Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-07-12
THE COLIMA WRECK
The Inspector Absolves the Crew
From All Blame.
The VESSEL WAS SEAWORTHY
hao been pronounced Absolutely Safe
and Rated High by Maritime
Bureaus-The Report.

Washington, July 5.-General Du-
mont. supervising inspector general of
steam vessels, has received from the
Inspector of the San Francisco district
the following report of the loss of the
Pacific Mail steamship Colima:
San Francisco, June Is, 1S95.-Captain
Birmingham. Supervising Inspector First
District, San Francisco-Sir: We have to
report that the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company's steamship Colima, J. f. Tay-
Tor. commander, May II last, for Panama
and way ports of Mexico and Central AM
erica, with Al cabin and 81 steerage pass
engers and a crew Of so persons all told
and 1850 tons cargo. foundered in a vio-
lent gale of wind about 1915 a. M, May
", about 40 miles south from Manzanillo,
taking down with her all on board, ex-
cepting, as far as known, q passengers
and Il of the crew. who were fortunate
enough to have been able to struggle and
save themselves by swimming and cling
ing to floating wreckage. Some of these
were picked up by that company's steam
er San Juan. and others driited to the
beach,
We have Investigated the nature of this
deplorable disaster, taking the testimony
OF number of surviving passengers and
crew. including that of Third officer O.
G. Hansen, who is the only officer saved
and also of others who were competent to
speak of the vessel herself. We find from
the testimony that nothing unusual oc-
Cured on the voyage from San Francisco
TO the way ports of MaZatlan, San Bias
and Manzanillo, and she gave no evidence
or indication whatever of being cranky or
tender from the time she left San Francis
co and crossed the bar, which was rough
until the morning she was lost. At the
way ports above named several passen-
gers left the ship. and others boarded her
Tor ports south, and at the same time
about 100 tons of cargo were discharged
and an equal amount received ON board
The Colima left Manzanillo at O'Clock
a. m, May 26. A strong breeze sprung
up at p. m. from east southeast with a
southeast swell. and continued throughout
the night till the morning of May q, when
II blew gale, which at about 1920 the
same morning suddenly increased to what
Is described as a hurricane, by some of
the survivors. and in which the steamer
was knocked down on her beams end
and filled and sank
From the evidence there appears to have
been no danger anticipated until or 10
minutes before the ship went down. 1t
appears that there was good discipline
maintained on board, in the deck and
engine departments. all orders having
been obeyed. and we therefore can at
tach no blame to the third officer, Mr.
Hansen. Captain Taylor was in charge
on the bridge of the steamer all morning
May u, until she foundered, and it may
be he was trying to keep her before the
sea or wear her around on another tack
when she was caught in the trough of
the sea and thrown on her beams end
But without his testimony or that of his
hrst officer and chief engineer of the
steamer 1t is impossible to decide the
true cause of the disaster.
With regard to the steamer Colima
there can be no doubt that she was
staunch and seaworthy vessel. She was
inspected March Is, 1885, and her hull
boilers and equipments found to be in
good order. She was examined in dry
dock May IA. 1895. and her bottom found in
good condition, and new blades put on
her propeller. She was classed 49, L., IL
in the bureau of veritas, which is the
highest class which that society awards
steam vessels. The Colima was an iron
vessel built in 1873 at Chester, Pa, with
new boilers put in in 1887 at San Fran
cisco. of 1854 tons gross, 2143.S SIS tons net
and was valued at $225, 00O The exact
number of lives lost Is not obtainable
at present. for the reason that the num-
Der or way passengers received Is not
yet reported by the agents to the COM
pany's office at San Francisco The num-
Der so far known with any degree of GER
tainty to be be lost Is IS passengers and
6S of the crew. Very respectfully,
e. T. TALBOT
w. s. PHILLIPS,
United States Local Inspectors.