The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-02-28

hidden rock while entering the Golden
Gate early yesterday morning in a
ience fog. She sank a few minutes
after string. One hundred and TWEEN
.y-two persons were drowned of the
two hundred and one on board. At .
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. II is thought all were
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 rs 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 denee fog prevailing at
the time induced Pilot Jordan to bring
ner to anchor until he could see his
way clear through the gateway. She
laid 70 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 i is be-
lieved hat many OF them were
drowned in their berths. The first
news of the disaster reached here at
$50 yesterday morning and soon after
ward a boat load of rescued passengers
and petty officers arrived at the Mail
dock.
Ru,ted to the Rescue.
Tugs were Immediately dispatched to
rerder any service that might be
needed, but no living persons were
aAoat when they reached the wreck. a
number Of drowning persons were res
cued by Italian fishermen, and the
bodies OF two White women. three
Chinese and a Japanese were brought
In by the tugs. The search for more
IF the victims continued all day.
From al accounts it appears that the
officers were cool and Ave the neces-
Eary orders with the least possible ex-
element. 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 minut
Gll the men We're at their stations
There WIS 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
nnd 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 a wild rush for the boats.
Two boats had already been lowered
and others were getting away as rap
idly as the trained discipline OF the
crew could prepare them. A thick fog
enveloped everything, and as yet no
Eign had come from the ~lIfesaving sta.
tons. 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 j. +. Carpenter, got
away but was drifted aroun close up
under the bow OF the steamer. AS the
forward end OF the vessel plunged
downward the PROV caught the small
boat and cut 1t in two. The two men
in 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
big ship. Carpenter was picked up by
the other boat. The fate of Hollan is
not known, but he is supposed to rave
persisted. 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
OH 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 to the railing and jumped over
board. Some of these were picked up,
others were drowned. The Chinese
crew, to the number of over a hundred,
was terrorized. Some of them huddled
IN little groups. chattering in fear.