The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-06-06
NOT ALL DROWNED.
ENCOURAGING NEWS REGARDING
THE WRECK OF THE COLIMA.
A Dispatch Is Received I'm San Franz
cisco, Stating That Boats and Rats
Are Being Picked up and the:
Occupants Rescued.

San Francisco, May 31.-Only mea--
ger and unsatisfactory reports have
been received here to-day regarding
the laundering Of the Pacific Mail,
steamer Colima at Manzanilla, Mexico,
Monday night. The officials of the Pa.
cific Mail persist in the statement, that
they have received no information Of
the wreck CT the steamer. and. they
have tried to discredit entirely the
statements of the disaster. Several
dispatches have been received by the
Merchants Exchange and by private
shipping firms, all confirming the tale
OF the ocean tragedy and y:ryiJg only
in the minuteness of the information
conveyed. Capt. Pitts, Of the steamer
San Juan, telegraphed this morning
that he picked up a boat containing 10
persons, II Of whom were passen gers
and members Of the crew Of the Col
ina. The rescued boat load was taken
to Manzanilla, and then the steamer
san Juan started out again in search
OF other boats from the COlima. the
presumption being that the balance Of
the passengers and crew were afloat
III the other boats Of the Colima
Later News
San francisco, June IA dispatch
has been received from ManZanillo
stating that boats and RATS from the
Colima are being picked up at inter-
walls and the occupants rescued. This
is the first news of an encoura ging
character that has been received here
since the wreck was first reported A
local paper has the following from
Colima. Mex:
A special messenger from Manzan-
lilo arrived at 1 o'clock this morning
with official information for the GOV
ernor of Colima regarding the Colima
steamship disaster off Manzanillo. The
report is very obscure and laments the
loss of the 100 people more than it
goes into the cause and the details of
the wreck.
Seyenty-1ive miles below San Bias a
hurricane was encountered, and it was
debated as to whether or not the ship
should attempt to gain partial shelter
in the sholiow and trea cherous Pom
de Ras Bay, which has rocks near it's
entrance, or whether it We're better to
push out to sea. One local Mexican
passenger, Don Matias Mareno. says
the report. was about the deck and
testifics that while cautiously steering
for what to all appearances was the
usual entrance, a slight tremOr was
felt to go through the ship. and it was
so faint that it was hardly apparent
to the trained senses of the pilots and
captain. The captain ordelS.d a slight
change in the course and gave other
directions, which were obeyed by the
officers and crew.
In very few seconds after the keel
grounded on a rock lightly and there
was at once great excitement among
the officers and crew, and fear on the
part of the few passengers on deck.
Following the first shock, in less than
ten seconds, the ship
Crunched on n Reef
and shudder ran through from bow
to stern. The passengers Sprang from
their births in terror and ran on deck.
screaming in paroXysms of terror as
the danger began to burst upon them.
The wind began to rise and the waves
beat over the ship as she was tossed
by surges and began to pound herself
to pieces on the rocks. She rose and
fell three times. and then a crash waii-
heard. This was followed by silence
for the space of quarter OF a min
ute, during which time OILY low sob
bling was heard and mu1lled prayers.
''Man the boats" trumpeted the
captain. after a short interval. in
which another crash was heard from
beneath the water. The boats had
been previously made ready, with all
life preServerS placed at convenient
places, although covered from view Of
the nervous passengers. Within three
minutes of the first crash in the hull
the ship began to reel from it's up
right position and to settle and sink
in its free hindrepart
The scenes about the 1ifeboatS We're
indescribable. According to all the
testimony obtainable. the panic-strick-
en- passengers and the ships force
struggled for first place. although tc'
the credit of the crew be it said that
few Of the sailors or ships people lost
their presence of mind. hut gave their
main attention to saving the pasSen-
gers. There were a number of children
on the passenger list. and one Of these
ing sea by a frenzied father. who
aimed for one of the llfeboats while
still upon the davits. A woman Of
evident wealth and refinement among
the passengers. whose name is pow
thought to be Broslyn, or Croslyn. dis
played remarkable presence of mind,
and in the most trying moments went
among the frenzied throng. exho1.ing
the people to keep quiet and taking
particular care Of the women and the
children.
Some of the passengers. not Willing
to await the chance of place in the
boats. seized the life belts and boldly
cast themselves into the sea to their
almost inevitable fate, as they were
tossed lifelessly upon the waves or
dashed against rocks, which were
easily observed from the fast sinking
ship. The first boat to be lowered with
its heavy burden of hune nifty succeed
ed in clearing the shias side. hut was
swept away by the mighty force and
swallowed up by the night of fog, OF
this load only one of the sailors il
known to have escaped the engulting
mood which swept over the boat with.
IN five minutes after it was launched
AS further particulars are being re-
ceived concerning the disaster the