The herald., 1895-06-07
A Terrible Night on the
Ocean
HOW THE COL|MA WENT DOWN
Thrilling Stories Told by the
Few Survivors
The:Ill-Fated Vessel Became Unmanageablc
and Was Broken Up by Waves Many
OF the Passengers We're Drowned in
Their Cabins and Others Killed
by Pieces OF the Wreck,
Conflicting Stories
Associate Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 6.-Seventeer
survivors OF the ill-fated steamer Colima
arrived in port today on the San Juan
When she docked hundreds of friend.
and relatives of those who went down OF
the Colima were assem- bled, awaiting the
landing of the passengers. Groups ol
women with tear-stained faces and knot.
of anxious men implored every one or
board for tidings OF the lost, all hoping
against hope that there might have beer
some mistake in the dispatches and
some name omitted among the saved.
How keen was their disappointment ever
in the face of the inevitable assuranc,
that til ere was no hope was evidenced in
their bitter lamentations on the upper
deck OF the steamer, where were few
happy people whose pleasures contrasted
sharply with the grief OF the bereaved
These we've the friends of the Survivors,
who were EN- mbraced and congratulated al
their miraculous rescue.
The survivors who landed today at this
port are: A. J. Sutherland, c. H. Cush-
ing. J. M. Thornton, H. H. Boyd, Gus
tave Rowan, Bruno Cada. Jose Antonio
Sollz. Jose +. Manuel, George d. Ross,
Louis Sangene, f. j. Oriel, Juan A.
Ramos.
Crew-O. Hansen, Il. A. Villes, Albert
Carpenter, Arthur Richardson, Tom Fish.
The following were landed at Mazatlan IN
Thomas Saraiba. Domingo Albans,
Angel Guithez. Carlos Ruiz.
The nineteen men saved from a watery
grave when they had all given up hope
when tthey arrived at the mail COCK.
Some had their arms in slings. The
heads of Others were swathed in BAN
dages They limped as they walked and
their bruises were plainly in evidence.
All looked thin ana weakly and showed
only too plainly the effects of the terri
BILE strain during the fearful hours when
they waited succur.
The stories of the survivors all confirm
ed the telegraphic accounts Of the disas-
ter. They agree that the cause of the
laundering was the top" heavy condition
of the Colima. due to her bulky deck
load. From the beginning of the voyage
south. they say. the steamer acted badly
and would not answer heh helm. The
storm which sunk her was encountered
aobut o clock Monday night, May 9th,
and blew furously during the next four
teen hours. The vessel lost steerage way,
swung shoreward in the teeth of a furi
GUS southeasterly gale. when she lay
helplessly battered by the mighty tidal
waves.
The Final Plunge
The steamer lay helplessly on her side
for about fifteen minutes and then tipped
over and sank The women and children
were drowned in their staterooms where
hey were confined during the gale.
Those passengers who had been on deck
were thrown into the sea. Many were
killed and horribly mutlated by the
lumber on the Colima. blown by the wind
and hurled on the heads of the strug
Cling men in the water.
The rait upon which Cushing Suther
land. Richardson and two others were
ahoat drifted about for twcntyfour hours.
They gave up all hope until the San
Juan hove in sight. They attracted her
attention by hosting red piece of cloth
and waving their clothes. On the raft
with the passengers were two sailors. One
seized small cask OF claret of which they
drank until they became drunk and
puarrelsome. 10 save the lives of the
rest on the raft the men say they were
obliged to push one sailor, mad with
drink, into the sea where he drowned.
The passengers say there was no time
to launch the boats or put on life pre-
servers. when they realized the serious
plight OF the Colima. and besides the
fury OF the storm made it impossible to
launch or man the boats successfully.
Those who secured life preservers got
them in the water and those in the boats
picked up by the San Jaun clam bered
into her as she tloated near them strug-
CLING in the sea.
Stories OF the Third Officer
AS soon as the San Juan was fast to
the wharf the third Off Ger, the store
keeper and Seaman Aviles. the three men
of the crew of the Colima rescued, were
called to the Office OF the Pacific Mail
Steamship company to make their state
ment about the wreck.
The relation of each one was taken in
short band, signed and sworn to.
MIR. Schwerin asked Third Officer Han
sen OF the Colima to make statement
regarding everything lie knew of the
movements of the Colima, commencing
at the time she left Mazatan until he
was taken aboard the San Juan in CON
ncction with the loss Of the Colima, and
to tell everything ne knew, sparing no
one.
Hansen sail; "When we left Mazatlan
We had fair weather and heavy southeast
swells which lasted until p. m. We got
heavy southeast wind and sea. The
southeast swell increased. We had heavy
rain and swells the whole night. At 6
am, May 7th, the wind increased to a
heavy gale. The ship hove to and CON
tinued to roll heavily. She bore up nice
ly until 10 am, when she lost three
starboard lifeboats and things remained
quietly until 10:I5 am. when she listed
heavily over to starboard. She remained
in that position about two minutes, when
she capsiHcd and sank in about three TO
live mi lnlites, stern first. Before she
listed the captain ordered me to put the
deck load adrift and heavc it over the
side. and before got ready to heave it
all she capsized.
Ibid you have any deck load excert
what was put on board in San Francisco?''
I'VE had a small express wagon upon
the upper deck that we took ON board at
Mazatlan."
In rely TO questions Hansen stated that
,he Colima's steering gear was in good
order: that the snip was properly loaded
that she did not carry too much deckload:
that the officers were faithful and the
crew well disciplined; that the ship was
properly slowed to go to sea when she
lett San Francisco and that if he were
ordered to $, a when under similar con-
d tions he would not hesitate moment.
Hansen said he thought everything was
done on board the Colima that could be
done to protect life and properly and