Jeff’s Blog

“SANTA ONCE CAME BY CLIPPER – It’s been a long time since PA tunaboat skipper EDWARD XAVIER MADRUGA played Santa Claus – *20 years* to be exact.
‘It was December 23, 1942 when Madruga and his crew of 18 sailed into GUADALCANAL aboard the 121’ tuna clipper ‘PARAMOUNT’. They had enjoyed a two-destroyer escort from New Caledonia, which indicated their cargo was a top priority. ‘It was! They were loaded to the gunwales with turkeys, cranberries, Christmas candies, and all the trimmings.
‘Those Marines on Guadalcanal had been eating nothing but canned rations, so they were pretty glad to see us,’ Madruga recalled in an interview. ‘I spent three years in that war skippering ‘Yippee’ boats (this was YP-289) and that was the most satisfying trip I ever made.’
Madruga said the tuna fleet normally carried bombs, gasoline, guns or frozen mutton in the Pacific Theater. So the run from New Caledonia to Guadalcanal was unique.
‘Getting a two-destroyer escort in those days was rare, because ships were awfully scarce,’ he recalled.
‘We made that 1,000-mile trip in three days and three nights. We could only go 10 knots and the destroyers had to crawl to keep pace with us.’
Madruga said the convoy left the ‘Paramount’ just before it arrived at Guadalcanal. ‘We almost went past our destination. In fact we did slip into Japanese waters; and were fired upon. Machine gun bullets flew across our bow. We turned around real quick.’
After three years aboard the ‘Paramount’, Madruga returned to San Diego on leave and later commanded a U.S. Navy tug. The next time he saw the ‘Paramount’ she was near Okinawa. The ship was lying on its side, a sad shattered hulk. A big transport ship had broken loose from its moorings during a typhoon and crashed into the clipper, setting off its depth charges.
Madruga removed the ‘Paramount’ nameplate, ‘and it’s still somewhere around the house, I think.’
It’s Ed Madruga’s reminder of the time he played Santa Claus.”

(*Source: Monrovia Daily News-Post newspaper – December 13, 1962 – Pg. 7 w/Pic) ~

“BRITO ELECTED TO HEAD TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION – Mr. LOU BRITO (aka. Luciano Brito – ed.), veteran San Diego fisherman and owner of the famous clipper ‘ROYAL PACIFIC’, has been elected President of the AMERICAN TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION (i.e. A.T.A. – ed.) for 1965. He succeeds Mr. Louis Vattuone.

Other officers elected at the annual meeting were EDWARD P. SILVA, Executive Vice-President, then Wade Ambrose, Treasurer, and Pete Louganis, Secretary (*Side Note: Also the adoptive father of later world-famous Olympic diver Greg Louganis – ed.). Re-elected as Manager was Mr. August Felando. Directors are the 65 managing owners of the vessels affiliated with the association.

Only three tunaboats were lost in 1964. As a contrast, as many as 15 boats were sunk or destroyed by fire in previous years. The boats lost in 1964 were the ‘WESTERN SKY’, the ‘MARY S.’, and the ‘BENITA’. The ‘INTREPID’ also was sunk, but she did not belong to the association.

The year was unmarked by clashes with foreign nations over territorial fishing rights, but a number of fishermen *left* San Diego’s tuna fleet to fish for crab in Alaskan waters, or salmon off the Columbia River, or with vessels operating in South American and Puerto Rican waters. Except for a slowdown in buying of catches by the canneries associations, officials said that 1964 would have been a good year for the tuna fleet. At one period there were more than 20 tunaboats in port loaded with several thousand tons of yellowfin and skipjack, waiting for the canneries to buy the catches.

