The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-31
Mr.. Clevelnnd's Account.

Mr. CIeveland's Account.
=. H. Cleveland. of Los Angeles wac On.
VI the passengers on the wrecked Corora
IN an interview with the Associa ted pres.
ne SAID: Il was about to get OH. ~ r,v
oe'tn 10 dress for breakfast when heard .
neaVy grating sound and felt the tremhI
ing OF the steamer. The grating sensation
lasted about three seconds, and then every
thing was still. l hastily jumped I'm ana
Hurriediy dressed, as l was satisfied the
steamer was on the rocks II was n few
minutes after o'clock and light enough
70 see the SHORE line on all sides. Manv ar
the passengers were already up and they
hastened to give the alarm FortunateIv
mere was no confusion or excitement
among the passengers. At that time but
Few feit the steamer was IN Immediate
danger of sinking. Everybody however
as lar as l could notice packed IN and
prepared TO go ashore. II Is safe to stare
mat every passenger was up and dressed
nVe minutes after the steamer struck the
reef. '''e
Meanwhile the officers of the Corona
were having the boats lowered But this
work was painfully slow. 1t was thirty
hve minutes from the time the steamer
struck the reef TIL the first boat was ready
10 receive passengers. From this time on
however. there was no delay, and in two
hours time every passenger was ashore
A landing was made on a barren reef but
Immediately in the BACKGROUND was a
heavy growth of timber. Everybody was
In the best OF spirits for II did not seem
likely at that hour that the steamer would
become wreck and most OF the cargo and
baggage become total loss
while the passengers were being nut
into the small boats the officers gave orders
that only women and children be permitted
10 take blankets with them but these com
mands were not generally observed. The
morning air being very chilling many took
one or more blankets with them AS soon
as the women and children were landed
they We're made comfortable az the sit
uation and condition permitted The next
work in hand was the landing of baggage
from the state rooms There was a num-
Der of horses and many dogs on the steam
er. and they were also put ashore These
scores were witnessed by the reariy 200
passengers as they stood on the island
The ships crew were assisted in their work
by many Of the sturdy passengers AS the
baggage and camp outfits were being land
ed. people were busy picking out their
property and selecting places TO camp
Fortunately dozens OF tents were taken
from the steamer and these the owners as
soon a. possible set up and put in readiness
for occupancy. In three hours after the
Corona struck the reef one end or the lone
~ island was transformed into a lively
kindIed and the shlpwrecked people were
given III Introductory experience OF life fr
searching for riches in Alaska. Although
the day opened clear storm came up I'm
the afternoon which grew in intensity as
night approached. The wind blew A gale
from ihe southeast all night and Snow and
rain enhanced the general discontinue OF
the situation.
Human nature and mans ingenuity TO
make the best OF prevailing conditions
were never better illustrated than upon
this occasion. Those who had tents and
blankets shared with those who had little
Or nothing 70 protect them from the ele-