The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-03-03
WREGkAGE INDICATED
BOILER EXPLOSION

DuIll0 Lar LVviVH
Pilot Melville c. Erskine and Pilot
| George d. Korts passed through the
Heads after the wrecking OF the Rio
Janeiro and agreed IN saying that the
| floating wreckage which covered the
bay and bar was so broken and splin-
tered as TO suggest that there had been
an explosion. As Pilot Erskine came
/ in during the morning he met the
wreckage far out on the bar. and on
one bit of a deckhouse was the name
Rio Janeiro. The pilot ST once con-
| cluded that the steamer had been
wrecked by bursting boilers, and his
| surmise found support as he examin-
/ ed the broken stuff. of which there
was plenty everywhere.
Later in the day Pilot Korts took a
ship to sea. and. the tide then flooding,
was freighted with wreckage. the char
acter and appearance of which inclin-
ed the pilot TO believe that there had
been a boiler explosion. Broken shut
ters. cabin woodwork and hight stuff
Uttered the bay Much Of it had been
carried to the harbor. and its quantity
as well as it's splintered condition, con-
firmed the explosion theory in the
mind of Pilot Korts.
1T was perfectly clear when l came
in" said Pilot Korts. land nothing
could be seen of the sunken Rio. The
life-saving boats and the tugs had left
and. except for the floating wreckage
there was no evidence that an accident
had occurred"
Vandals at Work.
F. Kotelman. a transfer agent, who
was on one of the launches, saw ten
different trunks. all of which had been
rified. IN a part of the main cabin
which had drifted away trunk was
found belonging to Russell Harper.
The trunk was still in the stateroom
and under the berth, but even then it
was not safe from the ravages OF the
ghouls. The top had been pried open
and it's contents taken
During the afternoon four trunks,
which had been picked up by tug
near the scene of the wreck, and
which constituted good part of the
baggage saved from the wrecked
steamer. were taken to the Pacific
Mail dock. They were labeled res
pectively. &C Dowdall. Shanghai: H
c. Matheson,' and "Kapt-Lt Hecht,
and the remaining one had tag at
tached. upon which was the address,
."Mr. Seymour. California Hotel" The
baggage was-dripping wet and the con-
tents have probably been ruined. In
addition to the four trunks. various ar
ticles belonging to the steamer We're
picked up. including yentilators, life
preservers. etc, which had been swept
from the deck of the steamer.
Much of this wreckage came to the
surface some distance beyond the spot
where the Rio went down. which APP
peared 10 confirm the opinion express
ed by seafarfng men and otners fami-
liar with the tides and the topography
of the hay near the entrance. that the
tremendous force of the ebb tide at
the time of the sinking of the steamer
carried the vessel itself some distance
from the ledge upon which it first
struck This wreckage. coming TO the
surface again, was carried by the
equally strong flood tide, back into the
bay.
A lot of wreckage was picked up
by different boats and towed to the
wharf. Among the things picked up
were parts of the wrecked steamer.
whole side of a stateroom. portions
of the cabin. lot of wearing apparel. |
mail matter. photographs. documents. |
the certificate of Captain Ward as
member of the Masonic fraternity. |
b S regalia and the silken bag in which |
they reposed. also a silk muff1er bear |
ing his initials. Ten mail pouches
two of them cut open and emptied of |
their contents. lot of carpets. cabin /
doors evidently wrenched from their |
fastenings. and parts of the steamer
that gave every evidence that they /
had been rent from the framework of
the vessel. because the nails and
screws chung to the fragments. were
brought ashore. Each fragment was
eagerly scanned by anxious spectators.
as though IL could reveal some cfew to
the missing ones.
Large Fleet Of Tugs.
In response TO the orders of the Pa
cifc Mail Companys officials the fol-
lowing tugs were rushed TO the scene
Of the wreck: Sea Queen. Monarch,
Sea King, Rescue. Relief. Alert, Re
lance, Miilen Griffiths, Mile and Ida
".
Before these tugs reached Nile Rock
some of the wrecked steamers people I
were picked mp by Italian fishermen.
but many more were unable to retain
their hold on the RATS and spars
which supported them. The tugs re-
ieyed some of the fishing smacks of
he men whom they had picked up.
The Sea King landed thirty-nfne Chi ,
aese st the Mail dock and the Millen
,ritfths brought in sixteen more.
light of whom were picked up on the I
sresidio beach.
More than twenty fishing smacks |
md dozen gasoline Launches were {
Ilso on the scene. but most of them c
.rrivsd too late to do rescue work. 9
he Government tugs General Slocum |
nd Sternberg were also sent out. =
hey were too late to rescne any one. 1
Story Of offieers.
Pilot Frederick Jordan was in con- :
with Vice President Schwer-
i of the Pacific Mail Company for
lore than two hours yesterday at the