Of the 75 tunaboats in port over Christmas, a large number have left port to begin the 1965 fishing season in Latin American and Mexican waters. Within a week all will be at sea except those undergoing repairs at the shipyards…”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Thursday, December 31, 1964 – Pg. 5)

“UNSUBSIDIZED LINES PRESS FOR U.S. GOVERNMENT AID – The necessity for providing government aid for un-subsidized merchant & fishing vessels was stressed this week to the U.S. Senate MERCHANT MARINE & FISHERIES COMMITTEE. All of the nation’s coastal and inter-coastal freighters and tramp ships are of WWII vintage. 60% of the tankers are 16 years of age or older, and about 66% of the fishing fleet is at least 17 years old, and the average age of the Great Lakes fleet is 45 years…

… Mr. EDWARD SILVA, President of the AMERICAN TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION (A.T.A.), said that only 6 tuna vessels have been built for the San Diego fishing fleet in Puget Sound shipyards in the last 3 years. And *NO* TUNA BOAT HAS BEEN BUILT *IN* A SAN DIEGO BOATYARD SINCE 1959.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Friday, July 2, 1965 – Pg. 35)

“WATERFRONT NEWS – U.S. Protests *PERU* Detention Of Tunaboats – (Washington D.C.) The United States has made ‘strong representations’ to Peru over detention of four California tunaboats in recent days. The U.S. State Department said the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru has been instructed to protest the action on grounds that it ‘involved interference with U.S. vessels on the high seas.’ A spokesman said that one vessel, the ‘CLIPPERTON’, was fined $7,128 (equivalent to $66,000 today – ed.) before being permitted to leave the Peruvian port of Chimbote.

RIGHTS DISPUTED

The vessels were detained in a 200-mile coastal zone in which Peru claims both territorial and fishing rights. The United States does not recognize the claim. According to the spokesman, the U.S. Tunaboat Association (A.T.A.? – ed.) reported that the ‘Clipperton’ and the ‘SUN JASON’ entered Peruvian ports for medical attention and to repair gear. Two other tunaboats, the ‘SAN JUAN’ and the ‘HORNET’, were also later arrested at sea and escorted into Peruvian ports on charges of fishing without a Peruvian license. Both were released without fines after purchasing the necessary licenses, the spokesman said. A U.S. Embassy official was sent to Chimbote on Monday from Lima to represent the fishermen.

AID CUT VOTED ON

In response to the Peruvian action, the U.S. Senate on Monday voted to CUT OFF FOREIGN AID to ANY NATION which interferes with U.S. fishing on the high seas. The amendment by Senator THOMAS H. KUCHEL (R-Calif.), passed on a 59-24 call vote. A nearly identical proposal, also by Kuchel, was approved two years ago by the Senate, but later was dropped in a HOUSE-SENATE conference.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Thursday, June 17, 1965 – Pg. 32)

“WATERFRONT NEWS – NATIONAL PACKING CO., a subsidiary of the VAN CAMP SEAFOOD CO. of Terminal Island, is constructing a new $1,000,000 (equivalent to $10,635,203 today – ed.) packing plant near Ponce, Puerto Rico. The VanCamp canneries at San Pedro, Pago Pago, American Samoa, Ponce, Puerto Rico, and at Manta, Ecuador; were purchased by the RALSTON PURINA CO. in 1963. In the same deal Ralston also acquired the San Diego tuna clippers ‘AMERICAN QUEEN’, ‘WHITE STAR’, and ‘CHICKEN OF THE SEA’. This Puerto Rican construction program calls for a modern cannery, a cold storage unit, and a fish meal facility.

Van Camp’s first cannery was established at 1445 S. Crosby Street here in San Diego. It operated for half a century. That plant was closed June 1, 1959 and moved to Terminal Island at San Pedro.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Wednesday, March 17, 1965 – Pg. 22)

“NEWS OF THE WATERFRONT – Cannery At Roseville To Buy ONLY Albacore – The former HIGH SEAS CANNERY at Roseville, now officially known as PLANT 5 of STAR-KIST FOODS, INC., will buy only albacore this season, it was reported yesterday. It is understood that all albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack hereafter will be canned at San Pedro. Mr. John Xitco, former plant manager, has been transferred to Terminal Island, San Pedro. He has been appointed General Supervisor for Procurement for the StarKist Canneries and Fishing Fleet. Mr. R. J. Welliver, for 12 years Office Manager & Treasurer of the High Seas plant, has resigned effective Friday. Mr. Welliver said he would remain in San Diego. Only two canneries are now operating in this port. They are VAN CAMP and WESTGATE-CALIFORNIA. At one period in the history of the tuna industry, San Diego had seven canneries (at least – ed.).

