 National Marine Sanctuaries |
Channel
Islands National Marine Sanctuary
|
|
Lotus |
||
|
|
||
|
Early History of the Steamer Lotus Recently, little was known about a steamer called Lotus lost off Anacapa Island on September 14, 1921. Although the Channel Islands National Park Service had located the official wreck report and a single listing under "vessel losses" in the publication Merchant Vessels of The United States 1922 [MVUS], early history for this vessel had been difficult to obtain. The wreck report provided important information such as the cause of her loss due to a fire in her cargo hold and her owner at the time of loss, Captain James Christensen of Oakland. The only lead on the Lotus's early history was that she had been built in 1901, and had been awarded the official number 141743. MVUS 1922, provided information such as her tonnage of 115 gross and confirmed her tonnage of 76 net as noted in the wreck report. There was one discrepancy between the two sources, the wreck report recorded her official number as 141743 and MVUS 1922 as 141723. Going back as far as 1907 in MVUS, we discovered there was no listing for the Lotus under steam vessels. Perplexed by the lack of information on this early steamer, we concluded that she either had been foreign owned, previously had a different name, or was omitted from MVUS due to engagement in inland water use. We first checked all vessel name changes and foreign listings for the Lotus in a variety of ship registers. With no new information was gained from the registers, we then decided to review early newspaper accounts of the incident, if they existed. After reviewing the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, we found out that the Lotus was enroute from San Francisco to San Diego to be put into the passenger trade between this port and Ensenada, Mexico [prohibition period]. The newspapers provided a photograph taken from the passenger steamer Harvard (204372) of the Lotus burnt to her waterline and went on to note that all eight of the crewmen had been rescued by the passenger cargo steamer Humboldt (9634). This is the same Humboldt and Captain Baughman who eight years later would deliver the death blow to the Jane L. Stanford, who's remains are now scattered off Skunk Point, Santa Rosa Island. Further evidence of the Lotus's early history was gathered from the newspapers, referencing her early activities in the lumber trade. Following this lead, we started reviewing secondary source material relating to the Pacific Northwest lumber trade. In a publication titled, The H. W. McCurdy Marine History of The Pacific Northwest, a brief mentioned is made about a vessel named Lotus for the year 1901, "Among the new propeller passenger steamers built for local service on Puget Sound were the Lotus, 112 tons, 92 feet, built by Crawford & Reed [sic]at Tacoma for Capt. James Bradford to replace the Alice on the Tacoma - North Bay route, but soon sold to the Army quartermaster department as the coast artillery tender Cartwright, serving the Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound until sent to San Francisco for similar duties in 1912." Could this be the same vessel? With McCurdy's reference to the year 1901 and the similar tonnage of 112, there was good evidence to pursue further research on the Army vessel Cartwright. Going back to MVUS, and this time searching under Vessels Of The Quartermaster's Department, US, we find a vessel named Cartwright under the sub-heading Passenger & Freight Steamers. Further, we learn that the Cartwright was formerly the American steamer Lotus (141743). Now with the confirmation that the Lotus lost off Anacapa was built as the Lotus, renamed Cartwright and once more renamed the Lotus, our search for official documents could be implemented. From the National Archives in Seattle, WA, we were able to obtain the Master Carpenter's Certificate identifying F. M. Crawford as Master Carpenter for the firm of Crawford and Reid who was under contract to build the vessel for Wm. Bradford and Alice Bradford of Tacoma, WA. The Seattle Archives also provided the one enrollment and her 1901 Tonnage Admeasurement for the District of Puget Sound, WA. From the National Archives in San Bruno, CA, we located a Bill of Sale, dated July 1, 1921, transferring ownership from Henry A. Juhl of San Francisco to James S. Christensen of Oakland, the owner and master of the Lotus on the day of her loss. Attached to the Bill of Sale is the Consolidated Certificate of Enrollment and License that states her Permanent Enrollment No. 17 was surrendered on July 20, 1903, when sold to the U.S. Government War Department, Quartermaster. These documents revealed that she had a register dimensions of 91.8 feet in length, breadth 20.0 feet and her depth of hold was 5.7 feet. Her surveyor, A. J. Collier, goes on to describe the Lotus's head as plain with an elliptic stern. The vessel's gross tonnage was 114 and her net tonnage was 78. She was built with a single mast, one deck and was of wood construction. The deckhouse was 71 feet in length, 7 feet high, giving her a outward profile of a passenger vessel. These dimensions were later confirmed in MVUS 1902 and. Presently, we are submitting further requests to various branches of the National Archives for documentation on the Cartwright's Army career. Although some of details are still pending, we have learned from letters written by the 1st Lieutenant of Headquarters Artillery District of Puget Sound, that the Cartwright was involved in transporting military personnel to and from the forts in the area. Further, in a letter addressed to the Commanding Officer of Fort Worden, Washington, dated September 8, 1903, the 1st Lieutenant states the following " I am directed to inform you that arrangements are being made to have the steamer "Cartwright" available for towing targets for sub-calibre practice in this District on the 10th, 11th, and 12th instant. The "Cartwright" will be placed at your disposal for practice at your post on one of the days above mentioned, probably the 12th." In conclusion, as in the case of the steamer Lotus, when you think you have exhausted all the sources just keep following the scent, who knows where it may lead you. As to the whereabouts of the Lotus? In the San Francisco Chronicle Captain Randall Rogers of the Harvard last reported her six to eight miles off Anacapa Island, latitude 34 and longitude 119.11. In Captain Rogers report to the US Geodetic Survey, he states the Lotus which burned to the water's edge was very dangerous to navigation. "The hulk has burned to the level of the water and cannot be seen says Captain Rogers, until a vessel is within a few feet of it. In the night or in fog it could not be seen at all, he says and is such a bulky derelict that it will cause a disaster unless removed." The wreck reports gives her position as off Anacapa Island, Santa Barbara channel. Where she lies now, is still a mystery, did the Coast Guard go out and destroy her as Captain Rogers suggested, did her burning hulk drift back to the island not unlike the fishing vessel Del Rio in 1952? Most reports suggested that the Del Rio was lost miles off Anacapa Island in a burning state, until thorough research revealed she had drifted in the current and was beached on the island. The hunt goes on. The Los
Angeles Times: 09/16/1921 Schwemmer, Robert, Wreck Scatter, Research Support, Coast Maritime Archaeology Resources CMAR |
||
|
|
||
