The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-01
0nTHER0CkS
Steamer Siberia Is Ashore on
Samasana Island
Fifteen Miles East of the
Coast of FOrmosa.
ED KELLAM, Topeka, ON BOARD
Communication by Wireless
Has Been Lost.
British and Japanese Ships Go
to Her Relief.
HAD 4 BIG PASSENGER LIST
The Topeka Man Boarded Her
at Honolulu.
Mrs. Francis Burton Harrison
Among Those on Board.
Communication by Wireless
Has Been Lost.
British and Japanese Ships Go
to Her Relief. ,
HAD 4 BIG PASSENGER LIST
The Topeka Man Boarded Her
at Honolulu.
Mrs. Francis Burton Harrison
Among Those on Board.

Among Those on Board.
Hong Kong, May Information
was received here today that the 81
IBERIA is ashore on Samasana island. OH
the Formosa coast.
The British cruiser Yarmouth left
at once, in all haste, to go to the as
sistance of the liner.
Samasana island is fifteen and
half miles east of the Formosa coast
line. 1t is ~ miles long and one mile
wide.
The formation is volcanic. Isolated
rocks flank it and from its eastern
point there extends a reef 2h miles.
The currents around the island are de-
scribed as dangerous.
The inhabitants OF Samasana are
Chinese.
Toxic. Nav 1.-The British cruiser
Minotaur proceeding under all steam
to the succor of the Siberia was re-
ported late today to have rHacne1 @ ss,;e the
communicated her distress to tne
Minotaur by wireless.
Toxic. May 1.-Wireless calls ior
assistance from the Paci1lc MAJ.
coast today indicated that she was IN
grave peril off the coast of FOrmOsa
The liner left San Francisco april Z
for Manila. She carried 80 saloon
burton Harrison, wife OF the governor
general Of the Philippines, and Mrs.
I. B. Bentiers, wife of the new Britteh
consul at Manila
dispatch from Formosa hints that
chinese pirates may have had some
40 xxyit the disaster. The oX-
act nature of the accident has not yet
been determined, nor have any detalls
heen received here up to a. late hour
tonight.
Big Passenger List.
An early. wireless report said the
liner was sinking while later mes
sage conveyed the information that she
was 'sashore' six miles off the south
east mainland of FormOsa island. The
Japanese government dispatched the
steamer Kanto Maru from Formosa to
the succor of the Siberia as soon as
the news of her trouble was received.
The siberia left Yokohama April n and
Nagasaki April 20 for Manila. She had
a passenger list of II persons in the
first cabin. about so in the second and
400 in the steerage. She is in command
of Captain Feeder and carries a crew
of about 200 men. At late hour to-
night report was current in TOXIC
that Chinese pirates may have been
connected with the accident to the
liner. This fear was held at Taf-Pa-
Flu, the capital of Formosa, whence 1t
was conveyed in a cablegram.
The gravest anxiety prevails, owing
to the fact that the wireless calls for
help from the Siberia, have ceased.
A, A. Williams, son, the American con-
sui at Tamsui, Formosa, telegraphs he
fears this means that the vessel has
gone down.
Nearest Ship Six Hours Away.
When the first wireless calls for help
were heard the nearest ship was six
hours away.
The Japanese navy department was
inclined tonight to discredit the report
regarding pirates and expressed the
opinion that they were an outcome Of
the recent looting of British steamer.
The first wireless message regard
ing the disaster was received direct
from the Siberia early this morning
at the Japanese wireless station at
Osezakai, of the coast of Kiushiu
island. 1t conveyed the information
that the steamer had met with an ac-
cident and was in distress. This mes
sage was mutilated and no further
DEFINITE information could be cleaned
from it, The plight Of the Siberia
was communicated by wireless also
to the steamer Minnesota of the Great
Northern steamship &COmpany which
was making her way to Nagasaski as
well as to the British cruiser Mino-
taur.
The position Of the Siberia is given
by wireless as longitude 1910 east,
latitude 22.40 north. This location
is about six miles to the east of the
narrow cape which forms the south
ern extremity of Formosa island.
The Passenger List.
San Francisco, May 1.-The following
passengers boarded the Siberia here for
the Orient:
For Manila
Mr.. w. B. Beard.
George N. Egan.
Miss Eleanor Gillisey.
Arthur HalIberg.
Miss Amelia p. Klein.
Howard Long.
Mrs. Jane G. Palmer.
sHLieutenant ". c. Reyes.
%. c. Whitaker.
Mrs o. C. Whitaker.
x&HOng Kong
\ H3oonald Demarest.
he d. Ellis.
'1k 1Bruce d. Ellis
kth b. Ferguson.
a N Hunt.
NJ st. C. Hunt.
H. Hunt. ).
<66&C. Lawtou.