The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 3, 1895, Page 1

SAN FRANCfSCO, MONDAY MORNING, JUNE 3, 1895. PRICE FIVE CENTS. TALES OF SURVIVORS, Terrible Struggle of the Colima Victims for Life. DEATH OF THE WHITINGS Washed From the Raft Which Carried Sutherland to the Shore. THE MAIL COMPANY CENSURED. Seamen Declare That Top-Heavi- ness Caused the Wreck of the Steamer. MAZATLAN, Mex., June 2 (via Noga- les).—Third Officer Hansen gives a graphic account of the wreck of the Colima. He arrived here on the San Juan, and possibly is the one surviving officer of the wrecked This is the story which he re- steamship. lated: I was standing on the weather side of the pilot-house when the Colima shipped 8 hea She would not mind her rud- der, and, though the engines were work- ing smoothly, got into the trough of the sea and could not get out. “‘Captain Taylor and Chief Officer Grif- fiths were on the bridge doing all that was possible to head out to sea, first with a slow bell and then with full speed, but without suceess. ““About 10:45 o’clock we were struck by a terrific squall. The high seas careened the steamship well over. She partly righted, when a second squall struck her. The sea broke entirely over the vessel. She careened, never recovered and sank almost immediately. “The last I saw of Captain Taylor he was on the bridge blowing a whistle as warning. As the steamship careened fora the last time he was undoubtedly carried away by the high sea which swept the vessel. “I jumped over the bow when the Colima was on her side with masts and smoke- stack under water, and succeeded in get- ting on some wreckage,” continued Third Officer Hansen in relating his experience. “Afterwards with six others who were on bits of wreckage we made a raft and all crowded on top of it. Three of the men werc washed off by the waves, but one of them was afterward rescued, making five of us un the raft when we were picked up.” Hansen says that Chief Officer Griffiths was sent aft by the captain to clearnumber five life-boat and is supposed to be out with her at this writing with five or six other men. The last seen of the boat it was trying to pick up Purser Wafers. Whether it did or not is not known, as they went out of sight in the squall very quickly. The second officer was amidships when last seen. He may have gotten away ona liferaft and is supposed to be still out. Berry, the freight clerk, refused to come from his room and undoubtedly went down with the Colima. Mr. Sutherland, a survivor picked up in an open boat full of water, with no ofrs, said he was standing on the weather side of the cabin aft when the steamship tipped. He went over the top of the cabin, holding on to a piece of rope, and dropped right into a boat aiready launched. One man was then there. The mast came over, caught the boat, pushing it under water. The other msn jumped out and disap- peared. Sutherland in some manner ex- tricated the boat from beneath the mast, getting away about fifty feet, when the steamer went down. The boat was constructed with air-tight compartments. The mast broke one of the air chambers. Afterward Sutherland pulled into the hoat Professor Whiting of Berkeley and also Mrs. Irving and another woman, who were all washed off several times and y sea. N finally, through exhaustion, disappeared one by one, leaving Sutherland alone. This boat capsized many times and was continually swept by the seas. When picked up the boat was full of water and Sutherland was clinging to the rigging of the gunwale. The San Juan, Captain Pitts, bound north, four days late, experienced the same storm to the southward but of less violence and was hove to several hours. About 7 o’clock Chief Officer Grundle no- ticed something waving on the water. ‘With his glass he made out two men. He lowered a boat and picked them up, with nineteen others, within a radius of six or eight miles, The San Juan steamed about for eight hours with men on the lookout at the mastheads, then proceeded on her course to Manzanillo, sending the coasting steam- ers Mazatlan and Romero Rubio to search for No. 5 lifeboat and liferaft, still sup- posed to be saie. Many of the twenty-one saved had been in the water twenty-six hours and were nearly exhausted when rescued. The survivors agree that the storm was the wildest ever experienced. The wind and waves came in every direction and with twisting force. Owing to the dark- ness due to the rain and flying water one could see only a few feet. The force of the wind was terrific. ‘When the lashings were cut on the lum- ber to lighten the ship the deckload was picked up, going high in air