The herald., 1897-08-19
WRECKED AND RESCUED
THE SURVIVORS OF THE CITY OF
MEXICO
J. H. Braly Tells of the Saving of
the Passengers of the Ship That
Never Returned

j. H. Braly, president of the Southern
California Savings bank was one of the
passengers on the City of Topeka, the
vessel that picked up the castaways
from the wrecked steamer City of Mex
leo. Mr.. Braly, who visited Alaska on
a pleasure trip, and incidentally to
view the resources of that remarkable
region, tells an interesting story of the
rescue Of the wrecked passengers.
"The steamer City of Mexico" he
said, was wrecked on Thursday, Au-
gust s, at 430 o'clock in the morning,
running on Devils Rock. near Dixon S
entrance, place about midway between
Sitka and Seattle, fully forty miles from
land. Everybody took to the boats, there
being about 1876 people, including pas
sengers, on board. The law requires
that steamers lifeboats shall be provid-
ed with certain amount of food and
water and compass. The passengers
declare that the food and water were not
fit to be taken, and that there was not
a compass on any of the boats that would
work properly. The walters managed
to get back to the sinking ship long
enough to get a small supply of bread
and water, but aside from that the oc-
cupants of the boats had nothing to eat
or drink until 10 o'clock on Friday night,
when they landed on Mettacatlah is
land.
Here they were greeted by Duncan,
the prince OF Mettacatlah, who, with his
Indians. made them heartily welcome
fed them and lodged them in a civilized
| manner A boat was sent out to the
steamer Aiki, from Seattle to Juneau
to tell her to hail us on board the City
Of Topeka, so that we might go to the
island. We turned aside, and on Sunday
afternoon found the shipwrecked pas
sengers comfortably settled under the
excellent roofs provided for them by
Duncan and his Indians. When they
saw the steamer coming to take them
to Seattle those passengers were
the happiest lot of people !
have ever seen. They had lost
everything but what they stood in, but
all thought of that seemed lost in their
joy at returning to civilization.
incidentally, Mr.. Braly tells some in
teresting facts about Mettacatlah ISL
and and Duncan, its missionary ruler.
This man has, by authority of the gov
ernment, assembled 800 Indians on the
island and educated them into highly
civilized state. There is a great fish
carnery, handsome church in the we'll
kept town, beautifully cultivated farms
all over the island, fleets of fishing boats,
schools and factories of all kinds. The
Indians, busy always under the direction
of Duncan, are perfectly happy ard en-
tirely Christian in their lives. I'm fact"
said Mr.. Braly, "it is the first missionary
effort among the Indians I have seen
that may be said to have been COM
pletely successful"
No white man is allowed upon the ISL
and, except some white employees and
the assistant missionaries. Duncan has
been accused of making the indians
work to bring him wealth, but his pub
lished will goes to tell a different tale.
In that document the entire principal is
left to be used for these Indians, 20 per
cent of the income going to the schools,
10 per cent to the church, 20 per cent 10
poor fund, and 80 on; everything going
to perpetuate the noble work he is now
carrying on