The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-31
BODIES COMING ASHORE
Fifty-fonr Of the Victims of
the Colima Found.
WILL BE BURIED IN TRENCHES
Pitiful Distress Of the Passengers
When the Steamer Struck.
Twenty-six Persons Were Saved and
Abouf l6O Are Stiil Missing There
Is Yet Chance for MFR. Chiiberg
Mexican Authorities Very Prompt


New York. May sl.-A special 20 the
World from the City Of Mexico says:
The Coiima. encountered heavy weather
all aio9Ag rf3e Mexican coast. Muc1 diff
Guilty was encountered in keeping OF the
rocks AZ Isabella island and Piedre de
Mar. The passengers were in con-
slant state of terror, which was aug
mented when, the ship having put out
from san Bias. a woman passenger from
Sar Francisco became crazed with fear
and spent the entire night on deck en-
treating the officers 10 put back and pray
ing heaven for deliverance.
When the vessel struck the pilots, all
on duty, under the direction OF the Of
ncers. were steering straight toward the
snow-capped summit Of the volcano OF
collma- The passengers rushed from
their berths to the deck. screaming and
praying in terror. as the ship pounded
herself 10 pieces. One woman named
Braslyn. the only passenger who exhib-
tied composure. passed among the frenz-
led throng. exhorting them TO reason.
Many, despairing OF securing places in
the boats, seized the lifebelts and cast
themselves into the sea The first boat
20 be lowered with its heavy burden OF
humanity succeeded in clearing the ships
OF the occupants of this boat only one.
sailor. escaped. AS the last boat was low
cred the Colma capsizei.
A conductor on the National train from
Manzanillo which arrived here tonight
says there are fifteen Americans among
the rescued. a special train bearing
rescue party and physicians has been sent
from here. The people OF Manzanillo are
panle-stricien.
The bodies OF the drowned are being
washed ashore there in scores Search
ing parties have recovered flfty-four.
The weather IS hot and there Is no means
for embalming. Funeral services will be
held at once, and, a the digging of sep
arate graves is impossible, the unclaimed
dead will be buried in long trenches.
The Jefe Pclitico. OF Manzanillo. has
summoned all the mounted rural forces
ia the district OF ManzaITiio. and the gar
rzsOn Of soldiers has been placed on guard
10 prevent robbery of the dead and TO dig
the trenches. Several bodies have been
found a short distance from the shore.
stripped of all valuaoles and clothing.
Severe punishment viii be given any Of
tenders who may he discovered at this
work. The dead are laid out as we'll as
POSSIBLE by the Manzaniilo agents for the
Pacific Mail Company. Portions of the
wrecked ship have reached the shore.
San Francisco. May 20-The Chronicle
VIII say tomorrow morning that dis
patches received from Mexico tonight
make IL certain that no fewer than l64
persons were drowned In the Colima dis
aSter. This statement is nased on Sd-
vices TO the Chronicle That l9s perSosns
were aboard the ship when she foundered
and only twenty-six reached shore alive,
Great difficulty is still being experienced
in opening telegraphic communication
with Mexican points, but the brief mes
sages received are practically unanimous
In the statement that at least i69 lives
We're lost. \ dispatch from the City of
Mexico says that President DiaZ has just
received official information of the foun-
dertng Of the Colima- The dispatch con-
talnS no details. but states thsS 160 souls
were lost. President Diaz, being confined
TO his bed with Illness. was inaccessible
20 visitors. I; is Impossible to learn from
him what action viii he taken by the
Mexican government for the relief OF the
survivors and the burial OF the dead. but.
judging from his policy in the past, it is
safe 10 assume that everything will be
done that can be done IN the matter
This statement is practically corrobo-
rated by the following dispatch from
Guadalajara: "a dispatch from Manza-
Milo says that the Pacific Mail steamer
Colima was wrecked fifty miles southeast
of that port on the 26th. and i70 persons
perished. The only survivors of the dis
tnlru
pilot. who were brought into ManzaniIlo
yesterday by the coast line steamer San
Juan"
The coast in the neighhorhood OF Manza-
Milo seems fated spot. Nearly all the
wrecks on the Panama route have occur
red within 100 miles north or south of Man
zanilIo. Three vessels have been lost in
that neighborhood. and these three are the
only large vessels of the Panama line that
have been wrecked. Another remarkable
fact is that all were lost in stiil weather.
indicating some peculiar condition Of the
currents setting in at this point and driv-
ing the vessels in upon the shore The
first and most noted OF all the losses was
the wreck of the Golden Gate which was
burned aud wrecked only a few miles
north OF Nanzanillo. In this wreck the
loss Of life exceeded Do and il has gone
down in history as one Of the greatest ma
rlne horrors OF the coast. The cause
Of this wreck has never been def
nitely settled. IL occurred in 1862
The Granada went ashore on June
- 1S9. at Point TeiUpan. some
miles south OF Manzanillo. No lives were
lost bat the vessel in rounding the pOln:
Was lost. The Nicaragua, one OF the
Mexican coasting feet OF the Pacific Mail
Company. was driven ashore on the sal
vador coast near ACat Julia by the wind
and currents. The steamer san Fran
cisco vas lost on Tartar shoals in tho
early '5os. These shoals are just south
or Acapulco. and are perilous tn nayiga-
tion The Honduras was driven ashore
of Salvador and was lost during the
early 'Sfs. The steamer City OF New
York was the last Pacific Mall steamer
lost During heavy foCs she was wr@c ked
IN October. 1919. on Point Bonita, at the
entrance Of san Francisco harbor
Most of those who we're in the cabin of
the ColJma were well known here either
from their own residence in ne city.
through friends they met here or
through business connections which had
been established. A fcH were travellers
and little can bc learned OF Them. In
what follows. however. the leading facts
in the lives OF all who were in the cabin
on the ilI-fatcd vessel on her disastrous
voyage. are set forth
Vrcy little Is known of 9. II r Orn1e
the merchant of New York. who was the
hrst 70 reserve a stateroom on the Co
lima for her last trip. he IS a member. OF
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