The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-02-24
STATEMENT OF MANAGER.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23.-R. p.
Schwerin. vice-president and general
manager Of the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company. in discussing the loss OF the
Rio de Janeiro, said he thought the
blame was due to Captain Ward in
bringing his vessel in during the fog.
Time and time again" said Mr..
Schwerin, I'VE have warned our cap
tains never to leave or enter port dur
ing a fog. II is erroneous to think that
when a pilot boards vessel that the
captain has no more responsibility A
pilot is simply guide for the captain.
'The statements made to me by Pilot
Jordan indicate that there was a fog
hanging around the heads. and I think
that undue haste was shown by the
captain in bringing his vessel in. l
cannot understand why there should
have been so much haste shown. as the
vessel lay outside all night. Captain
Ward was a careful officer and learn
that when he reached Honolulu with the
Rio he waited outside the bar for eleven
hours rather than take any chances in
the rough weather.
"Of course he is not here to speak
l wish that he was, for he was one OF
our best officers. He was brought up
In our service and We all feel deeply
his loss and those of his comrades.
Il cannot state exactly the value of
the Rio de Janeiro, but II is between
100000 and 100000. We have between
100000 and $4,000 insurance on the ves-
sci. part of which is carried by insur-
ance companies and part of which We
carry ourselves. The value of her car
20 was probably between $l5O00O and
100000. l do not think she had any
amount Of specie on board"
In re, ponse to further questions, Mr..
Schwerin stated that he did not think
there was the slightest chance of rails
ing the vessel. The wreck of the Rio
de Janeiro, which for a while hung on
a pinnacle of the rock where she struck
in the Golden Gate, so that parts of
her upper works were visible, 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 marin
ers The tide here runs very swiftly
and at times has swirling motion.
OF Fort Point lie several sunken 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 light on top of the
fort and fog bell, but the latter can
not be heard far when a westerly wind
is blowing.
Captain Frederick w. Jordan. who
was in charge OF the Rio de Janeiro
when she went on the reef and sank,
is mau a little past middle life and
has been a master mariner on this coast
for over twenty years. He came from
the Atlantic coast Previous to being
appointed a pilot about twelve years
ago. Jordan was in command of the
Wellington, Bristol and other golfers
still plying between this port and Pu-
get sound. He was remarkably sue
cessful navigator and never before had
any notable misfortune.
He declares that the loss Of the
steamer could not have been foreseen.
According to his story, the vessel drifted
half a mile broadside in the fog that
enveloped the homebound steamer like
a pail. and no man could have judged |
either the direction or the velocity Of
the invisible current that changed her
course and sent her on the Fort Point |
ledge.
The Rio de Janeiro has since the year
1890 had a "hoodoo' on her. August, |
1890, she was in collision with the Brit
ish ship Bombay and was severely |
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