Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-05-31
A STRUGGLE FOR life
Resulted In Awful Scenes on Board
the Ill-Fated Colima.
Sunk Within Ten Minutes
After Striking q Reef.
But One Boat Load Succeeded In Safely
Reaching Land.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 3l.-The Pacific
Mail Steamship company last evening re-
ceivcd tho following dispatch from Man
xanillo Mex.
Colima sank I'm 100 fathoms. Steamer
we sent last night found nobody alive.
Three cabin passengers ana two sailors got
ashore at Coahuayana alive. Until now
28 persons saved
The company has wired to ascertain, IL
possible, the names Of the three passengers
and two sailors noted above.
Seventy.hve miles below San Bias, u
hurricane was encountered and IL was de-
bated as to whether or not the ship should
attempt to gain partial shelter In the shall
low and treacherous Banderas bay, which
has rocks near its entrance, or whether 1t
were better to push out To sea.
One local Mexican passenger, Don Ma
tias Moreno, says the report, was about on
the deck, and tcstincs that while eau
tiously steering for what, to all appear
ances, was the usual entrance, u slight
tremble was felt to go through tho ship.
1t was so faint that 1t was hardly appar-
ent to the trained senses OF the pilots and
captain. The captain ordered u slight
change in the course and gave other direc-
tions, which were obeyed by the officers
and crow. In few seconds after, the keel
ground on rock lightly, and there was ut
once great excitement among the officers
and crew and fear on the part Of the few
passengers on deck. Following the danger
signal, in less than 10 seconds the great
ship crunched on an unknown reef, and a
shuddcr ran through the hull from stem
to stern.
~F
The passengers sprang from their bcrths
In terror and ran out OH the decks scream
ing and praying in "a paroxysm OF fear, for
the awful truth seemed to burst upon
them. The wind howled and dense pail
of fog hung over the ship as she was tossed
by the surgcs and began to pound herself
to pieces on the rocks. She rose and fell
three times and then crash was heard.
This was followed by silence for the space
of quarter of minute, during which
time only loud sobbing was heard and
muffled prayers.
"Man the boats!" trumpcted the cap
tain, after n short interval, in which an
other crash was heard from beneath the
water. The boats had previously been
made ready, with all the lifcsavers placed
at convenient places, although covered
from the view of nervous passengers.
Within three minutes Of tho first crash in
the hull the ship began to reel from its up
right balance, to settle and to sink in its
free hinderpart. The scenes about the life
boats were indescribable. According to
all the testimony obtainable, the panic
stricken passengers and the ships crew
struggled for first place, although, to the
credit of tho crew, few of the sailors or
ships people lost their presence of mind,
but gave their main attention to saving
the passengers.
A Frenxied Mothers Act.
There were number Of children on the
passenger list and one Of these was
pitched overheard into the frothing sea by
frenzied mother who aimed for one of the
lifeboats still upon the davits. A woman
of evident wealth and refinement among
the passengers, whose name is thought to
be Brosin or Crosslyn, displayed remark
able presence of mind, and in the most
trying moments passed among the frenzied
throng exhorting the people to keep quiet
and take particular care of the women and
children.
Some OF the passengers, not willing to
await a chance. for place in the boats,
seized tho lifebelts and boldly cast them
selves into the sea, to their almost uni
versal fate, as they were tossed lifelessly
upon the waves or dashed against the
rocks, which were easily observed from
the fast sinking ship.
The first boat to be lowered with its
heavy burden of humanity succeeded in
clearing the ships sides, but was swept
away by the mighty force and swallowed
by the night of fog OF this load only one
of the sailors is known to have escaped the
engulflng flood which swept over the boat
within five minutes after it was launched.
A similar fate bcfell all the other boats,
with one exception.