Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-03
ASTRANDEDSTEAMER A
In the Caribbean Sea With Warner
Miller and Party Aboard.
THEIR FATE is YET UNKNOWN,
Although no Fears are Entertained of Any
thing Serious.
TWO STEAMERS GONE TO THE RESCUE
THEIR FATE is YET UNKNOWN,
TWO STEAMERS GONE TO THE RESCUE
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.I

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH-i
NEW YORK, April 2.-The steamship
Aguan, of the Honduras and Central Amer
lean line, on which Warner Miller and his
party lett New York to examine the work oi
the Nicaragua Canal, was stranded on
March 26 on Roncador reef in the Caribbean
Sea, 25O miles northeast of Greytown, while
on her way to Greytown from Kingston,
Jamaica. The news came by cable to the
Nicaragua Canal Company from Chief En-
glneer A. C. MenocaI at Greytown.
The Aguan sailed from here on March IA,
with Warner Miller, the President of the
Canal Construction Company, on board.
He was accompanied by G. Hilton Scribner,
Charles Watrous, c. L. Merriam, c. L. Nc
Arthur. William J. Marvin, Major c. E..
Dutton, Lieutenant Guy Howard, U. S. A;
Civil Engineer S. f. Donaldson, II. f.
Gooch, d. Men. Stauffer, Major Joseph
kirkland, of Chicago: Kember Bocock,
John r. Spears, Elbert Rappelye and w.
i. Simmons. James Rankine, the New
York representative of the steamship com
pany, and his daughter, Miss Rankine,
Miss Scribner and Miss Clark were also of
the party.
No Fear of Loss.
Captain George W. Davis, the general
manager of the canal company, said to-day
that be was completely in the dark as to the
real condition of affairs, but he felt conf
dent from the wording of the cabIegram that
the Aguan had not been lost. The Carazo,
which had gone to her rescue, is a small
steamer of the Morgan line, while the Petrol is
undoubtedly the United States gunboat of that
name, which was due in Greytown about March
70 Captain Davis said that there was British
war vessel of the same name on that station.
and It might be she that had gone 10 thu rescue.
Captain Davis figured out that the Aguan
had arrived At Kingston Saturday March
p. and that she must have remained there un-
I'll Tuesday afternoon, the 24th. Ell Roncador,
which is Spanish Cor "1he Snorer," lies di-
rectly in the path of steamers sailing from
Kingston 10 Greytown. Its name probably
comes from the noise of the surf. Captain
Adair, the present post captain of the Hon
duras and Central American Steamship Com
pany, who. until last year, commanded the
Aguan, gave this as the most probable eXpla-
nation Of the mlshap TO the vessel.
Not Pleasant Spot.
The Roncador reef is 16 to Il miles long and
rms northeast and southwest. All but a small
portion at the northeast end is several feet
under water, and the color of the water and
the surf Is all that tells of the existence of the
reef The portion above water is covered with
a few cocoanut palms and low shrubs and is
about ten acres in extent. IL is not inhabited
and is visited only by turtle hunters once or
twice a wear. There is a well of fresh water
upon it, dug by these hunters
The reef under water is covered with sandy
shoals, and It is probably upon one of these
that the Aguan stranded. a short distance
from the reef there is deep water. If the
ACuan left Kingston on Tuesday afternoon. the
oath, she would pass tho reef just before day
break Of the following Thursday. In the slight
haze and darkness which is over the water at
that time the Aguan must have run on the
reef
Il think myself that the steamship IS safe"
said Captain AdaiT, but if she is breaking up
it would have been very easy for the passengers
and crew to reach the land There are no
hurricanes or cyclones in that region at this
time of the year. and strong trade winds are
all that would disturb them.
Ample Lifeboat Accommodations.
There were two staunch lifeboats aboard,
which could have taken off every one. Captain
W K Baillie, the present commander, is a
careful man. He sailed as chief officer under
me and understands the neighborhood well.
He had a crew of IS men. A AlIfeboat was prob
ably despatched from the steamship to the
island OF Old Providence, which is about so
miles TO the southwest of the reef. From there
q cOcoauut schooner must have carried the
news Of the disaster to the Corn Islands, where
the CaraZO left for the scene at once.
AT the latest she must have arrived at the
reef two days after the Aguan stranded. If
the passengers had TO abandon the steamship
and take TO the bit of reef above water they
must have pat up with some dlscomforts, for
there is no shelter but small hut used by the
turtle hunters. Mr.. Nenocalis despatch was
not dated, but was probably sent on March 81.
Word should be received within the next q
hours that the passengers were all at Grey
town, as the round trip could easily be covered
by the CaTaZO in three days"