Fishermen report the albacore season is off to a slow start. Only 39 albacore (not ‘tons’, just individual ‘fish’! – ed.) have been brought to port this month, 27 on the ‘BETTY KEN’ and 12 on the ‘DANTE’.”

(*Source: San Diego Union & DAILY BEE newspaper – Wednesday, June 13, 1956 – Pg. 7)

*Editorial Note: Unless I find some more information, I believe this summer of 1956 effectively ENDS the existence of the Roseville tuna cannery, a business literally central to the Portuguese-American community of San Diego since its beginnings circa 1922, a period of 34 years (a full generation, at least), and perhaps the truest precursor of the death of the entire San Diego “Tuna Capital of the World” moniker, if not the entire United States-based tuna fishing industry? – ed.

“MEDINA NAMED TUNABOAT CHIEF – Mr. “M. O.” (aka. Manuel Oliver – ed.) MEDINA of 655 San Elijo St., the ‘father’ of San Diego’s tuna fishing industry (a “title” perhaps open for discussion? – ed.), was named President of the AMERICAN TUNABOAT ASSOCIATION (A.T.A.) by newly elected Directors at a meeting yesterday afternoon in the San Diego Club (i.e. 1250 Sixth Ave. – ed.). Medina succeeds 1949 President Mr. MANUEL G. ROSA. Mr. FRANK PERRY was elected Vice-President, to succeed Mr. William A. Hoss, and Mr. Vernon Brown was chosen Secretary-Treasurer, succeeding Mr. Louis E. DeFalco. Medina, who owns controlling interest in four tuna clippers, including the ‘NORMANDIE’, the largest tunaboat in San Diego’s fleet, started the industry in 1912. A native of the Azores Islands, he has been a U.S. citizen 39 years. Approximately 170 association members, all owners of San Diego-based tuna clipper, elected Directors for 1950 on December 13^th.

The 1950 Directors include: “M. O.” (aka. Manuel Oliveira – ed.) MEDINA, FRANK PERRY, Mr. William Hoss, Mr. Vernon Brown, Mr. George Campbell, ANTHONY L. MADRUGA, EDWARD MADRUGA, JOE MEDINA, GEORGE ALAMEDA, JOSEPH PENACHO, FRANK GONSALVES, Mr. Guy Silva (“sounds” PA, but…, nope – ed.), JOSEPH ROGERS, GEORGE SOARES, Mr. F. W. Szalinski, JOHN CARDOSA, MANUEL FREITAS, CARL MEDINA, and EDWARD SILVA.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Friday, December 23, 1949 – Pg. 5)

“TWO LADS RESCUE MOTHER AND BABY FROM DEATH BY DROWNING – Mrs. Bob Israel and Daughter Narrowly Escape Watery Grave – CHILD FALLS FROM PORCH INTO 10’ OF WATER – Mother Hears Screams of Youngter and Jumps to Almost Certain Death – UNABLE TO SWIM PARENT FLOUNDERS HELPLESSLY – John and Harry Madruga Hear Cries, Dash Out Wharf and SAVE PAIR! – That Mrs. Bob Israel and her little three-year-old daughter are not dead and lying cold and stiff in each other’s grasp on the black sand at the bottom of San Diego Bay, is all due to a brave and fearless rescue made about 8 o’clock last night by two brothers, JOHN and HARRY MADRUGA, when they pulled mother and daughter in a floundering and exhausted condition from the water.

Capt. and Mrs. Bob Israel, with their three-year-old daughter child, reside in a frame house on the waterfront facing California Street and built on pilings over the water. Mrs. Israel was alone at home early in the evening, so seeking company, she with her child called on her next door neighbor, Mrs. Wescott, who also lives in a house built on pilings over the bay. Both women immediately became interested in conversation and the child was allowed to run about the house and enjoy herself at will. Mrs. Wescott and Mrs. Israel were absorbed over some topic as only women can be, and the child was amusing herself on the back porch, which stands about 10’ or 12’ above the water, and which is surrounded only by a light railing about 3’ above the floor. Everything went quickly and smoothly until about 8 o’clock, but just at this time the still quiet of the evening was suddenly broken by a faint cry, followed by a loud splash.

