Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-23

morgue Only seven of them have been
identified. They are:
native of New York. widow of the late
N B. Wakefield of Oakland.
Mrs. Alfred Hart of Manila. formerly OF
Los Angeles and wife Of Alfred Hart, VINO
was also lost in the wreck
Charles Dowdall barrister of Shanghai
Edward Barwick, a German, forty-five
years old, butcher OF the Rio San Fran
cisco.
OH sugar plantation at Spreck.:lsville, H. l.
Mrs. Julia D0hrmal, aged tifty-hve stew
ardcSS on the Rio.
A Japanese, identified as the engineers $
mess boy, name unknown
Four unidentified Chinese.
Question of Blame.
No attempt has been made to place the
blame for the disaster but the Pacific Mail
Companys officials state that the pilot was
subject to the orders Of Captain Ward, who
went down with the vessel.
The wreck of the Rio, which for a Whlie
hung on a pinnacle of the rock where sne
struck in the golden gate, so that parts OF
the upper works were visible has sld on
into deep water and is now entirely out OF
sight
Fort Point where Pilot Jordan claims The
vessel struck. marks the narrowest point or
the entrance to the bay, and is usually
given wide berth by mariners. The tide
here runs high and at times has swirling
motion.
Off Fort Point lie several sunken rocks,
forming a dangerous ledge on the southerly
edge of the Farway channel of the golden
gate. but close under the shore.
There is light on top of the fort and
fog bell. but the latter cannot be heard far
when a westerly wind is blowing.
Pilot Captain Jordan has been q master
mariner on this coast for over twenty years.
He came from the Atlantic coast. Previous
to being appointed pilot. about tw2iVe
years ago. Jordan was in command of the
Wellington, Bristol and other coal VeS++S
plying between this port and Puget sound.
He was a remarkably successful navigator
and never before had any notable misfor-
tune.
Jordan declares the loss of the steamer
could not have been foreseen. According
to his story the vessel drifted half mile
broadside in the fog that enveloped the
steamer like pail and no man could have
judged either the direction or the velocity
of the invisible current that changed her
course and sent her the Fort Point
ledge
Former Accidents to the Steamer.
Since 1890 the Rio has had several acci-
dents. In August, 1890, she was in COLL
sion with the British steamer Bombay.
and was severely damaged. This occurred
in Hong Kong harbor.
In December, 1898. she went ashore at
South Kagoshimo, Japan. and was so bad
ly damaged that her cargo was discharged
and the vessel docked for repairs.
In March. 1896. the Rio started from
Honolulu for Yokohama. Continuous heavy
head weather was encountered. and when
the Japanese coast was still 1,2oo miles
away ii was found that there was only 2Jo
tons of coal in the bunkers. The steamship
was run back to Honolulu, but before she
got there the cabins and state rooms had
been gutted in order to provide fuel Tor
the furnaces. In May, 1899, she colllded
with an unknown japanese steamer oft
Honomoko, Japan but was not seriously
DANA ged
During the past fifty years the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company has lost nine
teen of its fleet. The laundering of the Rio
de Janeiro does not result in the greatest
loss of life, as 25o of the 800 passengers on
the Golden Gate were lost on lhe coast OF
Mexico in 1S62 while 400 Chinese were lost
in the wreck of the steamer Japan off the
Chinese coast in the early seventies.
Freight Clerk Englehart of the Rio, who
was saved, said today that captain Ward
could not have locked himself in his cabin
'"The last | saw of Captain Ward he was
standing on the bridge and was ueing the
rope of the whistle to the rail. This was
time l am sure that the ship sank so
quickly that Captain Ward did not have
time to reach the cabin.
Mr.. and Mrs. w. A. Woodwork.
DENVER, Col, February 23-Mr- and
Mrs VIM A. Woodwork of Denver, who
are mentioned as among the missing pas
sengers of the wrecked Rio de Janeiro,
left here in January last for visit to Hon
olulu. and We're returning home ON the Rio'
Mr. Woodwork was one of DenVers best
known business men.
HAD NO WATER-TIGHT BULkHEADS.
John Ii. Roach Tells of the Rios Con-
structiOn.
CHESTER. Pa. February 23.-The steam
ship Dio de Janeiro was one of fleet of
Pacific mail steamships built at the Roach
ship ward in this city, although she was not
contracted for by the Pacific company at
the time of her building.
In 1877 the late John Roach conceived
the idea that a fleet of first-class Ameri-
can ships running to South American ports
would build Up American trade In that
section and prove a profitable investment, |
and ne organized company among his |
friends and built and equipped two fine |
ships for The trade as his share OF the