The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1901-03-01

caught the small boat and cur II ia
Two. The two men i'm the boat were
uriniurcI and swan AWAY from the
/ Sinking steamer just in time 10 avoid
being caught IA the swirl of water
caused hy the settling OF The big shin.
! tarPentcr was picked mp by the other
boat. The fate OF Holland Is not
known. but he is supposed 10 have
persisted.
\ number or Italian fishermen,
who were Just starting ont. saw the
sin mixing Of the Rio and FASTENED to
! give all the assistance i'm their power.
4 While all this was going on Capt.
/ Ward was directing the passengers
and trying to keep them from panic.
lie succeeded only partly. as many of
The terrified people rushed 10 The rail-
Tugs and jumped overheard. Some of
these were picked mp. others were
drowned. The Chinese crow, 20 the
number Of over "a hundred. were ter
r0rilcd. Some of them huddlcd in
little groups. gathering I'm fear.
Other, crouchcd close 10 ,hc deck.
moaning piiifully. Many jumped into
the sra.
Capt. Ward remained ON deck until
the vessel had settled 10 such AN cN-
rent that the water was cneulfing
him. Then he went mp ON the bridge
and from there continued 10 i>sln. his
directions. although 10y hi, time the
confusion was - great that few paid
amy attention 10 his commands.
That the steamer sank almost i'm
mcdiatcly after striking is the report
of a majority OF those rescued. Some
% the passengers say thar She in
stantiy listed forward, ami that i'm
i've minutes she went down. while
others declared that she STAYED ahoat
for half AN hour after she struck.
The confusion occasioncd III such an
incident Is intense and it is not sur
pri>ins 20 find that there is a Jack Of
unanimi,y as to the length of time
the vessel remained above water.
The wreck lies about thrce-fourths
OF n mile south or Fort Point and
about a thousand yards oil the rocky
shore.
The smoke stack and a portion or
The upper works of The ui-fated
steamer are visible.
There are several conflicting stories
concerning the fate OF Capt; Ward.
The steward of the Rio SAYS that ne
stood beside the captain when The
vessel went down. Two othcr suryi,-
orS say that they also saw the cup
tain 10 the last; bat Frcdericls Lind
sfrom. the quaTtcrmaSter officer of
The Rio. emphatical'y declared that
Capt Ward cmulatcd Adm. Jrion. OF
her british maieSty's ship Victoria,
in going down 10 mis- caJiu. where hc
met his doom behind locked door.
QuartermaStcr Officer LiuG,trom
was one of the first 10 land at M~igg's
wharf Friday morning and one Of the
first statements he made was that
capt. Ward had gone down with the
wrecked steamer. According 10 his
etory. Capt. Ward, after consulting
with Pilot Jordan, came down from
the bridge.
lie was standing on the decl, when
the vessel crashed upon the rocks.
There was a cry OF MAN the Boats"
but it was apparent that in the midst
of the awful confusion i systematic
effort TO save the passengers would
he of no avail. Everybody was Scram-
bling for his own safety.
II was at this time that Lindstrom
saws he saw Capt. Ward standing on
the forward deck Suddenly the cap
tain turned and. walking hurriediy
10 his cabin. disappeared behind the
door, which he closed.
\ second later the vessel was
plunging TO the bottom Of the sea.
Capt. Frederick ". Jordan. the pi-
lot of the Rio. was rescued by an
Italian fishing boat owned by Fred
erick Castrini. and was brought TO
Meigg's station about 10 a m. Along
with him was Japanese and Philip
William Casper. Of Toledo. O.. was
among the survivors who. while Aour-
dering in the water, encountered the
raft on which were X. II. Long and a
number of Cinnamon. Casper was out
of his bunk and on dc..l, when the
first alarm Was given. He agrees with
Long that most Of the steamer's pas
sengers were ON deck when the ves-
SCI struck.
The cargo OF the RIO De JaneirO
was valued at over Sa00.0O0. There
were besides 100000 in treasure in
the specie bank. The steamer itself
WIS valued at from $780, 900 10 $780,
900.