and scattered over several hundred yards. Planks and wreckage would come to the top of the waves and the wind would pick them up, hurling them many yards. Officer Hansen before jumping felt the Wk cracking and giving way, which after- ward went overboard killing many who were struggling in the water and were caught underneath it. Others were butted to death by the tremendous force of the wreckage propelled by the seas. The boilers, it is thought, exploded soon after going from sight, as a rumbling noise was heard with a lond report, and wreck- age and water flew high in the air. The worst squall came about half an hour after the Colima sank, This squall drowned many who other- wise would have been saved. Of the steamer’s crew of eighty, but five survivors have been picked up to date. These are: Officer Hansen, Storekeeper Richardson and three others. The San Juan picked up two cabin passengers, Cushing and Sutherland, and the balance of the fourteen were from the steerage. Cushing was picked up with one man on a life raft, and was black and blue from head to foot, having been pummeled by floating wreckage. Of the 124 passengers, including 43 Chi- nese, but 16 thus far have been heard from. Of about 20 women and a dozen children not one survives. The accident happened so quickly that no one had on a life belt. Officer Hansen saw two dead women floating near his raft for hours. One was thin-faced and had a plain gold ring on the third finger of the left hand, the other wore a large diamond on the same finger. They had been beaten into almost shapeless masses. Tales are told of strugglers in the water having heads knocked off, bodies crushed into unrecognizable human forms by the force of the wreckage and waves. The list of the saved by the San Juan is: Officer Hansen, Boyd, Cushing, Sutherland, Thornton, Rowan, Ross, Orine, Carpenter, Richardson, Fish, Sarabta, Albano, Cenda, Solis, Gines, Ramos, Gutierrez, Ruiz, Manuel, Aviles. The same storm wrecked the American schooner Huguenot between Manzanillo and Acapulco. The crew were saved. A Mexican schooner bound from La Paz to Acapulco is missing and probably lost. The latest advices from Manzanillo state that five of the Colima survivors have been found at Maquila.” The names are not obtainable at this writing. This is probably No. 5 liteboat. The rescue steamer Mazatlan sent out from Manzanillo found five Colima sur- vivors ashore at Maquila. In trying to reach them a small boat capsized in the surf. The érew swam ashore, and are now with the survivors there. They will be rescued shortly. Food has been sent them by land from Manzanillo. The Romero, Rubio and Barracouta are still out searching for others. Will send the names of others rescued as soon as obtainable. % The Colima left Manzanillo Sunday after- noon at 4 o'clock. A fresh wind from the east was blowing outside, increasing to violence during the night. Monday moraing about 10 o’clock the steamer got caught in the vortex of a terrific hurricane and capsized. She went down in three minutes in 664 fathoms of water in latitude 18 deg., 38 minutes north, longitude 104 deg., 14 minutes west, eigh- teen miles off shore and twenty-eight miles south of Manzanillo. B. L. SmitH. THE COLIMA TOP-HEAYY, To Such Effect Is the Con- sensus of Worthy Opinions From Seamen. Captain Anderson, a Day Behind the Coilma, Says the Weather Was Not Unusually Rough. The Colima! How was she lost? Why was she lost? Tl}ese are questions which many an anxiouslip has framed during the last five days and thousands upon thousands have been on the alert for the latest and most authentic information of this terrible sea horror. There is no longer any doubt that the disaster was due to circumstances and con- ditions not dependent on ‘‘wind and weather, God permitting,” to quote ver- batim the merchant marine contracts of 200 years ago. Little doubt, if any, lingers that the disaster was due to the way in which the ship was loaded and to the lost- headed management of her master in the fatal hour when she rolled and listed in the trough of the heavy seas. But the seas were not such as to account for the loss of the vessel and the precious lives aboard were it not for the bad loading and the mismanagement in the time of awful peril. The consensus of opinion from the most eminent authorities is to the effect that at this season of the year the weather is definitely local. It is rare for heavy blows to occur, though there may be a strong swell. Men who have traversed the course of vessels from this port to Cen- tral America are of one accord in the opin- ion that severe storms in that latitude at