The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-20
WRECK Of THE MORGAN
Interesting Details of the Sinking
of the American Transport.
ALL LANDED IN SAFETY
Discipline Among the Men Was Admira-
ble-The Accident Came Near Being
an Appalling Catastrophe.
Japan's Willing Aid.

Yokohama, Sept. via Victoria, c. B.,
sept. 19.-Interesting details are at
hand OF the wreck of the American
transport, Morgan City, in the inland
sea OF Japan. 1t appears that it came
very near being an appalling catastro-
phe. Striking upon a reef at o'clock
IN the morning, the ship remained fast
until daylight, when. by adopting the
expedient of pushing the men alter
nateiy from one side to the other, the
ship was rolled from the rocks into
deep water where she at once began to
NIL rapidly. She was headed for the
shore of the island of Inoshima, several
miles distant, sinking perceptibly with
every yard of progress. She reached
the beach barely a minute before she
would have otherwise gone under.
The discipline of the men was admir-
able and all were gotten ashore in
safety. The seamanshlp shown ap-
pears not to have been so admirable.
as no precautions were taken to make
the bows fast to the shore after beach
ing. The day was spent in removing
stores, the transport lying very nearly
bows under, but well afloat in the after
part. Late in the afternoon. without
warning, she slid off the steep beach
and sank in about six fathoms.
A more favorable or more picturesque
spot Tor a shipwreck could scarcely be
found. The island of Inoshima is about
a dozen miles from Hiroshima, chief
city of the inland sea. Almost in an in
slant aid came from the Japanese au-
thorities, the steamer Yoshimo being at
once dispatched, and the Red Cross So
ciety sending a relief expedition. The
troops are loud in their appreciation of
Japenese kindliness..
A pleasant episode for the shipwreck-
ed men was the passing of the scene by
the Empress of India, which stopped
for some hours and proffered every
thing which could be done in the way
of aid.
The transport, City of Sydney hav-
ing just put into Yokohama short of
coal and water, will proceed via the in
land sea, and unless provision has al
ready been made will take on board
part of the troops.
The damage by the recent typhoon
which swept the whole southern por-
ton of Japan is even greater than at
first reported. From some parts of the
south reports still come in stating that
thousands upon thousands of houses
are destroyed. while every prefecture
counts by hundreds it's dead.
An interesting incident in the Beshi
mine accident was the final saving of
FIVE miners who had been imprisoned
in the earth for six days by the caving
in of the entrance.
The remarkable course pursued by
the empress dowager OF China con-
tinues to attract attention. Her Sc
we're temporary illness at first report
ed as due to poison is later Interpreted
as a political expedient to checknate
the schemes of the rival factlons at
court, and to pave the way for the help
of the Japanese government in the per-
son of Marquis Ito, under whom need
ed reforms are to be made. That this
curious plan Is not taken seriously Is
evident from the fact that the marquis
has received an appointment as presi-
dent of new and important bureau
in the imperial household of Japan
which brings him into closer relations
with the emperor and makes him more
than ever the power behind the throne.
Yokohama has been crowded during
the past week as perhaps never before
in her history. The presence here of
an imposing British squadron of bat
tleships, cruisers and torpedo boats, oc-
curing simultaneously with the COM
ing of three American transports with
troops for and from Manila has, to-
gether with an unusually large contin-
gent of passing tourists, filled the
streets and hotels to their utmost ca
pacity. The last contingent of volun-
teers to arrive was the Montana regi-
Hlenl, WHICH was hc pSSh
yet" The marvellous record made by
preceding troops is still unbroken, TO-
600 having now passed through without
single case involving police inter-
ference of any kind.
1t is reported that a bin is preparing
for the coming session of the diet to
grant a subsidy to cable scheme In
voving the laying of line across the
Pacific to Japan and the Philippines.
the promise being that rates will there
by be reduced to one-half those now
being paid.
DR.. Kitasato has discovered the bac-
cillus of dysentery and has already per-
formed some remarkable cures by In
incubation.
H. w. Denison of Vermont. who has
held for many years the Important
post Of law advisor to the imperial
government, being about to visit home
after a continuous absence of four
years, was yesterday received in audi
ence by the emperor and presented
with valuable tokens of the imperial
regard