The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-27

Portland. BE. Feb. g.-The Big Allan
Line steamship Californian. which left
ter dock az midnight, went ashore on
Ram Island Ledge. just outside Of the
haTbor. lcw minutes after her pilot left
neT this morning. AL the p1sGengers are
safe. although still aboard
Most of the local seafariEg men are o.
the opinion that tie rocks have peHetrat-
81 the bottom Of the vessel iB> several
places, and they doubt very much Il She
Caa De saved. The vessel s. valued or
$4,000; the cargo al $1,000. There are
SIX cabin, five intermediate. and ten steer
age passengers, besides crew OF seventy
five men. The cabin passengers ere ar.
and Mrs. Hatton, Montreal, Mr.. ard Mrs
ID. Wilson Toronto. Miss Bailey, Ottawa
and Mr.. Browen Esquimault. D. G.
The Californian was H. charge OF Pilot
Edward l.. Parsons, aEd at tae time he
left her the wind was blowing hard from
the southeast. accompanied a the time
hy heavy rain. Pilot Parsons left the ship
on reaching tie bell buoy OF Cushing $
Island Point, after he gave The officers Of
The ship the correct course. Ten minutes
later the Californian was hard and fast
aground on Ram Island Ledge This -
reef which runs out from Ram Island
and the ship had gore several points of
her course when she struck.
Prefer ship 10 Lifeb0aT.
This forenoon the life-saving boat from
the cape Elizabeth Iife-savers, seven
miles away. vas launched, and put OF
for the steamer intending 10 transfer the
passengers 10 the tug Piedmont. Some OF
the women passengers desired TO be
transferred. bUt on seeing the manner in
which the life-bOat pitched and rolled,
decided not 10 leave the ship.
The ship IL lying under the lee OF Ram
Island, on the ledge, and although the
waves are breaking with great force, the
long reef acts as q breakwater and pro-
tects the ship. The wind is now blowing
from the westward and the sea Is rapidly
subsidng,
The passengers will probably be taken
of tomorrow morning without Canger.
and If the sea is smooth the work OF
removing the cargo will cOmmenca. The
local officials feel confident that the ship
can be ioated. The company viii salvage
the cargo themselves. Tonight there is
a westerly wind, and the conditions are
favorable
Held Fall of Water and Fires 0Hi.
The Californian was bound for Glasgow
that The hold is full of water. The fires
are eXtingushed. There Is a heavy sea,
he says. but the passengers are perfectly
safe. \ full manifest Of the cargo %
1900 tons cannot he obtained before to-
morrow.
The principal items include 800 boxes Of
meats 5000 pieces of fresh meats, l,20
pals Of lard, 2O10 barrels of apples, 1900
boxes Of cheese, and a large consignment
of grain and general cargo.
The greater part Of the cargo was prob
ably insured by the cOnsignees. 1t is not
known whether the ship was insured.
The steamship State of California, now
named the Californian, was built on the
Clyde and launched in 1885,. She is built
Of milled steel is class Al in Lloyds spe-
cial survey, with additional strengthening
over Lloyd's requirements as well, TO com
ply with demands of admiralty for trans
port service. Her lengh is 400 feet, beam
: feet, and depth 32 feet inches. Her
tonnage capacity is $500 tons. She Is di-
Vided into eight compartments, the bulk
heads of which are all carried 10 the up
per decks. These. with the cellular dou-
bic bottom. insure the greatest amount OF
safety in case of accident.