The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-16
PURSUED BY A 100000
The City of Columbia Has All
Sorts of Bad Luck.
SHE'S WRECKED AT HIL0
Ths Captain Preserved Perfect Discipline
and Rev OF the Passenger Rsaiixsd
Thsir Psriious Position-Ths
Story OF Her VOYAGE.

Seattle. Wash, Nov. 15.-The teamer
Centennial arrived here tonight from
Hilo. Hawaii. bringing an recount of
the wreck of the steame City Of Col
umbia. which for two days and nights
tossed on the ocean gradually breaking
up. her machinery disabled and the
water pouring into her. Through I'M
exceiled seamanship. she finally reach
ed a dock In the hsrbor Of Hilo. where
she completely broke down. A passen-
ger Of the Centennial gives the follow
ing account:
The City OF Columbia left Honolulu,
October 20. for Seattle. The weather
ter clearing Diamond Head. n of her
feed pumps became disabled. n she
laid to for repairs. A heavy sea was
running and a strong northeast trade
was blowing. While the vessel vas toss-
ing about, a fireman was thrown down
and two OF his ribs were fractured. The
following morning the weather continu-
ed to be bad. The FIRST officer re-
ported that a seam had opened amid
ships. Captain w. s. Minor went Down
into the engine room. He found the
steam pipes straining badly. Steam
was escaping. Water was streaming
over the cement places in the sides 81
the DON opposite h engines. The boil
err had broken loose from its cement
foundations. In the stern of the YES
sci seven streams OF water from six to
eight inche wide were pouring In. A
consultation OF the officers was called
and the situation of the vessel was dis
cussed. The vessel then lay In lati-
tude 26 degrees IA minute north. longi-
tude 1853 degrees four minutes west. 1t
was about 400 miles from both Homo
lulu and Hilo. II was decided to steer
for Hilo, for the reason that IL the yes
sci went down the wind would carry
the lifeboats into Hilo.
when the steamer vas turned
around for Hilo the pipes connecting
the steam gearing broke. The handgear
was coupled on. The gale continued
and the backbone of the ship parted at
midships. The deck seams opened.
Water was pouring In at the rate OF
one m one-half inches perhaps. All
hand pumps were manned. The steam
er was rolling 30 degrees and by this
time had acquired q heavy list TO. star
board. The vessel reake and groan-
ed. The lifeboats were all I'M n
provisioned ready for e~mbarkation.
Captain Millner preserved such DER
feet discipline. especially In the engine
room, thai but few of the passengers
realized their perilous situation. In
this helpless condition the vessel slow
ly made her way to Hilo. reaching that
place at $3.50 a. M. Nov. 2"
The City Of Columbia had about 20
passengers, who were brought to this
city by the Centennial. The crew re-
manned at Hilo. The vessel was con-
demned by the board OF survey. The
City OF Columbia was valued at about
500. 900 and was Insured for $50. 900. She
was owned principally by Alexander
Baillie OF Tacoma. For the last year
she a been pursued by a perverse fate.
Last winter she was chartered In New
York by the Columbia Navigation COM
pany for the purpose OF engaging In the
Alaska business. Coming around the
Horn she was almost wrecked In the
straits of Magellan. Upon her arrival
at Seattle. the vessel became the sub
ject OF a legal controversy, which re-
suited at her being sold at public C
ton.
Her new owners established a steam
ship line to Hawaii and she was the
first vessel sent out. On the way across
a quarrel occurred between some OF her
passengers and Captain Minor placed
two of them I'm irons-Russell C~olgrove
and II. Colgrove. brothers. On her ar
rival at Honolulu the Colgroves libelled
the vessel and she was delayed several
weeks. Finally. she was released in
bonds and was on her return trip.