New-York tribune., 1901-02-24

FOG bell. bur the latter cannot be heard far
when westerly wind is blowing.
Captain Jordan has been a master mariner on
this coast for over twenty years. He came from
the Atlantic Coast Previous ro being appointed
q pilot. about twelve years ago Jordan was N
command of the wellington. -he Bristol and
other coal vessels plying between this port and
Puget Sound he was remarkably successful
navigator, and never before had any notable
misfortune.
Jordan declares the loss q the steamer could
not be foreseeE- According 10 his story. the
vessel drifJed hale mile broadsi5e ia the soE
/ thar enve.oped ths h0uebound steamer ike "A
olfectlcn OF t1e velocity of the Invisible c-r-
rent that changed her course and sent her on
the Fort Point ledge
PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS To THE RIO.
Since 1890 the Rio had s-ver7I accidents In
August, ls@o she was in collision with the Brit
lsh steamer Bombay. and was severely dam
AGED. This occurred IN HouE-KouE Ha-Hor In
1.-een32-r. 1tr.... $50 she vent ashore al South
haEoShtro, Japan and was 50 badly damaged
thar her cargo was discharged and the vessel
doeked f0r --rairs
In March 1896 The Rio started from Honolulu
Tor Yokohama Continuous heavy head weather
was eucouute-e1. and when the japanese coast
was SIM 10" miles away II was found that
there was only --al tons ~ coal in the bunkers.
The steamship was run back 10 Honolulu. bur
before she g0r there the cabins and stateroOms
had been Quilted in order ro provide fuel for the
furnaces in Aay. $50 She hac collision with
an unknown Jauau--a steamer OF Houomoko.
Japan but was nor seriously damaged.
n th- last fifty lears The Pacific Mall Steam
ship Company mas lost nineteen Of its fleet.
The f0uuderiuE ~ the Rio Jaueiro does not
result iu The greatest loss Of life. two hun
dred NJ The three hundred passengers on the
Golden Gate were lost of The coast of Mexico
IN l>12. while four hundred Chinese were lost In
The wreck of The steamer Japan OF The Chinese
coast IN the early seventies
Freight Clerk EueI-hart % the Rio who was
saved, said to-day that CAPTAIN Ward could not
have locked himself IN his cabin. The last 7
saw a. Captain Ward he was standing on the
bridge ana was tlins the rope ot The whistle 70
the rail- This was done 10 keep the whistle
blowing all The time am SUR that the ship
sank SO quickly that Captain Ward did not
have tine 10 reach the ca bin"
r. =. SchWerin. .vice-pIesident and general
manager ot the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
psny I'm discussing the loss of the RIO Janeiro.
said he thought the blame was due 20 Captain
Ward in bringing his vessel in during fog
Time and again" said NJ. Schwe-ln eve
have warned our captains never 10 leave or en-
Ter port during fog II Is erroneous 10 think
that when a pilot boards a vessel the cap
tain has no more responsibility. pilot IS
simply q guide for a captain
THE statements made 10 me by Pilot Jordan
indicate that rhere was "A fog hanging around
the Heads and 7 think that undue haste
shown by the captain in bringing his vessel in.
I cannot understand why there should have been
So much haste shown considering the vessel lay
outside all night. Captain Ward was a careful
officer. and ] learn that when he reached Homo
the bar for eleven hours rather than take any
chance IN the rough weather. OF course ne Is
NOT here 20 speak I wish that ne was for he
was one % our best officers. He was brought
un In our service and we ell feel deeply over his
loss and those OF his comrades
4 cannot state exactly the value OF the
BIO Ianeiro. hut b. Is between SSan0n and
Sgoo0g0 We have between 100000 and 500
on INSURANCE on the vessel part of which IS
,.e-ris1 ~ iusrlrs.,,e cor1uanias ana rarr n,
which we carry ourselves The value Of her
cargo was probably between S1Jo0lO and
SeOa000 7 DO not think she mad any amount of
specie on board.
In response 20 further questions Mr. Schwerin
stated that he did not think there the
slightest chance of raising the vessel
A member of the Maritime Exchange said yester-
dsv afternoon that the City of Rio Janeiro had
been an unfortunate vessel from the moment she
had left the stocks She made her hrst voyage in
lg7s under the command Of Captain Weir and
started from New-York for Brazil hut when OF
Governors Island blew up her ice plant and re-
turned for repairs which cost her owners S36 GO.
When she made the second start she cut IN a
big ship on Governors Island. and misfortune
seemea 70 have followed her since.
Denver. Feb 2s.-1-. ard Mrs William A. Wood
worth OF Denver. who are mentioned as among the
missing passengers OF the wrecked Rio Janeiro
left here n January last for q VISIT 20 Honolulu
and were returning home On the Rio M Wood
worth Was cne ~ Denvers best known business
Philadelphia. Feb 3-Dr. Samuel Wakefield az
tsis eitv. son of Are Sarah -. wEksasi1 ana