Nineteen Men and a Copper Keel: The Bering Sea Vanishes Off Cape Flattery

Port Townsend, April 17.—Special.—A sealing schooner is reported capsized off Cape Flattery, and it is believed that at least a portion of her crew have drowned. Indian sealers went into Neah Bay and saw a capsized schooner of about fifty tons burden off Cape Flattery last Saturday. The sea was high and the weather so rough that a close examination could not be made. The craft had a copper-painted keel and answered the description of the Bering Sea, a newly built schooner of Tacoma engaged in sealing. She went out past the Cape last week, and the masters of other vessels who observed her commented generally upon her cranky appearance. When skimming over the sea she lay almost on her beam ends and looked as though she would be a dangerous craft at sea. The consensus of opinion among the sealing captains at the port is that all of the crew have drowned.

Tacoma, April 17.—The Bering Sea is owned by Edward Johnson and John Strand, ship carpenters of Old Tacoma. Mr. Johnson said tonight that five of the crew were white men and were shipped at Seattle. Fourteen Indians were shipped at Neah Bay. Capt. Larson, who was in command, is from Seattle. Mr. Johnson discredited the news that the Bering Sea had been lost.

The Bering Sea was well known at this port, she having taken on supplies at Webster wharf last February. She was built last winter in Tacoma by Strand & Johnson, well-known shipbuilders of that place, and owned jointly by them and her master, Capt. Larson, an old-time skipper on Puget Sound. She was a well-built craft, 73 feet long, 20 feet beam and 7 feet deep. She left this port about February 13, intending to cruise along the coast in the vicinity of Cape Flattery until July, when she would leave for Bering Sea on a regular cruise. When last heard from the schooner had about forty-five skins on board. She was insured in an amount large enough to pay off all debts and leave a surplus. Her crew was shipped at Tacoma.