The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-06-06

the laundering of the Pacific Mail
steamer COlina al Manzanilla, Mexico,
Monday night. The officials of the Pa.
cific Mail persist in the statement that
they have received no infOrma ton Of
the wreck Of the steamer. and they
have tried To discredit entirely the
statements OF the disaster. Several
dispatches have been received by the
Merchants Exchange ard Ivy private
shipping firms. all confirming the tale
Of the ocean tragedy ana varying only
in the minuteness of he Information
conveyed. Capt. Pitts. of the steamer
San Juan, telegraphed this morning
that he picked up Il boat containing 10
persons, II of whom were paSSan gers
and members OF the crew of the Col
ina. The rescued boat load was taken
to Manzanilla, and then the steamer
San Juan started out again in search
of other boats from the Colima. the
presumption being that the balance of
the passengers and crew were afloat
III the other boats of the Colima.
Later News
san Francisco. June IA dispatch
has been received from ManZanillo,
stating that beats and RATS from the
Colima are being picked up ut inter
walls and the occupants rescued. This
character that has been received here
since the wreck was first reported y
local paper has the following from
Colima. Mex:
A special messenger from Manzan-
lilo arrived at o'clock this morning
with official information for the gov
ernor of Colima regarding the COlima
steamship disaster off ManZanillO. The
report is very obscure and laments the
loss of the 100 people more than it
goes into the cause and the details Of
The wreck.
Seventy-6ve miles below San Bias a
hurricane was encountered, and il was
debated as to whether or not the ship
should attempt TO gain partial shelter
in the shollOw and treacherous Pom
de Ras Bay. which has rocks near its
entrance. or whether it were better 10
push out to sea. One local Mexican
passenger. Don Matias Mareno. says
testifies that while cautiously steering
for what to all appearances was the
usual entrance. slight tremOr was
felt to go through the ship. and it was
so faint that il was hardly apparent
to the trained senses of the pilots and
captain. The captain ordegd slight
change in the course and gave other
directions. which were Obeycd by the
officers and crew.
In very few seconds after the keel
grounded on a rock lightly and there
was ut once great excitement among
the officers and crew. and fear on the
part OF the few passengers on deck.
Following the first shock, in less than
ten seconds, the ship
Crunched on q Reef
and shudder ran through from bow
to stern. The passengers sprang from
their births in terror and ran on deck
screaming I'm paroXysms Of terror AZ
the danger began to burst nnOn them
The wind began TO rise and the waves
beat over the ship as she was tossed
by surges and began to pound herself
To pieces on the rocks. She rose and
fell three times. and then Il crash waI
heard. This was followed by silence
for the space Of quarter of min
ute, during which time OILY low sob
bling was heard and mufIled prayers.
MAN the boats" trumpetcd the
captain. after short interval. In
which another crash was heard from
beneath the water. The boats had
been previously made ready, with all
life preservers placed at convenient
places. although covered from view of
the nervous passengers. Within three
minutes of the first crash i'm the hull
The ship began to reel from it's up
right position and to settle and sink
in its free hindrepart.
The scenes about the lifeboats We're
irdescribable. According to all the
testimony Obtainable, the panic-strick-
en- passengers and the ships force
struggled for first place. although TO-
the credit of the crew be il said that
few Of the sailors or ships people lost
their presence Of mind. but gave their
main attention to saving the passen-
gers. There were number Of children
on the passenger list, and one of these
was pitched overheard into the froth-
ing sea by frenzied father, who
aimed for one of the rIfebOats while
still upon the davits. A woman Of
evident wealth and refinement among
the passengers. whose name Is now
thought to be Broslyn. or Croslyn. dis
played remarkable presence of mind,
and In the most trying moments went
among the freGzied throng, exhorting
the people to keep quiet and taking
particular care of the women and the
children.
Some of the passengers. not willing
to await the chance of a place in the
boats. seized the life belts and boldly
cast themselves into the sea 10 their
almost inevitable fate. az they were
tossed lifelessly upon the waves or
dashed against rocks. which were
easily observed from the fast sinking