The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-10
LIFTED BY !! HEAVY SWELL
Such Was the Experience of the
Steamer Corona
IN MAKING HER LANDING
All the Reports to the Contrary
Notwithstanding
The Story as Told by a Passenger on the
Steamship and Who Is Temper ariIy
In the City

Last Thursdays issue of The Herald
contained dispatch from this paper S
correspondent at Santa Monica describing
the collision OF the south bound steamer
Corona with the famous long wharf, and
attributing the accident to an ocean swell.
The following day there was published q
dispatch from San Diego, in which The
Herald's correspondent at that city gave
the explanation of the affair as told BY
the Corona's officers and again repeating
the assertion that the acc dent was brough
about by heavy swell that lifted the
steamship and drove it into and along
the wharf.
The correctness of these statements has
been questioned in certain quarters, and
for this reason a Herald representative
called upon J. L. Morrison, who was a
passenger upon the boat, and who is now
in this city. This gentleman is stopping
at the Newport Hotel, corner of Fourth
and Los Angeles streets. After stating
the object of the call, the reporter was
introduced to Mrs. Morrison, and then
listened to the version given below. and
which, fully corroborated by the lady,
endorses the accuracy OF the dispatches
as published in this paper. Mr.. Morrison
said:
The trip from San Francisco was a
pleasant one, but my wife grew dread
fully nervous as the voyage progressed.
So much so, indeed that on Tuesday night
we decided on remaining up instead of re-
firing. The evening was passed in the
cabin with number of other ladies and
gentlemen who whiled away the hours in
playing whist. Towards 1 O'Clock on
Wednesday morning, knowing we were
nearing Santa Monica, number of us,
among whom were Mrs. Morrison and
INV OLE Nd tba loa1- TO- -
see the landing effected.
Long before reaching the wharf the
speed of the boat had been slowed down.
and as we neared the pier it looked as
though nothing out OF the way was to
happen. Just then a swell seemed to lift
the Corona right up and then sent her
along the pier, damaging, as you know,
not only the wharf, but the steamer.
The jar was not great. Many and many
a time have felt worse jars on the San
Francisco ferry boats, but that a great
force was at work was evidenced by the
damage to the wharf and by the stripping
off of twelve or fifteen feet of the port
side rail of the Corona.
The jars experienced upon the Bay
ferry boats being caused by striking the
yielding timber on the sides of the V
shaped landings naturally sends the light
draught things quickly to one side and
this is what | mean in saving that in the
Bay have experienced worse jars. But
in this case was heavy, deep keel
steamer drawing slowly to its wharf, and
when near it. lifted up and thrown along
the heavy, fixed and braced tinbers. It
was all quickly and, in a way, quietly
done, and shows the ocean swell to be a
dangerous element in making landings.
If any further doubt exists as to the
accuracy of my desc iption, there are
many in this city who were passengers
with us, and they WILL I think, give you
the story substantially as have given it.. -