The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-24
TERROR ON PUEBLA.
Steamer Struck by Huge Waves
Off Cape Flattery.
THE CARGO OF COAL SHIFTS.
Great Seas Come Abo.ra ana p...n.
gers Are Badly Frightened-Turns
Back to Trim Her Cargo.

'oicso 70 put oack from Cape Fiattery 70 the
sisiis % uca In order 70 trim the cargo, which
nao shiiIed badly The steamer left Victoria on
SUNDAY, ana as soon as outside Cape FIattery abe
was caught In terrific gale from the southsouth.
"ess With terrific southwest sea- heavy
cross sea caused her TO labor badly, and at $50
O'CLOCK In the evening she was struck by
mountain OF water that threw her on her beam
snus ana caused the coal In the afterhold to
shiit 70 port In an instant everything was
confusion, and big seas breaking over the YES
sei, niiins many of the statsrooms aud tearing
away several OF tho port shutters and made the
passengers think they were making their last
TIP IONS OF water poured into the vessel.
me nres on the port side were put out and the
tables on the lee aide OF saloon were under
water, which was almost up to the hurricane
oecA. lie engines were slowed down, and
What nres remained were kept going By coal
passed from hand 10 hand because owing 20 the
neavy list, the hremen could not use their
snoseis The ship was put head % the sea, Aad
III the sailors, walters, spare frcmen and many
OF the sleerage passengers were put 10 work
trimming the cargo. The steamer drifted back
INTO The straits OF Fuca, and IL was only after
nearly sixteen hours OF hard work that she
Trimmed sufficiently to allow her to proceed
HAD second sea such that which flooded
Sne Puebla struck her, not a soul would have
oeen LETT to tell the tale. J. W. Pratt, OF Seattle,
VINO was one OF the passengers by the City OF
Puebla, was found at the Occidental hotel last
night He attributes the peril OF that steamer
entireiy to criminal earele8snegs ia loading her,
and, although the officers say ii was ouly one Of
those accidents to which ocean navigation Is
Liable during the winter, he refers 10 Captain
3. +. Lewis, OF San Francisco, who is a well
Known and experienced mariner, and 20 Chief
Engineer Crisp, Of the Puebls, iu confirmation
oil bis theory. The City o. Pue5la had. IL is
understood, 1850 tons Of coal, and although shs
has no bunkers, no attempt was made By the
stevedors who loaded her TO take precautions
against shifting. Mr. Pratt said
1t was raining In torrents when we LEI. Vie
torih on sunday at III q. N, bat the weather was
not stormy. As we went down the Straits OF
fuca It became roEgaer, and by the time We
reached tho mouth the storm had increased to
such an extent that nearly ali the passengers had
retired TO their stateTooms The walters were
preparing dinner, and there were in the social
hall only two or three people. II was stormy,
but not violently 80. and had no appFehtn-
sion OF danger. As we rounded the rock at Cape
fiattery the sea became very ugly, aud several
waves swept right over the smokestack and
came down on the port side with roar. Just
ABOUT hall past oeIeek sunday
tremendous wave. with the impetus OF a thou
sand miles OF gathering anger, struck thun-
derons blow on the starboard, and the vessel.
like great puglist felIed to the ropes, lay there
painting. As she attempted TO rise, another
powerful smash full on the broadsife flung her
down, with her ma n guard dipping below the
waters. AT the same instant a terrific crash was
heard. IL seemed as IL the vessel were OF glass
and was shlyered TO atoms.
was flung aerossth saloon, and as gathered
myself up caught sight Of Mrs Mary BrCd.
srick. = ryale elluging 70 pillar. i did not
knowA ucY lbs the matter then, but when the
snip h.. ohseust on her beam ends ana did not
recover der keel, although she strug-
gled rise on each incoming sea, then
Sfnew that her cargo had shifted aud
she was dead thing in tho water. I had
barely time TO think of this when another
crash, but much lighter was heard, and then
rush OF water. hauled myself up the inclined
door and looked down into the dining saloon.
smashed a portfolio. ana as she drifted along
with the port gunwaies under water
che WAS ,.n s,esooplng i IT,, in at
screaming, and men. women and children,
nearly all undressed, came docking out into the
main staterooms. wrapping blankets around
four children. The steward, A. Smith. OF san
Francisco, believe, who has been eight years
on this line. ran TO her room and from the pour
ing water dragged out 6-months-old baby.
