New-York tribune., 1877-05-31
Loss or 4 PACIFIC MAIL STEAMER.
WRECK OF THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO.

NRECh OF HE til1 Vi DAN ThhNOi'oND'
AN UNKNOWN ROCK STRUCK 13 MILES FROM LAND
-rlIE VESSEL GROUNDED ON THE MEXICAN
sHORr-REsCUE OF ALL on BOARD-EXCELLENT
DISCIPLINE OF THE GREW.
SAN Francisco, Cal, May 30.-The San Diego
correspondent Of the California Associated Press ole-
graphs IA follows "2 p. m.-The Pacific Mail steamer
Costa Rica has Just dropped anchor and has ON board
1877 passengers Of the san Francisco. Mr. Moses Sar-
gent brother Of Senator Sargent gives the following de
tails:
"The CITY of san Francisco left Panama on My II al
4:3O A. m with 1877 passengers-i6 cabin and u steer
age-and 80 officers aud Her cargo was valued
s hreenuarters Of million dollars, consisting OF Silks
velvets laces etc Wednesday morning, hay TO- the
day was bright and the atmosphere clear AT Is minutes
past o'clock peculiar, indcscrilabe tremor was lei''
the ship having struck against an unknown
DANCER, cutting into the hull the lcns'h oi
60 feet and causing the water to rush in with fearful
velocity The ship was then'sX miles southwest nom
Tartur shoals and miles from the shore, the captain
haviu, known by observation her position az o'clock
The danger upon which she struck l. not ON any chFt'
but document sworn to before the United STATES '"hS"
at Acapulco by Pcrer, and Witnessed b' N'Iilam
Lund OF the unboat Mexico, de?uses that said Pefr i
pcrrectly acquainted with The rocks extending from
Point Maldonadocia southwest direction ana the
sbarDpouter. covered with four or five iathons OF
water extending in nearly straight llnr southwest 10
distance Of miles from land, and that he hsheu
for turt ties there frequently.
.The ship was at once turned toward the shore,
gradually sinking She had fun head Of steam on wh'n
she grounded on the sandhank at 1929 a. M Fortu-
uaely three compartments were still w"or-tight Ihe
cap,an and his officers cool and preserved discp
line on board As soon az the ship struck orders were
cvCn to get the boats ready and put hfcpeserNcrs on
AS the danger Of sinking most imminent soundhss
between the reef and saudbank showed Do 10 20, -
fatnoms and no bottom. During the fearful interval
I.rtfIV not "A
heard from the passen and there was little CON
fusion, although among the 1877 passengers 20 were
small Children and many young men never before
at sea.
The boats,were filed and star;e for the Shore thr
teen miles away the passengers not being allowed 10
take any baggage The boats we're all overturned IN the
surf and the scene TO be forgotten. Kind
Providence preserved every life and all safe on The
Mexican shore. Fortunately stream OF fresh water
was found between the mountains where, with the stars
for covering and and branches of trees for mat
trcsses all slept. The captain at once sent one OF the
officers to Acapulco, 80 miles distant; but fortunately
boat fell in with Sunboat Mexico. Capt iolor com
nanding and although under orders 10 tet provisions
for Dcsicgcd city, the inhabitants 0f which we're staIN
slpwrcc kcI passengers. They all taken off safely,
crOWdius the deck o. the ginboat ana the next ddy
RiSs iaSS were transferred 70 '"' '"''I' '''' '''
"Cap. Whitcbcriy the commanding officers and crews
Of the United states ships Lachi"ahha ana fchsicUh
acted most nOhly supply ns tle PASSENGERS WIN cotu
their NHITirOucs. Inc lnlitd ~talrN
subscription to Il large amount Tor un-
tribuun among the women and children who were en-
ti,iv destitute. Capt Naddcl ana his Officers behaved
spcndly their conduct being brave, humane, ana ni-
selfish. Capt Wdddel says seven steam pumps oi 100
barrels of water per minute capacity were Absolutely
useless. The whole bottom is out OF the steamer Inc
captain he ran the steamer repeatedly over ne same
SPOT before. aud can Ony conjecture ttt the alc cflh
quake, winch made manifest on the coast ~ Tue
tidal wave, may have uPhttVed submarine ROCK Iht
ship uudor way an1 was going at the rate o eleven
kuoIs hour when she struck. The captain WAS ON the
Hridrc hour before the 81, amer struck ahd utird
everything by his watch TNcaty minutes aftcr SIC
struck the fires Ou In that 20 minutes she was
Funuiu- shore under iull hc3L Of steam. she ran on
for IL minutes making dhtuce of nine or ten miles,
and grouu0cd 80 Feet 81 water. sand bottom
Next moruu- about loot Of the sIcrn seen out q"
water. Tue wLOc body OF the snip submerged ana
the nZHc mast gone. Iha baggage Oi tue pa,sth-
gels furniture, &c.. were constantly nDa;irg d>hVIc
during the day The money Of TIE passengers III the
puTecrs hands, the ships money ana All the Das5aGC
we've lost.
The passengers all say enphaticay tla the captain
and officer dd all that could hr done. me captain Dc
cares that his officers and STOOD to their duy uo1
that they cylHccl perfect conilrss and cuu' dgt ahd
tha 0rl led oil wars men could not vc acted WIN
ncttcr dist pine responded tO every order wn more
hGcuiF CAPT. VA ;dcl, IHrscr jerome, Mc~sts. L. i5
IaIItt, J.. A. .all j. stewart, ana n. sutton 20 nP
overland, taking convey ancr here and pocecunS t5
Iai. from Auah. in. 1hc Costa itcl reus 20 tahe on
cOa anu viii probably not get away nce unu ter
morrow morning. !! Us expected she Viii arrive az san
francisco on Monday next