The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-08
time and gave over his work to sailors and
attendants who knew nothing about car
ing for sick people,
THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY.

THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY.
1t Has Been Begun by the Govern
ment inspectors of HuIls
and Boilers.
The official inquiry into the loss of the
| Pacific Mail Company's steamer Colima
was begun by United States Inspector of
Hulls Enoch S. Talbot and Inspector of
Boilers William A. Phillips yesterday
| afternoon. The steamship company was
represented by Ward McAllister Jr. and
]. E. Foulds of the Southern Pacific law
department, and r. P. Schwerin, general
manager, and Alexander Center general
agent of the corporation, were there also
and watched the rescued members of the
crew as they testified. On one occasion
both Attorney McAllister and General
Manager Schwerin were attempting to
help out Third Mate Hansen by putting
answers into his mouth, when Inspector
Talbot lnterfered and said that any ques-
lions put to the witness would have to be
put through the chair.
The witnesses examined were: Arthur
| 4. Richardson, storekeeper of the lost
steamer; Ole Hansen, third officer; Albert
J Carpenter, seaman; Thomas Grace, sea-
man, and Raymond Aviles, engineers
storekeeper
Arthur K. Richardson was the first wit
ness, and he testified as follows: "We left
San francisco on May Is, and arrived at
Manzanillo on Sunday, May 26. We took
on what cargo was ready, and sailed about
4 O'Clock the same afternoon.
Shortly after sailing ran into sea COW
cred with brown foam. 1 was told that in
d1catlons were that great storm had taken
place or was about to. At this time the
water was not rough. It was not, as far as
L am able to state, until about in the
morning that the gale began to get up. At
1880 A. NJ. the porter came to my room and
said that sea had broken. into the cap
tain's room and had carried away some of
his effects, and that he wanted new lamp
shade, which got for him.
AT this time waves were continually
coming over the port side amidships and
had considerable difficulty in getting in
and out OF my room owing to the wind
and water. Some little time after this the
waves began to come in over the Intel of
my door, but the water ran out underneath
the doors. Then large wave came over
the top and nearly filled my room.
This state of affairs kept on for half an
hour, the waves continually coming into
and flooding my cabin. Then the ship
|
stiff angle; but she righted in moment
She went over again to about the same
angle, but did not right, and then the
water commenced to burst in the wood
work over my bunk. At this moment
| heard the whistle blow and SOM chow or
other the water took me up through the
hole in the roof of my room, and l found
myself on top of big wave in moment.
AT this time no vestige of the Colima was
in sight except an enormous amount of
wreckage of different sizes and descrip-
ton.
81 swan to large piece of lumber near
me. 1t turned out to be hatch. l stayed
there until the hurricane was nearly over,
when | was thrown off and was unable to
get back. l secured another piece of
wreckage, and foated on it until / met the
raft with the third mate, the engineers,
storekeeper and Mexican on it. We en-
deavored to paddle toward land, as the
tide was taking US out to sea. We made
very little progress, and as soon as it was
dark we stopped making any effort. We
spent the night holding on to the raft and
guarding ourselves from the force of the
waves and floating wreckage as best we
could.
Next morning at sunrise we commenced
rowing again, and did not stop until the
Mexican turned around and yelled & the
steamer We then looked and saw the
San Juan about a mile and half away
| from US.
"They launched a boat and picked us
: up, and then went to search for others
whom they saw in the immediate neigh
borhood. Then they returned to the San
Juan, and we were given the best atten-
ton, both medical and otherwise, possible.
The doctor gave me his room, and l spent
the time in bed until the morning of our
arrival in San Francisco. l was landed in
} the Millen Griffith and taken to the COM
. pany's Office in hack"
Captain Talbot asked: "Have you ever
been TO sea in any other position than that OF
| storekeeper?"
Yes; as watchman on the City of Sydney last
summer.
Never as seaman
Now, about the sea-going qualities of the
Colima, can you give me any idea?
To my idea she was in good condition: Leev-
ing San Francisco and going oyer the bar she
acted well.
How about the previous voyage?
| 1t was the same, except that she went faster.
Do you know anything about the way the
Very little on this trip, but what saw was
slowed compactly.
Did it fetch away at all?
II Not that L know Of
i Was any effort to save the passengers made?
don't know 1 could not see. was in my
How many Soats were on the Colima, do you
believe there were seven. The exact num-
Der cannot state.
Do you know II the b0atS were swung OutI
No, sir; not from my own personal knowl-
edge.
Did you hear that the cargo had fetched away
on board ship?
heard such remarks made.
Do you know where the cargo was situated
that fetched away?
| No, sir.
ing gear giving way?
No, sir.
Do YOU know who was in charge of the deck
from in the morning until the time the ship
| went down?
The captain was on the bridge, but it was the
third mates watch.
You have no personal knowledge of what was
going on on deck?
| Not the slightest.
Inspector Phillips asked:
From the time you got out of your room
| until the ship went down, how long was it?
| About minute.
| Did you hear any orders given?
| heard no orders.
Did you hear explosion2
| No, sir.
Did you see any steam escaping?
No, sir. If there had been 1 would have
| hpen spa10pd a. N no I'M