1t was only partly dressed, and be could
get no hold. IL slipped. He did not dare let so
his hold on the rail, but he grabbed the baby by
the leg, and so made his way to the stairs. He
went bsck to help the assistant steward, Martin
Polcin, Tom Pearee and Mitchell 70 rg mat
tress across the portfolio, but the water was
then four feet deep, and the
Puebla took sudden lurch he
was flung against iatae, breaking one Of
tables and chairs began TO float off, and there
was fear OF the lamps exploding. Mitchell
made dash through the wafer 20 reach the
side, but with swash the water threw him
from his feet and he WAS in danger OF drowning
on the dining-room floor, but steward Knott
ran to his rescue, and catching his
light was extinguished ana the horrors of FIRE
prevented. All this time the haifnaked
wrapped in blankets. Besides Mrs. Quinn and
her lonr children, noticed Mrs. Quasi wife 81
Steward Quasi, OF the Alaska line, and her lutte
boy: Mr. Mullen, OF Anacortes: Mr. Morrison
nf Tacoma. C. Nj MIR
Pettygrove, of Port Townsend, although the
latter was GU the outer deck most OF
the time: Mr.. and Mrs Vail, Mrs. Broderick,
of Seattle: Mrs. Middleton ara Mis-, Maui
Middleton, of Rohnerville. Cal, who had been
visiting T. IL. Dempsey, OF seattle. ". A. Jones.
formerly superintendent OF the Pacihc mine,
Piacerville. Cal, now OF the Sk8git river: Mrs
Clark, OF Port Townsend; Miss Pollock, OF
Alameda; Mr.. Raw, of the Paul o. Burns
Co, and Others. The floor WAS one mass of hu.
man beings, who could not sir, fhe incline
was so steep. ] was standing at the stsrbusrd
with Captain ; 4 Lewis, OF san Francisco The
outer door had been torn from It's hinges, and
the waves dashed over the glass. We held On.
peering out into the darkness.
Captain Lewis whispered 10 me that she had
l.5o0 tons of coal on board, ANA that i had
evidently shifted. at looks serious" ts said
sunless she rights herself We could feel tie
ship wabbiing a. Il rUdderless. suddenly Cap
tain Lewis Whispered. II believe osbNcy
IL putting her about Ho Is Trying
70 set her back isto the straits,
It's our only hope. There was an awful 50 lt-
ness in that room. Except Tor the roar of the
sea, the shril whistllng OF the wtad through tie
rigging and the swish Of the increasing water
In the lower saloon, heard no sound. The
silence Of despair had settled on nj. Can
tain Lewis aud / strained oar eyes
90 sec what course We were taking
In the distance, through the darkness OF
nevertheless clear night. We could see the light
house flash. We seeme5 30 near IL. then 10 re-
csde as the sea drove ~ back At last the
point WAS made. aud tie ships head was paiat-
ing into the straits
turned around and saw hsexard faces and
anxious eyes. Now and then head sob ogt
there was no excitement or Mysteries, The ship
was still full over on her port side. but the
waves ceased % break So violently. / heard
womans voice. sn9 going !uto the state room
former owner OF the New England
furniture store in seattle, and her
little boy told her there
room TO reassure her, though believing thst in
q few minutes the fires would be cut, the sait,
would be helpless ana nothing 81 estth could
save rs from being dashed On the rocks. Cap
tain Lewis called cut 20 me. I'VE are raSt the
worst" then. turning 10 the people 81 the aeo-,
be cried; There's no danger; It's all past;
somebody sing Mrs. Nsii managed 70
reach the piano, and striking Few
bars the people sang "Uou,e. Sweet
Home" bat the strain WAS too great. ana men
Mr. and Mrs. Vail, Mr. Pettygroye aAd low
more tried ',Nearer, My God, 20 Thee, bgt The
hysterical excitement was too grcA! silG oR4y one
mesntime down below ninety searuea.
atokers, waitcrs ami s,ee-age passengers were
husy for eight hours shovVling he coal barS -
the stsrboard side aud feeding the boilers.
Chief Engineer crisp superintendent, aud as Il
was impoxsible for the men 10 sGa i alone or
Walk he had gangs o. eight linked arm aud arm,
:no b En-. he '' reused iee1i. crying "noat
ston We ali depend on keopiag steam ups 4;
Elm the t.soFning the vesse had begun Ia righ.
seFss the w sasssa g nsr hea tS the s ee
ttnnIng her voyage without further accident