The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-07
snec,alt to the REcoRD-UNIoN-

s-ecial to the REcoRD-UNIoN-
SAN Francisco, June 6.-Seventeen
survivors of the ill-fated steamer CoIlma
arrived in port to-day on the San Juan'
When she docked hundreds OF friends
and relatives of those who went down on
the Colima assembled. awaiting the iahu-
ing of the passengers. Groups OF "oliAeh
with tear-stained faces and knobs OF ahA-
ious men implored everyone on poaro lor
tidings of the lost, all hoping against
hope that there might have been some
mistake in the dispatches and some haiiie
omitted among the saved. how Keen "as
their disappointment, even IN the lace VI
The inevitable assurance that tnere WAS
no hope, was evidenced III thelr pitlei
lamentations. On the upper deck OF Inc
steamer were q few happy people whose
Measure contrasted sharply with the grlef
of the bereayed. These were the frlenos
of the survivors, who were empraceo
and congratulated at their miraculous
rescue.
The Colirna survivors who landed to-
day at this portare: a. j. Sutherland, Z.
ii. Gushing, Jr., j. NJ. Thornton, ID. ii.
Boyd, Gustave Rowan, Bruno Caida, Jose
Antonio Soliz, Jose l.. Manuel. George
D. Ross, Louis Sangene, +; }. oriei; . uaii
A. Remos Crew-O. Hansen, IL. a.
Villes, Albert Carpenter. Arthur Rlch-
ardson, Tom Fish.
The following were landed at MaZatlan,
Thomas Saraiba, Domingo Albans, Angel
GultheZ, Carlos RueZ.
The nineteen men saved from watery
grave when they all had given up nope
OF rescue, were sorrowful looking party
when they arrived at the dock. Some
had their arms in slings, and the heads OF
Others were Swathed IN DandaReS. 1ney
limped as they walked, and their bruises
were plainly in evidence. All looked
thin and weak, and showed only too
plainly the effects OF the terrible strain
during the fearful hours when they
waited succor.
The stories of the survivors all con-
firmed the telegraphlc accounts OF the
disaster. They agree that the cause OF the
1oundering was the top-heavy condition
OF the Collma, due to her bulky deck
load From the beginning of the voyage
south they say the steamer acted badly,
and would not answer her helm.
The storm which sunk her was encoun-
tered about o'clock Monday night, May
9th. and blew turiously during the next
fourteen hours. The vessel lost Storage
Hvav. and swung shoreWard III the teeth
OF a furious southeasterly gale, when she
lav helplessly battered by the mighty
tidal waves. The steamer lay helplessly
on her side for about fifteen minutes, and
then tipped over and sank
The women and children were drowned
iE their staterooms, where they were
confined during the gale. Those passen-
GERS who had been on deck were thrown
into the sea. Many were killed and hor-
ribly mutilated by the lum ber on the Co
lima's deck being blown by the wind on
the heads of the struggling men In the
water.
The raft on which Cushing. Sutherland,
Richardson and two others were at1oat
driited about for twenty-four hours.
They gave up all hope until the San
Juan hove in sight. They attracted her
attention by hosting red piece OF cloth
and waving their clothes.
On the raft with the passengers were
two sailors. One seized a small cask OF
cIaret, of which they drank until they be-
came drunk and quarrelsome. 10 save
the lives of the rest on the raft, the men
say they were Obliged to push one sailor,
mad with drink, into the sea, where he
drowned.
The passengers say there was no time to
launch the boats or put on lIie-preServers
when they realized the serious plight of
ahe Colima, and besides the fury of the
storm made 1t Impossible TO launcn or
lnan the boats successfully. Those who
secured lite-preserverS got them In the
r.
the san Juan clambered into her as she
uoated toward them struggling in the sea.
As soon as the San Juan was fast to the
wharf the third officer, the storekeeper
and Seaman Aviles, the three men OF the
crew of the Colima rescued, were called
to the office of the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company to make their statements about
the wreck. The relation of each one was
taken in shorthand. signed and sworn to-.
THIRD OFFICER HANsEN's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Schwerin asked Third Officer Han
sen of the COlima to make a statement re-
garding everything he knew OF the move
Inents of the ColIma, commencing at the
time he lett Mazatlan until he was taken
on board the San uan, in connection with
the loss of the Colima, and to tell every
thing he knew, sparlng no one.
Hansen said: "When we left Mazatlan
we had fair weather and heavy south
east swell, which lasted until p. NJ. W o
got heavy east to southeast winds and
sea. The southeast swell increased. we
had heavy rain and swells the whole
night. At6 A. NJ, May 9th, the wind in
creased TO a heavy gale. The ship was
,aove-to and continued to roll heavily.
She bore up nicely until 1915 a. NJ. when
.she lost three starboard liteboats, and
things remained quiet until lO:4o a. NJ,
when she listed heavily over to starboard.
She remained in that position about Two
about three to five minutes, stern nrst.
Before she listed the Captain ordered me
20 cut the deckload adrift and heave 1t
over the side, and before l got ready to
heave it all she capsized."
Ibid you have any deckload except
what was put on board in San Fran
cisco?"
1--WE had small express wagon on the
upper deck that we took on board at Maz-
atlan."
In reply to questions, Hansen stated
that the Colima's steering gear was in
good order; that the ship WAS properly
loaded; that she did not carry too much
deckload; that the officers were faithful,
and the crew well disciplined; that the
ship was properly slowed to go to sea
when she left san Francisco, and that if
he were oruered 10 sea under similar con-
ditions he would not hesitate moment.
Hansen SAID he thought everything was
done on board the Colima that could be
done to protect life and property. and
that nothing could have been done to
prevent the disaster. According to Ham
sen the deckload of lumber had nothing
to do with the disaster. The wind was
blowing hurricane. and that, with the
heavy swell, was the cause. Hanson did
not consider the Colima was in danger
until the last couple of minutes. when She
gave the final list. The ship rolled witt,
the swell. which filled her main deck on
the starboard side with water, and she
did not have time to recover herself be-
fore the second swell came, pinning her
down and showing her overland. The
third swell then came and showed her
down. These swells came in quick sue
scession. and the officers could do nothing