Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-02-27
BLAME THE CAPTAIN.
R Responsibility for Wreck OF the
Steamship City of Rio de .yaneirO
Placed on Her Dead Master.

San Francisco, Feb. 25.-R. P.
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 a fog.
SO far as can be ascertained from re-
liable data 1913 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 a 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 it went down is GER
tain.
Thus far only II bodies have been
recovered, six whites, four Chinese and
one japanese.
The value of the cargo Of the Rio de
Janeiro has not been determined, ov-
ing to the absence of important papers,
but it is variously estimated at from
10000 to 100000. 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 hung on
a pinnacle of the rock where she
struck in the Golden Gate so that
parts of her upper works were Wis
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 a wide
berth by mariners. The tide here
runs very swiftly and at times has
a swirling motion.
Off Fort Point lie several sunl<en
rocks, forming a 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 a fog bell, but the latter cannot be
heard far when a westerly wind is blow
ing.
Capt Frederick ". Jordan, the pilot
who was in charge of the Rio de Janeiro
when she went on the reef and sank.
is a man a little past middle life, and
has been a master mariner on this coast
for over 20 years. He came from the
Atlantic coast. Previous to being ap-
pointed pilot about II years ago, Jor-
dan was in command of the Wellington.
Bristol and other collieries still plying
between this port and Puget sound.
He was 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 a 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 profound sensation
here" says the HongKong correspond
ent Of the Daily Mail. land the report
ed sad fate of Mr. Wildman and his
family was the occasion of intense
grief. All the flags were half-masted."