this time of year are extremely rare, and the fact that a freight steamer passed over the same course about the same time the Colima went down and experienced noth- ing more than the customary blow of the trade winds may be considered as conclu- sively confirmatory. t But the 180 lost souls! Was their doom the result of unforeseen turbulence on the part of the elements, or the inevitable sequence of that carelessness and indiffer- ence which is accepted -as habitual and characteristic of the steamship? companies which send their vessels to sea with car- goes stowed without regard to the safety and comfort of passengers and only to econontise in expense and time in unload- ing? A superabundance of evidence points to the latter conclusion. Vessels have been known to leave their docks so over- loaded that the captains have insisted on a portion of the cargoes being removed be- fore they would put to sea. Such incidents have not been isolated. The practice has also, alas, been too common of taking on heavy deckloads of lumber, trusting to fair weather and the willingness of provi- dence. On several occasions vessels traveling the route of the -Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s ships have been known to carry top-heavy cargoes of coffee, it even becoming necessary to knock out the state- room partitions in order to make stowage room for the extra load. The comfort of passengers was not considered; in fact, it is seldom considered where an opportunity for taking on an extra cargo of profitable freight is in the balance. Hundreds will bear witness to this—passengers, ship’s officers and seamen. The Acapulco left port here some time ago so top-heavy in her load that the mas- ter of the vessel refused to leave the stream for open water until a portion of ber deck- load had been removed. As a matter of truth, according to one of the best known stevedores on the front, the deck cargo was such that the ship would hardly bave been safe in the swell of one of the ferries. All this testimony has a direct bearing on the fate of the Colima. In the face of the opinionsand statements already made there can be little doubt that the loss of the ship and her 180 souls was due solely and alone to the cupidity of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, supplemented by the timidity and faulty management of the vessel by her master in the moment of supreme peril. In a word, she is said by those high in nautical authority to have been badly loaded and top-heavy, and the captain in seeking to save his cargo at- tempted to put about and foundered in the trough of the sea. NO UNUSUAL BLOW. That Is What Captain Anderson of the Progreso Says. Captain Anderson of the Progreso, fif- teen days from Panama, said: “While our up trip was not as smooth as it might have been I encountered no weather which would, in my mind, ac- count for the wreck of the Colima. We were over the course about the same time, or to be more definite, twenty-fours hours apart from her, and I cannot comprehend any seas or winds high enough to encom- pass the wreck of so stanch a ship as the Colima unless there was an accident to her machinery or that her cargo was not prop- erly loaded.” “How is the weather in that latitude at this season of the year?’’ the captain was was asked. “It is purely local. Asarule it is fair. Occasionally we encounter blows, but, as I said, there is seldom anything which could render a ship helpless, except a break or shifting of cargo. To be sure, I can't say as to the loading of this particular vessel, because I have no information on which to base an opinion. Therefore, I am speak- ing only in a general way, though what I have said may be taken to apply to the Colima or any other ship. If there had been any severe weather the Progreso would surely have encountered some of it, that is, if there had been anything like a wrecking storm. I think the captain doubtless did all he could to save his cargo and his ship, and possibly that was one of the fatal and culminating canses of the terrible disaster. He may have waited too long—the cargo was too precious, in his eyes. However, he died a brave man—at his post, the cargo under him and his own grave with it. “No; we carry no passengers except on rare occasions, and I am free to express myself that passenger steamers, or freight steamers that carry passengers, should be very careful about their deckloads.” “Ts it true that some steamers carry the freight for the first port on their route nearest the top, without regard to weight, so as to facilitate unloading and save time ?”” asked the interviewer. ““Yes,” replied the