The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-17
SHIPWRECKEDIN ALASKA
THRILLING EXPERIENCES OF AN IN
DIANAPOLIS PARTY.
Mr.. and Mrs. G. j. Buchanan and 9th
Return-The c. Il. Banner Lost.

There was a party of six Indianapolitans
on the City of Mexico, the ship which went
down off Devils rock, Alaska, Aug. g. and
they returned home yesterday. Mr.. and
Mrs. c. ]. Buchanan and two sons, Albert
and Paul, and Mrs Edward E. Reese and
DR. Frank E. Marker were the ones who
went through the dangerous and exciting
experience. The story, as told by Mrs.
Buchanan is one of thrilling interest.
The trip north to Sitka from San Fran
cisco had been so rough and the weather
so foggy that the captain Of the City Of
Mexico had had no rest for many hours. He
thought that relief might come if he took
the outside route, into the open sea. This
proved worse for the passengers, who were
made distressingly seasick. The boat was
put about and the inside route was again
taken. The captain felt compelled to take
some rest, and he left the boat in charge
of the pilot, with instructions to go very
slowly until he should resume his COM
mand The pilot obeyed orders for some
time, and finally, doubtless feeling that
more speed would be consistent with safe
ty, he put more steam, until the steamer
was going at the customary number of
knots an hour. In twenty minutes from
Devils rock and a tremendous hole was
made in the boat. The passengers were all
aroused as the steamer shivered, turned
half over and finally righted itself. The
lamps were broken, furniture overturned
and general havoc reigned. Hurriedly the
doors were opened and any one in sight
was questioned as to what had happened.
The answers were varied. Mrs. Buchanan
asked the steward if they had better dress,
and in a slow drawing way he said that
he thought they might as we'll put on
their Clothes" That was enough, for she
seemed to feel that there was danger They
dressed as quickly as possible with as warm
clothing as they had, grabbed a small bag
and their telescope valise, which was in
their cabin, and made their way to the
deck, where they found many others who
had done the same thing. The hour was
4:30 in the morning.
The captain ordered out the lifeboats and
then said no baggage could be taken, and
that the women should go into the boats
first. The boats were lowered and soon had
all on board that could be accommodated.
The boat in which Mrs. Buchanan and fam
lily were had the fewest number, but I'M
fortunately there was leak and water had
to be bailed out constantly. There were
three lifeboats, and the captain ordered
those in charge to keep the boats near to-
gether
ADRIFT IN A COLD FOG.
AS they left the City of Mexico it could
be seen to be slowly sinking, and before
they were far away it had gone down into
the sea. Not a soul was lost, but all the
baggage of the passengers, except some
few hand pieces, went down with the ship,
and some lost everything they had 1t was
cold and there was heavy fog The boats
kept together for some time, but finally one
drifted away. Rugs and bed covers had
been thrown into the boats, and in these
the people wrapped themselves to keep off
the piercing dampness, and little later
the rain, which began to fall. The people
were quiet and orderly; there was no
screaming, no cries. In the boat with the
Buchanan family were Judge and Mrs. Ed
wards and Mr.. and Mrs. Peltier, of Fort
Wayne, Ind. Some one had boiler of cof-
Fee and it was passed around with instruc-
you may get another. The drink was
taken, the pot being turned up to the lips
for the draught. Some one, who seemed 10
know, volunteered the information that the
hole made in the steamer was big enough
to drive a horse and wagon through. The
steamer was struck fore and sank aft first
I'VE learned to use nautical terms on our
sea trip" said the story teller A drizzing
rain had now set in, and 1875 persons in
There a loaf of bread. one-half of
which was given to the people in the sec
ond boat, where there were some little chill
dren. Soon the word came, Jack Smith
has a compass" With this there was a
little sign of relief, for that was g. great
acquisition. A man called out for Jack
Smith to turn his boat and see if the com
pass worked. The boat was turned, but the
needle did not move. The compass was no
good The man who had charge of the
Buchanan boat was the chief engineer. He
was not sailor, but Jack Smith, in charge
OF an4ther poat' was an old sailor of the
would follow his boat. The men who were
in the boat took turns bailing out the
water and most of the men took turns at
the oars. There was one man who took
things comfortably, and he was perfectly
willing to be saved If the other men could
do 1T, but he did not trouble himself. He
sat with rugs under him and blankets
around his shoulders. and altogether. was
1t might be thought that time would drag
under such conditions as they were in but
it did not. 1t flew until 3 o'clock in the
afternoon
CANDY BUT NO FOOD.
The women and children were brave and
the children never said anything about
being hungry until after midday Mrs Blu
chanan remembered some candy in her bag
and she doled out a few pieces desiring to
make it last as long as possible. Mrs. Ed
wards noticed her and suddenly said. 81
have five pounds of candy in my bag" and
for once the children were urged to eat
candy. The men pulled until they were
ready to drop with fatigue, for they had
had nothing to eat since the night before
They finally sighted land and would have
pulled for IT, but it was most fortunate
that just then a small boat was sighted
pulling for them. This boat was filled with
sailors from the City of Mexico. who di-
rected them to the Percy islands The
sight that met their eyes was one of
beauty. There We're harebells of the deep
est blue, thick on the rocks.
The boat with the passengers came up
and the sailors, who were ahead of them
landed formed line and pulled the pas
Sengers up to the top of the steep cliff
The sailors mad saved some crackers and
cove oysters and these were spread out for
a feast The women ate the osysters with
hatplnS and hairpins and some of the men
poured out q few in their hands and ate
them from these original dishes. Some of
the oysters were cooked While held on the
ends of sticks over a small fire that had
been kindled. The hunger of the people
first anxiety was over and hunger some
what appeased that the women really knew
what they had on. The men were arrayed
quite as hey should be, but the women
found that skirt of one dress and the
waist OF another was not uncommon. and
one woman had a skirt of a dress but no
waist heavy jacket being the garment
that she had seized and which had done
duty in keeping her warm. Some of the
clothes which had been snatched and car
ried to the boat were wet and drabbled.
ANOTHER SEARCH FOR LAND.
There were no houses or shelter of any
kind on the Percy islands and at s o'clock
the boats were filled and the sailors and
paSSnD gers set ONT Orce mora N find land