Tuesday, January 2, 1934
Sch. Catherine Burned
Sunday Night
After Hitting Shoal Outside Canso, N. S.
Capt. MacLeod and Crew of
28 Take to Dories
and Reach Island in Safety
Gloucester lost another fine schooner Sunday
night at 10.30 o'clock when the Catherine, largest hooker of
them all, burnt to the water's edge, after she collided with Bald rock shoal, just outside
Canso, Nova Scotia, during thick weather. Capt. Archie A. MacLeod and crew of 28 men were forced
to abandon the sinking vessel, and reached shore in nine dories, the first of which
touched land at Canso at 1.30 o'clock Monday morning. The vessel was insured for
$35,000 through the agency of Warren A. Elwell.
The Catherine, which
follows the halibuting industry most of the year, goes haddocking throughout the winter
months. The craft left Boston recently for the banks and ran into heavy weather
which damaged her and forced her into Liverpool where she went on the ways, it cost $1100
to make repairs. Capt. MacLeod then set sail for the banks again,
and according to report had 25,000 pounds of haddock and cod, when the craft ran into more
trouble. She had iced up considerably, and this extra tonnage made it necessary to
head for harbor to get rid of the encumbrance. Capt. MacLeod sought
refuge in Canso, N. S., at the eastern tip of the island. This port is a hazardous
one to enter even in fair weather and plenty of daylight, it is said, for like
considerable of the Nova Scotian coastline, rocks predominate. Capt. MacLeod
at the wheel could hardly see his hand before him, so thick was the weather, as
he navigated through the treacherous drift ice that clogged Chedabucto bay. For
years he had sailed in all sorts of weather in the best of schooners, from Gloucester to
Cape Mugford, Labrador. But the fates were against him on this voyage, and just as
he neared his goal, the 121-foot schooner piled up on Bald rock shoal, at the northern
entrance of the harbor. The craft trembled as she smashed against the adamant
obstruction, and within a half hour keeled over on her side.
Capt. MacLeod realized that
his boat was doomed, but proved himself equal to the situation and remained calm, ordering
his men to break out the dories from their nests and launch them, ready to leave the ship
and row for shore.. It was bitter cold, and the turbulent sea savored of hardship
that must be borne before the half hour pull to safety would be attained. Soon nine
dories had been launched and all were plying their way through drift ice that more than
once threatened to crumple their frail craft rather than let them pass. Hardly had
the last dory been filled than the Catherine toppled over, and
the galley stove in which a roaring fire was burning because of the intense cold,
upset. The flames licked hungrily at the vessel, and finally reached the oil tanks,
causing explosion after explosion to rend the air.
It was three hours later when the first dory
load of wary men beached their boat upon the shores of Canso, and from then on, the nine
followed, the men being exhausted from battling through the drift ice that crowded in upon
them, seemingly awaiting a chance to crush their dories, and carry them to a tragic
destiny..
One of those who escaped was
"Muggins", a Scotch collie dog, who had been presented to Capt. MacLeod by
the foundry officials at Liverpool, while his vessel was on the ways there. This
mascot of the ship was ordered to embark upon the ocean jaunt, but Muggins probably never
expected to emulate Robinson Crusoe on his maiden voyage. But as soon as he shed the
icy harbor waters, he became devoted to Canso and was rather sure of making the seaport
town his future residence.
As soon as he had made sure of the safety of
his crew, Capt. MacLeod sought a telephone, and telephoned his wife in
this city. It was as if he had lost his best friend, for the Catherine was
a most important factor in his life, as any real schooner is to its skipper, especially
when the master is the owner.
Shortly after dawn broke on New Year's day,
both of the tall and stately spars had fallen into the sea, and by 11 o'clock, the craft
had burned to the water's edge. The captain and crew were quartered at the Wilmot
hotel, and Hilton hotel in Canso, where warm clothing and food were given them.
Capt. MacLeod communicated with the American consul at Sydney, to learn
what arrangements might be made to transport members of the crew home.
The Catherine was
launched from the shipyards of the later Arthur Dana Story at Essex on
October 10, 1915, and sailed on her maiden voyage on Wednesday, November 3, 1915 with
Capt. MacLeod her owner in command. Her first trip was
haddocking. She was 120.6 feet draft. Her tonnage was 159 gross, and 77
net. At first she had a 100 horsepower engine for motive power, but three years ago
replaced this engine with a 240 horsepower Fairbanks-Morse engine. She was easily
the largest vessel out of this port, and one of the finest sailors. There was no
ceremony at her launching ceremony for Capt. Archie was busily engaged in securing a trip
of haddock in schooner Georgianna at the time, and made a nice
stock, his crew sharing $71 each.
The waterfront was sorry to hear the sad news
that Capt. MacLeod had lost his vessel. Capt. MacLeod is
a leader in the halibuting and haddocking industry, and one of the most considerate of
masters, for he is always ready to ship a veteran fisherman whom he perhaps might not
need. That is why he had 29 men in the crew instead of 27 men as a double dory
haddocker might have.
Listed in his crew are the following from
Gloucester: Joseph Simmons, cook; Leo Martin, engineer; Osber
Dorrey, assistant engineer; John Arthurs, 78 years, and who had
been with Capt. MacLeod in the Catherine since
she was built in 1915; Karl Oscar Peterson; Herbert Simmons; John
"Diabetes" MacKinnon, Fred Evans, John Fiander, Albert Beck; Alphonsus Williams,
George Hodgdon; Jerry Fitzgerald; Peter Doucette; George Allen; Nehemias Smith; Philip
Carr; Alexander Meagher; Duncan MacDonald; Charles Langley; Dan MacDonald; Duncan King;
Michael Keating; Matthew Fowler; John Langley; Stephen Atwood and Charles
Erickson. Edward Hart, another member, is from Boston. Alexander
"Sandy" Meagher and Duncan MacDonald spent the
untimely holiday with their many relatives in Canso. |