captain, thoughtfully; “every skipper will endeavor to so ship his cargo that it will be easily unloaded if he 'has several ports, or even one port to make. You can see how necessary that would be. The cargo for the first port should be the easiest to get out, if possible; but, nevertheless, a safe company who had any regard for the security of their vessels would not sacrifice everything to that end. I have known of many cases, however, where that point was considered para- mount. They must make time and have only God to thank for their safety.” SHE WAS TOP-HEAVY. Stevedore Furlong Speaks Authoritatively on the Maiter. P. Furlong, one of the well-known steve- dores, said: “I think the Colima was top-heavy. I have loaded vessels for several years and I feel that I am authorized to offer an opin- ion. The Colima.was badly loaded. She carried lumber on her deck that had no place on the deck of a passenger steamer, and when the roll occurred in tke trough of the sea the lumber shifted and not only hampered the sailors, but kept the seamen from doing their work. I think I may be allowed to speak from experience. I have been doing nothing eise for several years past but load and unload ships, and I state emphatically that I believe the Colima was top-heavy. I have seen vessels go out of this port where the cargo was so poorly loaded that captains insisted on returning to the dock and having portions. of the deck load taken off. Tknow of one or two cases particularly where the deck load —it was lumber, by the way—was too heavy, and the masters of the ships refused to sail until the cargo was readjusted. “In the case of the Colima I think she was too heavy at the top and that the cap- tain knew it, and when he encountered the swell he endeavored to bring his ship around and return to port. That was when he was caught in the swell. Some- thing may have given away in the ma- chinery and he was helpless. “T understand also that they had been having trouble with one of the main cylinders. If that is the case it would have taken from two to three hours any- way to repair the machinery. You can easily see what that would mean in the case of high weather. The vessel would be at the mercy of the winds and waves and all that could be done would have been to throw off as much of the cargo as possible while trying to repair the damage and get the vessel out of the water valley. She kept rolling and rolling and as she rolled the cargo shifted and gave her a clean list for the full benefit of the wind. If she had not been top-heavy—any seaman will bear me out—she would not have been in so much danger while in the trough of the waves. The overweight made her a prey to the wind and swell. “And all this talk in the dispatches about the falling spars killing officers, sail- orsand passengers isall nonsense. It is absolutely false in fact, The Colima car- ried no spirs, and none could have fallen tokill or maim any one. The Sydney is the only ship in the employ of the com- pany that carries spars. All the others are rigged as was the Colima with booms and derrick tackle for lifting freight from the hold. There has been much written about the lost ship which must be langhable to the old-timers along the front, though the disaster is such a heart-thrilling one. There are no terrible stormsin that part of the coast course at this season, and even if there was the barometer would warn any skipper of the approach of a windstorm or cyclone two hours beforehand. “No, there is no other explanation, to my mind, than that the Colimo was top- heavy. I will not say overloaded, because there is a wide distinction between the two. It all comes from the indifference of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company as to the safety of its passengers, where there is a consideration of extra freicht at stake. I have known some of those ships to arrive here with the partitions of their cabins re- moved in order to make room for their freight of coffee and other articles.” FREIGHT ABOVE EVERYTHING. The Staterooms Often Brokem to Make Way for Freight. “T have traveled over that route many times,”” said Robert Leslie, formerly in the employ of the company, *and at this sea- son of the year there are no storms which would wreck or founder a steamship like the Colima, if she were vproperly loaded and managed by skillful bands. “I know just how indifferent the com- pany is in the matter of their passengers’ comiort, and even safety, Once, on the return from Central America, the cabin partitions were torn out to make way for freight, and when the passengers objected the captain told them it did not make