The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-11
STEAMER LOST;
ALL HANDS SAVED
Caribbean Sea Excursionists
Have Thrilling Adventure.
MEDIANA GROUNDS ON REEF
PASSENGERS ARE RESCUED
WITH MANY RISKS oF LIFE.
Bermuda. Feb. 1o.-The


lITAMILTON. Bermuda. Feb. 1O.-The
: II Quebec Steamship company's Ne
diana. Captain Fraser. which
sailed from New York last Saturday
with party Of excursionists for q spe-
cial cruise around the Caribbean ISL
ands. went ashore on the reef of this
island at 3 o'clock this morning.
The officers had thrilling expert
ence- The ship is a total loss, but all
on board were rescued and brought
safely to land after a perilous trip in
hfeboats from the wreck to a tug
standing a mile Off The mails and the
passengers baggage were also saved.
Channel Light Was Invisible.
According to statements made by
| those on board, the Mediana was
threading her way in the night through
the narrow channel between the coral
reef, which leads TO Hamilton harbor,
when she struck reef one and a half
miles northeast of North Rock. No
explicit explanation is yet forthcoming
/ as to how the vessel went on the rocks,
and the only information obtainabIe
from the officers is that the light, which
indicates the channel could not be seen
for some reason.
All the passengers were in their
hunks when the Mediana struck the
rocks, but the shock of the impact
awakened them and they rushed on
deck, the majority of them without at
tempting TO dress. Much alarm, though
not panic prevailed among the pas
sepgers when they found thai the yes
sci was hard on the rocks, but the OIL
GERS went among them and Gained
them, although a number did not ven
ture below again to seek their cloth
ing.
Tugs to the Rescue.
A part of the crew did not share the
| GOODNESS of the officers, but the latter
restored order among the troublesome
seamen
Signals of distress were sent up. and
the passengers had an anxious time
during the latter part of the night.
The Mediana listed heavily after a
time, and when morning broke lay
/ broadside to the wind. The passengers
Were huddled together on the hurricane
deck. and the water drenched them TO
the skin
As soon as the news of the wreck
become known here government and
other tugs proceeded to the scene to
endeavor to render assistance. A heavy
sea, however, was running. and they
dared not approach too closely to the
reef on which the Mediana was pound
ing.
For some time no communication
with the Mediana was possible. The
tug Gladisfen stood about a mile off
awaiting an opportunity to assist but
/ II was not until II o'clock this morning
that il became possible to effect a res
cue The crew of the Mediana launched
a boat, but ii could not live in the sea
then running. and was dashed to pieces
against the steamers side.
I Taken Off in Row Boats
A second and more successful at
tempt was made a little later and some
OF the passengers were lowered into il
and, after much exertiOn it succeeded
in reaching the Gladisfen.
The Mediana's other lifeboats were
then launched in succession and the re-
mainder of the passengers and the cap
tain and crew gained the salvage tug
! in safety.
BY the prompt action of Engineer Mel
son. who had the Mediana's bulkheads
broken through. the mails and the pas
Seng5rs light baggage were taken out AMI
brought in the last boats to the GIadis-
fen: which landed the passengers. crew,
malls and baggage here this afternoon.
Crew Disorderly at First.
Joseph K. Crofut OF Hartford. Conn.
one OF the passengers, was interviewed
by the Associated Press correspondent
Il was in my bunk when the shock of
the steamers Stranding awol1e me. l al
once rushed on deck. being the first pas
SengeT to reach ii. The other passengers
streamed up from below Immediately aft
erWard- There was no confusion among
the officers or the passengers The Off
GERS faced the situation cOOlly, and quick
ly treasured the passengers. The crew.
who were mostly foreigners, became dis
orderly at first, but discipline was soon
restored.
Finding that tie center of the ship
was firmly fixed between two rocks and
that there was no immediate danger Of
| her breaking up, the passengers gained
/ confidence. Later we saw the tug Glad
! iSfen approaching. She lay to about
! mile off. not being able to come nearer
on account of the heavy sea. At about II
o clock one of the Mediana's boats was
lowered. but before any one could get
into it ii was smashed to bits. The other
ships boats were then launched with
better success. The passengers were
and lowered into the lifebOats. 1t was
dangerous journey to the Gladisfen. The
/ boats crews had to pull through heavy
seas. but no mishap occurred, and we
were all safely embarked on the GladiS-
fen. The officers and the remainder of
light baggage. followed The wreck
was abandoned and we were landed
here
Theodore W. Noyes Of the Washington
Star. Otis II. Luke of Boston and many
other passengers confirmed the particu-
especially the fact that there was no
panic board
To illustrate the GOODNESS displayed by
the officers and passengers in spite of the
| danger and discomfort of the situation. a
! passenger said:
ct all passed off as though it was a
part of the programme of cruiser"