The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-05-17
ASTORIA. OREGON:
OTHER STATEMENTS.

man said that he knew positively there
were % stowaways on board; that he
knew it personally, having seen them
get aboard.
One of the stowaways, whatever
their number, had a singular exper-
ience.
He was working on the Idaho up to
within three minutes of the sailing of
the Alaskan He left his work and
the wages due him, jumped aboard
and secreted himself on the alaskan,
was all through the wreck, was in
pilot Woods boat, and when the Col
umbiG arrived yesterday noon, walked
into Lounsberry and called for his
wages for working on the Idaho last
Saturday, just as unconcerned as
though nothing had happened. - =
Another of those who survived says
that from four o'clock Sunday after
noon the fremen were working in
water from their knees to their waists;
that the ship struck bad weather as
soon as she got outside, and labored
heavily all the way down: that part of
the time her bow was under water,
and that she shipped several seas. He
blames the condition of the vessel
partly for the disaster: that the guards
should have been removed instead of
having every other plank knocked off;
that when the seas carried away her
guards the covering board was lifted,
and that through such large aper-
ture the water poured in at such a
rate as to prevent even the powerful
pumps of the steamer from making
any impression on it.
All praise the courage and efforts
of Capt. Howes and pilot Wood in
trying TO do all they could to save
life.
From the best obtainable accounts
there were 43 men on the vessel: of
these IL are accounted for. This leaves
30 who are missing, with even chances
for their safety.
1t was proyidential that even these
were saved, and they say they wouldn't
if the tug VigiLGnt had happened
along. She was from San Diego, Cal,
making the biggest Pacific coast tow
on record-a steam dredger from San
Diego to Tacoma. The VigiLGnt would
have been alongside the wreck or the
wrecked men sooner than she was had
she been able to let go her tow, but
there were six men on the dredger, and
to let the dredger go would have
meant death for those aboard.
AL. RAILS AND SEYMOUR WEEKS.
Many were the expressions of re-
gret heard yesterday regarding the
sad fate of Al. Rails, the veteran river
and ocean steamer steward, who was
so well known by so many III Astoria.
He came out here in 1851 to run on
one of Capt. Flavers vessels and has
been a familiar figure on board in the
waters of this vicinity ever since.
He owned considerable property in
this city, but resided in Portland,
where he leaves a wife and six chill
dren, the eldest of whom is a boy
seventeen years old. He was brother
of Mrs. John-A. Devlin, and general
favorite here.
OF course it is by no means certain
that he was drowned, but the worst is
feared. He was on the upper deck
aft of the pilot house, near the walk.
ing beam, when the final crash came.
Brown and Shurman were with him
They said they put life preserver on
him and life line round him, but he
refused to go, and that when the yes.
sci split in two he disappeared and
they think that he was hit by q piece
of machinery and carried down.
Seymour Weeks, the second officer
of the vessel, was a brother of chief en-
gineer P. W. Weeks, of this city, single
man forty years of age, who had been
here about two years. He had a pre-
sentiment of disaster, and told his
brother five minutes before leaving
that if he could get decent excuse
he would back out, and not go.
Brown, the quartermaster, says that
from his perch on the upper deck he
saw Weeks and sailor go into the
forecastle and disappear. Foley, an.
other of the survivors, says positively
that he saw Weeks and three Others
get into a life raft and get away from
the wreck in safety.
There were four life boats AMI fouI
life RATS, sufficient ordinarily to save
the lives of forty men.
The question arises as to the
chances of life of the 81 men unac
counted for. Some of them have un,
doubtedly perished, but there is a
possibility that more may have got
safely to shore. They had two boats
and raft: they were ten miles from
a rock bound coast ON which the
waves were beating with fury, but
they had oars, were hardy men, and
their unfortunate comrades were able
to keep afoat in the trough of a wei.
tering sea till picked up by the tug
Vigilant.
They may be heard from yet, as
having safely reached shore.
Among those among the missing
and believed to be lost are Jas. Ste
vens, the watchman, son-in-law oi
Thos. Mountain, of Portland, who
leaves a wife and seven children, and
Frank Redmond, of Portland, the
cook, who leaves a wife and two chill
dren.
The full particulars of the dreadful
occurrence are.not wholly obtainable,
and criticism while unacquainted will
the exact facts should be withheld.
The news sent a thrill of horror
through everyone in the community
A gallant vessel that looked so stanch
and strong, sailed from here last Sat
urday, and the next news is that in
Of, ..,r,l,4 i .11,T T<xi