The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-06-07
GONE To THE BOTTOM.

The Pacific Mail Steamship City of San
francisco Strikes on an Unknown Rock
or the Mexican Coast and Goes to the I
Bottom-Heroic Conduct of Those ON
Board-Eo Lives Lost.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 30.-A San Di-
ego correspondent of the California
Associated Press telegraphs as follows:
At p. m. the Pacific Mail steamer
Costa Rica has just dropped anchor.
She has on board 1877 passengers of the
steamer City of San Francisco. Mr..
Moses Sargent, brother of Senator Sar-
gent, gives the following details:
The City of San Francisco left Pan
anna May II, at 4: so a. M, with 49, pas
sengersz7 cabin and 90 steerage-and
$50 officers and crew. The value of the
cargo was three-quarters of million of
dollars, consisting of silks, velvets,
laces, etc. On Wednesday morning,
May 16, the day was bright and the at
mosphere clear. At rs o'clock a pc
culiar and indescribable tremor was felt,
The SHIP HAVING SIkUCh
against some unknown danger, cutting
into the hull helength of 60 feet Water
commenced rushing in with fearful
velocity. The ship was still six miles
southwest from Tartar Shoals and IS
miles from shore, the Captain having
known, by observation, her position at s
o'clock. The danger upon which she
struck is not on any chart, but the docu-
ment sworn to before the United States
Consul at Acapulco by one Perea, and
witnessed by VIM. Lund, of the gunboat
Mexico, depOses that he is perfectly con
versant with the rocks extending from
Point Maldon to Adocia in a southwest
erly direction. The sharp point is COW
cred with four or five fathoms of water
extending in nearly a straight linesouth-
west from u to IA miles from land, and
that he fished for turtles frequently
there The ship was at once turned to-
ward shore, gradually sinking with full
steam on when she grounded on sand
bank at 1910 a. m. Fortunately there
were three compartments not bursted.
The Captain and his officers were cool,
calm, and clear-headed. As soon as the
ship struck orders were given to
GET THE BOATS READY
and life-preServers on, Is the danger OF
sinking was most imminent. Sound
ings between the reef and the sand-bank
showed 81, u, 20 and % fathoms OF
water and no bottom. During the fear
full interval, while evidently sinking, not
a cry was heard from the passengers.
There was little confusion, but silent,
anxious waiting, although there were 137
passengers on board and 20 of them
small children. Many young men never
before at sea with boats started for
shore, 16 miles away. Not passenger
was allowed pound of baggage of any
kind, and on reaching shore each boat
was overturned and the passengers
thrown into the surf, scene never to be
forgotten. Kind Providence preserved
every life, and all were safe on the Mex
lean shore Fortunately stream OF
fresh water was found between the
mountains, where, with
THE STARS FOR A COVERING
and roots and branches oftrees for mat
trcsses, all slept The Captain at once
sent one of the officers to Acapulco,
eighty miles distant, but fortunately the
boat fell in with the 9unboat Mexican,
Captain Loler commanding, and al
though under orders to get provisions for
a besieged city, the inhabitants starving
for food, the Captain at once steamed
off to the relief of the shipwrecked pas
sengers. They were all taken of safely
crowding the deck of the gunboat, and
next dav were transferred o he Pacific
Mail steamer, Costa Rica, Captain
VIII ebury commanding. The officers
and crew of The United States ships
Lackawanna and Pensacola ac ed most
molly, supplying the passengers with
clothing from their private wardrobes
The United STATES ships got ~ subscrip-
lions 10 a large amount for distribution
among the women and children, who
were