The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-07
WRECK OF ST. PAUL
PACIFIC STEAMER IS FAST UPON
 THE ROCKS.
Passengers Rescued in Accident on Coast of California, Though Big
 Vessel Will Be X EsEl, Total Loss.

Eureka. Cal, Oct. 6.-Fast upon the rocks one and one-half miles south of Point Gorda, and beside the boilers Of the old steamer, Humboldt, the san
 Francisco and Portland Company steamer, St. Paul. Captain Randall, lies a total wreck. Its ninety-three pas sengers and crew of sixty-f1ve men are safe. Some are on board the steamer
 Pomona. en route to San Francisco, but the greater number are in Eureka, nav
 ing arrived on the tug Ranger, or Eu-
 reka, and the steamer Vanguard,
 which rescued them from the wrecked
 steamer. The captain and most Of the crew are in Eureka. The disaster, 1t IS
 said, was due to a thick fog. The Ranger came into port last evening, at lO:3O o'clock, bringing five passen- gers and the Vanguard docked shortly before midnight. Captain Randall states that the dis aste- was due to the fog and attaches blame to no one. The vessel was on it's usual course. and the weather was clear until Point Gorda was ap- preached. When the steamer ran into the fog bank. Third Officer Holmes was on the bridge. The first warning he had of danger was in the roar of the surf. when he immediately changed the ships course. A moment later 1t struck, bow first. It now lies with its ! stern toward land, two hundred yards 1 from the beach, with two lines fast | ashore.
 Captain Randall was about to get up 1 and take look around when the ship
 struck the rocks. The shock awakened ] the passengers and the watch below 1 Considering tEe circumstances there
 was unusually good order preserved
 among all on board. says the captain l and there was no panic or unnecessary | confusion.
 Captain Randall and the masters of
 the Ranger and Vanguard consider the l St Paul total wreck. both ship and l cargo. It had aboard HOO tons of miscellaneous freight.
 Statements of various passengers in regard to the disaster agree in every l case where an interview was secured l The women passengers suffered much ! from exposure and number of them | tainted when they realized their peril J. F. Wickman of San Francisco, who
 arrived on the Vanguard. gave the fol | lowing account of the wreck: q woke up about a half hour before
 the ship struck and felt the first bump which was as though we were rushing | over stones There was a short in 1 terval of quiet then severe rumbling
 throwing the boat from side to side. | jumped from my berth and opened the door It was raining and the deck was ! apparently deserted. thought we 1 had been struck hy some heavy seas Then I heard some bells ringing and
 loud talk, and knew that we were ir | for it.
 | "I saw officers an1 members of thu
 crew awakening the passengers. Some
 women were in a state of excitement
 After making a poor attempt at dress
 ing they appeared to regain control o l Al rad hNrf hn Nf
 that they had plenty of time. I Jeff the ship in the second boat
 We stood by the steamer accordins to instruction from the captain. wher
 a heavy fog shut down and we put ou to sea.
 Two hours later we sighted tht Vanguard and shortly after the Ranger