The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-11-10
THE LOST STEAMER.
Statement of the Only Survivor.
A Collision the Cause of the Dis
aster.
200 PERSONS DROWNED.

SAN Francisco, Nov. "a despatch from
Port Town end says Henry f. Jelly, supposed
to be the sole survivor of the steamer Pacific,
makes the following statement:
The Survivors, Statement.
took cabin passage on the Pacific from
Victoria, leaving at quarter past nine on the
were about 200 people on board. The steamer
worked all day against southeastern, the crew
constantly pumping water into the boats to
trim the ship. The boats were abaft the paddle
box, and had no oars in them. The others had
oars. Between and in the evening, while in
vessel had struck ROCK. The starboard bow
bell was struck to stop, back and go ahead.
went on deck and heard voices say, "Its all
right; we have struck vessel" 1 saw the
vessels lights at a distance, but do not think
they were colored. paid little attention, but
returned to the cabin, and noticed that 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, COM
ing out OF his room, asked if there were any
lights weiein the pilot house. The men got
them and burned five. noticed that the en-
gines were 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 try.
ing to get out the long boat. but could not. L
went to the port forward, and helped five or six
women into it; tried to get the boat off but
could not move it, There were about twenty
women in it. Heard that the boats abaft the
paddles had got off, but did not see.
l think it was about an hour after the steam
er struck, when she listed too much The port
boat was in the water. was in that boat when
she was cut loose from the davis The boat
filled and turned over. 1 got on her bottom
and helped several up with me. Immediately
oft - IL r.
and aft. The smoke-stack fell and struck our
boat and the steamer sunk. l 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 there
was a fresh breeze 1 afterwards left the bot
tom of the boat, and with another man, climb
ed in at the top of the pllot-house, which was
floating near. The next morning we got some
life-preservers which were floating near the
house, and with their ropes dashed myself and
companion to the house. We saw three rats.
The first had one man on it The next had
three men and woman on it, but we could not
make GU, the other, except that there were peo-
pie on it. Think we were thirty or forty miles
south of Cape Flattery when the vessel sunk
and in the evening. My companion and 1
were on the pilot house all of Friday until about
4 o'clock o. M, when he died and I cut him
loose. The sea was running high all day, and
was washing over us Soon after he died I
sighted vessel. l called, and heard the peo-
pie on the RATS calling, but the vessel did not
come near
Friday night there was but little wind until
morning, when the wind and sea rose. was
then within mile of Vancouver's Island. 1
sighted two vessels on the American shore
which passed on About ten in the morning of
Saturday, the ship Messenger picked me up.
HENRY f. JELLY.
The Shin and Her Grew
The lost steamship was wooden side-whee.
steamer, of about 900 tons, built in 1851 by w.
P. Brown of New York. 1t was nearly re-
built here by the Pacific Mail Co., two years
ago, locked and surveyed the trip before last
valued at about 100000 There was on board
cargo of hops and oats, worth about $4,000.
The insurance on the ship was about $47 600.
Capt. Howell had the reputation Of an efficient
officer.
The ships complement was as follows:
Master, j. d. Howell: first officer, A. N.
McDonough second officer, A. Wells; third
officer, j. M. Lewis; purser, O. Hite, Jr;
freight clerk, S ID. Pisely; chief engineer T.
Houston; assistant engineer, d. M. Basset:
carpenter, R. Erickson. There were five fire.
men, two oilers, four coal passers, three stew
ards. ten seamen, three cooks, two messmen-
two pantrymeD, one watchman, one porter,
one baker and eight walters
Excitement i'm san Francisco.
There was great excitement in this city on
hearing the news, and the telegraph and news
paper offices and Merchants Exchange were
besieged by people who. had friends and rela.
tons on board. No one seems to know the
names of the Hurlburt Rockwell troupe, but it
is supposed that Fannie Marston was one of
them, and that the others were performers pick.
ed up in that part of the country The steam
er Los Angeles will be dispatched on her arriv-
al to-day, to save survivors, if any can be found.
Jelly states informally that there was no ter
ror or confusion on the part of the passengers,
and that if the boats could have been launched
and properly manned all would have been saw
ed. 1t is believed that Jelly may be in error as
to the fate of the other boats, as the steamer
was provided with extra large and safe life
boats.
Probable Safety of the Rockwell Troupe.
despatch from Seattle says of the Rock
well & Hurlburt troupe, consisting of A. H.
Rockwell and wife, M. d. Hurburt j. D.
Cowler, W. Tuly and Williams, reported as be-
ing lost with the steamer Pacific, that it is not
certain that they took passage by that vessel,
as on the day she sailed Rockwell told an off,
Ger of the steamer Salvador they were booked
for the Pacific, but could not get ready and
would go on the Salvador.
New YORK, Nov. 9.-The captain of the lost
steamer Pacific was Jeff d. Howell brother
in-law of Jefferson Davis, and formerly an Of
Fl Ger in the Confederate navy. He was young
m an but was considered an experienced
navigator