The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-22

and rowed ashore in order to ascertain
his whereabouts and to telegraph TO
Falmouth for tugs to assist his ship.
In the meantime rockets were sent up
and signal guns We're fired
When dawn broke every one on board
was relieved to find the shore on one
side and lifeboats lying near by on the
other. The vessel lay with her head to
the southwest, the reversing of her en-
gines having put her broadside on to
the rocks. Happily the sea was smooth
and there was no wind. Otherwise
there would probably have been a diff
ferent tale to tell.
The dangers of the vicinity were
strikingly brought home to the pas
sengers and crew by the masts of the
wrecked steamer Mohegan, which are
sticking out of the water, and by a
miserable bell buoy, which tolls almost
constantly as though sounding death
knel.
When Captain Watkins returned
from his trip ashore he learned that
there was already considerable water
in the hold, and the tugs which had ar
rived stood by in readiness for any
emergency. All the passengers were
transferred to the tug Dragon, but be-
yond the clothes they wore they took
nothing with them. They were landed
at Falmouth shortly after Z o'clock, the
local agents of the American line meet
ing them and providing them with
every care and quartering them at the
various hotels and the Sailors Home.
When the Paris struck the tide was
Urf+a nf nd this
proved insufficient tc raise her off the
rocks. Hundreds of people visited the
scene during the day.
The passengers are lavish in their
praise of the admirable behavior of the
officers and crew, and declare that it
was due to their self-pOssession that
no accident occurred to any one. Per-
feet discipline, they say, was main
tanned throughout.
1t is stated that those in charge of
the Paris were so perfectly confident
that they were pursuing the proper
course that the vessel was steaming
eighteen or nineteen knots an hour
when they struck.
There will be little danger to the
steamer if the long calm continues. but
should the wind veer to the east or
southeast. the consequences might be
serious. The tugs left the scene at
about 8 o'clock
In connection with the accident to
the Paris it will be of interest to
mariners and travellers to hear that
persistent agitation since the wreck of
the Mohegan has at last induced the
Trinity brethren to act, and last week
they promised to erect a gas-lighted,
automatic soundproducing buoy on the
manacleS in place OF the useless bell
buoy now there. Gangs of men on light
ers have gone to the stranded steamer
to take off the belongings of the pas
sengers. 1t is reported that two for
ward compartments Of the Paris are
full of water.
Thomas Allen of London, a passenger
on the Paris. on his way to New York,
saws: 'T was in bed when the accident
happened. 1 heard grating sound, and
then several hard thumps on the rocks
shook the ship. The vessel then seemed
to stop dead. few minutes later l
heard some one calling, All hands on
deck ] reused my chum, who was
still asleep, and we went on deck. We
were told to secure our lie belts, and
we returned below and got them. We
were not allowed to return to the deck
at that time. All were kept waiting
below. After the first summons few
of the passengers appeared in their
night clothes, but as soon as they dis
covered that there was no danger they
returned to their rooms and made
themselves ready to leave the ship.
The passengers all behaved in the best
possible manner. There was no
screaming on the part Of the women.