The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-19

regarding tile sinking OF the emlgrant steam
ship Utopia. yesterday, are current One
account of the disaster attributes it to the
fact that the British Har-ship Arson was
drifting before the gale and rammed the
Utopia abaft the funnel. The Utopia was
impaled on the spur Of the Anson'S ram and
almost Immediately sank.
Everything possible was done by the
officers and seamen. Four seamen were
washed overheard and drowned from one of
the war-ship's steam launches while taking
part in the rescue.
FEARFUL SCENES.
The scene after the collision was fearful
one. One side of the sinking steamship was
crowded with 700 Immigrants, shrieking
with terror. Right and left Of the sinking
vessel were the monster battle-ships Rod
ney and Anson pouring light from their
powerful electric refectors upon the dis
abled steamship. Here and there were the
war-ships' small boats, manned by blue
Jackets, who strained every nerve as they
bent to the oars in the heavy sea, striving
CALAMITY to reach the drowning passengers.
The rescued passengers are estimated TO
number about two hundred, possibly more,
cared for oil the war-ships or taken ashore
and housed in the Government bui ldings.
The divers and: boats crews, VINO have
been at work all day in the efforts being
made by the British naval authorities 10 re-
cover as many as possible of the bodies of
the passengers and crew Of the Utopia, have
recovered ninety bodies. Among those
saved from the sinking vessel by the boats
of the men-of-war were twenty of the
Utopia's crew.
c. G. Davis Of Boston, saloon passenger,
is among those reported missing.
The officers and crew of her Majesty's
ship Anson stated that the Utopia fouled
with the ram of the Arson and thus caused
the damage which resulted in the passenger
steamer sinking. The Anson's officers assert
that no blame can be attached to the var
vessel
QUARTERMAsTER's STORY.
Petersen, the Swedish quartermaster, who
bad been steering the Utopia a short time
before the collision, says that just beGore
the vessels came together he went below.
While there he felt the:shock Of the collis-
sion and rushed from below, but before he
broadside upon the spur of the Anson's
ram. The commander Of the Utopia. Cap
tain Mckeague. according to Petersen, was
on the steamships bridge until the last
moment.
Petersen adds that as the Utopia was
crushed by the Anson's ram he clambered
up the davits Of one of the steamships
boats and cut the ropes holding IT, He had
no time, however, 10 lower the boat away,
as the bows OF the Utopia had passed be-
meath the waTshp, and it was evident that
the passenger steamer was rapidly sinking.
Soon after, the boats If the Arson having
been promptly lowered one of the man-of-
wars cutters ran alongside the Utopia and
Petersen managed to jump iuto her.
HORRIBLE FIGHT FOR LIFE.
He says that while on board the Utopia.
after the collision, lie was surrounded by a
terrible mass Of human beings, fighting
their way desperately and savagcly, regard
less Of sex or age, toward the boats. Men.
women and children tumbled and climbed
over each other In that horrible fight for a
change OF escape from drowning.
One woman who was rescued by the An
sons blue-jackets went raving mad when
she was convinced that her children were
drowned. There were similar distressing
incidents by the score. the most awful OF
desperate luTeh sank with her human
freight clinging about her, and drew nun
dreGs Of living lersous down with her.
DRAWN DOWN TO DEATH.
Many Of those who had sprung into the
sea as they saw the steamship could not
float many moUents longer were then also
drawn down in the awful whirlpool caused
By the Utopia'S disappearance. Some came
10 the surface again for a few moments be-
fore sinking finally in their watery t0mbs.
Others, more lucky, were able to cling to
pieces of wreckage, floating spaTS, oars,
gratings, hatchways, boats, life-belts, etc,
and this kept them above until rescued by
the war ships boats.
But as Is usual in such cases the weaker
succunlbed the more readily. Shrieking,
praying women sank to rise no more, with
their Terrified offspring ciaspcd to their
breasts. Children clung to their parents so
desperately as to, in sew, raj cases, cause tile
death OF both, where they might have es-
capped had better judgment been used.
TIE UroPIA's PASSENGERS.
It Is announced that the official report of
the number Of persons on board the Utopia
shows that when she left Naples the steam-
ship had $50 souls on board, including pas
sengers and crew. of this number only 81
have been saved. Thus 569 of her passen-
gers and crew are either drowned or missing.
Tie AnSon's boats were lowered lmmedi-
ately after the collision, as were also The bORS
mel squadron, the Swedish mau-of-war
Freyn and the ship Amber. The ironciads
turned their powerful electric search lights
On The scene Of disaster 10 assist the reScu-
ers.
On shore the news of the disaster spread
quickly. Ar enormous crowd soon gathered
on the parade, and great excitement pre-
vailed The sea was 50 heavy that the boats
OF the reScuers could not with safety ap-
proach the wreck, so they were compelled to
ia laEN9Tl MI tItarr ,far-o
people as they were swept from the deck.
A MAN-oF-wAR's BOAT WRECKED
As the Utopa's bows settled terrible
scene was witnessed from the bouts. Those
still on board the sinking steamer made a
sudden rush en- masse TO the f0re-rigging,
struggling for their lives and Vainly seeking
places OF refuge. Twenty minutes later the
forecaste was submerged and the large
number Of persons gathered there, who had
not dared TO leap overheard in the hope Of
being picked up by the boats, ana who had
failed in their efforts to ascend the rigging,
were carried away by tile waves. A steam
pinnace rescued all the others who had
taken refuge in the main rigging, but the
last ones were not taken of until IL o'clock
al night.
While the steam pinnace belonging to the
British irOn-clad Immortalite was engaged
in the work Of rescue her screw fouled and
she drifted on the rocks. Two of the sailors
were drowned the remainder were rescued.
The total number of lives lost is now
placed at 576
WILD PANIC.
The officers of the Utopia, in talking
about the catastrophe, say they will never
forget the scenes that followed the collision.
Tie Italians were thrown into a state OF
complete and cOwardly panic They yelled
franlically and fought madly to reach thu
forecastle. few OF the married men
brought their wives with them. but the ma
j0rity acted more like beasts than men.
The forecastle and rigging were soon crowd
ed, and the vessel began to settle down.
Presently an explosion occurred, with
deafening report, in the forecastle, killing
many and throwing others into the sea.
Luckily the masts held and remained