The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-01
Further Details OF the Loss OF the
Pacific Mail Company Liner on
the Coast OF Mexico.
WRECKED ON A CORAL REEF
AND SANK IN A FEW MINUTES, WITH
NEARLY ALL ON BOARD.
Panic Among the Passengers-severa
Ships Wrecked Before on the
Same DANGEROUS Reef.

Ill Of MEAlOO, May 0l.-lle total
number of people drowned by the wreck OF
the steamship of the coast OF Manzanillo
is now known to be lSI persons. Five more
have been rescued from the wreck, making
the total number living twenty-six. The
ship carried 21s persons and to all appear
ances these have all been drowned with
the exception OF the tweny-six. The liv-
ing will Le sent north as soon as possible
and seventeen have already taken passage
for San Francisco. The accident is the
most frightful in its loss Of life which has
ever occurred in Mexican water. and the
Colima is complete loss unless some
OF its cargo can be recovered by divers
which will probably be attempted. The
ship was one OF the largest and strongest
OF the Pacific Mail line plying between San
Francisco and Spanish America. and was
sunk by striking a coral reef In a dense
fog.
The Colima encountered heavy weather all
along the Mexican coast. Much difficulty
encountered in keeping of the rocks
at Isabella island and Piedra de Mar. The
passengers were in a constant state OF
terror, which was augmented when the
ship having put out from San Bias a wom-
an passenger from San Francisco became
crazed with fear and spent the entire night
on deck entreating the officers to put back
and praying heaven for deliverance. When
the vessel struck. the pilots all on duty
under the direction OF the officers, were
steering straight towards the snow-capped
summit of the volcano of Colima. The pas
sengers rushed from their berths TO the
deck screaming and praying I'm terror as
the ship pounded herself to pieces One
woman, named Brasly, the only passenger
who exhibited composure, passed among
fad n ~. in han n rCa
son. Many, despairing of securing places IN
the boats, seized the life belts and cast
themselves into the sea. The first boat TO
be lowered with its heavy burden OF hu-
manity succeeded in clearing the ships
side. but was engulfed five minutes later.
OF the occupants of rnis boat only one. a
sailor escaped. As the last boat was low
cred the Collma capsizcd. a conductor on
the national train from Manzanillo who ar
rived here tonight says there are fifteen
Americans among the rescued.
a special train bearing a rescue party.
nsnd1E hTe me D o haT % pa9e
stricken. The bodies OF the drowned are
being washed ashore there in scores. Search
parties have recovered nfty-four. Ine
weather is hot and there is no means OF
embalming. Funeral services will be held
at once, and the digging of separate
graves is impossible the unclaimed dead
will be burieo In long trenches. The Jefe
Politico OF Manzanilo has summoned all the
mounted rural forces In the district or
ManZanllo and the garrison OF soldiers has
been placed guard to prevent robbery
of the dead and TO dig the trenches. Sew
eral bodies have been found short dis
tanc from the shore stripped OF all valu-
ables and clothing. Severe punishment VIII
be given any offenders VINO may be dis
covered at this work The dead are lad lad
out well possible by the Manzaniilo
agency of the Pacific mall Portions or
the wrecked ship have reached the shore.
The Colima is apparently a total loss and
lies at the bottom OF the sea about thirty
miles below Manzanillo, beside the coral
reef which stove in the side OF the vessel
ill., Iar eli 10 In 81
meters of water The Colima had on board
500 coo in Mexican money shipped from
Mazatian, and insured by Echeguerren
Bros, of that place. who at once reported
by wire to the War Department at the
City of Mexico and asked its rescue. I'm
mediately orders were thereupon issued TO
rescue work. NJ. +. Yzagurre, commander
Of the port Of Acapulco, at ocloct this
afternoon. received the following dispatch
from Vogel a. Co. the Pacific Mail agents
at Manzanillo: ''Colima totally lost thirty
miles southeast Of Manzanillo and six miles
Romero Rubio was sent TO hunt for pas
sengers. Ii has returned, giving infOrma-
tion of the saving at Coahuahyana OF three
cabin passengers and two sailors more
Up to date there are reported twenty-six
persons saved ana 1S7 drowned. There were
passengers out by the Baracouta. which
comes for that purpose Tomorrow 10 en-
bark the passengers. less seventeen already
taken for the north by the steamer san
Juan"
The coast in the neighborhood OF Man
zanillo seems fatal spot Nearly all the
wrecks OF the Panama route have oc-
Cured within one hundred miles north or
south of Manzanillo. Three vessels have
been lost in that neignborhood, and these
are the only large vessels OF the Panama
line that have been wrecked. Another re-
markabie fact is that all were lost IN
still weather, indicating some peculiar con-
d,fjon of the currents setting in at this
point and driving the vessels in upon the
shore. The first and noted or the losses
al Of 10 rafA nh oh
burned and wrecked only a few miles north
of Manzanilo. in this wreck the loss OF
life exceeded two hundred. and IL has
rine horror of the coast. The cause Of this
wreck has never been definitely settled.
IL occurred in 1852.
Point Tejupan, some miles north OF Man
zanillo. No lives were lost, but the YES
sci. while rounding the point, went
ashore and was total loss. The captain
always contended that some unknown cur
rent changed his course and drove the
The Nicaragua one OF the Mexican coast
ing fleet of the Pacific Mail Company,
was driven ashore on the Salvador coast
near Acatutla by the wind and the cur
rents.
The steamer san Francisco was lost on
Tartar shoals in the early seventies These
SHOALS are just south Of Acapulco. and are
perilous to navigation.
The Honduras was driven ashore of SAL
s, vaaor ana 1, was lost & IN & the eighties: the
Pacific Mail steamer lost. During heavy
fogs she. was wrecked I'm October. 1896. AZ
the entrance to San Francisco harbor.
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company Is
severely censured for overlooking and bad
placing of cargo on the Colima. TO which Is
attributed the rapid sinking OF the steamer.
Advices Received at San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO, May s1.-The forebod-
ings of the friends OF the passengers and
crew of the Cofima exceedingly
gloomy this morning and few cherished any
ho2e OF the survival OF those hitheto un-
accounted for. The Pacific Mail Steamship
Company declared thar il had received as-
soiutely word from the scene OF disaster.
Mrs. S. II. Gushing. mother OF the two young
men who were passengers. received a mes
sage from the son, picked up by the ssn
Juan. dated Mazatlan as follows: "sm
here. Returning on San Juan" Late I'm the
afternoon message was received by Eys.
Peters. whose son Lewis was a passenger
for Guatemala. The teiegram. dated Guste-
mala. was unsigned. but presumed to be
from Mrs Peters's husband. who rcsie~s
in Guatemala. IL was as follows: 'ssuis ~
safe on thu Barracuda"
Another dispatch 10 private okfYs1fng