Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-04-27

We are well aware that after such
calamity as the wrecking of the Ven
tura, all sorts of stories will gain cir
culation and that fault will be found
by the sufferers, with or without
cause. Since the carnival of the wreck
ed passengers of the Ventura in our
city, we have conversed with many of
them and have heard all sides of the
question thoroughly discussed. Capt.
Fake, of course, comes in for a full
measure of the blame, some alleging
that he paid too much attention to
two ladies who were accommodated in
his stateroom and others that he was
under the influence of liquor. These
views are controverted by still others,
which account for the accident by the
variation of the compass. This reason
has the advantage of logic, at least.
The Ventura was all iron ship, and in
such vessels the compass is always
liable to more or less variation from
the true point. AT best, it is vexed
question and altogether too weighty
for us to express an opinion upon,
with nothing more than hearsay for
authority. That there was great
lack of discipline evinced among the
crew at the time of the wreck, all
agree. AS to the dense fog bank
which is said to have prevailed, we
have complete denial Of it's exist
ence from several gentlemen whom
we consider. candid aud reliable. One
stated that they had passed fog, but
thatit had entirely cleared away at
least fifteen minutes before the acci-
dent, and that the breakers We're
plainly visible. The relief watch,
whose duty it was to go on ats O'clock
informed the gentleman that as he
(the relief was approaching the
wheel-house and standing within 20
feet of it, he noticed the breakers
ahead and said to the man at the
wheel: "You are going to strike that
rock.u The pilot replied: 81 am not
steering by the rock, but by the COM
pass.o Our informant was unable to
state where the Captain was at the
time. The two bOat-lOads of passen-
pers who were out all night owe their
unnecessary exposure to the fact that
the crews had no instructions as to the
course which they should take 20 the
beach. They steered down the coast
in hopes of tiiiding a landing, but met
a rocky shore all the way down until
morning, when they landed about
seven miles below the wreck and were
compelled to walk back to their COM
panions. All of the passengers lost
their baggage, with the exception of
what they are able to carry in their
hands. Worse than this, several who
left their valises on deck for short
time during the excitement, found
them broken open and pillaged upon
returning. ee sne aafetsfc an
Concerning the treatment which the
passengers received after the disaster
we submit the following letter from.
gentleman who, with his wife and two
children, was among the unfortu-
mates:
LDIIOft I1EhALD. l. WISH W COIIcCU
statement which l find in the San
Francisco Bulletin of the 23d instant.
That paper says: q The passengers all
speak in praise of the generosity of
the rancheros in the vincinity of the
wreck. They were abundantly sup
piled with meat and such other edibles
as the sparsely settled neighborhood
afforded" The party who furnished
the meat here mentioned was Mr..
Burns, of Cooper's ranch, who only
did so upon the promise that he wonld
be well paid for it. Those who fur
nishtd transportation to Monterey
Mr.. Burns and Mr.. Alex. Raney-car-
ried myself and another gentleman.
together with my wife and two
children the distance of twenty-eight
miles for the small sum of sirty dollars
la gold coin. Very kind of them,
was it? Four of our party rode in
wagon and another on horseback.
Mr.. Burns provided US with a hay-mow
in which to sleep and slap-jacks and
coffee without milk or sugar for the
modest price of one dollar each. These
statements / am able to substantiate
by other passengers who were eye-
witnesses to the transaction. Isimply
want justice done to these men, of
whom "the passengers all speak in
praise.p Let the public know what
kind of men they are who thus took
mean, disreputable advantage of our
misfortunes. Respectfully, e@la
A. G. NIXON.
Los Angeles. ApriI 26th. ~<