Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-26
The Liner Californian Went
on the Rocks.
VESSEL WILL BE LOST
But the Passengers and Crew Are
Safe-Struck Ram Island Ledge
a Few Minutes After the Pilot Had
Left Her.

Portland, Me-, Feb. 25.-The big Aller
line steamship Californian, which left
her dock at midnight, went ashore or
fiam Island ledge, just outside the har-
Dor. a few minutes after her pilot left
ner this morning. All the passengers
are safe, though still aboard. Most OF
the local seafaring men are of the opin-
ion that the rocks have penetrated the
bottom of the vessel in several i ces,
and they doubt very much if she can
be saved. The vessel is valued at 49,
O0O, 200; the cargo at $500, 900. There are
six cabin. five intermediate, and ten
Storage passengers. besides a crew of
seventy-ffve men. The cabin passen-
gers are: Mr.. and Mrs. Patton, Mon
treai; Mr.. and Mrs. D. Wilson, Toron-
to: Miss Bailey, Otba wa, and Mrs. Brow
ell. Esquimalt. B. G..
The Californian was in charge of Pilot
EDWARD L: Parsons. and at the time he
ie1t ner the wind was blowing hard
from the southeast m a heavy rain
was falling. Pilot Parsons left the
snip on reaching the bell-buoy of Cush-
tng's Island point. after he gave the
officers OF the ship the coNrse., Ten
and fast aground on Ram Island ledge.
Ihis IS a reef which runs out from
Ram Island and the ship had gone sew
enal points off her ourse when she
struck.
This afternoon the 1~ife-saving boat
seven miles away, launched a boat and
put off for the steamer, intending to
ransfe the passengers from me
steamer to the tug Piedmont. Some OF
the women passengers desired to be
transferred but on seeing the manner
in which the life boat pitched -
rolled, they decided not to leave this
afternoon.
The ship is lying under the way of
Ram Island. on the edge and although
the v are breaking with great
force, the long ledge acts as a breaker
and protects the ship. 1,he wind is now
blowing strongly from the westward.
and the sea Is subsiding.
TIE passengers will probably be taken
off morning without danger.
n II the sea is smooth the work of re-
moving the cargo will commence. The
local officials feel confident laat the ship
can be f1oated. The conditions are now
favorable.
The Californian was bound to Glas-
gov by way of Halifax. Captain Bar
clay says that the hold is full of water,
the fires are e~xtinguished, there is a
heavy sea and the passengers are per-
'feotly safe. Thu cargo of 5000 IONS
consists largely of meats. lard. apples.
cheese and grain. The greater part Of
the cargo was probably insured by the
consignees. It is not known whether
the ship was insured.
The Steamship State of California.
now naned Californian. was built in
the Clyde and launched in 1891. She
Is built of mllled steel, is class Al in
Lloyds special survey, and with addi-
tional strengthening over Lloyd's re-
oulrements as we'll as to comply with
the demands of the admiralty for trans
port service. Her length is 400 feet.
beam As feet and depth so fee 8 inches.
Her tonnage capacity is 5000 ton She
Is divided into eight compartments, the
bulkheads of which are all carried to
the upper deck. These with the cellular
double bottom ensure the greatest
amount of safety in case of accident.