The herald., 1895-06-02

|
small chance for the men in such a
storm. Many of the wonlan and children
must have remained in their cabins. The
completely nude bodies of the stewardess
| and two other women came floating by
the deckhouse some time after tho
steamer sank. All were dead, and the
sight was so distressing that Third Officer
Hanson and the others pushed the bodies
away with pieces of scantling.
Professor Harold Whiting of the Uni
versity of California made heroic effort
to save his wife, four children and the
nurse. He got into boat in which were
A. J. Sutherland and others. The boat
was soon swamped. Then it was righted,
but went over again. Five times she was
righted after being overturned.
The women were soon drowned despite
| all efforts to save them. Some were killed
or stunned by the flying debris. At last
only Sutherland was left.
! 10 avoid the swirling wreckage he
Climbed upon the seats while the liieboat
was overturned, and SO foated with the
bottom OF the boat serving him as pro-
tecting shield. Air came to him through
the broken sides of the boat. Sutherland
says he was on the weather side of the
steamer when she went on her beam
ends, but slid over to the lee side and fell
into boat. AS the steamer went down
mast or part of the rigging took the
boat under water.
When it came to the surface Sutherland
crawled into it again. Then he picked
up Professor Whiting. Mrs. G. Irving.
and another lady, supposed to be Mrs.
Whrffn AL. Al
capsized again. and, as has been related.
went over no less than five times, drown
ing Professor Whiting and the two
women. Then it was Sutherland came
up under the boat and remained there.
Protected. as he tells. from the flying
timber and dashing debris. The survivors
drlfted about tor twenty-four hours in
what Captain Pitts says was the hardest
storm experienced on the coast in twenty
years. OF course none but the stoutest
could survive. The weaker ones sue
cumbed from hour to hour.
Many of those saved were badly hurt by
the wreckage and lumber. Among those
most injured is young c. II. Cushing,
ir., of oakland. With another man he
hoated about on an improvised raft. but
his brother was drowned. His injuries
are severe. Some of the others are in
pitt able condition.
The appearance of the San Juan kept
up the spirits of those who were about
ready to give up the unequal struggle as
hopeless.
The first notice of trouble came to the
first officer of the San Juan. who noticed
great quantity of wreckage and reported
the probability OF great disaster during
the storm. Captain Pitts Immediately
sent men aloft and soon some of the
survivors were sighted. Ali the twenty
one picked up were found within radius
of two or three miles.
The Colima is in 601 fathoms of water.
The loca tior where she went down is
now given as degrees Is minutes lati.
tude. longitude l degrees IA minutes west
I Though the direct cause of the disaster
was the tremendous sea and tho fearful
southeast gale, 1T is generally believed
that the Coima was badly overloaded.
She refused three lighters of freight
here, having already all she could carry.
1t is supposed that at Manzanillo she dis
charged some freight but that she trans
ferred some from the hold to the decks,
making her top heavy and unable to
withstand the head wind and cross sea.
Then, it is thought the cargo was badly
slowed and that it shifted as soon as the
steamer began to keel over 1t is under
stood that within three minutes OF the
time Captain Taylor gave his farewell
three blasts of the whistle the steamer
had entirely disappeared. All the pas
sengers praise the captain for his heroism
and GOODNESS. The last they saw of him
he stood at his post, the waves and winds
dashed water all about him and the wall
of that whistle will sound through the
dreams of many for years to come.
Captain Pitts of the San Juan put look
outs on the mastheads and cruised
through and around the floating debris
| for eight hours anI then continued on
her trip north, calling here and at Man
zanlllo, leavi lg four passengers from the
! wreck.
Five more pa ssengers drifted ashore at
Coapayuana, sixty miles south from here.
| yesterday. They are J. Il. Chilberg.
Louis Peters and Enrique Wider, cabin
passengers; Fred Johnson, seaman,
and Robert Gonzales. mess boy. Tney
were thirtythree hours on life raft
without food or water. They saw the
!
| by the lookouts. Captain Pitts was first
| attracted by seeing the sea covered with
| wreckdge in which were found the sur
vivo"s, all of whom were nearly naked
| Their account was heartrendng. Every
attention was given them
y peculiar circumstance in connection
| with the dsaster is the fact that Pro-
| fessor Harold Whiting, before starting
with his family on the Colima, drew up
two wills. In one he provided that in
case the steamship went down and he
/ was drowned his estate should revert to
the surviving members of his family. He
J provided in the other that iii the event of
/ the death of his entire family his pr OBJ
] erty should revert TO his surviving rela-
! tiyes in the east After executing the two
wills, and but a few days before starting
| OH his sea voyage, the professor mailed
the testaments to Attorney Brewster of
| Cambridge, who was classmate at Har-
ward with both Professors Whiting and
, Strngham.
Under date of City of Mexico the Ex-
J amner prints the following interview
with John M. Thornton, one of the sur
| vivors: