Historic Shipwreck Profile: Additional Information on Wreck Event

Source: Daily Alta California (San Francisco, CA), 10 June 1853, p. 2, col. 2.
Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

Transcription:

The Wreck of the Carrier Pigeon.
The U.S. surveying steamer Active, Lieut. Alden, sailed on the 8th inst. from port, and after stopping at the Farallones, proceeded to the wreck of the Carrier Pigeon, which lies about 7 miles north of Point Anno Nuevo, bow on shore. Her bows lay about 500 feet from the beach, and she rests amidships on a ledge of rocks, which have broken the ship's back. The tide ebbs and flows in her, and is up to her between decks. A portion if not all of her cargo between decks may be saved if the weather hold good, which is doubtful, as there was a heavy surf when the Active left. Her mizzenmast was cut away on the 8th at 3 P. M, and they intended to cut away the other masts to save the ship. We learn that if the parties interested had allowed the Active to go to work, without bartering and bantering on salvage, a considerable amount of property might have been saved for the underwriters. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the officers of the Active for their exertions to save the goods from the ship, until parties in charge began to talk about salvage, wages, and so forth. Lieut. Cuyler deserves great credit for boarding the ship, taking the captain ashore, and securing a line on shore so as to allow their boats to go back and forward. The insurance agents in California should have liberal views as regards wrecks on our coasts, more so than in the Atlantic States.
Soon after the arrival of the Active, the Sea Bird arrived with Mr. Bacon on board, who took charge of the wreck.

Source: Daily Alta California (San Francisco, CA), 13 June 1853, p. 2, col. 5.
Courtesy of California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.

Transcription:

Steamer Sea Bird Ashore — The Carrier Pigeon.
We have intelligence of the steamer Sea Bird having gone ashore, furnished by Purser Wright of the steamer Goliah, Capt. R. Haley, which arrived yesterday afternoon from the wreck of the Carrier Pigeon. That vessel was lying head on shore, with the water ebbing and flowing in her.
The steamer Sea Bird, laying at anchor astern of the Carrier Pigeon, at 3 A. M. on Friday, parted her best bower chain; she immediately let go her second anchor which brought her up head to the sea. In a few minutes she parted her second chain, when the captain made sail on her, and veered her clear of a reef of rocks lying off her lee side. There being a heavy ground swell when the second anchor brought the steamer's head to the sea, the chain veered across the forefoot, which caused her to start the scurf at the bottom of the forefoot, and in a few minutes the steamer was reported to be filling. Capt. Wright immediately kept her off under steam, and succeeded in reaching the beach under Point Añno Nuevo, where he beached her, all hands being engaged in pumping and bailing in the meantime. Capt. Waterman and the crew of the Carrier Pigeon were on board at the time. The Goliah took out the cargo that the Sea Bird had received from the Carrier Pigeon, some 1,200 packages of merchandise.
When the Goliah left the Sea Bird, Capt Wright thought he would be able to get the steamer afloat the next high water. She was not leaking as bad as when she went ashore. The Goliah left the wreck of the Carrier Pigeon yesterday morning at 9 A. M.
Immediately after beaching the Sea Bird Captain Wright sent an Express to San Francisco for the steamer Goliah to come to his relief. Capt. Waterman and a gang of men remained at the wreck of the Carrier Pigeon, and if the weather continues good, there will be more goods saved. Capt. Doane, officers and crew of the Carrier Pigeon were passengers in the Goliah. The Goliah returned to the wreck last evening.

Source: The New York Herald (New York, NY), 12 July 1853, p. 8, cols. 4 and 5.
Courtesy of The Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Transcription:

Disasters.
SHIP CARRIER PIGEON, Doane, from Boston for San Francisco, went ashore on the 6th ult. in a thick fog, on Point New Year, about thirty miles south of San Francisco. At the time of the accident it was blowing strong from the north-west. Fifteen minutes after the ship struck there were seven feet of water in the hold, and in half an hour the water was above the lower deck. Two steamers were sent to the wreck from San Francisco, and some light articles of merchandise only saved from between decks. The ship will be a total loss, as will much of the cargo. The Sea Bird, one of the steamers sent to her assistance, while laying at anchor astern of the Carrier Pigeon, at 3 A.M. on the 10th, parted her best bower chain; she immediately let go her second anchor, which brought her up head to the sea. In a few minutes she parted her second chain, when the captain made sail on her, and veered her clear of a reef of rocks lying off her lee side. There being a heavy ground swell when the second anchor brought the steamer's head to the sea, the chain veered across the forefoot, which caused her to start the scurf at the bottom of the fore foot, and in a

few minutes the steamer was reported to be filling. Captain Wright immediately kept her off under steam, and succeeded in reaching the beach under Point Anno Nuevo, where he beached her, all heads being engaged in pumping and bailing in the meantime. Captain Waterman and the crew of the Carrier Pigeon were on board at the time. The Goliah took out the cargo that the Sea Bird had received from the Carrier Pigeon - some 1,200 packages of merchandise. When the Goliah left the Sea Bird, Capt Wright thought he would be able to get the steamer afloat the next high water. She was not leaking as bad as when she went ashore. The Goliah left the wreck of the Carrier Pigeon morning of the 12th, at 9 AM. Capt Waterman and a gang of men remained at the wreck of the Carrier Pigeon, and if the weather continued good, there will be more goods saved. Capt Doane, officers and crew of the Carrier Pigeon, were passengers in the Goliah. The Goliah returned to the wreck evening of the 12th.

A telegraphic dispatch from Boston says there is insurance there on the Carrier Pigeon for $190,000.