sinks ~Eldred Rock, AK–82-104

lornajarrettblanchard February 5, 1898

–25- 150 Skagway Historical Society. Clara Nevada. Feb 4, 2011.
–60->130 Levi, Steven C. The Clara Nevada. 2011, p. 23.
— >107 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwreck A – Z.” C*
— 104 AK Bur. Ocean Energy Mgmt., Reg., Enforce. Alaska’s Worst… Shipping Losses.
— 82-104 Blanchard estimated death toll.*
— 104 Tornfelt and Burwell. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore. 1992, p. 20.
— 82 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1800-1899.”
— 68 San Francisco Call. Feb 14 and 15, 1898.
— 65 Macdonald and O’Keefe. “The Klondike’s ‘Dear Little Nugget.” 1996, p. 8.
— ~57 Levi best guestimate. The Clara Nevada. 2011, p. 23.
— 56 McCurdy. “Ocean Tragedies…Northwest Coast.” Overland Monthly, V34, 1899, 299
— 46 Levi, Steven C. The Clara Nevada. 2011, p. 23.
— 40 Gottehrer. The Associated Press Stylebook for Alaska (2nd edition). 2000, p. 90.
— 33 U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service. Annual Report 1899, p. 26.

*Blanchard estimated death toll: In that there was no definitive count of crew or passengers, we choose to follow the alaskashipwreck.com website for the low end of our estimate (82). For the high end we choose to follow the Alaska Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (104). We do not use the number 150 noted as the high-end of a range reported in the Skagway Historical Society article on the Clara Nevada as our high-end in that it was noted that their range of 25-150 was merely based on “various reports.” While it is possible that one of the sources noted above reporting fewer than 82 deaths is closer to the truth, no one knows, and we are of the opinion from reading the narrative information below that the range of fatalities was most likely in the 82-104 range.

*Blanchard note on Alaskashipwreck.com’s “Alaska Shipwreck A – Z.” Notes that when the Clara Nevada sailed north, there were 42 crewmembers aboard. Does not note how many crewmembers were aboard on the return trip south, but does note that “as many as 65 passengers [were] on board when she vanished.” Thus an authoritative notion of the number of passengers does not exist. If we assume that the crew size was still 42 on the return trip and up to 65 passengers were aboard, then up to 104 people would have died, in that there were no survivors.

Narrative Information

Alaskashipwreck.com: “1898…Clara Nevada…SE [southeast area]…154 Foot…Wood Pass. Steamer…82 [lives lost].” (Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1800-1899.”)

Alaskashipwreck.com: “Clara Nevada (1898). February 5, 1898 the 154 foot steel passenger steamer Clara Nevada disappeared in Lynn Canal. The vessel departed Seattle January 27th bound for Skagway with 42 crewmembers and as many as 40 passengers. She was on her return trip southbound from the gold fields with as many as 65 passengers on board when she vanished. Rumors at the time told of a large quantity of gold from the Klondike went down with the vessel. In 1908 a late February storm coupled with extreme neap tides exposed the wreckage of the ill fated Clara Nevada in the shallows north of Eldred Rock. The exposed wreckage also brought to light a revelation that two divers, George Stowell and H. Sanford had located the wreck in past years and salvaged much of the machinery and cargo. They were also able to determine a cause of the disaster. The divers’ investigation revealed that a fire had started in the boatswain’s locker that had spread to the wheel house forcing the crew aft. Emergency tackle was rigged for steerage but it failed in the ferocious winds. The vessel was blown onto uncharted Eldred Reef where a hole was stove into her port bow. The Clara Nevada slid off the reef and sank in the shallow water nearby. The fire was likely extinguished along with the lives of all those aboard. Stowell and Sanford claimed that they were not able to locate any of the gold rumored to have been aboard the vessel.

“In 1916 famous deep sea diver and wrecker C. F. Stagger also found the Clara Nevada and salvaged half a ton of copper and brass from the hulk. Mr. Stagger’s investigation of the wreck came to the conclusion that the wreck was not caused by a fire, but more likely, the vessel struck a submerged rock. The hull was completely encased in kelp and marine growth at the time of Stagger’s investigation 18 years after the disaster which could explain his conflicting report as to the cause of the sinking. He also claimed that there was no gold to be found aboard the vessel where he had been able to reach with his efforts.

“Many stories and speculations have been printed about the loss of the Clara Nevada, but a complete picture has yet to surface. There are questions about not only the cause of the loss, but who was on board and what valuable cargo was she carrying? Those who have located and reached the wreck claim that the soft mud where she lies and the damaged condition of her hull make it unlikely that the gold that was aboard will ever be found. Her hull is said to be in a sad state either from collision, boiler explosion or the explosion of the dynamite she was carrying for the Treadwell Mine at Douglas.

