The Saint Paul globe., 1901-02-23

added horror the people on the Rio had
to cope.
One boat got clear of the vessel with
out damage. This contained the follow
ing persons:
Mrs West Mrs. Ripley, Chief Engineer
aerl1hey, Second Officer Coghlan, Frank
Camp, ]. r. Russell, Storekeeper Bergg.
Water Tender D. Lane Quartermaster
R. Mathieson, Capt. Hecht, of the Ger
man navy
This boat got clear of the sinking ves-
sci and then stood by to help in pick
ing up those who had no time to get into
the boats and We're in the water.
Another boat, containing third officer
Holland and J. x. Carpenter got away
bat was drifted around 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 it in
TWO. The two men in the beat We're un-
injured and swan away from the sink
ing steamer just in time to avoid being
caught In the swirl CT water caused by
the settling Of the big ship. Carpenter
was picked up by tic other boat.
The fate of Holland Is not known, but
he is supposed to have perished A
number Of Italian fishermen who were
just starting out this morning. saw the
sinking Of tie I?io and at once hastened
to render every assistance in their
power.
While all this was going on Capt.
Ward was directing the passengers and
trying to. keep them from panic
He succeeded only partially. as many
of the terrified people rushed to the ran
ings and
JUMPED OVERHEARD.
Some of these were picked up. others
We're drowned The Chinese crew. to the
number of over 100 was terrorized
Some OP h1II6 ~.
chattcring in fear. Others crouched
close to the deck, moaning pitifuIIy
Many Jumped into the sea.
Capt Ward remained on deck until the
vessel had settled to such extent that
the water was engulfng him Then he
went up on the bridge and from there
continued to issue his directions,
although 10y this time the confusion was
so great that few paid any attention
to his commands.
That the steamer sank almost immc-
diately after striking, is the report OF
majority of those rescued. Some Of
the passengers say that she instantly
listed forward. but righted in five minutes
and stayed afloat for half an hour after
she struck. The confusion occasioned
by such incident is intense and it Is
not surprising to find that there is a
lack CT unanimity as to the length Of
time the vessel remained above water.
The wreck lies about three -fourths or
a mile south of Fort Point, and about
LOCO yards off the rocky shore.
The smokestack and a portion of the
upper works of the Inflated steamer are
visible.
FATE OF CAPT WARD.
There are several conflicting stories
concerning the fate of Capt Ward. The
steward of the Rio says that he stood
beside the captain when the vessel went
down Two other survivors say that they
also saw the captain to the last, but Fred
erick Lindstrom the quartermaster Off
Ger of the Rio, emphatically declared that
Capt Ward emulated Admiral Trion, Of
her majestys ship Victoria, in going
down to hf> cabin. where he met his
doom behind locked door
Quartermaster Officer Lindstrom was
one of the first to land at Meiggs wharf
this morning and of the first statements
he made was that Capt. Ward had gone
down with the wrecked steamer. Accord
ing to his story, Capt. Ward, after con-
sulting with Pilot Jordan, came down
from the bridge.
He was standing on the deck when the
vessel crashed upon the rock. There was
cry of Man the boats" but it was ap-
parent that in the midst of the awful
confusion a systematic effort to save the
passengers would be of no avail. Every
body was scrambling for his own safety.
1t was at this time that Lindstrom
says he saw Capt Ward standing on the
forward deck. Suddenly the captain
turned and walked hurriedy to his cabin,
disappearing behind the door, which he
closed.
A second later the vessel was plung-
ing to the bottom Of the sea.
Capt. Frederick w. Jordan the pilot
of the Rio. was rescued by an Italian
fishing boat owned by Frederick Cas-
trini and was brought to Meiggs station
about 10 a. m. Along with him was a
Japanese and Philip Nussenblack. He
was taken up to the room occupied by
the custom officials and told the follow
ing story:
TOLD BY THE PILOT.
1--WE anchored inside about o'clock
last night. The weather was thick and
left orders that when the weather clear
ed we should go further in. At a. m.
house and the north end light, and L
told the mate to heave short. After we
started heaving short the wind came from
the northeast and the fog settled in
thick and l told the mate to stop heav-
ing. Then the captain came up and
said:
Can't Jordan then continued his story:
you see my watch stopped at twenty
minutes to six. When the vessel struck
1 ordered all the boats out The first
boat out was that of the doctor. 1t was
half filed with water no sooner than she
st: uck. l got a ladder and placed a
woman on it, and we began to descend.
She had a boy with her, q child Of about
eight years. She gave him to me. heJd
him in my arms and the little fellow bad
his arms around my neck. The woman
and 1 were about half =. way down the
ladder when the Rio gave a tremendous
pitch 1 was flung off the ladder. saw
nothing then of the woman or the boy.
1 went down with the ship about fifty
feet l worked my way up to the sur
face and got hold of some wreckage.
had sense enough left to turn ON my
back and drift with the wreckage. Then
/ came across what seemed to me the
tor of house with a Chinaman on it.
He helped me to Chamber onto the roof
and with him 1 driftcd out toward the
north heads.
Il was then rescued by the fishing
boat 1 cannot say who the woman was