Schooner W.J. Suffel

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-saving Service For the fiscal year ending 30 June 1888

Published by the Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1889

August 6. At half past 10 o'clock at night the schooner W. J. Suffel, of Port Hope, Ontario, from Kingston, in the same Province, unladen and carrying a crew of seven men, while standing in on the starboard tack for Oswego, New York, with the wind blowing hard from the westsouthwest, attempted to go in stays; but the wind suddenly shifted to the eastward and before she could gather way again the heavy back sea drove her against the west breakwater, about half a mile from the Oswego Station, (Ninth District,) Lake Ontario. The accident was seen by the lookout and the life-saving crew immediately manned their boat and went to the vessel's assistance. By the time they reached her she was pounding heavily and in great danger of going to pieces. The surfmen succeeded in getting out lines, and finally in dropping her down to a gap in the breakwater, through which they managed to haul her inside. A tug then towed her to a secure berth, she having sustained considerable damage. The subjoined letter was afterwards received by the keeper:

Oswego, New York, August 10, 1887. "Dear Sir: Accept my sincere thanks to yourself and crew for assistance rendered to me on the night of August 6,1887, when my vessel was in danger of going to pieces on the west breakwater at Oswego. She probably would have been lost but for your timely assistance.
Robert Rankin, Master of Schooner W.J. Suffel.

See also "Schooner Days", number CDXVII (417), and our databse entry for the W.J. Suffel..