Acme

Acme (#106960) (1884-1901), 45-foot long wood-hulled Chinese junk built in Roseville (San Diego), California in 1884 for Wo Sing, a Chinese medical practitioner. After the passage of the Geary Act of 1892, California-built Chinese junks were not allowed to travel to Baja California and return. The law stated that any Chinese person re-entering the country must have a return certificate, however Chinese fishermen were not allowed to obtain a return certificate. Therefore many junks sold out of Chinese hands. On August 8, 1892 Sing sold Acme to Mrs. Mary Augusta Chase for $250. She had two tons of guano aboard at the time. On February 5, 1901 Acme was wrecked at Baja California's Geronimo Island. On attempting to leave the island, her rudder broke and she was driven on the rocks. At the time of her accident, Acme was owned by Jerry O'Connell of National City, and captained by William Anderson of San Diego. She had an estimated two tons of guano aboard, valued at $40.

In the News~

June 16, 1895, [SFCall]: “Savage Encounter of Two Men With Goat-Killers on the Island. Three Assailants Kept at Bay Ten Days Until Outside Help Arrives. San Diego, Cal., June 15.—J. M. Soto and Thomas Hardy have arrived from Guadalupe Island, off Lower California, in the junk Acme, with particulars of a savage encounter on the lonesome island with three goat killers—Antonio Felix, a Basque and an American. Soto holds the concession from the Mexican Government and contracted with Felix to kill goats for skins. Three months ago he went down to see how business was progressing. He found that Felix and party had moved camp and were entering into the goat business for themselves. Soto demanded an accounting, and Felix responded with threats, saying he would be glad to shoot Soto as he would a goat. Hardly had Felix left and joined Soto, and together they prepared to defend themselves from Felix and the Basque, who were joined by an adventurer from a sealing schooner hovering around the island. Felix and companions ran out of food, and attacked Soto one night, demanding food at the point of pistols. They got pork and flour, and the next night attempted a raid. Soto and Hardy met them with a volley, which killed no one. As Felix and partners had only starvation ahead of them they were rendered desperate, while Soto and Hardy, not knowing when the schooner would return, determined to hold on to the food at all hazards. They prepared a pitfall at the door of the cabin and lay in wait. Felix, the basque and the American made another onslaught, and fell into the trap, the American being nearly killed by the fall. Soto and Hardy covered the party with rifles and made them swear to cease depredations, yielding to their entreaties not to be imprisoned. Hardly had Felix become free before he viciously attacked Soto, and would have killed him had not Hardy got in an opportune blow on the head that laid him out. For ten days following both sides were kept on the alert, fearing surprise and slaughter, and when the junk appeared Felix and his companions tried to steal it and leave the others to starve or eat goat. But the skipper turned it over to Soto, and he and Hardy managed to get away from the island, arriving at Ensenada, where the state of affairs was made known to the authorities. Orders have been issued to a force of soldiers to proceed to the island to capture Felix and his companions. Soto says the island is made the prey of marauding American sealers and land pirates. It is probable that the Mexican Government will station an armed force there.”

September 24, 1895 [LAT]: “The schooner Acme arrived from Guadalupe Island on Sunday with 2260 goat skins.”

September 9, 1896 [LAT/SD]: “The junk Acme has returned from San Clemente Island with Chinamen and abalone shells.”

October 17, 1896 [LAT/SD]: “The junk Acme has returned from Guadalupe Island with 3000 goat skins.”

October 27, 1896 [LAT/SD]: “Junk Acme has sailed for Lower California for guano.”

November 8, 1896 [SFCall]: “Gives chase to poaching craft. Steamer Pacheco leaves San Diego in quest of trespassers. Sent to capture vessels at Guano Islands off the Mexican coast. Seeks for eight offenders. Concessionaires attempt to enforce the payment of large royalties. San Diego, Cal., Nov. 7. — The steamer Pacheco, which sailed from here Wednesday night, ostensibly on its regular trip to San Quintin and way ports in Lower California, is now said to be on a chase after eight guano-poaching schooners which are believed to be gathered in Vizcaino Bay. These craft are the junk Acme, Captain Chase, and the Pekin, Captain Moodlin; the schooners Ellen, Captain Jinsen; Whalberg. Captain Martin; Hongkong, Captain Hornstein; Alta, Captain Farwell; Sailor Boy, Captain Edwardson, and Ida, Captain Atwood. Most of these schooners sailed from this port the latter part of October and are now probably at the Guano Islands. These islands are about 350 miles south of San Diego. All of them were formerly covered with guano and have kept a fleet of small craft busy carrying the fertilizer to this port. The deposits are owned by the Mexican Land and Colonization Company, which has a concession from the Government for all the fisheries and deposits on the peninsula coast. The company claims a royalty of $2.50 per ton and the Ensenada customs officials impose port charges of about $70 on each schooner. The skippers say this is too much to make the business profitable, and therefore they run down and get the guano and bring it to San Diego without stopping to visit the Ensenada officials or to render an account to the company. WHen O. J. Creweread assumed the management of the company a few weeks ago he served notice on the guano-poachers that they would be prosecuted for further encroachments on the company's preserves. The present trip of the Pacheco is for the purpose of apprehending the schooners. Last year the Pacheco made a similar trip and overtook the schooner Pekin at San Martin Island. Two boys were on the island gathering guano and another on the schooner. The schooner got away but the steamer captured the boys on the island, together with 900 sacks of guano. The boys are now serving sentence of eighteen months in the Ensenada jail.”

