*Never mind the onset of the Great Depression…, Is this a *SCAM*?!? As it turns out; *NO*! (ed.)
AD – “YOU SHOULD SHARE in the HUGE PROFITS of the TUNA INDUSTRY – Practically every day, San Diego newspapers report huge catches of TUNA, the ‘Chicken of the Sea’, and the payment of prices as high as $300 per ton (equivalent to $5,412 today – ed.) at the canneries. And $7,500,000 (equivalent to $135,297,486 today – ed.) was the value of the pack last year. Still, the public demand grows for this delicacy. New boats, owned privately or by closed corporations, are launched weekly, yet seldom do you hear of the INVESTING PUBLIC being allowed to participate in these enterprises. But now a local group of tuna fishermen have designed one of the largest of the new ultra-modern long-distance cruisers. They have subscribed their own money. A small amount of ADDITIONAL CAPITAL is necessary. YOU CAN PARTICIPATE!!! The time is limited – the keel will soon be laid. Your money will be deposited with the Corporation’s in an escrow bank account arrangement. Investigate this opportunity today. The right is reserved by the Corporation to reject or allot all subscriptions.
~~~~~~~ LESS THAN $30,000 NECESSARY! (equivalent to $541,190 today – ed.) ~~~~~~~
~ Mail Today ~
Please Send NAME: _______________________________________________________________
Me More Data ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________
GALAPAGOS FISHING & TRANSPORT CO., Ltd.
820 Bank of Italy Bldg.
Tel. Franklin 5639 San Diego, Calif.
(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – June 14 & 15, 1930 – Pg. 14 of Financial Section)
~~~~ AND T-H-E-N! ~~~~
Via published announcement on January 17, 1931 promising delivery late July ’31…
“TO BUILD CLIPPER FOR S. D. COMPANY – Ordered built for the GALAPAGOS FISHING & TRANSPORT CO. of this city, the tuna clipper ‘SANTA MARGARITA’ is to be constructed this winter and spring by the AL LARSON BOATBUILDING COMPANY of Terminal Island. The clipper, 105′ in length and of the raised-deck type, is to be ready for service about July 31st, reports here state. With a beam of 25′ and a depth of 11.5′, the ‘Santa Margarita’ is to be powered by a 275-h.p. Atlas-Imperial Diesel. The vessel’s fuel tank will be in the stern.”
(*Source: San Diego EVENING TRIBUNE newspaper – Saturday, January 17, 1931 – Pg. 12)
*Editorial Note 1: You could perhaps say the new “Santa Margarita” had a *Rough Childhood*?! – This vessel made her ‘maiden voyage‘ in August of 1931 under PA Capt. FRANK MACHADO, then eventually under PA Captains JOHN G. CARDOZA and MANUEL COELHO (who withdrew by 1957), and later; JOHN E. LEANDERS. Even later, her name was changed to the ‘ST. MARIE’. One of her ‘novel features’ at her launching was her ‘big 22″ spotlight‘, with a special amber lens (said to be highly effective in fog). – She would go on to have some ‘highly controversial/NEWSworthy happenings’ aboard in the next year, including a collision and an alleged rare ‘mutiny‘. To Wit…
SAN PEDRO, Sept. 9th, 1931 – (A.P.) – Capt. FRANK MACHADO‘s crack new bait boat, the ‘SANTA MARGARIDA‘, leaking badly from a stove-in starboard quarter, returned from her first voyage with 150 tons of tuna, a story of collision at sea on a clear, calm day; and a threatened damage action against the ice-boat ‘ST. VERONICA’ on the lips of her owner. ~ But for the alert action of Manuel Gonzales, navigator of the ‘Santa Margarita’, Machado said, his ship would have been severed squarely amidships by the ‘St. Veronica’ last week off the Uncle Sam banks. ~ Machado related that his craft lay motionless in a great school of tuna with crew and fishermen busily engaged in heaving a good catch over the side when…, the ‘St. Veronica’ bore down on him and the nearby purse seiner ‘Flamingo’. ~ The possibility of a collision never entered his mind, Machado said, until with a warning shout Gonzales started his engines and the nose of the ‘St. Veronica’, cruising at *full speed*, loomed dead amidships! ~ Her propellers churning frantically against a hard-over helm, the ‘Santa Margarita’s’ stern swung around sufficiently to take only a glacing blow on the quarter, but one that resulted in estimated damages of at least $5,000 (equivalent to $98,902 today – ed.). ~ At the last moment, Machado said, the ‘St. Veronica’ reversed her motors and tried to avoid the crash. He charged, furthermore, that the ‘St. Versonica’ failed to STOP and continued on its way *without* making ANY effort to ascertain the extent of damages or to render aid and assistance.”
(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee – Thursday, September 10, 1931 – Pg. 16)
~~~~ AND T-H-E-N! ~~~~
“MUTINY ON TUNA SHIP; ONE MAN IN IRONS, SAYS RADIO MESSAGE – One man aboard the San Diego tuna clipper ‘SANTA MARGARITA’ is in irons and two others are refusing to obey orders, according to an Associated Press dispatch reported San Francisco quoting a radio message from the clipper to the U. S. Coast Guard. The clipper, according to officials of the AMERICAN TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION (A.T.A.), is believed to be in the vicinity of Magdalena Bay, 500 miles south of here. ~ In his message to the Coast Guard, the Master of the ‘Santa Margarita’, Capt. FRANK MACHADO, reported that he did not want to proceed with the three men aboard. Capt. Eugene Blake Jr., the California Division Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard was quoted in the dispatches as saying that NO action would be taken by the U.S. Coast Guard since the clipper is apparently in Mexican waters and under Mexican jurisdiction. ~ International News Service dispatches from San Francisco, CA today state that the Captain of the ‘Santa Margarita’ has received instructions to seek help from the Mexican government.”
(*Source: San Diego EVENING TRIBUNE newspaper – May 30, 1932 – Pg. 1)
*Editorial Note 2: But THE-E-E-EN!?!…
“NONE IN CHAINS AFTER ROW ON BOAT, CLAIM – A *denial* that any member of the crew aboard the tuna clipper ‘SANTA MARGARITA’ had been put in chains while the vessel was off the Lower California coast several weeks ago, was made today by Capt. FRANK MACHADO, commander, upon the arrival in port here of the clipper. The ‘Santa Margarita’ berthed at the south side of the Boardway pier, after a voyage which took it nearly 600 miles south in search of tuna. ~ Indications that there was trouble aboard the vessel during its cruise, however, were seen in the fact that Capt. Machado, upon leaving the clipper, went to the Federal Building and attempted to find U. S. Commissioner Henry C. Ryan. But Judge Ryan has not been at his office this week, due to illness. ~ Capt. Machado admitted that there ahd been a fist fight aboard the craft. ~ Meanwhile, Mr. Frank Kruger, a crew member, (and the *luckiest* side note in this whole story! – ed.) was washed overboard when the vessel was south, but was rescued by fishermen aboard the clipper ‘POINT LOMA’, Capt. Machado said. Kruger was later returned to the ‘Santa Margarida’. ~ Reports of asserted ‘trouble’ aboard the ‘Santa Margarida’ were current several days ago, when it was reported that a request for aid had been made to the U.S. Coast Guard service. But because the vessel was in Mexican waters, Capt. Machado was advised to get in touch with Mexican authorities at Magdalena Bay. From these, he said today, he was unable to obtain assistance.”
(*Source: San Diego EVENING TRIBUNE newspaper – Friday, June 10, 1932 – Pg. 6)