The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-01
RUN on THE ROCKS INA FOG
DISASTER To THE CITY or NEW
YORK NEAR GOLDEN GATE.
The booming of Cannon to Announce
Her Fate-TuEs from san Francisco
Scamper Out TO the Scene-NO Loss
OF Life Reported.

SAN FRANCISCO. oct. 26.-The Pa
cifc mail steamer City of New York
went ashore this evening in a fog and
viii probably be a total loss. She sailed
for China and Japan at $3.50 p. m. and
went down the bay under fun head OF
steam. The fog was very heavy and
from the lower wharves the heads could
be seen. About 4:3O p. m. the big ocean
steamer was lost sight Of and a half
hour later the booming Of cannon could
be heard and signal rockets could be
seen as they burst above the fog. The
signal station at Point Lobos at once
sent a message into town. and soon ev-
cry tug in the bay was racing for Point
Bonita. Arriving there it was found that
the steamer was hard and fast on the
rocks. having gone on them under full
head of steam. She was in charge Of
Pilot Stevenson at the time
AS soon as the ship struck there was a
scene Of wild confusion. \ couple hun
dred Chinese in the steerage set up a
howl that could be heard half across the
Golden Gate Capt Johnson was wonder
fully cool, however and he and his off,
GERS soon restored order. When the sig
nal lights began to flash the observer at
it was the steamer AIonowai that had
gone on the rocks and that news was cir
culated all over the city. Those who
were expecting relatives on that steam
er from Sydney, Auckland, Samoa and
Hawaii at once foclzed to the officers of
the Oriental and Occidental line. All
they could be told was that a steamer
had been on Point Bonita, but whether
it was the ATonowai or some other craft
no one could tell half an hour later,
the wrecked vessel was made out to be
the City Of New York. There is eight
feet of water in her hold and the tugs
cannot move her. The loss viii be half
million, no insurance. AL the passen-
gers have been taken off and are being
brought back to the city. The fog is al
most thick enough to cut with knife.
A reporter has just come in on tug
from the wreck and reports the City Of
New York laying with head to westward
broadside upon rocks. She is lying over
on port side and three or four holes ara
stove in her bottom. The vessel will be
total loss. The tide is now receding
and she is now high upon the rocks.
There is not much wind, however, and
very little swell. The tugs now are how
pull the steamer from the rocks, but it
would be useless. The City Of New York
is a compartment ship and the latest re-
ports say there is no water fore and aft,
but eight feet of water amidships. The
water is up into the fire ROOM
Before the signals Of distress brought
assistance from san Francisco the pas
sengers were landed at Point Bonita by
from the Golden Gate and TT. Point sta
tons About this time Capt Johnson
decided to jettison the cargo and save
as much as possible. He dispatched a
third officer and crew Of six Chinese
sailors in a small boat, directing them
to row to San Francisco for tugs and
lighters, but the crew could make no
Roadway against the flood tide, and were
swept back. Another Of the boats crew,
in command of the pursuer, was picked
up by the tug and brought here.
The City Of New York was built in
Chester, Pa, in 1875, but was practically
rebuilt a few years ago. She was 3.019
tons gross, 339 feet long, 40 feet 2 inches
beam and 20 feet 5 inches depth. She
took away an unusually large cargo OF
-four and general merchandise, all OF
which will probably be a total loss.
Point Bonita is a rocky promitory which
forms one of the heads at the entrance
of the Golden Gate. It has long been
regarded as most dangerous, especially
In thick weather Half a dozen vessels
have come to grief on it during the past
twelve months. The bark LurIine went
ashore there and the bark John D.
Spreckels was only saved by a fishing
that the ship Spinney broke from her
tugs and started up the coast to her
doom.