West Central Alaska Shipwrecks ( L )

LESLIE D (1900)     The 285 ton 112 foot barkentine Leslie D stranded on an unknown shoal and was lost north of Cape Corwin at 11 a.m. Saturday June 23, 1900.  The vessel departed Seattle May 8th bound for Nome with 31 persons aboard including her master, 5 seamen, 1 steward, 1 engineer, 2 carpenters, and 20 passengers.  Included in the passengers was the owner of the Leslie D, Englishman and himself a captain C Jorgensen and four “females”.  The Leslie D was laden with 300 tons of general cargo including lumber, coal and hardware worth $15,000.  The following are excerpts from the wreck report filed by her master, A Malmiros:

“Moderate wind, daylight.”  “About 18(?) north of Cape Corven, Nunivak Island…Stranding.”  “Slow speed and continual soundings.”  “11 of the crew arrived at St Michael July 7th.  14 are left on the island, 11 men and 3 women.  6 men left Nunivak Island in a boat bound for Nome.”

All persons aboard found safety, but the Leslie D, valued at $8,000 and all of her cargo became a total loss.  Revenue Cutter reports show the Leslie D on a reef of boulders about ¾ of a mile off Nunivak Island near Etolin Harbor.  The same accounting mentions that the Ragnhild took claim to the wreck to attempt salvage of some of the cargo.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   59 55 N 165 35 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 285, Length 112, Breadth 22, Depth 14, Built 1862 Searsport ME, Owner C Jorgensen of San Francisco, Vessel Insurance $1,000, Cargo Insurance unknown

Sources: 1. U S Customs Wreck Report by Malmiros July 7, 1900, 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914 Microcopy 641 Roll 8

LETHA R THOMAS (1900)     The 37 foot wooden steamer Letha R Thomas foundered in rough seas 2.25 miles off of Nome at 6:50 p.m. Saturday September 22, 1900.  The conditions at the time were 95 mile an hour winds, rough seas, dark night and stormy weather.  The Letha R Thomas was “struck by heavy sea and swamped.”  The crew of three was rescued by the steamer Aloha.  The vessel was valued at $5,000 with only ballast aboard and had no insurance.  She was “engaged in towing off Nome.”

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska 64 30 N 165 25 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 7 Net, Length 37, Breadth 10, Depth 5, Built 1900 (New) San Francisco, Registration San Francisco, ON 141646, Master F Supp, Owner Kimball S S Co of San Francisco

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed by President of Kimball Steamship May 22, 1901

LILLIE (1915)     The 26 ton wooden scow Lillie broke away from her tug in a storm near Cape Darby and stranded at Rocky Point at 3:00 a.m. Saturday September 18, 1915.  The vessel had departed Dime City September 17 bound for Golovin with three crewmen and no cargo aboard.  The crew escaped to safety, but the Lillie, valued at $1,000 was believed to be a total loss.  She had no insurance.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 24 N 163 08 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 26, Age 14 years, Registered Nome, ON 141706, Master E H Pfaffle of Council City, Owner Wallace Porter of Golovin

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty filed October 7, 1915 by Pfaffle

LITHGOW (1924)     The 370 ton river barge Lithgow sprung a leak and filled with water 100 miles off the Yukon River during a strong southerly wind at 2:00 a.m. August 3, 1924.  The barge was being towed by the vessel Meteor and had left St Michael July 30, 1924 bound for Bethel with two crewmen aboard.  The Meteor was able to retrieve the two crewmen and tow the submerged lower hull back to St Michael.  The vessel’s house was washed overboard.  The Lithgow was owned by Waechter Brothers of Seattle and worth $18,000 at the time of the loss.  The reported monetary loss to the Lithgow was also $18,000 of which $15,000 was insured.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   62 32 N 166 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 370, Age 13 Years, Registration St Michael, ON 164599

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty November 14, 1924 by O A Waechter at Seattle

LOLETA (1880)     The 119 ton schooner Loleta stranded on Saint Lawrence Island September 4, 1880 and was lost.  The vessel had departed Honolulu with 16 crewmen aboard and was expected to finalize her journey in San Francisco.  At the time of the disaster, the Loleta had a “light cargo of about 100 tons” of whale oil, whale bone, ivory and fox skins valued at $10,000.  The vessel was worth $8,000.  The crew managed to reach safety, but the Loleta and her cargo were total losses.  “Fog and current” were reported to be the cause of the casualty.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   63 30 N 170 30 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 119, Built 1871 Seattle, Registered San Francisco, ON 15788, Master Benjamin Dexter, Owners Benjamin Dexter and William H Dimond of San Francisco, Vessel Insurance $8,000, Cargo Insurance $8,000

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report April 20, 1881 by W H Dimond in San Francisco

LOMEN COMMERCIAL CO NO 1 (1944)     The 43 ton 50 foot wooden scow Lomen Commercial Co No 1 stranded and was lost October 1944 at Cape Darby.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 19 N 162 47 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 43 Gross and Net, Length 50, Breadth 22, Depth 4.7, Built 1939 at Seattle WA, Owner Lomen Commercial Company, Registered Juneau, ON 175499

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1946) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 806, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1945) Pg 417

LOMEN COMMERCIAL CO NO 3 (1951)     The 45 ton 50 foot wooden scow Lomen Commercial Company No 3 foundered June 23, 1951 near Hooper Bay  in the Bering Sea.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   61 31 55 N 166 05 30 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 45 Gross and Net, Length 50, Breadth 22, Depth 5, Built 1932 at Nome, Owner Gaasland Company Inc., Registered Juneau, ON 171608

