The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-31
LOSS OF THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO,

DETAILED ACCOUNT or THE DIsAsrER-saA
cEUsHEs HER BOTTOM ON AN UNcHARTED
REEF-sPLESDID CONDUCT OF OFFICERS AMI
CREW.
SAN Francisco Cal, May 30, 1877.
The San Diego correspondent OF the California Asso-
cated Press iee9raphs as folioxs:-Two =. M.-The
Pacific Mail steamer Costa Rca mas Just dropped an,
chor and has board 1871 passengers San Fran
cisco. Mr.. Moses Sargent, brother OF Senator Sar.
gent. gives the following details The City OF
Francisco left Panama May H. half past four A.
NJ. with 1877 passengers-,ortysix and ninety
stcerage-and $50 officers and Her cargo was
valued at threequarers OF million dollars consist
ing Of silks, veves, lnces, &C. On Wednesday morn.
ing May Is, the day bright aud the atmosphere
was clear Al eighteen minutes past nine o'clock q
peculiar indescribablo trcmor felt ship hav
ing struck against an unknown danger, cutting into
tho hull tho length Of sixty eet causing the water to
with fearful velocity. The ship was then six
miles southwest from Tartur Shoals aud thirteen
miles from the Shore the Captain having known by
observation her position at eight O'Clock.
UNMARKED smoAI-
The danger upon which she struck Ia not on any
chart. but u document, sworn 10 before the United
States Consul At Acapulco by Pcrer, witnessed
by William Lund, oil the gunboa Mexico deposes that
SAID ferer perfectly acquainted with the rocks
tending from Point Madonadocla n southwest drcc
ton, and the sharp pointer, covered with Nur five
iathoms OF water. extending nearly straight line
southwest to a distance fourteen mies
from land, and that he Hshed for turtles fro.
quenty.
The ship was at once turned toward the Shore grad
uaily sinking. She had full head Of steam on whom
she grounded tho sandbank at twenty nutes past
ton A. NJ. Fortunately, three compartments were
still water tight The Captain aud his officers were
cool, and preserved discipline board. As soon as
tho ship struck orders were given get the boats
ready and put lie prescrvers on, as tho danger OF
sinking was most imminent. soundngs between the
reef ana sandbank showed 51s tx, 20, % fathoms,
ana no bottom.
DISCIPLINE.
During the fearful interval though tho ship was owl.
IDENTIFY sinking, not cry was heard from tho passcn.
GERS and thcre little confusion, although among
tho 1871 passengers twenty ware small children, and
many were young men never before ut
The boats were nlled and started for tho shore,
tho passengers not being allowed ako any baggage
The boats were all overturned in tho surf, aud tho
sceuc never to be forgotten. Kind Provi-
dcnce preserved every lite, and soon all wore
sato the Mexican shore. Fortunately
s,realn OF fresh water found between tho
mountains, where with the stars tor a covering and
The Captain at sent OF the cflcors to AGA
pulco, eighty miles distant but fortunately. tho boat
fell IN with the gunboat Mexico, Captain Loor
mandng aud although under orders to get provisions
for bcsioged city, the inhabitants OF which
starving. the Captain at steamed of TO the relief
OF tho shpwrccked passengers. They all takcn
Off safely, crowding the deck OF the gunboat, and
next day they were transferred to the Pacific Mail
steamer Costa Rica Captain whitebcrry.
PRACTICAL BENEvoLEScE.
The commanding officers and crews OF the United
States ships Lackawanna and Pensacola acted most
nobly, supplying the passengers with clothing from
their private wardrobcs The United states ships took
up subscriptions to large amount for distribution
among tho women and children who were entirely
destitute Captain addell ana hts officers behaved
splcnddly, thor conduct being brave, humane and
unselhsh.
1T A NEW REErY
Captain Waddell says seven steam pumps, OF 100
barrels OF water minute capacity, werc absolutely
useless. The whole bottom out OF tho steamer The
Captain gays no the steamer repeatedly over tho
spot before anly conjecture that the ate
tho tia. wave. might have uphcavcd submarine rock
Tho ship under way and gong at The rate OF
eleven knots an hour when shc struck. The Captain
was tho bridge hour before the steamer struck
and timed everything by his witch
SHORE
| Twenty minutes alter she struck the hrcs out
In that twenty minutes she was running IN shore
der full head Of steam. sho ran on for iorty-tws
then grounded IN thirty feet OF water sand bot
TOM Next morning about foot OF the stern was
seen out OF water The whole body OF tho snip
submerged and the mizzenmast gone Tho baggage Of
the passengers furniture, &C., were constantly float
| ing ashore during the day.
Tho money OF the passengers IN tho pursors hands
the ships money ami all the baggage were lost Tho
passengers all say cmphaticaly that tho captain and
officers did all that could DO done. Tho CAPTAIN de-
cares that hts officers and men stood to their duty
nobly that they cvinced perfect courage
and that drilled men ol-wars men could not havo acted
with bcttor discipline or responded TO every order
with more idciity.
i Captain wadde. Purser Jerome, Mcssrs l.. b. Par
rott, 4. A. Scal, J. stewart and X. Sutton 90 up
overland, taking conveyance here and proceeding by
rail from Anahuin. Tho Costa Rica remains TO take
coal will probably not get away until to-mor-
row morning. IL Is expected shc will arrive at San
| Francisco on Monday next