any difference which way they traveled. He allowed them to infer that it was all the same company, and that the company cared more for a few extra tons of freight than it did for the safety or comfort of its passengers. “I have been in that part of the Pacific waters at all seasons of the year,and I know whereof I speak when I say the weather at this time is favorable. To be sure, there are swells which any vessel is liable to encounter, but they would not ac- count for any such disaster as that which befell the Colhima and the one hun- dred and eighty souls who went to the bottom with her. No one can make me believe there was not something wrong with herloading. In other words, she was loaded for the nearest port and carried too much weight above the hold. “I bave heard a number of the old-time sea captains talking the matter over and their opinion is mine, Agte captain of the Colima saw that he had more than he could handle when he struck a spell of rough weather, and made an effort to put about and go back to the nearest port. In that way he got his ship in the trough of the sea and she began to roll. The deck- load of lumber shifted and he was at the mercy of the swell and the wind. No ef- fort was made, apparently, to puf off any of the cargo, and as the vessel listed it must have been a foregone conclusion to seamen on board that no hope was left for the ship.” CYLINDER OUT OF ORDER., An Engineer of the Line Throws a New Light on the Affair. John Ellis, a first assistant engineer on one of the Panawma steamers, said : ““It was purely and simply a case of poor loading. The Colima was top-heavy, and just as like as not, when she got in her worst fix, the strong cylinder gave way. I am credibly informed, or was, at least, by one of the unfortunate machinists on board the Colima, that notwithstanding the fact she had been recently overhanled, the strong cylinder gave them much trouble—that is, the receiving cylinder, so to speak, next to the boilers. It takes the steam direct frome the boilers and trans- mits it to the smaller cylinders. Even though it should be decided to navigate the vessel with the smaller cylinders, it would take two or three hours to make the necessary change in the machinery, and in the meantime the ship would be with- out headway. Were such a break to oceur during a gale or in a swell such as the Co- lima is supposed to have encountered, the ship could not be handled. She would be at the mercy of the elements. When once she listed with a shifting cargo mnothing could be done except to take to the boats. *‘It seems,thowever, from the stories of the survivors, as we get them over the wires, that no effort was made to lighten the cargo, and there again comes the proposi- tion of the deckload of lumber. What could have been done? The lumber was shifting and one’s life apparently was in danger from flying timbers, bundles of lath, shingles, scantling, etc. But, to sum up, I am satisfied the ship was not properly loa8led.” 2 CAPTAIN MURPHY'S VIEWS. His Knowledge of the Route and Weather Is Aired. Captain J. Murphy was of opinion that the accident could not have been due to unusually rough weather. “I have made the trip often enough,” he said, “to be familiar with the weather in those parts, and I agree with Captain Anderson of the Progreso, who just came over the route, that there could have been no weather at the season of the year to accomplish the destruction of a vessel like the Colima without other causes com- bining with the elements to complete their deadly work.” T00 MUCH ON DECK. Another Opinion on the Top-Heavy Load- ing of the Cargo. C. Josiyn, who has been engaged for several years past in loading and unload- ing vessels on contract, voiced the senti- ment of Captain Murphy: “The Colima was badly loaded; she was deck-weighted, and in the trough of the sea was as helpless as a rowboat without oars. As to the general carge, I cancot speak authoritatively, but permit one to remark that the time is. clt:!e s:(: hand when senger steamers musl P . carryi g::xlof;u. The Colima was loaded for m nearest port, and was top-heavy. After pulling out, after the first port had been made and a of the cargo removed from the heavy became more apparent, and the captain, getting timid, started back and got across the wind in the water valley.” SEARCH FOK THE WHITINGS. Efforts Will Be Made to Recover the Bod- ies— Eulogized at Berkeley. BERKELEY, CAL., June 2.