Mrs. Israel, her thought turning to her child at once, jumped to her feet screaming, ‘Oh, my baby!’ and rushed to the porch. Looking down to the water she saw the child, by the aid of the moonlight, and unhesitatingly threw herself over the rail and into the water in an endeavor to save her unfortunate offspring, not for an instant stopping to think that she herself could not swim. All this time both she and Mrs. Wescott were screaming for help at the top of their voices. Mrs. Wescott did not jump into the water, but stood on the porch wringing her hands in agony, thinking that her friend and child would surely drown before her very eyes. This, however, was not to be the case.

Mrs. Wescott’s home is located just north and next to the NATIONAL FISH CO. Market, of which Mr. MANUEL F. MADRUGA SR. is Proprietor. The Proprietor’s two sons, JOHN and HARRY, who are both excellent swimmers, were luckily in the building at the time of the accident. They were just finishing up their work and preparing to go home for the night when they were startled to hear the screams of the two women. They immediately dropped everything and rushed out on California St. to determine what the trouble was. They managed to distinguish a white object struggling in the water. The two brothers dashed neck and neck out on the small wharf which leads to Mrs. Wescott’s house, and fearlessly leapt into the water. HARRY, the elder of the two (being 23 years of age), grabbed Mrs. Israel, while brother JOHN, (20 years old), grasped the child, and then the struggle for the rescue began. It was somewhat of a struggle, too. The mother, fearful for her child and almost frantic and unconscious, hung onto the little girl with a grasp of iron, and the two boys were compelled to almost tear the woman and her child apart. This they managed to do, and then swim for the shore, about 200’ distant. On reaching land the boys carried the rescued pair into Mrs. Israel’s home, where, by the aid of Mrs. Wescott, they were made fairly comfortable.

Both Mrs. Israel and her child are practically uninjured. It being almost high tide at the time, there was about 10’ of water under the porch, and when the two were rescued Mrs. Israel was floundering with her last bit of strength gone. The accident certainly had its fortunate aspect. Had it happened just 15 or 20 minutes later it is almost a certainty that both would have been drowned, for the Madruga’s were about to go home at the time, and there was no one else in sight who could have effected the rescue as they did.

The Israels are well-known, both being around town and on the waterfront. Mrs. Israel is the wife of Capt. Bob Israel, who several months ago rescued Capt. ‘Windy’ Hall from a lonely island off the coast of Mexico, where he had been left to starve by the famous Dora Bennis* party.”

(*Source: San Diego UNION & DAILY BEE newspaper – Thursday, September 19, 1907 – Pg. 8)

(Editorial Note: Regarding Capt. Hall ~ whereby: “Notorious 16-year-old trouble Ms. Dora Bennis*, who recently married George P. Vucotich (with him currently trying to divorce her), and who also notoriously accused Capt. “Windy” Hall of ‘kidnapping’ her and carrying her off to Baja, California aboard the schooner ‘Rover’ in 1906 ~ *Source II: Evening Tribune newspaper – December 28, 1907 – Pg. 8)

“THE AZORES ISLANDS – The Unity Club Listened to an Excellent Lecture Upon the Subject – The Unity Club, which met last evening at the Unitarian Church, corner of Tenth & F Sts., was favored with a highly interesting lecture from Dr. McDaniels on the scenery and various beauties of the AZORES, together with a general outline of a Portuguese life, their superior mechanism (? – ed.), wages, etc., all of which Dr. McDaniels has learned through observation. He showed some very fine specimens of lace made by the Portuguese women from the inner fiber of the aloe (or what is known in this country as the century plant). This lace was of a quality which surpasses in elegance anything ever manufactured in America. He also exhibited an elegant shawl, which required three months and four days’ labor by a Portuguese woman to complete. This shawl, after completion, was sold to Dr. McDaniels for $4.35, which goes to show how comparatively low wages are in that country. Ordinary day laborers get 14¢ and 16¢ PER DAY for their labor, while skilled labor is worth from 26¢ to 30¢ PER DAY (equivalent to approx. $4.86 [unskilled] to $9.75 [skilled] pay daily nowadays – ed.). But women’s wages are still lower. After the lecture a number of photographs and views of a great many Portuguese individuals were spread out for the inspection of everyone present; which all enjoyed. There was no general discussion as is usually indulged in at the club meetings, but an adjournment was had until next Friday evening.”