May 10, 1897 [LAT/SD]: “The junk Acme has arrived with guano, and the schooner McPherson is due with more of this fertilizer.”

July 17, 1897 [LAT/SD]: “The junk Acme is the latest arrival from the south with a cargo of guano. It reports the total absence of hostilities in the guano district.”

November 5, 1897 [LAT/SD]: “The junk Acme arrived today from the Lower California coast, and brought with her Captain William Hall…”

February 13, 1898 [LAT]: “Use of the abalone… Quite a considerable business is carried on by Chinese in abalone shells and meat on the Islands of the Santa Barbara channel. In the abalones pearls are sometimes found…”

September 23, 1898 [LAT/SP]: “The Chinese junk Acme, Captain Stevenson, arrived on Wednesday from San Diego, and on her way to the islands. She is manned by Americans.”

November 13, 1898 [LAT]: “Goat-killers of Guadalupe Island… The junk Acme, Captain Chase, returned the other day from Guadalupe Island, 250 miles southwest of port, with a harrowing tale…”

February 23, 1899 [SBMP]: “The Chinese junk Acme, five and a half days out from San Diego, arrived in port late Tuesday evening. The Acme is in command of Captain Steven and is a very large three-masted junk. She is now in the employ of Captain Waters of San Miguel Island and will go over immediately to get a ship load of sheep for the market. It is understood that she will remain here permanently in the employ of Captain Waters.”

February 24, 1899 [SBMP]: “The Chinese junk Acme was loading yesterday morning preparing for sailing to San Miguel Island in the afternoon.”

February 24, 1899 [LAT/SB]: “The Acme of San Diego arrived in port Wednesday evening, five days out. The Acme is in command of Captain Steven, and will be employed carrying sheep between San Miguel Island and this port. It is a large three-masted vessel, and a great number of sheep can be stored away in her hold.”

March 7, 1899 [SBMP]: “The Chinese junk Acme which is engaged in bringing sheep from San Miguel Island to the mainland, arrived early Sunday morning with 150 sheep. Considerable amusement was afforded those who watched them unload.”

March 8, 1899 [LAT/SB]: “The schooner Acme of San Miguel Island brought over 250 sheep Monday afternoon.”

March 14, 1899 [SBMP]: “Captain Libbey, in charge of the Chinese junk Acme, arrived last night from San Miguel Island with 150 sheep on board.”

March 14, 1899 [LAT/SB]: “The schooner Acme, Captain Libbey in charge, arrived Sunday night from the islands with 150 sheep.”

March 30, 1899 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme arrived from San Miguel Island yesterday morning with 160 sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

March 31, 1899 [LAT/SB]: “The junk Acme has arrived from the islands with a cargo of sheep consigned to Sherman & Ealand.”

April 4, 1899 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme departed for San Miguel Island and will return with another big cargo of sheep in a few days.”

April 7, 1899 [SBMP]: “Junk Acme arrived from San Miguel Island night before last loaded with 147 sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

April 15, 1899 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme sailed yesterday for San Miguel Island and will return in a few days loaded with sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

April 18, 1899 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme arrived yesterday from San Miguel Island with 76 sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

June 3, 1899 [LAT/SD]: “The schooner Acme also sails today with all the freight and passengers she can carry, all; bound for the placers.”

June 8, 1899 [LAT/SD]: “Word was received from Ensenada yesterday that the schooner Acme, which sailed from this port two or three days ago, together with three small vessels loaded with freight and passengers from San Pedro, had arrived at that port…”

December 5, 1899 [LAT/SD]: “A deck on the schooner Acme was destroyed and Joseph Nelson, an employee on the boat, sustained painful injuries Saturday, the result of an explosion caused by a defective gasoline stove, upon which Nelson attempted to prepare his dinner. The deck of the vessel was blown off into the bay, and Nelson hurled from the cabin. He was taken into the hospital.”

