The Worthington advance., 1901-03-01
BLAME THE CAPTAIN. .


San Francisco. Feb. q. B. z.
schwerin, vice president and general
manager OF the Pacific Mail Steam
ship company, in discussing the loss
Of the City Of Rio de Janeiro, said he
Thought the blame was due to Capt.
Ward in bringing his vessel in dur
ing Z fog. " .3S E.zsSs Il
So farsaSa can be eyaScertaine from re-
liable data 12S lives were lost in the
wreck Of the Pacific Mail steamer City
Of Rio de Janeiro. Fishermen found
a*packet containing the papers Of
Purser Rooney. Among them was the
passenger list and bunch of Cancelled
passenger tickets, and as there were
names on the list whose Cancelled pas
senger tickets did not appear among
+ those recovered it is assumed that they
laid over either at Yokohama, Kobe or
Honolulu. That they were not ON the
vessel at the time 1t went down is GER
tain. y..-. ,,
Thus far only II bodies have been
recovered, six whites, four Chinese and
one Japanese: T..
The value of the cargo of the Rio do
Janeiro has not been determined, ow-
ing to.the absence of important papers,
but it is variously estimated at from
100000 to 100000. 50 The cargo con-
sisted principally Of silk, tea, rice and
| other oriental products. There was no
treasure aboard, as was at first re-
ported. >....-. ~.
In response to further questions
Mr.. Schwerin stated that he did not
think there was the slightest chance
of raising the vessel.
The wreck of the City of Rio de
Janeiro, which for awhile hun e on
pinnacle of the rock where she
struck in the Golden Gate so that
parts of her upper works were vis-
ible, soon slid off into deep water
and is now entirely out of sight.
Fort Point, where Pilot Jordan
claims the vessel struck. marks the
narrowest point of the entrance to
the bay and is usually given wide
berth by mariners. The tide here
runs very swiftly and at times has
a swirling motion.
Off Fort Point lie several sunken
rocks. forming dangerous ledge on
the southerly edge Of the fair way
channel of the Golden Gate, but close
under the shore.
There is a. light on top Of the fort
and fog bell, but the latte cannot be
heard far when a westerly wind is blow
ing.
Capt. Frederick w. Jordan. the pilot
who was in charge of the Rio de Janeiro
when she went on the reef and sank.
is a man little past middle life, and
has been master mariner on this coast
for over 20 years. He came from the
Atlantic coast. Previous to being ap-
pointed a pilot about IL years ago, Jor-
dan was in command of the Wellington.
Bristol and other collieries still plying
between. this port and Puget sound.
He was a. remarkably successful navi-
gator, and never before had any notable
misfortune,
San Francisco, Feb 25.-Quartermas-
ter Lindstrom, of the steamship Rio,
who was the last white man to leave
the ship, said that Consul General Wild
man lost his life and caused the death
of his wife and children by remaining
on board long after>he could have gone
In boat. The captain offered the Wild
mans first chance in the boats, but Mrs.
Wildman refused to go without her
husband. Later Wildman urged her to
go, and she was preparing to get into a
boat when the ship sank.
London, Feb. 25.-''The news of the
loss of the Pacific Mail steamship Rio
de Janeiro caused a profound sensation
here" says the Hong-Kong correspond
ent OF the Daily Mail. "and the report
ed sad fate of Mr.. Wildman and his
family was the occasion of intense
grief. All the flags were half-masted."