The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-30
mail STEAMSHIP WRECKED
Only Nineteen Of the Passengers and
Crew Arc Saved.
THE FATE OF OTHERS IN DOUBT
Pacific Mail Steamer. COlimn. Is Wrecked
Near Mnnzanilla Small Boat Load
Of Passengers Reaches tho
Mexican Coast.

San Francisco, May 29-The Pacific
mail steamship Colima was wrecked
between ManZanilla and Acapulco on
May ~, and of the $50 persons aboard,
only nineteen are known to have been
saved. The Colima was an iron ves-
sci Of 2.S96 tons burden. She was
built by Roach & Sons, of Chester, Pa,
and sailed from this city on May IS in
command OF Captain j. +. Tayler
There were forty cabin passengers.
thirty-six steerage passengers forty
Chinese and seventy officers and crew.
The news of the disaster reached this
city through Il dispatch received by
the agents Of the Pacific Mail company.
One of the steamers small boats, con-
tanning fourteen passengers and five OF
the crew, reached the Mexican coast,
and 1t was this party that telegraphed
the news OF the wreck. None of the
remaining $50 passengers and crew has
been heard of, but 1t is hoped that they
have reached shore in the vessels boats
at some point where telegraphic ser
vice Is not maintained.
Just how many passengers were
aboard the vessel when the accident oc-
Cured which sent her to the bottom
cannot be ascertained at present. The
vessel stops at MaZatlan and San Bias
before reaching ManZanilla, and passen-
gers were landed and taken on at both
places. The corrected passenger list
can only be made out after the names
of the passengers who went ashore
and boarded the vessel at those two
points are received by telegraph.
The Colima was due at ManZanilla on
Sunday, May rs. The dispatches show
that the vessel foundered on Monday,
May q, off ManZanilla, which would in
dicate that some accident to the ma
chinery occurred which retared the
progress of the vessel and prevented
her from reaching the port of Man
camilla before she foundered. The ofii-
GERS of the Pacific Mail Steamship COM
pany do not believe the vessel struck
hidden ledge. They are more inclined
to think that the cause of the disaster
was an accident to the machinery.
They are sure that the officers and
crew did their duty and believe that
the loss of life will prove to be much
less than is at present feared.
The vessel had six life boats, which
hung from davits ready to be launched
at a moments notice, and II Is thought
that all of these could have been
launched, no matter how rapidly the
vessel sank. The telegram received by
Mr.. Schwerin only accounts for one
boat, and the fact that more had not
arrived at Manzanilla at the time the
dispatch was sent was the only indica-
ton that the loss of life may have been
very great.
The Colima was q single screw pro-
peller, with an iron hull. She was built
in 1878 at Chester, Pa, by John Roach
& Sons. Her tonnage was 2,909 gross,
and 2,143 net, her horse power /, 100 and
her speed liz knots. This was her one
hundred and twenty-ninth voyage to
Panama. She carried about 1000 tons
of cargo, and was valued at $103000.
Hope for More Survivors.
The latest concerning the disaster Is
a private message which reports that
there Is a possibility that several more
boats are adrift or have landed on the
coast. The disaster occurred about
fifty miles from Manzanillo, and be-
tween that port and Punta San Telmo,
a bend in the south Mexican coast. The
Colima had been out several hours
when an accident occurred to her ma
chinery which caused her to spring a
leak. She filled quickly. and it being
night, and all the passengers having
turned in, great difficulty was encount-
cred in arousing them. Confusion and
wild disorder followed. One boat was
lowered and five swung out but as far
as is known the one boat was the only
one that got good distance from the
ship before she went down. 1t was
impossible to say whether the other
boats pulled away before being sucked
under by the sinking vessel or not.
The boat containing the rescued men
was picked up at sea by the steamer
San Juan, north bound to this city from
Central American ports. She imme-
diately put into Manzanillo with the
eaved, and, according to dispatches
since received, at once went to sea
again in search of other boats.