—Word was received yesterday by Dr.J. H. C. Bonte and Professor Albin Putzker from Mrs. H. A. Davenport of Napa City, who was one of the most intimate friends of the Whit- ing family, that a man had been sent from Boston to Manzanillo to make a search for the remains of Professor Whiting and family, who were lost in the Colima dis- aster. As soon as word of their death had reached the relatives of the professor in the East they dispatched to Mrs. Davenport, asking who could be sent on the searching mission. Arrangements were about com- pleted to send a man from Berkeley who could speak Spanish fluently and who knew the territory well, when the tele- gram was received yesterday stating that a friend of the family from the East had been sent and not to dispaich any one from California. What route is to, be taken by the searching party or when he expects to arrive at the scene of the wreck could not be learned. A memorial servicein honor of Professor ‘Whiting and family was held by the inem- bers of the First Unitarian Church at Stiles Hall this morning. The hall was crowded with members of the faculty, their families and other friends of the de- ceased professor. The pastor, Rev. Dr. Payne, conducted the services, preaching from the text, “There shall be no sea,” Rev. xxi:I. To- ward the close of his remarks he delivered a eulogy on the lives of Professor and Mrs. ‘Whiting, speaking of the dignity, sim- plicity, truthfulness and mercy, as indi- cated by their habits of life. Special sing- ing was provided for the occasion. At the conclusion of the service Pro- fessor William Carey Jones recommended, on behalf of the congregation, that the pastor send letters of condolence to the relatives of the professor and his wife in the East. SAN JOSE FRUIT REPORT. Manager Philo Hersey Makes a Most Encouraging Statement. Great Advantages of Callifornia In the Matter of Storing Dried Fruits. SAN JOSE, CaL., June 2.—Manager Philo Hersey of the County Fruit Ex- change, in speaking of the fruit crop pros- pect yesterday, said: “There is no de- mand for dried fruit at this time of year, and the market is very flat. The quantity of dried peaches on hand is small, and as there is no demand for them in the East, they will probably be placed in cold stor- age soon. The prunes on the Kastern market are gradually being cleaned up and placed into consumptive channels, and possibly there will be a demand soon to supply the immediate demands of trade, The sales on the coast are very good, and prices remain firm at what they have been for the past few months. Apricots are moving off slowly at good rates. The amount of prunes on hand in this State is not very large, and they will readily find a market this fall, and there will be a slight movement right along. There are no further reports of prunes dropping, and the crop will be a fair one. “The growers of California, and espe- cially 8anta Clara Valley, have an advant- age in keeping dried fruits over the sum- mer, for cold storage is not required, and the fruit is in better condition after a sea- son in the warehouse than it is after cold storage in the East. The cost of cold stor- age is from $5 to $10 per ton, according to the length of time the fruit remains in storage.” A COMPLICATED CASE. New Developments in the Rapoza-Maestos Abduction Case. SAN JOSE, Carn., June 2.—Frank M. Silva, who was to have been the principal witness for the prosecution in the recent Rapoza-Maestos abduction case, and who disappeared before the day set for the pre- liminary examination, has been arrested at Fresno on a charge preferred by Mrs. Rapoza, who claims he defrauded her out of $36. Mrs. Rapoza’s 17-year-old daughter Mariana became infatuated with a laborer employed on the Maestos place, and left her home to live with the Maestos family, S0 as to be near her lover. After repeated efforts to induce Mariana to return to her home, Rapoza swore to a complaint charg- ing Frank Maestos with abducting his daughter. [At the preliminary examina- tion the testimony introduced was not suf- ficient to secure a conviction and the case was dismissed. Silva, who was employed in the vicinity, was relied upon as a valuable witness. Maestos’ friends charge that the money Bilva is accused of defrauding Mrs. Rapoza out of is money that was given him in the hope of securing damaging testimony from him against Maestos. Silva will be brought back and will have to stand trial on the charge preferred by Mrs. Rapoza. The parties are all Portuguese and oc- cupy adjoining vegetable lands in the vicinity of Milpitas. To Test a Los Gatos Ordinance. SAN JOSE, CAL., June 2.