The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-31
LOSS OF THE COLIMA
CONFLICTING REPORTS AS ~rO THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAVED.
FranciscO-A Newspapers story
of the Disaster.


has been received in the city regarding the
wreck of the unfortunate Colima. The only
intelligence which has come is of a more
cheering character than previous dispatches,
and the fears Of anxiously waiting friends
of unfortunate passengers have been re-
placed by feeling of uncertainty not un-
mixed with hope. Early in the day the
Pacific Steamship Company received from
its agents at ManZanillo the bare announce
ment that the Colima had foundered at sea
fifty miles from Manzanilo May q at IL
that vessel. likely the San Juan, had
been sent TO her assistance. subsequently
whose wife and three children were pas,
sengers on the Colima, received the follow
ing message in response TO his telegraphic
appeals for information regarding his loved
ones:
MANzANILLo. May 80, $50 a. m.-Your
wife and children have not yet appeared,
but the shipwrecked passengers are being
continually picked up from boats"
No signature is attached to the message,
the telegram was translated Mr. Brewer
gave out copies, which were posted in
hotels and on newspaper bulletin boards,
which were soon surrounded by crowds.
sanguine that previous accounts of the
drowning and death and disaster had been
exaggerated, and that further advices would
announce that all the passengers and crew
had been saved. No other news came for
the waiting crowds. however. All the
life has been small. They think the fact
that the passengers in the boat picked up
represent equally in numbers the cabin
and steerage passengers. and that II was
manned by several of the crew, proved the
captain was in full control of passengers
and sailors, and that there was no panic
on board. Late this afternoon it was re-
ported the Pacific Mail had received a mes
sage announcing the landing of two cabin
MED at the office, where 1t was stated moth
ing of either survivors would probably be
heard until the return to Manzanillo of the
San Juan from her searching tour.
1t was reported tonight that the Pacific
Mali onais stang man bat the Solma found
cred in heavy swell and sunk out of sight
in ten minutes. Twenty-six people, it is
said, were saved.
DETAILS OF THE WRECK.
The Examiner this morning prints the
following under date of Coima. Mexico,
May 30: A special messenger arrived from
Manzanillo this morning at l o'clock with
official inforpation for the Governor of
Colima regarding the Colima steamship dis
aster off Manzanillo. The report is very
obscure and laments the loss of the 100
people more than 1t goes into the causes
and the details OF the wreck. Seventy-five
countered. and il was debated as to wheth-
not the ship should attempt to gain
partial shelter in the shallow and treacher-
Gus Banderas bay, which has rocks near
it's entrance, or whether it were better TO
push out to One local Mexican pas
Senger,
port was about on the deck, and testifies
that while cautiously steering Tor what TO
all appearances was the usual entrance a
slight tremble was felt 10 go through the
ship 1t was so faint that ii was hardly ap-
parent to the trained senses of the pilots
and captains. The captains ordered slight
change in the course. and gave other di-
rections which were obeyed by the officers
and crew. In few seconds after the keel
ground on a rock lightly, and there was at
once great excitement among the officers
and crew and. fear, on the part Of the few
passengers on deck. Following the danger
signal. in less than ten seconds. the great
ship crunched on an unknown reef, and
shudier ran through the hull from bow to
stern The passengers sprang from their
berths in terror and ran on to the decks
screaming and praying in a paroxysm OF
fear as the awful truth began to burst upon
them. The wind howled and a dense pail
of fog hung over the ship as she was
tossed by the surges and began to pound
herself to pieces on the rocks osne rose
heard. This was followed by silence for the
space of a quarter Of a minute, during
which time only low sobbing was heard and
muffied prayers.
MAN the boats" trumpeted the captain
after short interval in which another
crash was heard from beneath the water
The boats had previously been made
ready with all the lifesavers placed at
the view of nervous passengers. Within
three minutes of the first crash in the hull
the ship began to reel from its upright
balance, to settle and to sink in its free
hinder part. The scenes about the lifeboats
were indescribable. According to all the
testimony obtainable the panic-stricken
passengers and the ships crew struggled
for first place. although TO the credit of the
crew be ii said that few of the sailors or
ships people lost their presence of mind
but gave their main attention to saving
the passengers. There were a number of
children on the passenger list and one of
these was pitched overpoard into the
frothing sea by frenzied father who
aimed for one of the lifeboats while still
md rofn dr<
gers whose name is thought to be Broslyn
or Crosslyn, displayed remarkable presence
OF mir mind and in the std most trying Ty moments ra
ing the people to keep quiet and taking
particular care of women and children.
Some of the passengers. not willing to
await the chance of place in the boats,
seized the life belts and boldly cast them
selves into the sea to their almost uni
verSal fate as they were tossed lifelessly
upon the~waves or dashed against the
rocks. which were easily observed from
the fast-sinking ship: The Theirs hrst boat to be
succeeded in clearing the ships sides. but
was swept away by the mighty force and
oM o%e of fy the fme sas oi M 'ns to haW
escaped the engulfng flood which swept
over the boat within. five minutes after it
other boats with one exception.
At 10 o'clock tonight the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company received the following
telegram from It's agent at Manzanilio:
Having received news that people can be
saved saved near the mouth of a river I fifty miles
personnel of this agency. Will wire further
particulars. The Coiirna cannot be fioated
again. She is a total loss-
Professor whiting and Family.
BOSTON May 30--Professor Harold Whit
ing and family. passengers on the wrecked
steamship Colima, lost off Manzanillo,
formerly lived in Cambridge. Mass, and
were returning to make their home there.
The party consisted of Prof. Whiting his
wife. four children and a nurse. Prof.
Whiting graduated from Harvard in 1877.
physics at Harvard. For the past three
years he has held the chair Of physics in
the University of California
Used n Condemned Gun.