Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-11-18
Fhe Pacific Disaster-TWO Hundred
Lives Lost.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9.

sole survivor OF the racine, brought here
yesterday by the ship Messenger in a
wretched condition, having been on raft
thirtY-siX hours before being picked up,
says the Pacific collided with some other
vessel whose lights he saw, but in his in
serviews with Gilkey, Captain of the Mes
Senger, lasting twelve hours, he made no
mention of the lights of the vessel, and
some think him laboring under hallucina-
ton as to that. Experienced navigators
here think it more likely that she struck a
sunken rock. Jelley makes astatement to
the following effect:
Took cabin passage on the Pacific from
Victoria, leaving about a quarter past nine
on the morning of Thursday, the 4th
inst. There were about 200 people on
board. Steamed all day against a
sOutheaster, the crew constantly pump
ing water into the boats to trim
the ship. The boats abaft the paddle
boxes had no oars in them The others
had about eight or nine. In the evening,
while in bed, heard crash and felt a
shock as if we had struck a rock Heard
something fall as if rocks had fallen on
the starboard bow The bell was struck
Ga stop, back and 90 ahead. Went on
deck and heard voices say: It's all right;
we have struck vessel" Saw several
lights at a distance but Go not think they
were colored; but paid little attention
Returned to the cabin and noticed the
ship took heavy list to port. Went on
deck to the pilot-hOuse and heard some
one say: " She is making water very fast
The Captain was coming out Of his room.
Asked him if there were any blue-Iights
or guns. He said the blue-lights were in
the pilot-house. Got them and burned
five. Noticed the engines still working,
but there was no one at the wheel Went
TO the starboard side forward of the
paddle box where a number of men
were trying to get the long boat out, but
could not. Went to the pOrt-bOat for
ward and helped five or six women into
1t. Tried to get the boat off, but could
mot move it. There were about twenty
women in it. Heard the boats abaft the
paddles had got off, but did not see them
Think it was about an hour after the
steamer struck when she listed so much
TO port that the boat was in the water |
was III that boat. Cut loose from the
davits, When the boat filled and turned
over. Got on her bottom and helped sew
eral up with me. Immediately after the
steamer seemed to break in two fore and
n oil nd
boat, and the steamer sunk. Think about
all the women were in our boat, and
fear they were all drowned when the boat
upset. This was about ten in the
evening. The night was not dark
nor the sea very rough, but fresh
breeze sprung UP afterward. Left the bot
tom of the boat, and with another man,
climbed on top of the pilot-house, floating
near, The next morning [ got some life
preserves, floating near, and with their
ropes dashed myself and companion to the
house. Saw three RATS; the first had one
man on it, the next had three men and a
woman; could not make out the other for
the distance, except that there were people
on it. Think we were thirty or forty
miles south of Cape Flattery when the
vessel sunk. Passed the light on Tattoosh
Island between four and five IN the even
ing. Myself and companion were on the
pllot-house all of Friday until about four
%. M, when he died, and | cut him loose
The sea was running very high all day,
the waves washing over us. Soon after
he died | sighted a vessel. Called, and
heard the people on the other RATS calling,
but the vessel did not come near. Friday
night we had but little wind, but in the
morning the wind and sea rose Was
then within mile of the shore of Van
c0uver Island. Sighted two vessels Oh
the American shore, which passed on
About ten o'clock Saturday forenoon the
Messenger picked me up.
.Jelley stated, informally, that there was
no terror or confusion on the part of the
passengers, and that if the boats could
have been launched and properly manned,
the sea being comparatively smooth, all
would have been saved.
The statement of Neal O'Haley, Quar-
ICIlHtSICI VI VIC Il dClHC, TeSCueu Dy the
revenue-cutter Wolcott on the morning of
the 9TH, is to the effect that there were
over 200 people on board the lost steamer.
He says:
saw large vessel under sail, which
they said struck the steamer; saw her
green light distinctly. The passengers
crowded into the boats against the COM
mands of the officers. |, with the chief
engineer, got port boat forward into the
water and got fifteen women and six men IN
her. She was capsized by the rolling OF
the ship. I saw none of them afterward
I supported myself by a floating sky-lIght
about fifteen minutes, and then get on a
portion Of the hurricane-deck with some
eight others. On looking for the steamer
I found she had disappeared, leaving a
floating mass of human beings. The
screams for help were fearful, but soon
ceased, and we were alone on the raft.
There were the Captain, second mate,
second cook, and four passengers,
including young lady. at one
,,olo.l- +f,o ,,avt ,,,Crpipr tho Stb +boro