Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-06-06
DASHED on THE ROCKS.
No Hope for the Safety of Those
on the Panama Mail
Steamer.

San Francisco, CAL, May 30-The Ex-
aminer this morning says that special
messenger arrived at Manzanilla at j a.
III. today with official news of the disas-
ter of the Colima. The report is very
obscure and laments the loss of the $50
people more than it goes into the causes
and details of the wreck.
Seventy-fve miles below San Bias
hurricane was encountered and 1T was
debated as to whether or not the ship
should attempt to gain partial shelter
in the shallow and treacherous Panderas
bay which has rocks near its entrance.
or whether it were better to push out to
sea. One local Mexican passenger. Don
Matias Moreno, says that while the cap
tain was cautiously steering for what to
all appearances was the usual entrance,
slight tremble was felt to go through
the ship. 1t was so faint that it was
hardly apparent to the trained senses
of the pilots and captain. The captain
ordered slight change in the. course
and gave other directions which were
obeyed by the officers and crew.
In q very few seconds after the COlima
grounded on a rock lightly and there was
at once great excitement among the Of
ficers and crew and fear on the part of
the few passengers on deck. Following
the danger signal, in less than ten sec
ends, the great ship crunched on an
unknown reef and a shudder ran through
the hull from bow to stern, the passen-
gers sprang from their berths in terror
and ran out onto the decks, screaming
and praying in paroxysm of fear as
the awful truth began to burst upon
them.
Passengers Panic-Stricken.
The wind howled and pail of fog hung
over the ship as she was tossed by the
surges and began to pound herself to
pieces upon the rocks. She rose and fell
three times and then a crash was heard
This was followed by silence for the space
OF 2 quarter of a minute, during which
time only low sobbing was heard and
muffled prayers.
Man the boats" trumpeted the cap
tain. After q short interval another
crash was heard from beneath the water.
Within three minutes Of the first crash
in the hull the ship began to reel from it's
upright balance, to settle and to sink in
its free hinderpart.
The scenes about the lifeboats were
indescribable. According to all facts OBJ
tainable, the panic-stricken passengers and
although to the credit of the crew be it
said that few of the sailors or ships
people lost their presence Of mind, but
gave their main attention to saving the
passengers
Brave Woman.
There were number of children On the
passenger list and one of these was
pitched overheard into the frothing sea
by q frenzied father who aimed for one
Of the lifeboats while still upon the dav-
it's. A woman of evident wealth and re-
fnement among the passengers, whose
name is thought to be Broslyn or Cross
lyn, displayed remarkable presence of
mind and in the most trying, moments
passed among the frenzied throng ex-
horting the people to keep quiet and
taking particular care of the women and
children. Some of the passengers, not
willing to await the chance of a place in
the boats, seized the life belts and boldly
their almost universal fate, as they were
tossed upon the waves or dashed against
the rocks which We're easily observed
from the fast-sinking ship. The first boat
to be lowered with it's heavy burden Of
humanity succeeded in clearing the ships
of the wind and swallowed by the bank
of fog. Of this load only one of the sail
OFFS is known to have escaped the engulf-
ing food which swept over the boat with
in five minutes after it was launched. A
similar fate befell the other boats with
one exception.
A Later Dispatch.
The Pacific Mail Steamship company
received the following dispatch today from
It's agent at NanZamllO. Mex: ManZa-
Milo, May 29.-Colina foundered at sea
fifty miles from Manzanillo May u at
IL a. m. Have sent vessel to her as
sistance. Will send full particulars as
soon as received.
L. r. Brewer. a Gautemaian coffee
planter, now in this city, whose wife and
two children were passengers on the
steamer Colima sent a cable to Manzanil-
Ia yesterday asking for information, and
today he received a reply stating that
boats and RATS from the Colima were
being picked UP at intervals and the occu-
pants rescued. This is the first news Of
an encouraging chara cter which has beer
received here since the wreck was first
reported Brewers dispatch states that
the steamer foundered fifty miles from
Manzanilla at II p. m. Monday. A dis
patch to- the Pacific Mail company today
gives the hour as II 4. N.