July 12, 1900 [SBMP]: “The junk, Acme, came in yesterday from Santa Rosa Island with 160 sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

July 21, 1900 [SBMP]: “The junk, Acme, arriving from Santa Rosa Island on Thursday evening with sheep for Sherman & Ealand, will leave for the other side of the channel today.”

July 27, 1900 [SBDI]: “A Chinese junk [Acme] that has been anchored in the channel for the past few days, left for Santa Rosa Island this morning, and will return in short time with a cargo of sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

August 1, 1900 [SBDI]: “The junk Acme will arrive from the islands in a few days with 200 sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

August 12, 1900 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme, Captain Valdez, arrived from the islands yesterday afternoon with 150 head of sheep for Sherman & Ealand.”

August 15, 1900 [SBMP]: “Hillyer will leave this morning on the sloop Acme for a week's cruise about the islands in the interest of the State Fish Commission.”

August 18, 1900 [SBDI]: “The junk Acme brought in 30 bales of wool from the islands today.”

August 25, 1900 [LAT/SB]: “The robbery of the Chinese abalone fishers on Santa Cruz Island seems to have been partially cleared up by the arrest of Frank Reina and William Gerald, who have been navigating the Channel Waters in an old junk called the Acme. The two men were arrested on a complaint sworn by Ah Poy, who alleges that he lost about thirty sacks of dried abalones at their hands a few weeks ago and that they shipped their booty from the Gaviota wharf to San Francisco. When captured aboard their junk, Reina submitted peacefully, but Gerald showed fight and had to be overpowered. Both men were taken ashore by officers Hopkins and Sansome and being unable to give $1000 bond were sent to jail. When near the jail door Reina broke away from Constable Hopkins and tried to escape. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Hopkins draw his gun and he halted immediately, saying he know the officer’s reputation. The detention of these men may furnish some explanation to the thefts of abalones and provisions from Santa Cruz Island which caused the death by starvation of a Chinese fisherman and brought his fellows near death’s door.”

August 26, 1900 [SBDI]: “The junk Acme reached port last evening from Gaviota with a cargo of hogs for Sherman & Ealand. The Acme was becalmed for a day or two, up the coast, and the launch Peerless was finally sent to tow her in.”

August 26, 1900 LAT/SB]: “That the dingy old junk Acme, whose dirty black hull carrying no bowsprit, but having bow and stern built nearly alike, has been harboring pirates as it plied the placid Channel waters, seems certain. Inspector Putnam, who is well-versed in criminal lore in connection with his business, saw the prisoners Reina and Gerald arrested on the Acme a few days since on a charge of stealing and shipping abalones from the Chinese fisheries on Santa Cruz Island, and is quite sure that they are the same men whom he had arrested at San Diego and who served a six months’ tern in jail there. The man giving his name as Reina was convicted under the name Rios. They are old offenders and are believed to have been carrying on a smuggling trade for some time.”

August 31, 1900 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme sailed yesterday with Joe Arabus in command instead of buccaneer Reina.”

September 8, 1900 [SBMP]: “The Chinese junk Acme arrived from Santa Rosa Island yesterday morning with a cargo of 200 sheep.”

September 19, 1900 [LAT/SB]: “The trial of Gerald, who was arrested with Reina on the charge of abalone stealing, is on in the Superior Court. As Reina, who pleaded guilty and is now in San Quentin, was captain of the Acme, in which the abalones were brought over from Santa Cruz Island, Gerald is making the plea that he was simply in the employ of Reina, and was bound to do his bidding aboard ship. The prosecution will endeavor to establish the fact that the two men were in partnership.”

October 3, 1900 [SBDI]: “The junk Acme arrived today from San Miguel Island with a cargo of abalone shells.”

October 4, 1900 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme arrived yesterday from San Miguel Island with a cargo of abalone shells from the Chinese fishing camps.”

October 19, 1900 [SBMP]: “The junk Acme brought 30 bales of wool from the islands yesterday.”

February 27, 1901 [LAT/SD]: “Ellen came into port today bringing four sailors, the crew of the Acme, which, it is now learned, was wrecked on Geronimo Island, a barren rock off the coast of Lower California, on the 5th inst. The men remained on the island until about a week ago, when the Ellen saw their signals and took them off. During their stay they obtained what provisions they needed from the Acme, which was driven on the beach but not broken up.”