The Bemidji pioneer., 1901-02-28
APPALLING
LOSSOF LIFE
STEAMER RTO DE JANEIRO
STRIKES A ROCK AND sIN1Ss
ALMOST INSTANTLY.
DEATH LIST BEACHES 1872

A~AAAA = - AAAAS = i 5---'-$
Consul Wildman OF HongkoEg Is
Among the Lost While on
the Golden Gade During a Heavy
Fog the Steamer Suddenly Strikes
a Hidden RocIS--Ofii Ulcers and Crew
Make Heroic Efforts to Save Pas
| scngers, but the steamer Sinks
Ref0re Much Cam he Accom-
pIished--Captain Goes Down With
His Ship.
San Francisco. Feb. 23.--The Pacific
Mail steamer Rio de Janeiro ran on q
hidden rock while entering the Golden
Gate early yesterday morning in a
dence fog. She sank a few minutes
after striking One hundred and tWen-s
ty-two persons were drowned Of the.
two hundred and one on board. AT 2
o'clock yesterday afternoon ten bodies
had been recovered, two white women,
one white man and seven Chinese. The
most prominent passenger of the
steamer was Rounseville Wildman,
United States consul at Hongkong.
who WAS accompanied by his wife and
two children. 1T is thought all We're
drowned The ship was in command Of
Pilot Frederick Jordan when she
struck. He was rescued. Capt. Will
lam Ward
| Went Down with His Vessel.
AS nearly as can be learned there
were 234 people ON board the Rio de
Janeiro She was three days overdue
from Hongkong, via Honolulu, when
she arrived off The Heads Thursday
night and the dence fog prevailing at
the time induced Pilot Jordan to bring
her to anchor until he could see his
way clear through the gateway, She
laid to until 4:30 o'clock, when the at
mosphere cleared and she was started
under a slow bell toward Point Bonita.
All went well until $40 o'clock, when
she struck. Most of the passengers
were below at the time, and 1T is be-
lieved that many of them We're
drowned in their berths. The first
news of the disaster reached here at
1880 yesterday morning and soon after.
ward boat load of rescued passengers
and petty officers arrived at the Mail
dock.
Rushed to the r. escue.
Tugs were Immediately dispatched to
| render any service that might be
needed, but no living persons were
afloat when they reached the wreck. A
| number of drowning persons We're res
cued by Italian fishermen, and the
bodies of two white women, three
| Chinese and japanese We're brought
in by the tugs. The search for more
| OF the victims continued all day. 5$ss4
| From all accounts it appears that the
officers were cool and gave the neces-
sary orders with the least possible ex-
citement Capt. Ward who was on
deck when the vessel struck, at once
| gave orders to the crew on watch to
hurry the passengers onto the for
ward deck AT the same time the quar-
termaster on duty sounded the signal
for fire drill, and within five minutes
lall the men were at their stations
There was no way Of telling the ex-
tent of the damage to the vessel as
she remained Of an even keel for fif-
teen minutes
| After striking the Rock.
But Capt. Ward, with the instinct OF
long experience, knew the gravest
| danger threatened the 200 souls in his
charge, and pacing the deck, he gave
orders to lower away the life boats
and life RATS. There was not much
confusion until fifteen minutes after
striking, when the bow of the vessel
suddenly plunged under water. Then
there was q wild rush for the boats.
Two boats had already been lowered
and others We're getting away as rap.
| idly as the trained discipline of the
crew could prepare them. A thick fog
enveloped everything, and as yet no
sign had come from the lfesaving sta
tions. Darkness was all about, and
with this added terror, the people on
the Rio had to cope. One boat got
clear of the vessel without damage
and then stood by to help in picking up
those who had no time to get into the
boats and
Were in the Water.
Another boat, containing Third Off
Ger Holland and ]. e. Carpenter, got
away but was drifted around close up
under the bow of the steamer. AS the
forward end of the vessel plunged
boat and cut it in two. The two men
lin the boat were uninjured and swan
away from the sinking steamer just in
time to avoid being caught in the swirl
of water caused by the settling of the
l big ship. Carpenter was picked up by
| the other boat The fate of Holland is
not known, but he is supposed to have
perished A number of Italian fisher
men who were just starting out saw
the sinking of the Rio and at once
hastened to render every assistance IN
their power. While all this was going
on Capt. Ward was directing the pas
sengers and trying to keep them from
panic. He succeeded only partially,
as many of
The Terrified People
rushed ta the railing and jumped over
| board. Some of these were picked up,
others were drowned. The Chinese
crew. to the number of over q hundred,
was terrorized. Some of them huddled
in little groups, chattering in fear
Others crouched close to the deck,
moaning pitifully. Many jumped into
( tho seq +.