Carthagenian (Schooner), aground, 29 Nov 1867

TERRIFIC GALE IN OSWEGO !
      SCHOONER "CARTHAGENIAN" ASHORE.
      Narrow Escape Of The Crew.
      The following despatch was received from Oswego, this noon, by the Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Co.
      Oswego, Nov. 30
The severest gale of the season, began last night, and still continues. Weather very cold. The schooner CARTHAGENIAN, in attempting to enter this harbor, went ashore about a mile east of the lighthouse. She was loaded with 20,000 bushels of wheat, and owned by Lyons & Finney, of this city. Since midnight the crew have been in a perishing condition. At ten o'clock this morning a life-boat was sent out, and succeeded in rescuing the crew, who resembled walking icebergs. The vessel is fast going to pieces, and will prove a total loss. Insurance on vessel, $16,000. Cargo fully insured. Insurance on both cargo and vessel would have expired at 12 o'clock tonight.
      Buffalo Daily Post
      Saturday, November 30, 1867

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      The following telegram received from this morning by the Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Co., from Oswego says: The severest storm of the season began last night and still continues. Weather very cold. The schr. CARTHAGENIAN in attempting to enter the harbor went ashore about 1 mile east of the lighthouse. She is laden with about 20,000 bu. wheat, owned by Lyons & Finney of this city. Since midnight the crew have been in a perishing condition. At 10:00 this morning a life boat was sent out and succeeded in rescuing the crew who resembled walking icebergs. The vessel is fast going to pieces and will prove a total loss. Insurance on vessel $16,000, cargo fully insured. Insurance on both cargo and vessel would have expired at 12:00 tonight.
      Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
      December 1, 1867 3-3
     
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      Oswego, November 30.
      The schooner CARTHAGENIAN, from Chicago with a cargo of 17,000 bushels of wheat, went ashore last night, one mile below this city. The crew were taken off in a lifeboat. It is feared that the vessel and cargo are a total loss.
      Erie Daily Dispatch
      Monday, December 2, 1867

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The damaged grain from the CATHAGENIAN has been sold for $50. The beach below the point where the vessel lies, was covered with it yesterday, and hundreds of men, women and children were greedily gathering it up. The CARTHAGENIAN is pretty much all gone to pieces. Her mainmast has gone over, and a large portion of the hull is washed away. She will prove a total loss. Her owners were offered $3,000 for her a year ago, if we are correctly informed.
      Oswego Advertiser & Times
      Mon., December 2, 1867



      The CARTHAGENIAN is pretty much all gone to pieces. Her mainmast has gone over, and a large portion of the hull is washed away. She will prove a total loss. Her owners were offered $20,000 for her a year ago, if we are correctly informed. -- Oswego Com.
      Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
      December 3, 1867 3-3

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The Oswego Times says the storm of last Friday night was the most severe of the season. The schooner CARTHAGENIAN was wrecked Saturday morning near that harbor. When attempting to make that port the gale carried away her bow-sprit, and the efforts of the crew to wear her or steer, were ineffectual, owing to her head gear being under bottom. The vessel drifted away before the wind, and went on the rocks off the headland, about a mile and a half below the harbor. She struck about ten rods from shore, the sea pounding her terribly, and making all attempts of the crew to get to land, utterly hopeless. The cabin left the schooner about 3 A. M., and the hold filled with water, driving the crew on deck, where they sought shelter as best they might, behind the wet and frozen canvass. About 8 o'clock she was discovered by people on shore, and word was immediately sent to the city, and a life-boat asked for. A boat was got out and pulled to the East side, where it was loaded on a wagon and taken to the scene of the disaster. At this point is a very steep bluff shore, 75 feet high, and the boat was lowered over this, with a rope, to the beach. The boat was successfully launched, and putting out boldly through the surf, reached the vessel's side in safety, and brought off the officers and crew, consisting of Capt. Amasa Stowell; John Preston, first mate; John Featherstonhaugh; H. Cadet; James Roxbury; Peter Cunningham; John Pelond, and a man known as "Codger," composing the crew.
      The men's clothing were completely saturated with water, and they were nearly frozen from their long exposure to the wet and cold.
      The CARTHAGENIAN is a total loss; insured for $16,000.
      Toledo Blade
      December 4, 1867
     
      . . . . .
     
      LOSS OF THE CARTHAGENIAN.
The Oswego Commercial Advertiser of Saturday evening gives the following details of the loss of this vessel at that point:
The schooner CARTHAGENIAN, Captain Amasa Stowell, made this port last night, about 9 o'clock, under light canvas, and wind blowing hard. When about one mile from port, the gale carried away her bowsprit, and the efforts of the crew to wear or steer were ineffectual, owing to her headgear being under bottom. The vessel drifted away before the wind, and went on the rocks off the headland at Baldwin's Bay, about a mile and a half below the harbor. She struck about 10 rods from shore, the sea pounding her terribly, and making all attempts of the crew to get to land utterly hopeless. The cabin left the schooner about 3 a.m., and the hold filled with water, driving the crew on deck, where they sought shelter as best they might, behind the wet and frozen canvas. About 8 o'clock this morning she was discovered by people on shore, and word was immediately sent to the city, and a life-boat asked for. A boat was got out under the supervision of Captain Reuben Johnson, harbor master, and pulled to the east side, where it was loaded on a wagon and taken to the scene of the disaster. At this point there is a steep bluff shore, about 75 feet high, and the boat was lowered over this with a rope to the beach.
An immense crowd had now gathered, and the boat was manned by a crew consisting of the following: Captain R. Johnson, Mr. David Smith, Captain Peter Cromley, Captain John Tyler, Captain Samuel Moran, Captain Joel Turner, Mr. Stephen Meacham, mate of the steamer CORSICAN, Mr. Joshua Jones, of the brig DOUSMAN, which came in last night. The boat was successfully launched under the supervision of Captain Robert Hayes, and putting out boldly through the surf, reached the vessel's side in safety, and brought off the officers and crew, consisting of Capt. Amasa Stowell, John Preston, first mate, Wm. Preston, second mate, and John Featherstonehaugh, H. Cadet, James Roxbury, Peter Cunningham, John Pelond, and a man known as "Codger," composing the crew.
The men's clothes were completely saturated with water, and they were nearly frozen from their long exposure to the wet and cold. They were immediately put in carriages and taken to their homes.
The CARTHAGENIAN is owned by Lyon & Finney, is insured for $16,000, and will prove a total loss. She cleared from Chicago on the 14th last, with 87,080 bush wheat, consigned to C. C. Morton. This will also prove a total loss. The cargo is insured, but for what amount we are unable to learn. ----
      Detroit Free Press
      December 6, 1867 (Friday)

The Detroit Free Press, in copying the Oswego Advertiser & Times of Sat., Nov. 30, 1867, left off he following:
Too much cannot be said in praise of Capt. Johnson, who got out the life-boat, and commanded her in the perilous and successful attempt to rescue the distressed crew of the CARTHAGENIAN. The Captain, as well as all those who went out with him, displayed the true nerve and daring spirit of the sailor, and to his energy and perseverance the crew are indebted for their speedy relief.
Mr. A.F. Smith, whose name is always coupled with every undertaking that requires nerve and spirit, rendered no less service than Capt. Johnson. Mr. Smith collected the crew for the life-boat, himself helped to launch her, and had carriages on the spot, to convey the half-dozen men to their homes.
We cannot too strongly express our admiration of the spirit and energy with which he worked for the rescue of the crew. The gale of last night was one of the most severe of the season, and we shall probably hear of other marine disasters.