Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-23

nome Sparks, when pulled from a
life raft, was weak from swallowing
salt water, and shortly after. when
transferred to one OF the boats. he
died from cold and exposure. His
daughter was saved
Eight minutes from the time the
San Pedro struck the Columbia the
latter vessel had filled full of water
and sunk The night saloon watch
man notified all the passengers TO go
to the upper deck without clothing
they climbed out OF their berths and
rushed out. II was only two or three
minutes before the decks were awash.
six boats and three life RATS were cut
loose, and as many passengers as pos
sible We're crowded into them. There
was scarcely any evidence of a panic,
the women acting with heroism The
crew of the San Pedro Immediately
| lowered boat and picked up large
number Of survivors. while the boats
from the Columbia lay to by the San
Pedro.
Two hours after the wreck the fog
lifted and cold wind commenced to
blow. The people in the boats suf-
fered much
| O. Swanson, sailor Of the San
Pedro, was at the wheel Saturday
night when the fatal collision occur
red. In his report to Sailors Agent
John Erickson, the blame Is laid on
the shoulders Of the Columbia's Off
GERS. Other members OF the crew Of
the San Pedro substantiate the story
Of Swanson. He says that the order
was given to him when the lookout
sighted the Columbia, to put the
wheel hard aport. Three points aport
carried the San Pedro seaward, appar-
emily out of the way of the approach
| ing vessel. whose name at that time
was not known. Short toots from
the whistles of both vessels warned
the shippers. The Columbia was on
the coast side, the San Pedro on the
sea side. Apparently both vessels
were proceeding at full speed. If all
had gone well, the San Pedro would
have cleared the Columbia, but it Is
evident that an order, Put the wheel
hard a-starhoard," was given on the
| Columbia. This sent her directly
across the bow of the steam schooner
Whether the speed of either vessel
was slackened Is immaterial, for the
crash Of the vessels was terrific The
| Columbia, an iron vessel bore the
brunt of the impact, and her iron
plates cracked and a cash seven feet
across the forward hatch allowed the
water free ingress at a great velocity
s. G. Peterson, a sailor aboard the
Columbia. was on watch on the fore
castle. He could see the lights of the
San Pedro some hundred yards away.
He gave notice Of this fact In a shout
TO his superiors on the bridge. What
they did he does not know, but at any
rate the Columbia shot across the
path of the San Pedro He says that
| signals were exchanged between both
vessels. but there was hardly time
enough to slacken speed or make any
preparation to meet the inevitable
disaster
Passengers say that the collision oc-
Cured at half past IL or thereabouts;
that 1t had been misty and foggy. but
at the time of the disaster the wealth
er had cleared up somewhat. and
after the collision the steamer San
Pedro could be seen where she had
drifted away quarter of mile.
That some poor navigation was
made and that the lives lost are upon
the head Of some one Is generally
conceded. 1t is said that the San Pc
dro was under a slow bell and the CO.
lumbia. according to the testimony of
passengers, was going at full speed.
1t is said that she was headed west
when the collision occurred and one
passenger stated that the Columbia
crossed the bow or attempted to cross
the bow of the San Pedro. r. Halves.
third officer on the Columbia. said
he was In his room at the time Of the
wreck. and he noted the shock and
heard the alarm given. He makes
the official statement that the Coz
lumbia floated eleven minutes after
the San Pedro struck her.
Heroic Rescue by Girl.
officer Hawse tells OF the heroic
rescue Of a lady passenger by May
belle Watson. who resides In Berke-
ley. Cal Miss Watson was in one OF
the small boats with about twenty OF
the passengers and crew. Only about
ten or twelve. who had on lIfe-pre-
servers came up. Miss Watson had
been In the water thirty minutes when
a young woman appealed to her for
help The young lady had put her
! life-preserver on wrong and could not
keep her head above water. Miss
Watson asked some one TO help. but
head above water for almost two
hours. The girl was unconscious most
OF the time When officer Hawse ap-
preached In q boat and asked Miss
Watson to give him her hand so that
he could help her in. she refused as
sistance until they lifted her uncon-
seious companion on board. When
the two girls we're taken on board the
San Pedro the doctors said that Miss
Watson's companion was beyond re-
c0very, but when they learned of the
heroic effort of Miss Watson to save
her they worked hard. and the young
lady revived and Is now all right.
Miss Watson Is only sixteen years OF
age.
Graphic Tale Of Survivor.
Professor william Hardin Lucas OF
Seattle. gave the following account Of
the wreck:
AS nearly as I can learn from
those who did not lose their watches
the collision occurred al about fif-
teen minutes after midnight The
shock was hardly noticeable. but i
heard the crash and a scraping sound
that followed. For a few seconds /
heard no other sound and decided 70
await developments or Information.
Soon I heard one Of the crew shout
Ing. All hands on deckl' shll sup
posed only the crew was wanted. and
did not leave my berth until the cry
was changed. Everybody on deck,
she's struck From the scfaping
sound ! Inferred that the vessel was
aground on q rock OF a bar, and con-
cluded that I would not join in any
panic or stampede for the boats but
would rather walt until all the women
were put off and take my chances OF
getting one of the boats that might
come back after going to shore, or