The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-06-10
1T WAS A TERRIFIC GALE
That Caused the Wreck of the Co
lima.

lima.
San Francisco, Cal, June 2.-Captain H.
l.. Read, the well-known marine surveyor
of this city, in dispatch from Mazatlan,
gives some additional particulars of the
Colima wreck, obtained from Third Officer
Hansen. who escaped on the deckhouse.
and A. j. Sutherland. who chung to the
seats of an overturned lifeboat.
The heaviest squat of all those expert
enced came after the steamer had found
cred and while passengers and crew were
struggling in the water. The force OF the
gale at this time was dreadful. Many were
washed from the wreckage to which they
chung. Some were killed or rendered I'M
conscious by being struck by the timbers
which were dashed about with Tesstless
fury. Rats and boats were overturned.
Had it not been for this squall, many more
undoubtedly would have been saved.
The gale drove RATS and wreckage before
it with great rapidly. Mr.. Hansen saw
raft at $50 o'clock p. m. on the day OF the
disaster on it were three men. They drift
ed very fast, and were soon lost TO view.
He also saw a raft on which We're Mr..
Chiberg and six others. These men had
two oars, and seemed to be making for the
shore. ~. Hansen also saw BOAT in
which were First officer Griffiths and four
or five men. When last seen this boat was
trying to pick up the purser, but it was not
seen again, and is supposed to have been
swamped in the heavy sea.
Every one of the survivors, except
Sutherland, is badly bruised by being struck
by the wrcckage. He was protected by be-
ing under the hfeboat after it had overturu-
ed five times with him. He says ne saw
two ladies alive and then he saw them
drown without being able 10 render them
any assistance. Sutherland and Hansen
say the wind would catch up plankS ;nd
lumber from the deck load, hurl them in
the air with furious force aid dasn them
down upon those in the water.
1t is reported that just as the steamer
went down, Captain Taylor was washed
from the bridge into the 80, ana that
then he was struck by piece OF wreck
age and killed, stunned that he was
unable TO make further effort to save him
self He had attempted to heave TO Under
the slow bell but could not get the vessel )
head up TO sea. Then he tried going ahead
at full speed two or three times, but the
wind threw her off and she fell into the
trough OF the sea. Some of the survivors
say the engines could not drive the steamer
into the teeth of the gale OF else they were
disabled Sutherland and Hansen both tell
narrowing stories Of the misery they wit
messed While keeping themselves afioat
Many OF the bodies which fioated past thtm
were entirely nude
Either the clothing had been torn of by
the fury Of the wind and waves, or the
victims had been too i'll or too terror
stricken to leave their beds until the last
and then rushed upon the deck clad only p
their chamber robes. Apparently the CHI
dren were ali drowned in the cabins.
1t was the 129th trip Of the Colima. she
had on board $3.50 0@ of treasure shipped
Naza liam from. lhe I---4a 49,
Echegueven x Co. 1t is insured III Lou-
don and Germany. Until the depth of the
water in which the steamer went down was
positively known, two diving plants and two
steamers belonging to Hidalgo & Co. and
the Cornego Company. of La Paz, We're
kept waiting 10 attempt the recovery OF
this treasure. I have myself been held
here waiting for fun particulars before act
ing further.
According to the passenger list when the
steamer left Mazatlan there were thirty
seven cabin and eishty-foCr steerage pass
engers from san Francisco. i've from Ma
zatlan and a crew Of eighty, making a to-
tai of 21G souls on board. Other passen-
gers may have been taken on at san Bias
and Manzanill0 and some may have left
the steamer, SO tine exact number on the
ship when she foundcred is not known mere.
Suffering of Seamcn.
San Francisco June "A special from
Victoria gives an account OF the wreck or
the schooner Kodiak, on Kodiak island. also
the loss of the shooner e. q. White. OK
san Francisco. near the same place Ten
Of the crew of the c. G. White were LOST.
Many were frozen to death while dashed in
the rigging and others drowned The sur
yiyors crossed the mountains through deep
snow to Okyark, where medical attention
was given them. Harry Harmson, w. a.
Sweeney, A. O'Brien. Andrew Johnson, L.
+. Rogers and a. W. BAN, all had their
feet amputated 10 save their lives.