The record-union., 1894-04-23
RUN ON The ROCKS.
The Steamship Los Angeles Sunk
Off Point Sur Lighthouse.
AT LEAST THREE PERSONS KNOWN
TO HAVE BEEN LOST
The Vessel Goes to the Bottom Almost
Immediately After Strlking-Panic
Among the Passengers = Thrilling
Experience of Members of the Crew.
sneoial TO the RrcoRp-UN1oN

SpcC1at 10 the IEJOtl'-C NAON-
MONTEREY, April 22-The Pacific Coast
Steamship Company's steamer Los An
geles. bound north from Newport, CAL,
and way points to San Francisco, ran on
the rocks at Point Sur Lighthouse, thirty
miles south of Monterey, between 9 and
10 o'clock last night. The steamer sank
within few minutes, and the passengers
and crew took to the boats. As far as
known four lives were lost. Two boat
loads reached the shore at Point Sur. and
the first news of the disaster was brought
here by messenger to-day. Two other
bo&tloads and raft containing other pas
sengers and members of the crew were
met by the steamer Eureka this morning.
The Eureka rescued them and brought
them to Monterey.
From those who arrived on the Eureka
it was learned that the Los Angeles
reached the Point Sur light about P. NJ.
The Captain, who had retired, had given
orders to his Third Mate to call him
when certain number of revolutions of
the wheel had been noted. The Mate
failed to do so, and the steamer went
upon the rocks at 8: 15 O'Clock, and in ten
minutes she sank. The Captain instantly
Old6r0Q out Iu6 IOuT DOdlS anu d IdAI
Two of the boats, containing about hfty
men, succeeded in reaching the shore.
The others two and the raft kept out to
SEA.
Chief Engineer Wallace, in charge of
one of the boats, saw the steamer Eu-
reka, and succeeded IN getting within
hailing distance. The steamer lay to, and
sent out boats TO search for the other
party. They soon found the raft. with
seven persons aboard, whom they
rescued, and this morning at about Z
o'clock picked up the other boat, contain
ing fousteen more persons.
They then sent boats to those on shore
and offered to take them aboard the
steamer, but owing to the roughness OF
the surf they declined to 60.
Four dead bodies have been recovered,
and Captain II. D. Leland of the Los An
geles was reported in critical condition
by his brother, Captain James Leland of
the Eureka.
All the ladies and children were saved
and brought here on the Eureka.
The steamer Los Angeles was very
old vessel, having been USED by the Pa
cihc Coast Steamship Company for
twenty years. Before that she was
United States revenue cutter, and was
called the Wyanda. She became useless
to the Government, and GOodall, Perkins
IL Co.. the agents Of the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company, purchased her and
put her into service as freight and
passenger boat between San Francisco
and southern way ports. She was u
small steamer of not quite 200 tons, and
for some time has not been rated as first
class.
The steamer was due in San Francisco
to-day. Her passengers and crew num-
bered about seventy. Owing TO the al
most inaccessible point at which she was
wrecked, the names of those lost had not
been learned here this evening.
The rocks at Point Sur, which are a
cluster of ugly spurs about a mile out
from the shore, have long been a menace
TO navigation on the southern route. In
1875 the Ventura, handsome steamer,
which at that time was the largest vessel
in the service of the Pacific Coast Steam
ship Company, was lost on these rocks.
The steamer Eureka, which rescued the
survivors this morning, also struck the
rocks several years ago, shattering her
stern and barely escaping destruction.
The steamer Los Angeles also struck the
rocks once before, though she escaped
that time without serious injury.
The location of the rocks is peculiarly
dangerous, in that it is very near the
point where steamers from the south
change their course in entering Monterey
Bay. The pilot who bears eastward to
enter the bay bit too soon Is almost GER
From one of the crew of the wrecked
steamer the details of the disaster have
been learned. His is a tale of suffering
and death. When the Los Angeles struck
upon the treacherous hidden rocks the
passengers were nearly all in their berths.
The first awful crash was followed by
scenes of the widest confusion. 1--WE are
lost" was the cry that escaped from the
Captains lips, land it was cry not likely
to allay the fears of those who had been
thrown from their beds as the steamer
rolled over on her side. Frightened men
and screaming women and children
swarmed the decks. Nearly all were in
were the first to recover their senses, and
then preparations were made to abandon
the rapidly sinking steamer.
simultaneously VITA the giving of
orders to lower the lifeboats, and the exc
cution of these orders by the crew, blank
cts were brought and wrapped about the
shivering women and little ones, and life
preservers strapped upon them. Then
they were lifted aboard the lifeboats.
When all the lifeboats and the Hferaft
had been loaded to their capacity ten men
still remained on the deck of the doomed
craft. Three OF these did not live to see
daylight. Those of the crew who
their personal effects, but SO rapidly
did the vessel settle down into the sea
that only a few minutes elapsed before
the second mate called out the warming:
"All hands to the rigging and every man
for himself" The vessels stern was all
under water and the water was rushing
in forward Captain Leland took TO the
RIGGING with his son. They pulled them
selves up as far as they could. One OF the
seamen rested awhile on the fore boom.
The water then was UP to his waist ana
he was forced to keep on climbing,
though two others were perched on the
foremast above him. All were so eX-
hausted that they could barely maintain
their perilous positions and keep above
the waves. 1t was while the men were
thus imperiled that three of their number
were drowned. One of them was Fire
man Nolan, another was ). y. Sheridan,
an aged citizen of Ventura, who was en-
route to SAP Francisco to visit his son.
who is telegraph editor on a morning
paper, and the other was passenger not
known TO the seamen. The second mate
also lost his hold and was saved from
drowning only through his ability to
swim 10 a rope lowered by a sailor named
johnson, who was perched on the top OF
the malnmast-
pet the sight of the helpless men who
drowned before their very eyes and al
most within reach.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
MONTEREY, April 22.-Tbe steamer
Les Angeles left Cayucos yesterday on
time, with between sixty and seventy
passengers on board. The employees OF
the Pacific Coast Steamship Company in
this CITY had made all the usual prepara-
lions for the handling of the business
generally transacted at this port, and all
were on hand promptly at midnight to
discharge their duties. Three hours rolled