The herald., 1896-11-23
another WRECK
OFF POINT ARENA
Collier San Benito Lost
Her Bearings
STRUCK The BAR AND BROKE IN TWO
Three Men by Desperate Efforts
Reach the Shore
SIX OF THEIR COMPANIONS
Aftoe Q~sof D.xuo vY:xl A..
SIX OF THEIR COMPANIONS
After a Brief Battle With the Waves.
Sink IN Death
Twenty.Seven of the Crew Are Still CllnRy
ing to the Hulk
Men Eager to Offer Aid Are Driven
Back by the Heavy Sea Wash
ing Over the Wreck-Heroic
Rescuers
Associated Press Special Wire

SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. 22-The 'bfK
Southern Pacific collier San Benito is re-
ported wrecked near Point Arena ON
the California coast. Only five out e
a crew of twenty-six men are reported
saved. The San Benito was a four
masted iron steamer vessel Of S661 tons,
She was $50 feet long and was built m
Glasgow in 1884. For years she haa
been used as a collier by the Southern
Pacific to bring coal from Tacoma to
this port. She due here yesterday. Ac-
cording to brief message received from
Point Arena today she went ashore near
there last night in a heavy storm and
will be a total loss.
CONFIRMATION
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 22.-Anothes
dispatch from Point Arena says that the
San Benito is ashore two miles north Of
Point Arena at the mouth Of Brush
creek. She is on the rocks about one
eighth of mile from shore. Chiaf I'm
gineer Woods and five men are on the
steamer Point Arena and twenty-eight
men are still on board the wreck. The
life-saving station has sent its line gun
and lifeboat to the scene, but 1t IL
thought the gun will not be of service.
as the ship lies too far out. The San
Benito was commanded by Captain
smith and carried a crew of forty men.
She left Tacoma Wednesday with 1900
tons of coal. This was 600 tons short Of
her usual winter cargo.
FIVE LIVES LOST
POINT ARENA, Nov 22.-Five lives
were lost in the wreck of the San Benito.
as follows:
.. w. Scott, first assistant engineer.
f. Condor, second assistant engineer
NJ. Pendegast fireman
John H. Sheridan, mess boy.
One seaman.
Thirteen men were rescued and thu
balance are on the wreck.
A FULLER ACCOUNT
POINT ARENA, Nov. 22.-The steam
er San Benito, bound from Tacoma to
san francisco, went ashore seven miles
north OF Point Arena this morning The
steamer struck on sand bar and
broke in two The San Benito carried
forty-four men. and during the severe
storm last night must have lost her
bearings The wind was terrific and q
heavy sea was running. The vessel
struck about ! O'Clock in the morning,
and an hour later she broke just aft the
smokestack. Boats were lowered, but
one capsized INN diately. with five
I'd
Another boat with four of the crew cap
sized nine times losing two men. Three
by heroic efforts reached shore.
Daylight found the rest Of he crew
clinging to the rigging. Sucl heavy
sea is running that 1t is impossible to
render assistance. The drowned are:
John Sherman, mess boy
w. E. Cordon, second assistant engt-
neer, married.
o. w. Scott, first assistant engineer
married.
Michael Pendergast, coal passer.
The other two are unknown.
The steamer Point Arena reached the
scene at IL o'clock this morning and
sent out boat, and by great bravery
and skillful seamanship rescued seven
men.
In making a second trip the boat was
almost swamped and was compelled to
abandon all efforts on account of the
great breakers washing over the wreck.
sailor was washed overheard and
reached shore almost dead. He was
revived by doctor on the beach. AZ
o'clock this morning a sailor jumped
overheard and attempted to swim to
shore with line. The shoulder straps
of his life preserver broke and the man
went down. Lighthouse Keeper Brown.
an Indian, Lazarus. William Caumprey
and AL Cunningham manned boat and
made two heroic efforts to connect the
unsuccessful. The steamers Point Are
ma and Alcazar are off the wreck, but
can render no assistance .ltil the sea
calms. A passing steamer landed gun
at Point Arena this afternoon and the
line will be shot to the wreck tonight.
Both parts of the ship are fast in the
sand fifty feet apart. Sailors claim the
accident was on account of the fog horn
not blowing, but the night was clear ana
the light could be seen many miles.
The names of the crew on board the
San Benito at the time of the wreck are
not positively known, as sailors and fire.
men change so frequently just before
vessel sails. 1t Is supposed. however,
that the crew that was on the steamer
the last trip went out again on the pres
ent trip and were on board at the time
the vessel struck. The records of tho
Pacific Improvement company show the
list of officers and crew to be as followss
Captain, William Smith; first officer,
r. Zolling; second officer. ]. Swan; third
officer, c. Vile; chief engineer, Irving
w. Ward; first assistant engineer, O.
W. Scott: second assistant engineer, 6.
Condor; third assistant engineer, T.
Cleary; carpenter, G. +. Nelson, water
tender w. II. Jeffs; water tender, j. MO-
Keon, water tender, J.. Ward store
keeper. w. Sloan; firemen. ]. McDade,
B. Fahey, E. Fahey M. Pendergast, G.
Christopher. ]. Reilly, II. Jackson, ].
Walsh; coal passers, c. Brown, N. Ley
va, w. Sheehan, N. Fitzgerald nj. Fer
nandez M Kelly. sailors. A. White a