The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-26
The Californian On Rocks Off
Coast of Maine.
PASSENGERS ALL SAFE
SEA TOO ROUGH YET FOR THEIR
REMOVAL.
Pilot Had Just Left Her, and She
Drifted Out of Her Course While
Bound From Portland to Glasgow
Valued at 100000; Cargo,
100000.

Portland. Me-, Feb 25-The big Al
Ian line steamship California, which
left her dock at midnight. went ashore
on Ram Island ledge, just outside the
harbor, few minutes after her pilot
left her this morning. All the passen-
gers are safe. though sti1 aboard. Most
of the local seafaring men are of The
opinion that the rocks have penetrated
the bottom of the vessel. in several
places. and they doubt much if
she can be saved. Tb el is val
ued at SO 200, 900; the { 100000
There are six cabin, eTmediate
and ten steerage pass besides a
crew OF seventy-five ] The cabin
passengers are Mr.. az jre. Patton,
Montreal; Mr. and Mr, ID. Wilson,
Toronto; Miss Bailey, Ottawa, and Mr.
Browell Esquimalt, B. c.
The Californian was in charge of
Pilot Edward L. Parsons. and at the
time he left her the wind was blowing
hard from the southeast and a heavy
rain wac falling. Pilot Parsons left
the ship on reaching the bell-buoy Of
Cusyings Island point, after he gave
the officers Of the ship the course. Ten
minutes later the Californian was hard
and fast aground on Ram Island
ledge.
This is a reef which runs out from
Ram Island and the ship had gone
several points off her course when she
struck This afternoon the life saving
boat from the Cape Elizabeth life saw
ers. seven miles away. launched a beat
and put off for the. steamer intending
to transfer the passengers FROM the
steamer TO the tug Piedmont. Some of
the women passengers desired to be
transferred. but on seeing the manner
I'm which the life boat pitched and
rolled, they decided not to leave the
ship.
Ship May Be Saved.
The ship is lying under the lee Of
Ram Island on the edge, and although
the waves are breaking with great
force. the long ledge acts as q break
water and protects the ship. The wind
is now blowing from the westward and
the sea is subsiding.
The passengers viii probably be TAX
en- off tomorrow morning W-thout dan
ger, and if the sea is smooth the work
Of removing the cargo viii commence.
The local officials fsets con6 mt that
the snip can be fioated. TIE condt-
tiOns are now favorable.
TIE Californian was bound to Gla9-
gov by way Of Halifax. Captain Bar
clay says that the hold Is full Of water,
the fires are extinguighed there is a
heavy sea and the passengers are per-
fectly safe. The cargo of 5000 tons
consists mainly of meats lard, apples,
cheese and grain. The greater part
Of the cargo was probably insured by
the COn6gneeS. It is not known wheth-
eT the ship was insured.
The steamship State OK California,
now named the Californian, was built
on the Clyde and launched in 1891 She
is built of milled steel, is class Al in
LIoyd's special survey, and with ad-
ditional strengthening over Lloyd's re-
quirements as we'll as to comply with
the demands of miraltY for trans
port service. Her ,ength is 400 feet,
beam forty-six feet, and depth thirty
two feet eight inches. Her tonnage
capacity is $500 tons She is divided
into eight upper decks. These with the
cellular double bottom, ensure the
greatest amount Of safety in case Of
accident.