The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-21
struck on Blanco Reef, Soon Slipped
OF and Went to the Bottom
of the Sea.
THIRTY-NINE PERSONS ABOARI
EIGHTEEN REACHED SHORE, But
TWENTY-ONE ARE MISSING.
Survivors Suffered Much-First En-
Eineer Died as He Was Being
Taken or Life Raft.

MARSHFIELD, Ore, Oct. 2o.-The steam
er South Portland, which sailed from Port
land, Ore, last Sunday, loaded with wheat
for San Francisco, struck on Blanco reef
last evening at o'clock during a heavy
fog. The vessel carried a crew of twenty
five and fourteen passengers. OF these the
following have reached shore: James Nc
Intyre, captain; John Reimer, a sailor of
San Francisco; Emanuel Pasonimis chief
cook; William L. Wilson, jr.. of Baltimore;
T. Baker, Alameda, Cal; Guy Bent, a boy
of twelve years, OF Nova Scotia; AL Bailey
of North Dakota, passenger; Charles Bruce,
first officer; James Ward, chief engineer;
T. Hizzonto, second assistant engineer;
John McKewan, oiler; ]. Driscoll, oiler; w.
Hughes, fireman; w. Robertson, fireman;
James Atwood seaman; II. Weber, en-
gineer; c. Johnson, seamon. Charles HUI
on the first engineer; died, as they were
taking him off the life raft, of exposure.
Twenty-one persons are yet missing and
probably are lost
The South Portland struck bottom going
at a speed Of about seven knots. AS soon
as striking she began to settle astern, and
in a minute or two slid off the reef and be-
gan to sink. Captain Mcintyre, seeing
that there was no hope of saving the ship,
had the boats lowered at once. One of the
boats which got away from the ships side
loaded with part of the crew and some Of
the passengers, was capsized, and when
last seen was floating away in the fog with
out living soul aboard.
The captains boat, with about eighteen
aboard, succeeded in clearing. but also was
capszed, and only seven were able to get
James Mcintyre, John Reimer. Emanuel
Pasoninis, w. l.. Wilson, l.. Baker, Guy
Bent and Al Bailey. They reached Port
Oxford last night. A life raft on which the
nj succeeded reachin
shore this afternoon: Charles Bruce, first
officer; James War, chief engineer; L. Piz-
zotti second assistant engineer; John Nc
Kewan. oiler; j: Driscoll, oiler; w.
Hughes, fireman; w. Robertson, fireman;
James Atwood, seaman; III. Weber. j. Ill.
Johnson, seamen, and Charles Huzon, the
first assistant engineer The survivors suf-
fered much from exposure, and Captain
Mcintyre is confined to his bed
Captain Mcintyre was disinclned TO talk
for publication on the matter pertaining to
the course the ship was travelling or whether
she was off her course when she ran on
Banco reef last evening. When questioned
he said: I'VE had been running in a blind
ing fog ever since we left the Columbia
river and it was very thick when we struck.
You could not see any distance. There
were seventeen in my boat when we left the
sinking steamer When away from the
ships side our boat swamped and went
down. /, with a seaman, got in again,
bailed her out and got five others in with us.
it was $40 o'clock when we struck and we
were In the BOAT until 900 CLOCK tIllS IIlolh-
ing. having to make shore with one oar
and a piece of a mast. | will make my full
and complete statement as to the cause of
the accident TO the inspectors"
OF the thirty-nine people on board eighteen
have been rescued and twenty-one are still
missing at late hour tonight. The boat
which is still out with seven people has not
been sighted since it left the sinking ship.
Even if it has not been stranded it is al
most certain that some of the weaker occu-
pants will succumb before morning.
The Bandon life-saving station crew went
overland to Port Oxford and relieved Captain
McIntyre's exhausted crew, who are in
search of the last named party, but they
had not returned at late hour. The tug
Columbia is in the vicinity of the wreck,
having left Coos bay al 10 o'clock this morn
ing as soon as the fog cleared so she could
get out, but no news has been heard OF