The San Francisco call., 1897-11-14
BRADBURY
IN AN OCEAN
HURRICANE
PeriIous Adventure of
the Los Angeles
Millionaire.
SOUALL OVERTAKES
HIS LAUNCH.
Euffeted by Wind and Wave
Off the Coast of
Mexico.
LARDER EMPTY AND FUEL
EXHAUSTED.
Every hing Inflamm bic Sacrificed
to Keep the Engine Going
Until Their Rescue.
Euffeted by Wind and Wave
Off the Coast Of
Mexico.
LARDER EMPTY AND FUEL
EXHAUSTED.
Everything Inflamm bic Sacrificec
to Keep the Engine Going
Until Their Rescue.
Special Dispatch to The CALL

SAN DIEGO, Nov 13.-News was re-
ceived from the south yesterday that
Colonel John Brad bury of Los Angeles
twice had narrow escapes from q horrible
death between October % and 25. He was
out on the open sea w.thou; provisions or
power to reach shore. much of the time
exposed to the fury of tropical tempest
that threatened 10 send his irail boat TO
tie bottom.
Colonel Brad bury had been spending
some weeks a his mines at Rosario, ac-
companied by his pretty and repentant
wife, who chose 10 bury herself for time
in the solitude of the interior Of Mexico.
The mines are in the mountains, seventy
or eighty miles east of Mazatlau, on the
Rosario. The river IS navigable for small
craft as far up as Rosario, and much of
de travelling IS done by that means.
On the morning of October 90 Colonel
Bradbury started down the river in his
steam launch, the Rosario, bound for
Mazatlan. He was accompan ied, so far
as known, only by the man in charge OF
the launch. The river empties into the
ocean few miles below Mazatlan, and
a short trip along the coast is necessary
TO reach the harbor. The whole journey
occupies less than two days.
The trip down the rlver was made with
out incident, and the launch started up
he oast. Only little fuel and food were
on board, as the trip was to be so brief.
The launch engineer hes .tated to go on.
as the sky was threatening and the wind
was already fresh, but Colonel Bradbury
insisted, and the engineer ran out well
beyond the line OF breakers and headed
northwaId.
Not many miles had been made before
the storm struck them with a northeast
wind that drove the little launch back in
spite of cir utmost efforts TO keep her
headed right. The wind ra pidly increased
III violence and blew off shore, and with
strong current sent The launch seaward
faster than her engines could send her to-
ward Mazatlan.
There was no fear that they would not
reach port all right sad Colonel Brad
bury afterward until the fuel began 10
run low. Then they awoBe to The awful
danger OF their position and redoubet
their efforts to keep inshore and to make
port. The engines did much to prevent
drifting, but at the end of the second dav
they were far out Of sight of land and
rapidly running to the southwest, The
fuel was exhausted and the food was re-
dnced 10 beans straight.
Behind the launch was dingy and
this was the first to = o 10 feed the engines.
Colonel Bradbury took an ak and after
the boat had been hauled aboard ne
smashed the craft TO kindling wood, viii e
the engineer stuffed the boiler and steered
the craft.
The dingy kent the engines going for
quite while, and, tie weather mod
Grating, they began 10 have hopes of
reaching port. The swell was something
tremendous. tossing the launch from one
wave TO another To complete their
misery the rain fe.l as only tropical rain
can fall.
After the dingy was burned the two
mpest-tossed mariners decided to cut
down the pilot house and burn that b ad-
bury's ak was again mployed and the en-
gine was again fed. The pllot-house m aue
good fuel, but il was finally exhausted,
and then Bradbury was reduced to burn.
ing oars, spare sEars, the taffraiI and eve.
rything else that was intlammab except
the launch itself. Even t9eir extra cloth
ing and hats went to snuff the boilers and
keep the screw turning.
The food ran out the third day and for two
DAYS the men had nothing TO eat. Fortu-
nately they had fresh wafer, and were so
ransoaked that they were not thirsty any
how. By the most frantic efforts they re-
a'ned the distance they had lost and
reached a point about fifteen miles from
the Mazatlnn headlauds before the en-
enes died. Then they were forced to
drift. They few distress flag and
scanned the sea foT sails or smoke of pass
Ing steamers.
Brad bury had notified his uncle at MAJ
allan that he would arrive on October q,
ana his absence caused much worry. Il
was learned that he had started down the
river, ard mad not been seen since. The
Mexican lookout at the harbor heads
lied something far out at sea looking
Ike wreck, and be notified the auth hor j.
tie, who gave the II ews to Colonel Brad
bury's uncle. That gentleman went 10
Melchers SuccesOres and hired tug to go
out and investigate. The owners of the
tug demanded $1,000 Mexican monev and
received II for towing Colonel Bradbury
IN. He was hungry, wet ana almost dead
from exhaustion. AS soon as he recov-
cred he returned 20 Rosario on account
OF the ye low ever scare at Mazatlan.