“It has been difficult to determine exactly how many people were aboard the Clara Nevada and who they were. There were no survivors and the purser’s records went down with the ship. Among those reported lost from the crew were captain C H Lewis, pilot Ed Kelly, first officer Smith, engineer David Reed, purser George Foster Beck, steward O’Donnell, Quartermaster Bat Hurley, Quartermaster Edward O’Brien, Fireman Billy Carey, Fireman Billy McDonald, Fireman Arthur Finnegan, Steerage Steward W.J. Jackson, Night Watchman H.M. Benton, Steam fitter George G. Hill, Cabin Boy John L. Butler, Cabin Boy C.E. Perkins, Cabin Boy George Rose and freight clerk George Rogers. Some of the passenger thought to have been lost with the Clara Nevada include Frank Whitney of Cripple Creek CO, Al Noyes of Juneau, a young man named Hill of Seattle, Harry Hunt of Montana, George Rowe of Seattle, Al Nebocker of Portland OR, A. Bennicke of Portland OR, A.J. Selong of New York and Mr. and Mrs. Dros.

“Mapping and Location: Southeast Alaska 58 58 15 N 135 13 10 W Chart 17317.

“Additional Information : Length 154 feet, breadth 24.7 feet, Depth 11.8 feet, Built Camden NJ in 1872, Former Name U S C G S Hassler, Registered Seattle, ON 127222, Master C H Lewis of Portland Oregon, Owner P and A T Co of Seattle, Vessel Value $90,000, Vessel Insurance $20,000

“Sources: 1. U S Customs Wreck Report filed by H P McGuire President of P and A T Co April 25, 1898, 2.San Francisco Chronicle (March 18, 1908) “Says Wreck Was Due To Fire” Pg 3, 3. Ann Arbor Argus (February 18, 1898) “Forty May Be Dead” Pg 6, 4. Daily Alaska Dispatch (June 28, 1916) “Relics From Clara Nevada Brought Here” Pg 5, 5. Oregonian (February 18, 1898) “None Left To Tell” Pg 6, 6. San Diego Union (February 20, 1898) “Skagway Crowded” Pg 1.”
(Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwreck A – Z.” C.)

Gottehrer: “Feb 5, 1898. The steamer Clara Nevada blew up in Lynn Canal killing all 40 on board. The vessel was sighted on fire by residents of Berners Bay about 30 miles from Skagway. They heard it blow up. It disappeared, leaving only scattered debris. Attempt at rescue was impossible because of severe weather conditions.” (Gottehrer. The Associated Press Stylebook for Alaska (2nd edition). 2000, p. 90.)

Levi: “No one knew how many people perished in the disaster – the passenger list had gone down with the ship. There was no backup paperwork, either…This was the beginning of a gold rush, during which emphasis was on making money and not on keeping records. As a result, passenger records were sparse. It could be assumed that anyone who wanted to head south and had passage money was taken aboard….Estimates of the dead ran from a low of thirty to well over one hundred, in addition to the crew of thirty. While there is no way to come up with an accurate count, combining the list of the dead from all newspaper articles, there were at least forty-six individuals aboard identifiable by name and one corpse. But several newspapers stated a handful of women were onboard, for whom no names were given, as well as seven Klondikers, again with no names. There is also evidence to support the contention that there were at least three stowaways on board. Probably, the best count would be in the neighborhood of fifty-seven.” (Levi. The Clara Nevada. 2011, p. 23.)

McCurdy: “The worst disaster on the Alaska run was the loss of the steamer Clara Nevada. She was bound north from Seattle with fifty-six persons aboard. When near Shelter Island she either foundered or blew up, not a soul surviving to give the details of her loss.” (McCurdy. “Ocean Tragedies on the Northwest Coast.” Overland Monthly, Vol. 34, 1899, p. 299.)

Skagway Historical Society: “On this day, February 4, 1898 the Clara Nevada was docked in Skagway and no one knew that the following day, February 5 would hold disaster. Several people were preparing to take the boat to Juneau, little did they know it would be the last time they would see their loved ones and feel the ground beneath their feet.

“The Nevada was formerly the Hassler of the United States Revenue Service and was built at Camden, N. J., in 1872. As a pioneer iron steamer, the Hassler had both advantages and disadvantages. Her innovative steeple compound engine made the ship economical to operate during survey work. Roomy enough for 30 or 40 people, the ship usually proved a comfortable place to live and work.

“Unfortunately defects in the iron hull worsened over time. The Coast Survey spent significant sums of money annually to keep the ship afloat. The amount of maintenance, however, proved insufficient. By the early 1880s, Hassler Captain Henry Nichols cautioned his superiors that due to inadequate maintenance, the ship was beginning to show her age. In October 1892, during a voyage from Alaska to San Francisco, one iron plate from above the waterline cracked outright and at least one other warped severely during a major storm. Later inspection revealed that the cracked plate had rusted through and the wood bracing behind it had rotted. Observers in the engine room noted that the ship flexed enough to alter the distance between the main steam pipe and the inside hatch of the engine room by 1 inch. Although repairs were made, the working of the ship and creaking of the bulkheads continued during subsequent storms. By the fall of 1893, Hassler Captain Giles Harker described the ship as being on “her last legs” but capable of a few more years of service “barring accident.” The Coast Survey officially decommissioned the Hassler on May 25, 1895. In August, the vessel sold to the McGuire Brothers, a dubious pair whose nefarious reputation helped to create the legend of the Clara Nevada. They paid $15,700, or 25% of the ship’s original cost. The McGuire’s insisted on secrecy regarding the sale, requiring that the announcement of the transfer take place via mail rather than telegraph so they could “take possession without publicity.” The Hassler was quickly overhauled for Alaskan service and renamed the Clara Nevada.

