Recall Back Lash of Long Ago Hurricane: Schooner Days CMI (901)
- Publication
- Toronto Telegram (Toronto, ON), 28 May 1949
- Full Text
- Recall Back Lash of Long Ago HurricaneSchooner Days CMI (901)
by C. H. J. Snider
"BEING a great follower of your Schooner Days," says R. M. Allen of Brockville, "I take this opportunity of writing you re your article about the Albacore and T. R. Merritt in that storm of 1900. I was on the St. Louis at the time. The Albacore left Hamilton about six p.m. followed by the Merritt an hour later and then the St. Louis about an hour after the Merritt.
"In sailing through Hamilton piers we rammed our jibboom into the railway swing bridge, and about 9:30 p.m. we got clear of the bridge with very little damage to the spar. I was at the wheel, and in going down the lake we steered a course about in the middle, and nearing Broderick's Point the lift block, the port one, pulled through the trussle-tree, and down it came on deck. Capt. Geordie Williamson sent me forward to see what happened. I came aft and reported same. In a few seconds after the crew was called away goes the fore sheet. The foreboom crashed into the starboard rigging and, of course, away goes foresail. We got the gaff down and lashed, and Capt. Williamson and his brother, Ben Williamson, his mate, decided to take shelter under Broderick's Point, so both anchors were got ready, and as we rounded too, both were let go and lucky for us both held.
"The next afternoon we sailed into Oswego with all set, minus the foresail. On our trip down we spotted the Merritt ashore, about seven miles above Oswego, but could not make out her name. When we came to the piers and that same tug the Navagh took us in, and there was the Albacore, a quarter of a mile below the piers, sitting up as straight as if she was on the waves, and the nearest water to her was about 25 feet. She was high and dry all right.
"One of our men was later a first officer on the Cayuga. I cannot remember his name.
"Capt. Dolph Corson, the master of the Merritt, came back up to Toronto with Capt. Williamson and I remember quite well that I had never seen a more brokenhearted man in my life, all he could do is watch the Merritt as far as he could see her. He was a grand old man, and I am sorry I never sailed with him. I have sailed with some very good men in my day: Capt. Joyce of Oakville, Capt. Quinn of Oakville, also "Toronto Jimmy" Quinn, the tug captain Frank Jackman, and also in the Straubenzee with Capt. John Williams.
"In the St. Louis going into Oswego that next year there was no tug came out for us, and the captain decided to sail her in, which he did, and it was a narrow squeak as we entered the piers. He made it and we rounded to nicely, and down with the big anchor, and all was well. It was just getting dusk, and if I remember correctly it was the only time a three-master had done just that.
"Now I would like to know about the schooners Emerald, White Oak and Clara Youell. I may have missed reading about them.
"Wishing The Telegram (The New) all success, and hoping you will continue Schooner Days for a long, long time to come.
R. M ALLEN,
546 King street west,
Brockville, Ontario
THE "CHARLIE FERRIS" IN SIGHT
From Oswego, N.Y., comes another hail - or rather a heaving-line - on the same subject, the man behind the coil bearing a name familiar to every schoonerman on Lake Ontario. Says he:
"Just finished reading your story of the wreck of the Albacore. I was very well acquainted with Charlie Redfearn, her master at the time, for like you I knew him when he was mate of the Keewatin with father Jim, as we knew him, and I was then deckhand on the tug Charlie Ferris, of which my father, familiarly known as Charlie, was captain.
"The old-timers used to try to make Oswego by telegraphing ahead to find when Charlie was on at nights. The night the Albacore went ashore we had been working all day in Charlotte, seventy miles up the shore wrecking (i.e., salvaging) a little steamer. Seems it was the Octavia or some such name. She had punched a hole in her side and sunk. We got her afloat about 5 p.m. and W. D. Allen, the wrecking man, said: "We are all ready to go, Charlie!"
"Where, Allen?" asked he Old Man.
"Why, to Oswego."
"You're going top above the bridge here and tie up. It's going to blow like hell tonight," said my father.
"And it sure did. The schooner Judd lay at anchor under Braddock's Point through the whole of it." (So the St. Louis had company.)
"I am sorry I did not see you when you were looking up the St. Peter, as we towed her out just before she was lost, and pulled her spars out after her wreck was discovered. I knew all these when they were trading in Oswego: Capt. Johnny Williams of the Straubenzee, Capt. Jas. H. Peacock of the Oliver Mowat, and Capt. Sonny Mathews, who sailed her later, Capt. Cornwall, Capt. Danny Bates, who had the Olive Branch. Capt. Mack Shaw, long with the Fleetwing, and the captain of the Wm. Jamieson, whose name I don't just recall, probably Capt. Will Savage, or Capt. Will Wakeley. Please let me know the subscription price of The Telegram as I would like to subscribe for it if I could as your tales in it bring back memories of happy days of the good old times.
Very respectfully,
CAPT. CHARLES R. FERRIS,
250 E. Bridge st.,
Oswego, N.Y.
CaptionThe ALBACORE on the beach under Fort Ontario at Oswego - the MERRITT, stranded on the south shore of the lake seven miles above Oswego harbor. Both schooners hailed from St. Catharines. One was owned in Toronto, the other in Hamilton.
- Creator
- Snider, C. H. J.
- Media Type
- Newspaper
- Text
- Item Type
- Clippings
- Date of Publication
- 28 May 1949
- Subject(s)
- Language of Item
- English
- Geographic Coverage
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New York, United States
Latitude: 43.32145 Longitude: -77.72251 -
New York, United States
Latitude: 43.25506 Longitude: -77.61695 -
Ontario, Canada
Latitude: 43.25011 Longitude: -79.84963 -
New York, United States
Latitude: 43.45535 Longitude: -76.5105
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- Donor
- Richard Palmer
- Creative Commons licence
- [more details]
- Copyright Statement
- Public domain: Copyright has expired according to the applicable Canadian or American laws. No restrictions on use.
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- Maritime History of the Great LakesEmail:walter@maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
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