The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-05-31
HOPE IS ABANDONED.
Only Twenty-six Saved from the
H., Wrecked Steamer Colima. a;
THE FIRST REPORTS CONFIRMED.

A Survivor Says tho steamer Struck on a
Reef aud Began to Pound Herself to
Pieces Appalling Scenes as the ve<sel
Began to Sink.
SAN FRANCISCO May 3l,-As further
particulars are being received concerning
me Colima disaster tho outlook for the
passengers and Grew not already reported
saved Is very poor. The Pacific Mail last
night received n dispatch from Its agent at
Manznnillo, saying that the Colima found
cred, going down astern, sinking entirely
in ten minutes. A still later dispatch
reads; "Colima sunk in 1870 fnthoms.
Steamer we sent last night found nobody
alive. Three cabin passengers and two
sailors got ashore at Coahuayana alive.
Until now twenty-six persons saved"
The Pacific Mail officers now admit thai
there Is hardly any chance of other passen-
gers being saved. The fact that the
steamer sank in ten minutes would indi-
cate that only few of the people on board
got away.
A dispatch from Colima, Mexico, says
that special messenger has arrived there
with official inform alton for the governor
of Colima regarding the Colima disaster.
According to this statement u hurricane
was encountered seventy five miles below
San Bias. and it was debated as to whether
or not the ship should attempt to gain
partial shelter in the shallow and treach-
srous Bandias bay, which has reefs near
Its entrance, or whether it were better to
push out to sea-
One Mexican passenger, Don Mathis Mo
reno, says the report was about on the
deok, and he testifles that while cautiously
steering for what TO all appearances was
the usual entrance q slight tremble was
felt to go through the ship. 1t was SC
t&knt that 1t was hardly apparent to the
SSainod senses of the pilots and captains
The captain ordered slight change in the
course, and gave other directions which
were obeyed by the officers and crew.
In very few seconds after the kee
grounded on a rock lightly, and there was
at once great excitement among the ofh
GERS and crew, and fear on the part of the
few passengers on deck. Following thu
danger signal the great ship crunched or
an unknown reef, and q shudder rar
through the hull from bow to stern.
The passengers sprang from their BERTH
In terror and ran out on the decks
screaming and praying In paroxysm o.
fear as the awful truth began to burs
upon them. The wind howled and dens,
pail OF fog hung over the ship as she wa
tossed by the surges and began to pount
herself TO pieces on the rocks. She ros'
and fell three times, and then a crash wa
heard. This was followed by silence TO
the spnoe of a q arter Of minute, during
which time only low sobbing was hearC
and muffled prayers.
"Man the boats" trumpeted the cap
tain, after short interval, In which an
ether crash was heard from beneath tn,
water. Tho boats had previously beer
pnde ready, with all the life savers placet
ID convenient places, although covered
pom the view Of nervous passengers
Within three minutes Of the first crash II
the hull, the ship began to reel from 1T
pprlght balance, to settle, and to sink II
tts free hinder part. The scenes about tn,
3ifeboats were indescribable. According
b all tho testimony obtainable the PAM,
stricken passengers and the ships Grew
struggled for first place. although to th,
credit of the crew be it said only few o
tbe sailors or ships people lost their pres
ence of mind, but gave their main atten
fions to saving the passengers.
There were q number of children on thu
passenger list, and one Of these wa
pitched overheard into the frothlng sea by
frenzied father, who aimed for one O
the lifebonts whilo still upon the davits
A woman of evident wealth and refine
ment among the passengers, whose namt
Is thought to BIO Broslyn, or Crosslyn, dis
played remarkable presence of mind, ant
In tine most trying moments passed among
the frenzied throng exhorting the people
TO keep quiet, and taking particular care
OF the women and children.
Some of tho passengers, not willing Il
await the chance Of place in the boats
seized the life belts and boldly cast them
selves into the sea, to their almost univer
sal fate, as they were tossed lIfelessly upor
the waves or dashed against the rocks
which were easily observed from the fas
sinking ship. The first boat to be lowered
with Its heavy burden of humanity sue
eeeded In clearing the ships Sides but wa
swept away by tho mighty force and swal
lowed by the night fog. or this load onl,
ene Of the sailors is known to have escaped
che engulflng flood which swept over tn,
boat within five minutes after it wa
lspnched, A similar fate befell all th
other boats, with one exception.
&,