Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-08-29

| lima, related his experiences as q pas
senger on the ill-fated vessel to w. e.
Stauffer, OF Pullman's Palace Car Com
pany, while they were travelling to-
gether recently from Niagara Falls to
New York. The narrative was re-
ported by Mr.. Staulfer verbatim, and
is as follows:
We left Manzanillo about 4 o'clock
on the afternoon of Sunday, May 26
Sailing out into the open sea we en-
countered nice, fresh breeze. About
7 o'clock the wind freshened, all avn
ings were taken in and preparations
were made for rough weather. 1t was
about sunset and the sky was OK
tremely beautiful, the sun being
totally crimson, and if that ominous
forerunner of storm was not con-
sidered, the scene was one of perfect
peace and quiet. But soon the seq be-
gan to roughen, and ere long We had
a heavy swell, which continued from
this time on. The ship soon began to
pitch and roll heavily, continuing in
this way all through the night, and by
s o'clock the next morning all hands
were very busily engaged i'll securing
the cargo, which was shifting slightly
on the forward main deck. On the
hurricane deck were piled some sixty
or seventy tons of lumber. On the
main deck several head of cattle and
horses were penned. There was also
q large amount of oil on the main
deck, and on the steerage deck lot
of loose cargo was stored. The swell
was very heavy and many of the pas
sengers were seasick. At about .
o'clock 1 went below to change my
clothes, having carried them with me
on deck. The boatswain and some of
the men were trying to put oil on the
water, but it would not so through
| the scuppers. About this time one of
the steerage passengers went below,
and shortly afterward we heard ter
rible rumbling under us, which told
us as plainly rs words could have done
that the cargo had shifted. All the
loose cargo in the steerage had fallen
over to starboard. All the oil on the
main deck had also shifted to star
board and the coal in tine bunkers
slipped over. BY this time the ship
was leaning badly to starboard and we
nevsr again recovered an even keel
We had been heaving 10 for some
hours and the ship had lost hoadwaY.
! The Captain called for more steam,
| but was unable-tQ get any. Suddenly
we heard the calls, "All on deck l'' and
"Man the bontsl" and at this iuncture
/ made my way up the compauionway.
Everything on the main deck at this
| time was confusion and excitement,
and catching hold of hammock l
pulled myself hand over hand to the
other side of the ship. When L got
there [ saw the quartermaster go for
ward with an axe, which was very sug
gestive, and although did not realize
there was any absolute danger up to
this time. 1 began to look around for
means of safety. The heavy swell
forced the ship over further and fur
ther to starboard, and the water came
over the side in great Bheets. After
pulling up four follows to the port side,
l looked in the companionway and was
surprised to see one OF the crew, who
had n lifc-preserver on, jump over
DOuIu. Lid NuS tuc OiI iibh iiiO
saw break away before the signal was
given for all to save themselves. See
ing this man go, | climbed over the
port rail and stood on the other side
of the rail. CHANGING toward the
bridge. saw the Captains hand on
the whistle-cord The whistlesouuled
loud and shrill, and the command was
given for all hands to save themselves.
A crashing noise at the time drew my
attention upward, and saw the hur-
ricane deck and upper cabins all smash
up into small pieces, and with the re-
maj k that "she will never come up
any more" took off my boots, coat
and vest, ran down the side and jumped
into sea. ] went down very deep and
| / thought that all was over, but after
time felt my arm go out into the
cold air. / was just about to take
breath when was swished down again,
this time going deeper than before.
My breath began to oo2e ont OF my
mouth, replacing itself with salt water,
and fought for all / was worth. Sud
denly | felt myself rising, and, strug
| Cling very hard, / came to the surface
like cork. After suudry gasps L was
all right. My thoughts came clearly,
and l swan about for while, trying
to find something suitable to hold to.
Seeing one young fellow with two
bundles of shingles, l called ont to
him to give me one. He said, "Come
for it." 1 did, and we swan away in
company. l looked around for the
ship, but she was gone, and nothing
was left save q floating mass of loose
lumber and the crushed pieces OF the
deck and cabins. All around me were
pieces of the ship, with people hang
ing to them, and dead bodies hoatel
past me every few minutes. After
while / got on raft IA collection of
pieces Of the broken deck) with three
others, but we were almost i'm.
n'ediately upset by heavy wave. We
all scrambled back again. Two of the
4 L