The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-29
From The sen Franetseo Bnllettn, Oct. q.

From the San Francisco Bulletin, Oct 21.
News was received here yesterday noon of
the total loss of the North Pacific transportation
Companys steamship Sierra Nevada, on the
southern coast, on Sunday night last. From
Mr.. Hughes, the purser of the ill-fated vessel
who arrived here last night, we learn the fol-
lowing particulars
The Sierra Nevada, Captain j. C. Bogart
sailed from San Francisco, bound for San Luis
Obispo and way ports, on Saturday morning
last, with full freight and large number of
passengers. She landed passengers and freight
at Santa Cruz and Monterey, leaving the latter
port at 9 p. NJ. Sunday Oct. II, with forty-two
passengers. AS night closed in, the weather
became thick, a dense fog settling down so that
it was impossible to see beyond u few ships
lengths. As she was ahead of time, the vessel
was going at slow rate of speed
There was but little wind the sea was compa-
ratively calm, the vessel her usual
course, and the passengers had retired with
the comfortable conviction that they would be
in San Luis Ooispo early the next day. About
10 o'clock p. VI. Purser Hughes, who had
tired, experienced shock of the vessel, as if it
had been struck by heavy wave. This was
followed a few minutes later by second and
much more severe shock, which nearly threw
him off his feets
Going on deck, he found the waves breaking
over the bow of the vessel, the passengers rush
ing about panic-strcken, and scene of general
confusion ensued. At this time the vessel was
lifted up by the sea and dashed against the reef
. with such violence that her bottom was crushed
in and her hull filled with water. Such was the
violence of the shock that her smoke-stack was
broken off and fell over the side into the sea.
The vessel lay on her beam-ends one of the
warehouses being above and the other below
water. So complete was the wreck that in thirty
minutes from the time of the first shock the ves
sel filled and keeled over. 1t was found that the
reef on which she struck was about three miles
north of Piedras Blanco, and about fifteen miles
from San Simeon.
1t became evident from the first that the ves-
sci could not be saved, and preparations were
Immediately made for rescuing the passengers
and crew. The life-boats four or five in num-
Der, were lowered, and the work of transferring
the passengers commenced. This occupied but
a short time, and was accomplished without
serious accident to any one. One passen-
ger, in his fright, fell overheard, but
was rescued in a damaged condition.
lady passenger fell in coming on deck and
broke rib. The conduct of the passengers
with few exceptions was admirable. The ladies
were even more cool, self-possessed, and heroic
than the men, and stood the fatigue and prlva-
ton of the night noby. The crew did their duty
manfully, the discipline of the ship being rigidly
maintained through the whole of the terrible
ordeal of danger and imminent death. Captain
Bogart, one of the Oldest commanders in the SER
vice, proved every inch the hero. He was the
last to leave the sinking vessel, and the example
of his GOODNESS and self-possession was potential
alike upon passengers and crew.
After the passengers had been all put IN the
boats, the purser returned to his state room, Sc
cured the treasure and the ships papers, when,
in company with the captain, he left. the sinking
vessel. Owing to the thickness of the fog and
the uncertainty of their position, no attempt was
made to land. The boats were fastened together
an anchor was cast, and the shipwrecked people
anxiously waited for the dawn of day.
At daylight the fog tloated Oft, when the
anchor was weighed, and the boats pulled down
to San Simeon bay, distance OF sixteen miles
from the scene of the disaster, which was
reached at 10A. NJ. Here the passengers were
landed, when the captain Immediately de-
spatched boat to return to the wreck, in hopes
of rescuing the baggage and any other article
which might be obtained without too great risk.
On arriving at the wreck, however, she wa
found to be almost totally submerged, and, we
believe little or nothing was saved.
At the San Simeon landing teams were OBJ.
tanned, and the passengers conveyed to Cambria,
some sixteen miles distant. From here they
were taken in wagons to San Luis Obspo, where
they struck the stage, some returning north, and
some pursuing their journey southwark.
The crew numbered thirty-six There were
forty-two passengers, including six ladies and
three children, a list of which we give below
C. j. Arbuckle, f. F. Walker, Rev. A. II. Bur-
ton, P. Page, T. G. Hayes E. +. Taylor, w.
Pool, r. Pool, I. Bayer, d. Maguel, w. L.
Carroll, E, KleiDer, j. O'Brien, NJ. Dore, Miss
Mary Hollister, Mrs. Dies, Governor Wood and
wife, of Illinois, Mrs. Ransom two daughters
and son, j. Holmes, s. j. Lynch +. Delaty, +.
F. Gormon, j. Atkins.
Among the steerage passengers were mum
ker Of Chinese fishermen bound for San Luis
Obispo. When the ship struck they made for
their boat which was on deck, into which they
huddled, apparently expecting no sympathy OF
assistance from their Caucasian felow-passen
gers, and resolved to stick to the last to theil
own frail craft. 1t was with the greatest diff
Guilty that they could be induced to leave it, sc
that it could be launched This was done, how
ever, and they were safely got aboard and at
safely landed.
We have already referred to the heroic con
duct of Captain Bogart, but the record of brave
deeds would be imperfect if we failed to speak
OF the conduct of James Libby, seaman, whC
twice risked his life in search of blankets for th
use of the ladies.
The Sierra Nevada was one of the oldes
steamers aloat. Her history is an eyeutful one
She has done long and efficient service, and il
the opinion of many ought to have been somt
time ago withdrawn We understand that she
has no insurance.