Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-03-01

VIZ =
CONSUL WILDMAN.
al were drowned The ship was
In command of Pilot Frederick Jordan
when she struck. He was rescued.
Capt. William Ward went down with
his vessel.
As near as can be learned there
were POI people on board the Rio de
Janeiro. as follows: Cabin passen-
gers, %; steerage (Asiatic), IS; sec
ond cabin, :; white officers, 30; Asiat.
ic crew, -.
struck I'm Fog.
The Rio de Janeiro was three davs
overdue from IIong-Kong via Honolulu
when she arrived off the Heads Thurs
day night, and the dense fog prevailing
at the time induced Pilot Jordan TO
bring her TO anchor until he could see
his way clear through the gateway.
She laid 10 until about 4:30 o'clock,
when the atmosphere 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
IL is believed that many of them were
drowned in their berths
Many Jumped Overheard
Capt. Ward directed the passen-
gers and tried 10 keep them from
panic. He succeeded only partly, as
many Of the terrified people rushed
TO the ratings and jumped over.
board. Some of these were picked
IN l..
nese crew, 10 the number of over a
hundred, were terrorized. Some of
them huddled in little groups, chat
tering in fear. Others crouched close
to the deck, moaning pitifully. Many
jumped into the sea. Capt. Ward re-
NAMED on deck until the vessel had
settled TO such an extent that the
water was engulfng him. Then he
went up on the bridge and from
there continued to issue his direc-
tions, although by this time the con-
fusion was so great that few paid
any attention TO his commands.
Was an Iron steamer.
The wrecked City of Janeiro was
an iron steamer of 3,5Os gross ton
mage and 1925 net. She was built
by j. Roach d Son at Chester, Pa, !
in 1878. The vessel was owned by
the Pacific Mail Steamship company
and had been in the oriental service !
since.
Known to lie Lost.
Concerning the missing cabin pas
sengers on the Inflated steamer the |
following has been learned:
Mrs. Sarah Wakefield and daughter, OF /
Oakland, Cal, boarded the ship at Homo
lulu.
Mr.. and Mrs. Woodwork. Of Denver.
man and wife, were evidently quite
wealthy.
Mr. Mattheson, statistician Of Shang-
hal, was on his way 10 London.
Two japanese gentlemen, with their
wives, name unknown, were cabin passen-
gers
J. +. Seymour, editor OF the American
at Manila. was well-known newspaper /
man, and he intended 20 spend a hard
earned vacation among relatives In this
Mr. Hart was wealthy diamond ex-
pert OF Manila. and he and his wife were
on their way 10 LONDON and Paris.
Mr.. Dodd and Attorney Henshaw. OF |
Butte. Mont had gone to Honolulu on
a vacation trip
Mr.. Dowdell, a solicitor from Shanghai.
was on his way TO Santa Barbara where
his family awaited him.
sketch Of the Consul.
Rounsevile Wildman was born in Ba-
tava, n. Y. on March 10. 1864 His father
was Methodist clergyman. He studied
at the Genesee Wesleyan seminary and
was graduated at Syracuse university
From college he went 10 Boise City, Idaho
and became editor Of the Idaho Statesman.
Later on as a delegate 10 congress he had
much TO do with having the territory made
a state. He was sent TO Singapore as
United States consul In 1889. and after that
TO Bremen. Germany, In the same capacity.
In 1893 he was the representative OF the
Straits Settlements and Borneo at the
worlds fair In Chicago. and for the next
three years served as United States con-
SUI to Hong-K Kong. He was promoted to
be consul general In 1898. He married a
liece OF Senator Stewart, OF Nevada. The
consul general had not been In the United
States since the Spanish war broke out.