Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-10-27
POUNDING ONTHE ROCKS
The Pacific Mail Steamer City
of New York a Wreck.
WILL PROBABLY BE A TOTAL LOSS.
with . Full Head Of Steam on the Mig
Steamer Ran ON the Fog shrouded Reefs
of Bonita Point, In San Francisco Bay.
All the Passengers Saved.

All the Passengers Saved.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2T.-The Pacific
Mail company's steamer City of New York
went ashore in fog and will probably be
total loss. She sailed for China and
Japan and went down the bay under full
head of steam. The fog was very heavy
and from the lower wharves the head could
be seen. About an hour later the big ocean
steamer was lost sight Of aud half hour
after the booming of cannon could be
heard, and signal rockets coald he seen as
they burst above the fog.
The signal station at Point Lobos at
once sent a message into town, and soon
every tug In the bay was racing for Point
Bonita Arriving there, 1t was found that
the steamer was hard and fast~on the
rocks, having gone on them under a full
head of steam. She was In charge of Pilot
Stevens at the time.
Struck on the Rocks.
As soon as the steamer struck there was
a scene of wild confusion. \ couple of
hundred Chinese in the steerage set up
howl that could be heard half across the
Golden Gate. Captain johnson was won
derfully COOL however, and he and his Off
GERS soon restored order. When the signal
lights began to fash, the observer at Point
I4obos came to the conclusion that it was
the steamer Monowai that had gone on the
rocks, and that news was circulated all over
the city. Those who were expecting rela-
tiyes on that steamer from Sydney, Auck-
land, Samoa and Hawaii at once locked 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 1t was the Monowai or some other
craft no one could tell
Half an hour later the wrecked vessel
was made out to he the City of New York
1t is reported that the steamer is hard and
fast ON the rocks. There are eight feet of
water in her hold, and the tugs cannot
move her. The loss will be 500, 600; no in
surance.
All the passengers have been taken off
and are being brought back to this city.
The fog is almost thick enough to cut with
knife. There is very little wind. Tugs
will be alongside all night.
Will BE n Total Loss.
A reporter who came in ON Il tug from
the wreck reported the City of New York
lying with her head to westward, broadSide
upon the rocks She was lying over on the
port side and three or four big holes We're
stove in her bottom. The vessel will be n
total loss. The tide was receding, and she
was high upon the rocks and the surf
pounding in upon her. There was not much
wind, however, and very little swell. The
tugs lowered about the wreck, and they
could possibly pull the steamer from the
rocks, but it would have been useless.
The City of New York is compartment
ship, and the reports said there was no wa
ter fore and aft, but eight feet of water
amidships, The water was up to the fire
room.
Before the signals of distress brought as
sistAnce from San Francisco The passengers
were landed at Point Bonita by the ships
boats and life saving crews from the Gold
en- Gate and Fort Point stations About
this time Captain Johnson decided to jetti-
son some of the cargo, but TO save as much
as possible. He dispatched n third officer
and crew of six Chiuese sailors in n small
boat, directing them to row to san Fran
cisco for tugs and lighters, but the crew
could make no Roadway against a strong
tide and We're swept hack Another of the
boats crew, in command Of the purser.
was picked up by the tug and brought here
The City Of New York was built in Ches-
ter, Pa. in 1870 but was practically rebuilt
a few years aSu. She WAS 3,0l9.5i tons
gross, SE9 feet long, ~ feet inches beam
and ~ feet inches depth. She took away
an unusually lHr-v cal 80 al flour and gen
cral merchandi-r. ait .: ,.h;ch will prob
ably be IA total l,,-~
Point Bout. - HI.untory that
forms one Of 49,, entrance to
the Golden G.. r,' t.,.u regard
ell mos; in thick
weather. Ii !.stVr come
to grief un ID - months
The bark l.: .., there. and
the bark .Iuh', -, s. ,... -v. - uulN saved
by the ti~hi.,.; = ,.,un.. : =. rrt:it. 1t was
there that Tho ,l.,i, s.,..,u,l rokc away
from the tu=~ AID started W. the coast to
her doom.
The New York merchandise cargo was
valued at >l'n"E'. and ~hc carried SlPO,OO