The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-02-27
STRUCK ON A ROCK
And Sunk In the Ha' Dor of-San
Francisco.
STEAMER A TOTAL LOSS.
The Vessel Settled So Quickly That
Many Persons Were Drowned
in Their Berths. a Terri
be Disaster.

be Disaster.
A dispatch from San Francisco says
the Pacific Mail steamer Rio de Jsnelro
ran on hidden rock wbils entering the
Golden Gate early Friday morning IN
dense fog. She sank a f,W minutes
after striking is thought Il at near
ly l50 persons were drowned. but it is
impossible to ascertain the exact DYm.
Der, owing to the fact that P Plrser John
Rooney, who had the passenger list
and roster of the crew, is among tie
missing.
At 5 o'clock Friday afternoon 10
bodies had been recovered, two white
women, one white man and sewn Chi
nese. The most prominent passenger
on the steamer was Rounseville Wild
man, United States consul st Hong
Kong who vas accompanied by his wife
and tive children. 1t is thought all
were drowned.
The ship was 10 command of Pilot
Frederick jordan when struck. he
vas rescued. Capt. VIM. Ward went
down with his vessel. As nearly as can
be learned there w're 234 people on
bosld the Rio de JsneIro, as folio oRs:
Cabin passengers, 20; second cabin, z;
steersge (Chinese and Jspsnese), So;
officers and crew, 40.
The follo wing have been accounted
f,r: Rescued, 70; bodies at the nor
que, 10; total SO Missing, 145
IN THEIR BERTHs.
The Rio de Janeiro was three days
overdue from Hong Kong via Honolulu
when she arrived of the Heads Friday
night, snd the dense fog pr, vsiling at
the tim p, induced Pilot Jordan to bring
her to anchor uotil he could see his
way clear through the gateway She
laid to until about 4:3O o'clock Friday
morning, when the atmosphere cleared
and she was started under slow bell
toward Point Bonita. All went we'll
until $40 o'clock, when she struck.
Most Of the passengers were below at
tie time. and it is believed that many
Of them we're dro Wned in their bertks.
The rirst news Of the disaster reached
here at 7:30 o'clc OK Friday morning, aad
soon afterWard boat load of rescued
passengers and petty officers arrived at
the mail deck.
Tugs were Immediately disr 'ehed to
render any service that might be needed,
but no living persons were af9at when
they reached the wreck.
a number Of drowning people were
rescured by Italian fishermen and the
bodies Of two white women, three Chi
nese and a Japanese were brought in by
the tugs. The search for victims has
continued all day.
The officers were cool and gave the
necessary orders with the least possible
excitement.
Capt. Ward, who was on deck when
the vessel struck, at once gave orders
to the crew on watch to hurry the pas
sengers to the forward deck. The quar-
termaster on duty sounded the signal
for fire drill and within five minutes all
the men were at their stations. The
captain gave orders to lover the life
boats and life RATS.
There was not much confusion until
Is minutes after striking, when the
bow Of the vessel suddenly plunged
under water. Then there was wild
rush for the boats. Two boats lad al
ready been lowered and others we're get
ting away as rapidly as the trained dis
cipline Of the crew could prepare them.
A thick fog enveloped everything, aud
as yet no sign had come from the life
saving stations. Darkness was all
about, and with this added horror the
people on the Rio had to cope.
One boat got clear Of the vessel with
out damage. 1t contained Mrs. West,
Mrs. Ripley, Chief Engineer Herlihley,
Second Officer CoghLan, Frank Cramp,
j. r. Russell, Storekeeper Borgg, Wa
tertender D.. Lane, Quartermaster
Mathieson and Caps. Recsh of the
German navy. This boat got clear Of
The sinking vessel ard 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 OF
Ger Holland and J. <. Carpenter, got
away, but was drifted around close up
under the bow Of the steamer. As the
forward end Of the vessel plunged
downward the bow caught the small
boat and cut it to pieces. The two
men in the boat were uniDjured and
swan away.
Carpenter was picked up, but Hol-
land is supposed to have perished. A
number Of Italian fishermen who were
just starting out Friday morning saw
the sinking Of the Rio and FASTENED to
REINDEER assistance. Meantime many
Of the terrified people rushed to the
ratings and jumpe1 overheard. Some
were picked up, others drowned. The
Chip 7se crew, numbering over hun
drei was terrorized. NJ jumped
into the sea.
Capt. Ward remained on deck until
the vessel had settled aud the water
was engulfing him. Then he went up
on the bridge to issue directions.
That the steamer sank almost inme-
diately after striking is the report Of a
majority Of those rescued. The wreck
lies about three-fourth Of mile south
Of Fort Point and about a shous sand
yards of the rock shore. The smoke
stack and portion Of the upper works
Of the Ill fated steamer are visible.