The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-07


sr san Juan arrived this afternoon from
Panama and way ports with survivors
Of the wrecked mail steamship Colima.
As soon as the marine observer report
"a the ship two miles out, the water
front became the scene OF considerable
excitement The Pacific mail dock was
besieged by curious crowd that blocked
tho street As the revenue cutter bearing
the customs officers and newspaper men,
nearcd the ship, some Of the comma
rescued passengers. with bandaged heads
were seen leaning on the bow raiL
RironrfEs oN HAsD.
just prior TO the arrival Of the report
ers, however. the Pacific Mall Companys
boat Millen Grifnth came alongside the
San Juan and took off Third Mate Han
eel. Of the lost ship who, more than
any one else. can throw iisht on Inv
cause OF the wreck. There was general
disiucllnatiOn among the surviving pas
sengors 20 give any Information. the
only reason given for their refusal 10 De
interviewed being that under the circum-
stances they did not feel disposed 10 talk.
George D. Ross formerly boatswain
mate on the cruiser olympia, who was
on his way 10 bis home In New YORK,
gave the United Press reporter the fol-
lowing graphic account OF the wreck
ROSS ACCOUNT.
"We left Mazatlan Sunday, May 2sth'
az o'clock H. ~. with fair breeze
blowing Toward 8 O'Clock In the evening
the wind increased a little and continued
blowing pretty fresh all night. Next
morning at o'clock the wind moderated
considerably until about 9 o'clock when
IL came UP again, and steadily continued
to gain violence until 20 acquired the
proportions Of hurricane. The wind
blew in great gusts. causing the ship 20
list badly 10 starhoard. The Colma labor
cd heavily. and IL was evident that we
were in very precarious predicament.
-he greatest excitement prevailed on board
and the faces Of the passengers plainly
showed that they w,r keenly alive TO
their perlous position.
FA1sL BLUNDlR.
unfortunately just al the last moment
- fatal hlunder was committey boy the
the third officer who cut the lashings Of a
deck load consisting of 1900 feet
or lumber Some of this vas washed
in the sea. and what remained on deck
was driven about. knocking down and
iaaiminr those whom 10 struck partic,
ulariy heavy sea struck the ship. tum-
bling the foremast and smokestack. Short
ly before this. however. a succession of
huge waves had punched a hole i'm our
siarboard bow, through which the sea
poured Women screamed, and rushed
up the companion way imploring the men
10 save them. The ship gave a couple OF
heavy rolls, an enormous sea climbed
on US, smashed the hurricane deck. and
with one mighty lurch the ship went
down. As she was making her
last lurch dove into the sea
and when 1 came up she was out Of sight
People were floating around. clinging 20
al sorts OF wreckage. and some sinking
under our very eyes Some who had man
aged 90 grasp hold Of boxes or planks
were knocked senseless and drowned
The force and effect OF this floating mass
Of lumber cannot be described. IL caused
the death of many who might otherwise
have been saved.
WHAT CAUSED THE WRECK.
1t IS a difficult matter to say TO what
cause the wreck Of the Colima is attribut
able She must certainly have shifted her
cargo, as her strong list 20 port showed
II firmly believe that but for the shift
ing Of the cargo the ship would have
rode out the gale / had been In the
water some little time clnglng 10 one
object or another. when finally / managed
TO get hold of good-szed piece of hurri.
cane deck. upon which j climbed. ! drift
ed about for some time when l observed
a rather ofiimiuatc-lOohng fellow on am
other piece OF wreckase close TO me.
He seemed about done up. so ! seized his
raft and hauled him on TO mine We
made the rest OF the trip towards shore
together de turned out 20 be Thornton
We were ne closest in shore OF any of tho
survivors. ana were picked up hy the
first officers boat of the San Juan after
being tWeny-threo hours in the water"
ff.-. q L. IA
by floating wreckage, and had numerous
other cuts about The body.
ME. o'Bf4Ls STORY.
r. j. O'Ren. am Electrician. on his way
20 MEXICO. gave about the same version
81 the commencement of the Storm. tie
said the COlima during the height of
the storm listed SO haaly after each sue
oecdmg rash of waves. that she tiu not re-
cover. About o'clock on the morn
ing OF the wreck. he said. IL went be-
low TO the stccrase quarters, and no.
ticed water coming into the stafboard
scuppers. shortly afterwards a quarter
master came down saying the captain
wanted TO see the engineer. The latter
went on deck but returned TO the engine
room I'm three or four minutes, looking
1.r, a dead man. His race was ashy
p.le That was the last seen of him.
While O'Een was telling this part OF
the story "a relative OF iAc 'HriHNtlf ""'
had boarded the steamer with the Zee
uorters. broke into tears ana shook con-
yulsiVcly.
..py this time" ORell said ''the steer
ace Messengers had all gone below, When
-. seven men-Of-war's men from the
American cruisers olympia and fhiia-
selph!a. tried TO console those around
them-"
LAST SCENES.
cone OF these finally told as We were
aoonod We shook hands. said good
nv and he knelt on a sack OF hour ana
ia nrayers. then started 10 so on
'.-.ot but the ship listed so badly could
,,.,saiv make my way up stars Al
- SINE the third officer cut The LASH
w. ~ the lumber. The ship was on
,., t.am-ends. and the decks puiseu OUT
-, ,..re finally rent. i then jumped
cry. toe water seized box. ana was
ln'o "a .hout from one noat 90 another,
" '.,,, others The heaviest sQnail
I'M t,,af following tho Disappearance oil
- .stn While 40 prevailed many "a
- who were struggling IN 'lo ""sOa
~, maneied and drowned 10y noa'lne
- Five Of as Tom ffteh' '"'N
il..'.,...o,t.r TWO MeNicans. ana mySen sot
'"'i 80 and were picked up Dy po@.
on "a,,oend Of Captain Lone, forinetiF
III ,, ~ fhc Cohma. 4 Mexican hAih'u
=" 1rr.t,,ta went crazy from dfihhihs san
w@.'' cushing. Jr.. was in oed durhs
:. ~. ,art of the blow. but got up N
the he' .o hurled into the sea win a