1903 — Oct 19, Steamer South Portland hits Cape Blanco reef in fog, Cape Blanco, OR –18-19

— 19 U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report…1904, pp. 6, 20.
— 18 Marshall, Don. Oregon Shipwrecks. Portland, OR, 1984, pp. 27-28.
— >18 Oakland Tribune. “Steamer South Portland Wrecked…Thirty-Six…Lost.” 10-20-1903.
— >15 Chicago Daily News Almanac and Yearbook for 1904. “Events of 1903.” 1903. p. 243.

Narrative Information

Marshall: “….En route Portland-San Francisco under the command of part-owner Captain J. B. McIntyre, the vessel carried a wheat cargo, 14 passengers and a crew of 25. She struck Cape Blanco reef bow-on at seven knots and immediately began to fill; the first boat away contained the captain; two other boats capsized. Mate Charles Bruce remained aboard and tried to run the sinking vessel to shore. He later endeavored to protect the captain by testifying the he asked the captain to leave; 18 souls perished from drowning and exposure. The captain was found criminally negligent for leaving the ship….” (Marshall, Don. Oregon Shipwrecks. Portland, OR, 1984, p. 28.)

U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service: “…the steamer South Portland [stranded] on Cape Blanco, Oregon, on October 19, 1903, by which 19 lives were lost…” (U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report 1904, p. 6.)

“Steamer South Portland, 909 gross tons, struck on a rock near Cape Blanco, Oregon, in a thick fog, at 4:40 p.m., and sunk in 45 minutes afterwards. Eight passengers, 9 crew, and 2 stowaways lost their lives in this disaster, 5 of these dying from exposure on life rafts…This case was investigated and the license of Capt. James B. McIntyre, master, was revoked on November 23 for reason of his unskillfulness and negligence in the navigation of the steamer and in his duties as master after the steamer struck. Moreover, he did not have fire and boat drills on board during the time he had command of this steamer….” (US Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report 1904, pp. 6, 20.)

Newspaper

Oct 20: “Marshfield, Or., Oct 20. – The steamship South Portland, which sailed from Portland early Sunday [Oct 18] morning for San Francisco, was wrecked last evening [Oct 19] near Bandon, on the southwestern coast of Oregon, and it is feared that a large number of passengers and crew have been drowned. The vessel struck about 5 o’clock, just as it was growing dark, and sank in a few minutes. The vessel had 36 souls on board, 22 in the crew and 14 passengers.

“Two boats were manned but both capsized and several of the occupants were thrown into the sea and drowned. The captain, the cook and five passengers reached shore in safety, but it is feared that at least 18 people have been drowned.

“A life raft was seen in the breakers this morning with 12 people on it and the life-saving crew is now endeavoring to rescue them.

“In a blinding fog the steamer South Portland, bound for San Francisco from Portland with a cargo of wheat and carrying a crew of 22 men and 14 passengers, struck Cape Blanco reef while steaming at the rate of seven knots…..

“The South Portland struck bow on, which lifted her forward parts high out of the water and she settled aft and later slid off the rocks and immediately began to fill with water. The captain, seeing that all hopes of saving his ship were gone, gave orders to man the boats with all possible haste. Two boats and the life-raft were lowered.

“One boat containing the captain and seventeen souls capsized as they were getting away from the sinking steamer, and only seven of the eighteen were able to get into the boat again. The other boat also capsized and was seen drifting away in the thick fog without a person in sight.

“The survivors of the ill-fated steamer reached Port Orford last evening in a pitiable condition from exposure to the cold winds and waves. They have little hopes for the remainder of the passengers and crew….” (Oakland Tribune. “Steamer South Portland Wrecked…Thirty-Six… Lost.” 10-20-1903, p. 1.)

Sources

Chicago Daily News Almanac and Yearbook for 1904. “Events of 1903,” p. 243. Chicago: Chicago Daily News Co., 1903. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=o20TAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Marshall, Don. Oregon Shipwrecks. Portland, OR: Binford & Mort Publishing, 1984.

Oakland Tribune, CA. “Steamer South Portland Wrecked and Thirty-Sic People are Lost.” 10-20-1903, 1. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=44347759

United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1904. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1904. 332 pages. Google digitized and accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=6lYpAAAAYAAJ