sick man to the beach where he was placed in the stern sheets of the boat, which in the meantime had been turned around by the
rest of the crew and was ready for landing. The tide had changed during this time and a slight surf was making in, but nothing that would be considered dangerous.
The boat was forced into the water with the two bow oars pulling. The remainder of the crew were compelled to wade out waist deep in the water owing to the
abrupt drop of the beach. Where well in the water it was found that the under water part of the beach was composed of quick sand which hampered the crew.
Realizing the danger at this moment all made all effort to return but an incoming breaker carried the boat out on the back lash and all hands hung on to the
boat rather than taking chances on swimming. The boat headed out but slipped an breaker and partly filled. Before she could be gotten under control the next
breaker capsized her and all hands were thrown in the water. A strong undertow was running along the beach and all except Murphy were taken off shore.
The latter made the beach caused the siren to be blown and helped the rescue the two light house keepers who had assisted in launching the boat; then cast a line to the gunner who was the only one close enough in to be reached
this way. All endeaver was made by the light house keepers to launch their dory but it was far up on the beach and the effort was unavailing. Murphy states that
the sick man Lupks, Lunderhaug, De Marco, and Dalsgaard were on the surface but for a few moments; the remainder kept afloat for some time. The beaches
were searched during yesterday afternoon, last night and the morning but no signs of bodies or wreckage could be discovered. Those lost in this accident are as
follows: L. W. Jenkins, Assistant Surgeon, U.S.P.H.S.; G. Demarco, coxswain, attached to the Tahoma; R. Dalsgaard and A. Lunderhaug, seamen, of this command;
E. Kody, ordinary seaman of this command and Housekeeper Lupks, of Sarichef Station. Those saved are gunner (acting) C. Magnessen, A. Wold and Chas Murphy,
seamen, all of this command.
Picked up whale boats

8AM to Meridian

No funeral being possible for the men lost yesterday in the surf at Sarichef, half-masted colors at 8:00. Lieutenants Thompson and Kain took an inventory
of the effects of the deceased, namely Assistant Surgeon L. W. Jenkins, U.S.P.H.S.; G. Demarco, coxswain, of the "Tahoma"; seamen R. Dalsgard and A. Lunderhaug;
and ordinary seaman E. Kody.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0366.JPG
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0367.JPG

[Michael]

R. I. P.

• L. W. Jenkins, Assistant Surgeon, U.S.P.H.S.
• G. Demarco, coxswain
• R. Dalsgaard, seaman
• A. Lunderhaug, seaman
• E. Kody, ordinary seaman
• Housekeeper Lupks, of Sarichef Station.

[Randi]

Thanks for posting that!

[ggordon]

G. Demarco had survived the sinking of the Tahoma only to drown a few weeks later on duty with the Manning.

[Randi]

R.I.P. G. Demarco

[ggordon]

A lengthy log entry was made on October 13 concerning the ship being loaded with 70 to 80 tons of freight for St. George and St. Paul Islands. It describes the freight being stowed very high and nearly covering the decks with only narrow passageways remaining to navigate aboard the ship. There was concern about what would happen in heavy seas and that it might not be possible to launch boats if necessary to abandon ship.
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0370.JPG

[Randi]

[Michael]

Those were the days!

[ggordon]

October is complete.

[Randi]

[Michael]

[ggordon]

I need help with a location.

6:30 AM Location looks something like "Leuquia L.H.", or the first letter might be a G or S or...? Or it might be something like "Gengina"? Not sure which letter is intended to be an "i" and not sure whether the third letter is "u" or "n"
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 4_0408.JPG

At 4:22 AM they were near North Head Sands gas buoy, which I believe may have been somewhere near the current Fraser River Whistle Buoy.
At 7:30 AM they raised the revenue cutter ensign and pennant because of entering U.S. waters, but it is unclear as to whether they had entered at exactly that time, or whether it might have been earlier and raised the flags later.
At 11:47 AM they were near the Partridge Point Bell Buoy.

Since they were headed roughly SE toward Rosario Strait, I'm guessing it may have been around Point Roberts, assuming that they had entered the U.S. sometime prior to 7:30 AM.

I have done extensive searches, looked at old maps and old books, but can't find anything similar around that area.

[Michael]

Georgina Point, Active Pass Lighthouse. Not the best handwriting, is it!

[ggordon]

Yes, I'm sure that's it. I was getting close with Gengina.

They arrived in Seattle at 4:00 PM and that completes Manning 1914.

[Randi]

Looking at the same log keeper's mid to 8 watch entry Straits of Georgia, I wonder if it could be https://www.geonames.org/5960584/georgina-point.html ?

[Michael]

I'll work on the voyage when I finish transcribing August 1934 for Chelan.