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1959) Pg 319, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1960) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 824

 

LOMEN COMMERCIAL CO NO 4 (1951)     The 43 ton 50 foot wooden scow Lomen Commercial Company No 3 foundered June 23, 1951 near Hooper Bay  in the Bering Sea.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   61 31 55 N 166 05 30 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 43 Gross and Net, Length 50, Breadth 22, Depth 4.7, Built 1941 at Nome, Owner Gaasland Company Inc., Registered Juneau, ON 175420

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1959) Pg 319, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1960) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 824

 

LOMEN COMMERCIAL CO NO 5 (1951)     The 45 ton 50 foot wooden scow Lomen Commercial Company No 3 foundered June 23, 1951 near Hooper Bay  in the Bering Sea.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   61 31 55 N 166 05 30 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 45 Gross and Net, Length 50, Breadth 22, Depth 5, Built 1931 at Seattle WA, Owner Gaasland Company Inc., Registered Juneau, ON 171298

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1959) Pg 319, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1960) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 824

 

LOMEN COMMERCIAL CO NO 8 (1951)     The 37 ton 50 foot wooden scow Lomen Commercial Company No 3 foundered June 23, 1951 near Hooper Bay  in the Bering Sea.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   61 31 55 N 166 05 30 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 37 Gross and Net, Length 50, Breadth 20, Depth 4.5, Built 1933 at Seattle WA, Owner Gaasland Company Inc., Registered Juneau, ON 171596

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1959) Pg 319, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1960) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 824

 

LOMEN COMMERCIAL CO NO 9 (1951)     The 46 ton 47 foot wooden scow Lomen Commercial Co No 9 stranded and was lost August 7, 1951 when the vessel broke away from her moorings and drifted onto the rocks near Tin City and Cape Prince of Wales.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   65 33 N 167 51 W   Chart 16204

Additional Information: Tonnage 46 Gross and Net, Length 47, Breadth 21, Depth 5, Built 1927 at Golovin, Owner Gaasland Company, Registered Juneau, ON 171608

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1951) Pg 317, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1952) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 957

 

LOMEN COMMERCIAL CO NO 15 (1951)     The 37 ton 61 foot wooden scow Lomen Commercial Company No 3 foundered June 23, 1951 near Hooper Bay  in the Bering Sea.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   61 31 55 N 166 05 30 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Tonnage 37 Gross and Net, Length 61.4, Breadth 18, Depth 4, Built 1931 at Anacortes WA, Owner Gaasland Company Inc., Registered Juneau, ON 171257

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1959) Pg 319, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1960) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 824

 

LOUISA (1913)     The 5 ton wooden schooner Louisa drug anchor in a SE gale and stranded on the beach at Chinik in Golovin Bay at 11 a.m. Sunday October 5, 1913.  The following are statements taken from the wreck report filed at Nome by her owner and master Katongen, a Native from Golovin:

“SE Gale weather clear. Stranding on beach at Chinik, Alaska.”  “Put lines on vessel and tried to hold her so the waves would not strike her amidships, but were helpless on account of large sea.”  “The storm was so severe that it was impossible to render any assistance.”

Katongen was assisted by his crew and many Natives from the area.  The crew of three escaped to safety, but the Louisa, value at $1,000 was a total loss.  She had no cargo aboard at the time.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 33 N 163 02 W   Chart 16200

Comment: Chinik was an early name for Golovin Village.  WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 5 Gross and Net, Built 1910 at Golovin, Registered Nome, ON 209263, Vessel Insurance none, Cargo ballast

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed at Nome January 3, 1914

LOUISE (1902)     The little schooner Louise wrecked on the beach at Nome in October of 1902.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 30 N 165 25 W   Chart 16006

Source:  The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 84

LOUISE (1910)     No one knows the fate of the two passengers and two crewmen aboard the 8 ton gas screw Louise.  The vessel departed Anadyr, Siberia November 1, 1910 bound for Nome.  The wreck of the Louise was found November 4th one mile NE of Cape Prince of Wales crushed by ice with no one aboard.  Lost were the master of the vessel, C B Owen, as well as Clement LaBord, John W Kelley and F Cramer.  The vessel was valued at $1,500 and was a total loss with no cargo and no insurance.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   65 36 N 168 05 W   Chart 16003

Additional Information: Tonnage 8 Gross 6 Net, Length 34, Breadth 10.3, Depth 3, Built 1901 at Nome, Service Freight, HP 14, Registered Nome, ON 201233, Master C B Owen of Nome, Owner E T McIntyre of Nome

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report Nome June 14, 1911 by Ira M Rank acting agent

LOUISIANA (1865)     On July 9, 1865 the 297 ton whaling ship Louisiana stranded on a shoal entering Kotzebue Sound while fleeing the rampage of the confederate privateer Shenandoah.  The vessel ran aground between the south side of Choris Peninsula and Chamisso Island.  According to local Natives, the crew salvaged the cargo of whale oil and burned the vessel July 13th.  The wreck could be seen on shore for the next ten years.  The Louisiana left New Bedford MA April 25, 1864 and was valued at $20,000 with cargo at the time of the loss.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   66 13 N 161 50 W   Chart 16005

Sources: 1. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914, 2. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992)

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