The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-23

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal. Feb. 2S-A
thick mist covered the bay this morning.
accompanying heavy rain, rendering fur
Their search for victims of the wreck Of
the Pacific Mail steamship City of Rio de
Janeiro, which went down outside the
Golden Gate yesterday morning. slow and
difficult Even were the water clear there
would be no sign of the lost vessel, as she
disappeared completely from view in forty
fathoms Of water.
The most complete estimate of the ex-
tent of the disaster, so far as the loss of
human life is concerned, is that OF the 2I0
persons aboard the vessel. I2S persisted
and 50 were saved.
The loss Of life is divided as follows:
Officers and crew (white), 20; Chinese
crew, q.
Cabin passengers, %.
Europeans in the steerage, Is.
Asiatics in the steerage, 81.
The bodies Of eleven victims lie thus
far at the morgue. The ones identified
follow:
Mrs Sarah W Wakefield, formerly of
New York. but lately living at Oakland.
Mrs. Alfred Hart, from Manila, formerly
Of Los Angeles, and the wife of Alfred
Hart, also lost in the wreck
Charles DoEaH. barrister of Shanghai
Edward Barwich. butcher of the Rio.
Angelo Gassinio, an employe of the Low
RE plantation. Hawaii
Mrs. Julia Dohrman, steWardess of The
vessel
At the morgue there are also the bodies
OF a japanese mess boy and four Chinese
sailors.
r. P. SchWerin, Vice President and Gen
eral Manager OF the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company, blames Captain Ward for
the loss Of the Rio de -Janeiro.
Thine and again" said Mr. Schwerfa.
I'VE have warned our captains never 20
leave or enter port during a fog. 1t is
erroneous 10 think that when a pilot
boards a vessel the captain has no more
responsibility 4 pilot is simply guide
for e captain
The statements made TO ne by Eliot
Jordan indicate that there was a fog
hanging around the heads and think that
undue haste was shown by the captain in
bringing his vessel in. 1 cannot under
stand why there should have been so much
haste shown. considering that the vessel
lag outside all night
Captain Ward was q careful officer, and
1 learn that when he reached Honolulu
with the Rio Janeiro he waitG1 outside
the bar eleven hours rather than take any
chances in the rough weather Of course
he is not here to speak. I wish that he
Fr-- -.
He was brought up in our service, and We
ali feel deeply grieved over his loss and
those Of his comrades
I cannot say exactly what the value of
the Rio de Janeiro was, but it was be-
tween $500. COO and $500, O0G We have be-
tween 500, 900 and $500, 600 insurance on
the vessel, part OF which is carried by in
Eurance companies. and part of which we
carry ourselves The value Of her cargo
was probably between $4,000 and $780,
coo. I do not believe she had any amount
of specie on board
Il. Donohue, the steerage steward was
below decks. but partly dressed when the
ship struck the rocks.
When reached the deck he said. Il
ran, In my bewilderment, 10 the forward
NCSn5 Ii AAS tl4Att4s Lt-ltLlDcI seeing
Captain Ward as he ascended the bridge. I
felt the snip going and I fed for the rig
ging- l climbed with all my strength and
speed and just as I reached the cross
trees I looked below. There l saw Cap
tain Ward am sure it was he-standing
at the bridge and wildly swinging his
arms. Then I saw the waters swirl about
his feet and suddenly cover him At that
instant I realized that We were plunging
TO the bottom.
Il had not felt our descent while I was
in the rigging While I was making up
my mind to this. was amazed and terri
fed TO have my feet thrown above my
head by the force of the water rushing
from below. Then I was torn from the
crosstrees and plunged below 7 held my
breath and fought against the terrible
suction, coming finally to the surface
again. By some strange chance was not
struck BY the spdTs or caught in the rig
ging- II has one chance in a million l
struck out when 1 came gaspIng TO the
surface, ana a few minutes later, lust as
my senses were slipping from ne. l was
picked up. ! am confident I saw the cap
tain 90 down at the bridge
WARD a NORTH CAROLINIAN.