Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-16
WHEN rwo STEAMERS SANK.

Tales of the Survivors of Frightful
Accident at Sea-HOw the GijOn and
Laxham Crashed Together on the
Coast of spain-Heroism Plentifully
Displayed-AdrIft in a Boat.
Diego Perez, Enriques D. Granados,
Pedro Obezo and Joaquin Cores, surViv-
Ors of the wrecked steamer Gijon, says
the New York Sun of Aug. IA, arrived in
this city yesterday on the steamer
Bothnia.
The Giion was of 1000 tons burden, and
was in command of Capt. NaldOmero g.
lesias, young but experienced seaman:
The vessel piled between Santander and
Havana. At 8 O'Clock on the afternoon OF
July 20 she left Santander with ll3ipassen-
gers, crew Of II, and mixed cargo.
She touched at COruuna on the following
morning. and at 8 80 O'Clock in the after
noon started for Havana. Clouds had
settled low, and the water was dashed
into foam. Later a thick fog came out of
the east and began settling upon the
water. The bells were kept con-
stantly ringing, and men were
placed on watch at all points of the
vessel. Most of the passengers, conscious
of the danger, were on deck. senior
Granados was about to go to his cabin
Wue0 he ueaTu d NOlCe sCICdlu tudI IAOl z
was a vessel ahead. He dashed forward
and saw the LaXham, looking like a huge
black mound, rising out of the fog.
In an instant everything was in con-
fusion. Capt. Yglesias yelled to the engi-
neer to reverse the engines. For some
reason they were not reversed, and the
Giion rapidly neared the Laxham. In an
instant everybody was rushing to and fro
and crying loudly for. help. A few, i'm
PEELED by fear, sprang overheard. The
sailors became infected with the gen.
eral fear. but were soon brought to their
senses by the Captain, who sprang upon
the bridge and threatened to shoot the
first one who shirked his duty. When the
confusion was at its height there was a
shock that hurled most of them Off their
feet. Then came a sound as though a
steam saw was running through a heavy
plank, and after that a heavy surging
motion was felt. The black shape had
disappeared from the bow, but there were
quantities of broken timber on each side
of the vessel. The Gijon had thrust her.
self clean through the Laxham.
When the danger was greatest the chief
engineer of the Giion noticed a woman
and little child on the Laxham. Think
ing he could save them, he sprang on
board the English vessel and thrust them
on board the GiiOn as she was forcing her
way through. Before he could spring af-
ter them he was thrown overheard and
drowned. The woman and child he had
saved were the wife and 2-year-Old daugh-
ter of Capt. Lothian, of the LaXham.
The Gijon was built with three water
tight compartments, and, not believing
that his vessel was seriously injured,
Capt. Yglesias ordered the small boats to
be lowered and an effort made to save as
many as possible of the LaXham's pas
sengers and crew. In the mean time a
sailor reported that the first water-tight
compartment had been stove in, that
the water had forced an entrance into
the other compartments, and that the
vessel was rapidly sinking. The passen-
gers at once rushed for the boaCs. They
were forced back by the sailors. Senior
Perez went to his cabin, and securing his
jewelry and a revolver, called to Cores,
Granados and ObeZO to follow him. He
went to where the Captains gig was
floating in the water, secured by the tackle
with which it was low cred. A sailor
stood guard over it. He was driven away,
and Perez and his friends sprang into it
and permitted eleven others to follow
them. Among these was Padre Pedro
Mendez, the ships priest. The boat was
then cut loose, but remained within sight
of the vessel, and picked up two half
drowned sailors of the LaXham,
Three other boats were lowered and
filled with passengers.
The last one remained waiting tor a
high Spanish official named Cazas V Ochoa.
He remained leaning over the rail of the
fated steamer. He declined to enter the
small boat because he thought another
person would endanger the safety of all.
The vessel has settled low In the water
by this time, and was swaying to and fro
violently. The persons in the small boat
shouted good-by. He lit a cigarette, adj
justed his gOld-howed eye glasses, and
then waved his hand. A second later the
steamer reared and then dived straight
down into the sea. The four boats, con-
tanning eighty persons, two Of whom
were women, were totally Impoverished.
Not so much as a drop OF drinking water
was in any of them. They soon became sep
arated in the fog. The men in the Captains
gig kept up their spirits with tobacco.
Senior Parez had a few cigars, and he lit
one and passed it around among the
others. Toward midnight it grew bitterly
cold, and the cigars were kept going I'M
til the last had been consumed. Then
Senior GranadOs, who is the son of the
Collector of the Port of Havana, guaran-
teed to keep watch throughout the night.
He is only is years of age and weighs
about 275 pounds. The other occupants
of the boat crOuohed in the centre.
and kept their heads close together for
warmth. The priest spent the night in
mumbling prayers and smoking ciga-
rettes, He kept his tobacco concealed in
his bosom, and refused to share it with
any of his suffering companions. On the
morning of July % a stiff breeze lifted
the fog, and the faintest glimmer of the sun
could be seen. About O'Clock a sail was
sighted about a mile away. The cast
always screamed and frantically waved
their handkerchiefs and arms.
The vessel shifted her course, and it
was thought that she had seen them and
was coming to their assistance. The
priest forgot his prayers, and laughed and
shouted Historically. When it became
apparent that the brig was leaving them
the priest began again to smoke and pray.
Then thirst and hunger tortured the men,
and when night fell the cold was intense.
Granados remained ON watch all night,
and was the first to see the smoke of the
steamer that rescued them. She proved
to be the Zoe, in charge OfCaDt. Husband.
Senior Perez said that the statement
that Capt. Yglesias committed suicide by
shooting himself is false. He remained
on the vessel ana went down with her.
The only officer saved was the first officer,
who was commanded by the Captain to
take charge of the small boats when they
were ordered afOat, in the hopes of res
cuing some of the LaXham's passengers.
Senior Granados said that 40 persons
went down with the Giion, and he did not
belive any of the persons on board the
LaXham were saved except the two
sailors picked up by his boat and Capt.
LOthian's wife and child. Seniors Perez,