The herald., 1895-07-15
coLIMA. NUMBER FOURTEEN
A List Of Vessels Lest By the Pacific n,
Company

Company
San Francisco Bulletin: The passing
of the Colima into history has revived
stories OF Pacific coast steamer wrecks
among the boys OF the 10 castle and the
denizsps OF the 'glory hole" A number
Of stories have been published in the
past two years and during recent months.
giving data concerning vessels OF the Pa
cific Mail Steamship company lost on the
taoifio and Asiatic coasts; that is to raw
vessels that made their home port San
Francisco.
Fourteen staunch steamers in all are
named In the list, and at the head of
the column is the steamer Sousherner
watch was lost in the SOS. Her value.
cargo.and all, was $3.50. 600. The North
erner, strange coincidence, followed her
by striking the rocks off Cape Flattory.
Next followed the Golden Gate, which
was wrecked on July 81, 1852. fifteen miles
from Manzanillo and four miles off shore.
The vessel caught fire, and during the
confusion which followed nearly 200 hu-
man bcings perished IN the flames,
which enveloped the steamer before
boat could be swung from the davits. The
craft was the pride of the mail fleet and
her cargo was an immensely valuable one.
The loss Of vessel and cargo was estimated
at 81. $50. 600.
The wreck OF the Golden Gate has in
nearly every story recently written been
confused with that OF the Colleen City.
The similarity OF the names is accounta-
bic for the error, put the story OF the
wreck OF the Golden City is vastly less
distressing than that of the Golden Gate.
Crew and passengers were. saved from
ths former steamer and the specie, part OF
the cargo and all of the passengers bag
gage was sent ashore in boats.
The Golden City did not burn. She
stranded in 1872 at Point SAINT Lazxaro,
Lower California, but in spite OF the sue
cessful saving OF those on board OF her
the steamer never was floated. The heavy
coast surf battered her to pieces before
relief vessels could rescue her from her
exposed position. The Golden City was
worth $500. 900.
The American succumbed TO fire in
1872 in Yokohama harbor. Some OF her
crew became panic stricken and jumped
overheard before boats could be lowered.
= Captain Douglass commanded tho Guat-
emala, a small coasting craft, when she
struck on Tonala bar in the early part of
October, 1872. -Four boats were lowered.
Three reached shore. but the first officer 5
boat, containing fifteen persons, was
never heard Of again.
The Sacramento was wrecked in the
same year, and ~ was pronounced an
'unlucky period for ships
The Mail company next lost the Hon.
duras, an English built vessel operating
under special charter. She was wrecked
on the Salvadoran coast.
a The Japan next furnished senastion
by catching fire off the Chinese coast and
burning to the waters edge. Among her
steerage passengers were over 400 Chi
nese. who we're huddled together on the
forward dsck when the fire broke out
amidships. The poor heather were sepa-
rated from the boats by the flames, and
leapcd into the sea and perished. None
of the vessels crew Ur passengers were
lost.
For three years the company enjoyed
immunity from marine losses. But in the
month Of May. 1877, news was received Of
the loss OF the City of San Francisco. Cap
tain Waddell was skipper OF the vessel,
and he succeeded in beaching her.
The Georgia was wrecked in the follow
ing year upon the shore of Costa Rica
while on her way into Punta Arena. She
went to pieces. Her loss was $500, 900. No
until the City of Toxic struck on a
sunken rock near Yokohama in 1885. No
lives were lost.
The wreck of the San Pablo in the
Straits OF Formosa, while sailing from
San Francisco to the orient, was disas-
ter accompanied by incidents so romantic
and real that they read like fictions of
the sea. This vessel went upon a rock
also. Fortunately, an English steamer
hove in sight the next day, and her cap
tain consented to take the passengers and
| crew aboard. as it is not improba BILE that
| they would have fallen-or at least many
| of them victims to the cruel and rapa-
| cious Chinese pirates. fully 1000 of whom
attempted to board the San Pablo shortly
before the passengers were taken off. As
it was about 200 pirates swarmed up the
ships side, but streams of hot water
were turned OH them from the boiler. and
with frightful yells they fell back and
sought their boats, during which interval
the transfer OF the passengers was accom-
plished.
The pirates boarded the wreck subse-
quently, but many lost their lives, for the
hulk blew up with an awful roar, dealing
! death at every hand. The ma-auders
were killed by scores.
The Grenada went upon the rocks at
Point Tigujsan, after leaving Manzanillo.
in 1889. No lives were lost.
The Nicaragua, after being launched IN
New York, steamed to San Francisco and
made her maiden trip to Panama in De-
cember, 1891, and on her return voyage
struck upon hidden reef at Point Rom
idas. San Salvador. All lives were saved,
though she sank. She was worth $3.50. 900.
The City of New York, splendid
steamer OF the line. was wrecked upon
the rocks just inside of Point Bonita
lighthouse, in leaving the port OF San
Francisco for the orient. All lives were
saved. She was worth $3.50, 600.
The last on the list is the Colima,
which was wrecked May 9th south Of
Manzanillo, while on her way to Pan
ana.