Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-09-20
MOST HORRIBLE MARINE DISASTER

SlCkenInS rate OF the OreW ana HdSScn-
gers of the Inflated Don Juan.
The details of the burning of the
Spanish steamer Don Juan en- route
from Hongkong to Manila show the
disaster to have been one of the most
horrible in the history of marine catas-
trophies.
The Don Juan left Hongkong with a
full crew and with all the Chinese she
could stow away. There were at least
$50 of the coolies and enough in the
crew to swell the total number of souls
on board to 2S3. OF these only 101
were saved. The others were either
drowned or swallowed by sharks after
jumping out of the burning vessel into
the burning oil that covered the water
on every side.
The first indication of the disaster
was apparent the evening of July 3,
when the Don Juan was off Darigyas
Point At p. NJ. that evening fire
was discovered between decks. where
1000 casks of petroleum were stored.
The hopelessness of the situation would
seem to have been unmistakable, yet
the survivors say that many Of the
Chinese appeared to think the fire
would soon be out.
When the flames burst through the
decks the Chinese took to the rigging.
The flames mounted the rigging in pur-
suit of the coolies. Their hands, Bills
tered with the heat, refused to hold
on, and the poor creatures dropped
down into the fire. Some of them
jumped overheard, but the sharks had
gathered about the burning vessel by
hundreds and jumped from the water
to catch the coolies as they fell. Those
who escaped the sharks fell into the
burning oil and were literally boiled
alive.
The flames set fire to two of the life
boats before the crew could cast them
adrift When the other Hfeboats were
lowered the Chinese made such a rush
for them that they were sWamped in an
instant. After the sharks had become
somewhat glutted and had ceased to be
aggressive d fireman succeeded IN reach
ING one of the overturned boats and
righting it. He then went to the others
and managed to get two more of them
on an even keel. They were all kept
at distance and everybody who wanted
to get into them had to run the gauntlet
of the sharks. In this way eighty-nine
persons escaped and reached the shore
after sixteen hours hard rowing. They
at once telegraphed for assistance and
When she reached the derelict three
Chinese, more dead than alive were
found in the rigging. This made the
total number saved l0l, SO the sharks
and the flames must have devoured 1872
The survivors say the sight was one
that beggarS description. The light OF
the burning vessels illuminated the sur
face of the sea for miles around. The
| hungry sharks could be seen coming III
all directions, and their white bellies
cleaned in the freight as they turned
to swallow their prey. The Chinese
huddied together in the bow of the
steamer until the flames forced them
overheard. The means that came from
them before they jumped changed to
shE eaks as the teeth Of the sea monsters
closed upon them.
The cracking ofthe flames, the splash
ing Of the sharks, and the screams OF
the victims were the only sounds that
broke the stiffness Of the night The
burning oil completely surrounded the
vessel tor hours. This oil finally burned
out, however. but the flames inside the
vessel and on her decks kept on crack
hing until the Inflated steamer was
tOWed into port July 7.
For nearly twentv-four hours these
terrOrstricken people lowered between
life and death. The fire must have
been visible from the shore, thirty
miles away, but 1t seemed as If assistance
would never come. Guns of distress
were fired as long as the howitzers
could be reached, but the flames soon
reached them and put an end to that
method of appeal.