Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-17
EIGaENsoTrmE vAsnALrA
Experiences Of tho ships MachInist
During the Irving Hou,s


| special dispatch from san Francisco,
/ Cal. says; William f.. Bowen, toe una
/ chiuisl OF the NaudaNS, who arrived on the
/ Alameda, gives the following graphic details
I Of toe loss 81 The ship: Ny home is at Day.
7 ton. O. This was nv first voyage on the
/ Nandalia, having shipped in january last.
I When the vessel was drifting on the reef
+ was % deck, mastering volunteers for the
+ fire department, as during the panic most Of
the regular men got sick. after the bursting
OF two glass water.gsuges, by which several
men were scSlded. After We had succeeded
10 shutting the gauges obtained one gang
OF SIX men 81 volunteers, VINO went down
INTO the hre.rOOn with me AMI started TO
work. | then went on deck and got
four additional volunteers ready 10 relieve
those below. but lud st this moment the
ytssel struck the reef. The captain then
gave orders, Tor the hremea TO leave their
posts and come on deck. | went on to the
poop and when the vessel began 10 break up
] Vas standing on the slnr0oard side, near
the small salu,e-gun. | warned four or
I've of my mates who were standing
round u, and they alt, with the exception OF
q Cbinaman, took no q different position.
The decks then began 10 break No aud the
(hlnaniau WHO persisted in cliuRing TO the
gun was earned overheard with the gun and
portion % the deck. and In few minutes
was drowned. then made for the rigging
OF the mzzeumast aud when only hnlf way
up large body Of water came over ne with
such force a. % make 10 very difficult to hold
on. This was before II A. NJ, and | re-
NAMED IN the same position til nearly +.
NJ, when the Trenton came down upon us.
al took of ala my clothes when In the
rigging, and with the cold, heavy seas con-
I =. n
ful time. hal great difficulty IN reaching
the Trenton, n had first TO jump from Che
s,srhOdrd ligging TO the Jacobs ladder, and
then on TO the port rigging. This had TO he
done in vCrl dark night and ran great
risk. The orderly sergeant, Is soon az the
vessel broke up, put On a large liie-buoy and
Jumped overheard. He made for the Nipsic.
put tie current was too strong for him, and
nc was dfiitcd out round 10 the stern OF tine
NGnd1lia, where De got Oh board again. lie
TOOK a rest, tben got a piece OF wood, and
using il for q paddle swan TO the NlpSic.
The tide, however, was too strong for him,
and he was carried ont TO sea
60 seaman named Benjamin Davis and
Machini.l lcoman made 4 desperate strug-
Gle for HE. When the snip struck the reef
| saw Davis Standing on the poop and SUBJ
sequently cmgiug to the calhead. lie held
on. crOuching down with every sea. Later
90 he was compelled TO take 10 the rigging,
hut eventually saw him vt the extreme end
OF the poop. begged bin - leave, as an
other man named DOwuCy had Just been car
Ted away from the same place. He then
stripped and jumped overheard. He swan
CALAMITY 10 tue SHE OF the Nipsic. A rope
was thrown him, but the poor fellow missed
u, and by the next SET was taken right under
the stern Of The ship, feet foremost. |
never saw MIN rise again.
"The people on the Trenton threw me
rope, and told me 10 issh myself with ii. !
made q loop in the rope and stood IN il. |
then let 20 as directed, ana fell heavily be-
tween the two ships. They bad evidently
given me the wrong rope. Although IN great
pam, managed, with the assistance Of the
waves, 10 get up again, sud swan for a mast
which was drifting. J climbed upon il. My
foot then became entangied with the wire
rope belonging 10 The rigging OF the mizzen-
mast. By tins time the men OF the Trenton
heard ne in tbe water. and again threw me
o rope, but, ~ | was already fast with the
wire rope round my ankles, seized 1t and
made it fast until | could release my foot.
There were four men behind me, who had
failcu with the mast. / asked them to give
me a few minutes assistance. but they were
all pnuic-strlcken. aud would not move from
their position. These men were eventually
taken on board the Trenton by the rope
" bich had been thrown me.
"'I bad then given myself up as lost,
thinking l had no chance OF being saved.
About fifteen minutes later swell came from
the shore and carried the mast On board
again. This gave me slack rope NV ankle
and foot by this time had all the flesh torn
on, leaving the bone exposed, and was SUI
ferine intense pain. My left leg was then
caught. but managed to clear it. and ! sang
oui for another rope, which was immediately
thrown, and was pulled on board tho Tren-
ton. The mex morning was taken on shore
in 4 boat to the hospital