A SCHOONER WRECKED AT SEA.

The Steamer Mikahala Cuts Off the Stern of an Island Vessel.

THE MARY E. FOSTER OUT OF SIGHT.

The Vessels Meet At Midnight In the Channel—The Disaster Is Said to be Due to a Mates Negligence—No Lives Lost By the Unfortunate Accident.

On last Tuesday, about midnight, the steamer Mikahala and the schooner Mary E. Foster collided in the channel between Kauai and this island. The bow of the steamer struck the port side of the schooner, near the stern, and cut off the end as neatly as if it had been done by a saw. The schooner began to settle at once, and at the end of three-quarters of an hour she sank completely out of sight. Captain Hipa and the crew of the Mary E. Foster were taken on board of the Mikahala and carried as far as Koloa, where they were picked up by the Iwalani and returned to this port.

The particulars of the disaster are about as follows: The Mikahala left this port for Kauai and Niihau. The…

THE I. I. S. N. CO.’s STEAMER MIKAHALA.
(From a Photograph.)

…weather was favorable, and the moon was shining. At midnight Captain Haglund came on deck, as it was the hour for changing the watch. He went aft first, and when returned forward he noticed a sail right ahead of the steamer. He jumped into the wheel-house and turned the helm in order to avoid a collision, but the vessel did not answer her helm quickly enough, and the bow of the steamer crashed into the vessel. The second mate was on watch at the time, and it will be a difficult matter for him to prove that the collision was not his fault. His excuse is said to be that the foresail was up and interfered with his sight. Then another story is, that he thought the vessel which was bearing down on him was the James Makee or some other island steamer, and he did not think it was necessary to shift the helm. As soon as the schooner was struck, her cabin and hold rapidly filled with water, and it was but the work of a few moments to drop a boat into which the crew bundled and pulled for the Mikahala. Captain Hipa remained on his vessel until the last moment, and did not leave until Captain Haglund assured him that his schooner would go to the bottom of the sea.

Captain Hipa made an effort to get out of the way of the steamer but the wind was not heavy enough at the time, and while his vessel was sailing at an angle with the steamer she was struck. If he…

THE MARY E. FOSTER.
(The cross marks the place where the bow of the Mikahala struck the illfated schooner.)

…had had thirty seconds more time he would have cleared himself and the collision would not have occurred. The schooner had 1400 bags of sugar on board which is said to be insured.

The Mary E. Foster was built in 1877 at Port Ludlow. She was ninety tons register and was valued at $5000. For years she has been running between here and Kauai taking coal to different plantations on that island and returning with sugar. Her captain is considered a good seaman and no blame is attached to him for the disaster, as a sailing vessel has the right of way on the high seas, and it was the duty of the second mate in charge of the steamer to steer clear of the schooner. Captain Haglund will return to port tomorrow morning when a full account of the collision will be obtained.

(Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 5/26/1894, p. 3)

The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Volume XIX, Number 3698, Page 3. May 26, 1894.