(*Source: San Diego DAILY BEE newspaper – Saturday, March 24, 1888 – Pg. 1)

“THIRST ON AN ISLAND – Water, Water All Around, But Not A Drop To Drink – Terrible Experience of Five Portuguese Fishermen on TODOS SANTOS Island Near Ensenada – Their Two Companions Probably Drowned Last Sunday – A story of death and disaster was telegraphed to this city from Ensenada yesterday. Mr. MANUEL JOSEPH, a Portuguese, and Mr. Ignacio Comacho, a Mexican, are believed to have been drowned near the entrance to Ensenada Bay by the capsizing of the sloop ‘NAUTILUS’ of this city, and five Portuguese on Todos Santos Island, who were dependent upon the return of the sloop from Ensenada with provisions and fresh water, were nearly dead from thirst when rescued Wednesday night by a boat’s crew sent out from Ensenada by the collector of the port, the Signal Officer on the hill near Ensenada having by means of a glass (i.e. telescope – ed.) made a flag on a flat little island ten miles to the westward.

When the boat arrived at the island the five men were nearly dead from thirst, and could scarcely speak. They were on the alert, however, and although it was dark, when the boat pulled up in a little cove of the island, the Portuguese were at the beach and begged for water. Their voices were weak and unsteady, and in their anxiety to procure some of the precious fluid, some of the men wept like children.

The Mexicans in the boat did not know positively until this greeting of the Portuguese that there were any shipwrecked men on the island, and were greatly startled to suddenly come upon five men so plainly near death’s door. A demijohn (a wide, often glass and narrow-necked, container holding 3 or more gallons – ed.) of water was quickly passed out to them, and the inherent law of self-preservation was pitifully apparent in the eager desire of each of the five men to be first to drink. The water choked them at first, but within a few minutes all had been satisfied. The men so narrowly saved from death were: A. GALLEGOS, T. CAMACHO, A. SOSA (aka. Sousa? – ed.), JOSE CAMACHO and another whose name was not learned. All but one or two are residents of LA PLAYA, the Portuguese fishing hamlet on San Diego Bay.

To their rescuers, who took the men to Ensenada within an hour or two after their rescue, the Portuguese told the story of their experiences. They had gone down to Ensenada from San Diego to gather abalone shells and meat, landing on Todos Santos Island, a few miles out from Ensenada. Their sloop, the ‘Nautilus’, continued to Ensenada, and after taking on supplies and water, left there on October 1^st for the island. The following day, having left the supplies with the five men named, the ‘Nautilus’ left again for Ensenada in charge of Manuel Joseph and Ignacio Camacho. A heavy gale was blowing at the time, which was between 2:00 and 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon. When about four miles from the island the men on shore saw the sloop suddenly disappear, but as the weather was somewhat hazy they attached no importance to the incident. They went into camp on the northernmost island, fully expecting the ‘Nautilus’ to return the next day.

The sloop did not return, however, and becoming desperate those of the five men who could swim crossed the channel to the other island, guiding an improvised raft upon which their companions safely made the trip across. The men were already suffering for water, and they raised a large red blanket in the hope that it would bring assistance. Their third day without water had passed when the steamer ‘St. Denis’, on her way from San Quintin to Ensenada, passed a short distance from the island; but to their utter dismay no one on the steamer appeared to have seen their signal, and the vessel continue on to Ensenada. Upon arriving at that place, however, the Chief Officer of the ‘St. Denis’, upon being questioned by the Signal Officer of the port, admitted that he had indeed seen a red flag on the island, but believed that it had been put up by abalone gatherers to mark their camp, and consequently gave it no further thought. The Mexican Collector of Customs feared that the crew of the ‘Nautilus’ were in distress, however, and his prompt action in sending a boat’s crew to the island resulted in saving the lives of all the five men. The Chief Officer of the ‘St. Denis’ also stated that he saw what appeared to be a small sloop near the island, but the rescued Portuguese firmly believe that the ‘Nautilus’ went down with their two companions. The beach near Ensenada is being patrolled by government officers in the expectation that the bodies of Camacho and Joseph will be washed ashore.”

(*Source: San Diego Union & DAILY BEE newspaper – Friday, October 7, 1898 – Pg. 8)