The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-06-07
DREADFUL DISASTER
The Colima and her crew 90
down to death in Mid
Ocean.

San Francisco, May 29.-Thc Pa
ciic mail steamship Colima was
wrecked between Mazatalan and
Acapulco on May 27, and the pres
ent indications are that over one hun
drcd and fifty persons perishcd. On
ly ninetcea arc known to have been
saved The Colima was an iron
vessel of 2,O96 tons burden. She
was built by Roach of Philadelphia,
and sailed from this city on the 18th
inst. in command of Captain j. +.
Taylor.
San Francisco; June 1.-The En-
aminer this morning publishes the
following from its correspondent at
Mazatlan, Mexico
"Mazatlin. May 81, via Galveston,
MAY 31.-Thc steamer San Juan
has arrived here with the twenty-one
passengers picked up Oh Tuesday
from the wreck of the steamer Co.
lima. From the passengers, your
correspondent has learned some Of
the particulars of the slrcadtul dis
aster which happened on Monday at
noon, when the Colima was about
forty-cight miles out OF Nanzanillo
and off the shore. All the rescued
are badly bruised. They were all
picked up from places Of wrcckage
and RATS, with the exception of A.
j. Sutherland, who had chung to a
boat after it had capsizcd five times
and drowned all the others who at
tempted to escape from the wreck in
her. All were aloat, lashed by the
ficrces gale of years and butlcttcl by
the angry sea for about twcnty-four
hours.
The steamer was heavy laden, and
had Il large dcckload Of lumber.
Wien the storm struck hcr she made
bad weather of it, the captain having
great difficulty in Keeping her head
to the sea- The wind increased in
fury until it is said to have been the
iierccst storm known along this coast
in twenty years. The sea rose rap
idly. Waves washed over the yes
sci and scattered the dccklold. As the
waves rose the storm increased and
the management of the steamer be-
came impossible. One Of the seas.
a mighty wave. struck her with such
force that the beams trcmbicl aS if
she had struck on reef, and
most OF the passengers thought This
the cause of the shocks. The pas-
scm"crs were pretty badly stunned
hy brim" pitched about. but rushed
upon the deck in panic. Here
they met another danger. The Yalc
tore part of tLc dcckIoad Of lumber
from lis iaStcm;nge and whirlcd thc
heavy plankS about with appalling
violence. Many were struck and
maimcd. At least one passenger
was killed by having his head crush
cd by flying timbcrs.
The survivors say that the Off
GERS of the steamer were brave and
active in this crisis. Captain Tay-
Ior stood upon the ..bridgc with the
chief officer. Griiliths. At an order
GriflithS ran forward to Supcrimtcnd
the launching of the life boa. No. ),
while second Officer Lamhorn WAS IN
charge of the boat No 3' The lat
ter was successfully launched and
filled with passengers. Then the
ship went down and the Lamyhorn
boat was capSizcd. All i'll both boats
arc supposed to have pcrishcd.
Capt. Taylor went down with the
ship, and as the vessel sank he blew
three blasts Of the whistle as good
bye signal. The engineer and fire
man went down at their posts. Nj ght
Clerk Berry was in his room and
went down with the vessel. Third
Officer Hansen was among the saved,
He sprapg from the ship as it went
down. and succeeded in reaching
piece Of wrcckagc. There he clung
for twcnty-ioUr hours, washed and
butlcttcd by the waves. llcSaw men
and women sinking about him and