“On January 26 1898, the 26 year old Hassler/Clara Nevada departed Seattle for the first time under the management of her new owners. The voyage north was beset with problems. The Clara Nevada hit another ship while leaving the dock, and there were constant problems with the boilers, and at one point she even caught fire. Somehow she reached Skagway and most of her passengers got off, but some were already so discouraged by the whole “adventure” that they remained on board, and on February 5 they headed south with an unknown number of passengers between 25 and 150 by various reports.

“There is no proof yet of what exactly happened to the Clara Nevada. It is thought that in order to maintain control in the high wind and sharp following seas, the steamer would have had to maintain a reasonable level of forward progress with her steam engine. This made the force of the collision on Eldred Rock especially great—and could have led to the overturning of lamps, fireboxes, and stoves, which would account for the reported fire. Impaled on the rock, the helpless vessel became subject to the strong waves and winds that swept the stern first toward the west and then 180 degrees to the south. Catastrophic hull failure occurred, with the brittle bottom giving way amidships and hull plating probably pulling away from the degraded frames. Sinking would have been almost immediate.

“Witnesses reported “a flash, a burst of flames and all was over.” Everybody on board was killed in the explosion. Today, the wreck, lying in pieces in 25-40 feet of water, is a popular spot for divers.” (Skagway Historical Society. Clara Nevada. Feb 4, 2011.)

Tornfelt and Burwell: “…Feb 5, 1898 [date of wreck]…Clara Nevada…wood steamer…reef off Eldred Rock…Caught fire in gale of hurricane force blowing 99 mph. Vessel was carrying dynamite and exploded and caught fire. Came to rest on reef; 39 crew and 65 passengers lost. Ship sunk in 6 hours. Only 1 body recovered…” (Tornfelt, Evert E. and Michael Burwell. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore. Anchorage: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1992, p. 20.)

US SIS: “February 5. – Steamer Clara Nevada, bound from Skagway to Juneau, southeast Alaska, struck a reef off Eldred Rock during a heavy gale and became a total loss with all on board… approximately 33 persons, of whom 12 were passengers and 21 were crew.” (U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service. Annual Report 1899, p. 26.)

Sources

Alaska Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. Alaska’s Worst All Time Shipping Losses. Accessed 7-18-2011 at: https://www.boem.gov/about-boem/alaskas-worst-all-time-shipping-losses

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1800-1899.” Accessed 11-14-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/alaska-shipwrecks-1729-2012/alaska-shipwrecks-1800-1899/

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A – Z.” Accessed 11-14
-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/shipwrecks-a-z/alaska-shipwrecks-c/

Gottehrer, Dean M. The Associated Press Stylebook for Alaska (Revised and 2nd edition). Fairbanks, Alaska: Epicenter Press, 2000. Partially digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=O53zwdFYTGEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Levi, Steven C. The Clara Nevada: Gold, Greed, Murder and Alaska’s Inside Passage. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2011. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed 7-18-2011 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=0TeX3W4mHfkC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Macdonald, Ian and Betty O’Keefe. The Klondike’s ‘Dear Little Nugget.’ Victoria, B.C., Canada: Horsdal & Schubart Publishers Ltd., 1996. Google digital preview accessed 11-14-2021: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Klondike_s_dear_Little_Nugget/engIg9EnY5IC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Macdonald+and+O%E2%80%99Keefe.+%E2%80%9CThe+Klondike+%E2%80%98Dear+Little+Nugget.%E2%80%9D&pg=PP5&printsec=frontcover

McCurdy, James G. “Ocean Tragedies on the Northwest Coast.” Overland Monthly, Vol. 34, No. 202, Oct. 1899. Pp. 291-300. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=otNUAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

San Francisco Call. “Sunk in Berner Bay With Crew and Passengers. Alaskan Steamship Clara Nevada Reported to Have Gone Down Will All on Board.” 2-15-1898. Transcribed by D. Blethen Adams Levy in Ship Passengers: 1846-1899 (The Maritime Heritage Project). “Shipwrecks in Pacific Waters: 1800s — SS Clara Nevada.” Accessed 9-1-2017 at: http://www.maritimeheritage.org/ships/SS-Clara-Nevada.html

Skagway Historical Society. Clara Nevada. Feb 4, 2011. Accessed 7-18-2011 at: http://skagwayfolklore.blogspot.com/2011/02/clara-nevada.html

Tornfelt, Evert E. and Michael Burwell. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore. Anchorage, AK: U.S. Department of the Interior, Mineral Management Service, Alaska OCS Region, 1992. Accessed 11-14-2021 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Shipwrecks_of_the_Alaskan_Shelf_and_Shor/8YUTAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=seal

United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1899. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1899, 323 pages. Digitized by Google. Accessed 11-14-2021 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=4IspAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false