—Miss Wright, captain of the Salvation Army corps at Los Gatos, was arrested in that city yester- day for violating the ordinance prohibit- ing the beating of drums and blowing of horns on the streets. The ordinance was passed by the Board of Town Trustees about a week ago, and Friday evening the army paraded the streets with drums and cymbals for the purpose of making a test case. Miss Wright pleaded not guilty to the charge when brought before Justice Beggs, and her trial was set for next Sat- More Schoolroom for Santa Clara. SAN JOSE, CaL., June 2.—The Board of School Trustees of Santa Clara held a special meeting last evening, the object of which was to take some action to relieve the crowded condition of the school. It was decided to engage the services of an architect to estimate the cost of adding another story, and a report will be made at the next regular meeting. Campbell 7ants a Sanitary District. SAN JOSE, CaL., June 2.—A petition the fact that she was top- | was filed by citizens of Campbell with the Board of Supervisors yesterday asking that | &. sanitary district be formed in that vicinity. The object of forming such a district is to prohibit salvons. The pro- posed district covers nearly ten square miles. ——— FUNERAL OF REV. KLINK. For More Than a Quarter of a Century He Had Preached in Fallejo. VALLEJO, CAL., June 2.—The funeral of Rev. N. B. Klink, one of the most widely known Presbyterian preachers in the State, took place from the chnrch of that de- nomination this afternoon. Rev. T. F. Burnham officiated. For more than a quarter of a century Rev. Klink was pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Vallejo, during which period almost all the naval officers and their fam- ilies of the olden times were counted among the worshipers. S Laying Out Camp Budd. VALLEJO, CaL., June 2.—The work of laying out Camp Budd at the Agricultural Park will commence Monday morning, for the accommodation of the soldiers to gather here from the apper part of the State next week. Extensive preparations will be made to receive the visitors during the week. The ladies of Farragut Relief Corps No. 30 will givea grand ball under their auspices in honor of the event and also to replenish their relief fund. MARE ISLID QU Result of the Olympia Court- Martial Awaited With Anxiety. The Philadelphia Likely to Be Or- dered to Relleve the Baltimore In Aslatlc Waters. VALLEJO, Car.,, June 2—It is not known what effect the cruise of the Olym- pia down to Santa Cruz will have in the matter of the court-martial of two of her officers. The inquiry is to commence dur- ing the present week and is not likely to be adjourned until all the facts have been secured. Therefore the Olympia may be without a portion of her officers and crew during the Santa Cruz junket, they being required as witnesses before the court-mar- tial. The possible result of the inquiry cannot be guessed at, though friends of the two officers are awaiting the end with anxiety. 1t is rumored that should the Philadel- phia come up to the navy-yard Admiral Beardslee will hoist his flag on board the Olympia, and after the Philadelphia has been docked, painted and a few minor re- pairs made, it will take a number of long- time men on board and steam over to China. When this force is distributed throughout the squadron it will relieve the Baltimore as flagship, and the Baltimore will return to one of the home stations with the short-time men on board. The Baltimore is in need of more or less re- pairs. The gunboat Concord, now on the Asiatic station, will return to Mare Island in about six months. Her new paymas- ter's clerk, Joseph J. Cunningham, who for a number of years has been stationed on board of the receiving-ship Independ- ence, will be married to-morrow morning to one of Vallejo's brightest young ladies, Miss Lizzie Watson. A.reception will be held at the residence of the bride’s sister, Mrs. Charles Grayson, in the afternoon, and the following day they will leave on the mail steamer for China, where Pay Clerk Cunningham will join the Concord. The gunboat Bennington, which left for Honolulu on Tuesday, will not, unless some accident occurs, return to Mare Island for some time in the future. Owing to the death of Secretary Gresham social functions at the yard will cease for ten days. The Thetis will remain at the yard for the next four or five months, as the weather at this season of the year is too disagreeable down the coast for survey work. Quite a detachment of her crew went up to Sacramento last week to attend a session of the Young People’s Christian Endeavor, or, as it is known on board the Thetis, the ‘“Floating Society of Christian Endeavor.” There are a number of the members on board. EImod PRESIDENT HILL IN PORTLAND. He Refused to Say Anything About' the Northern Pacific. PORTLAND, Okr., June 2.—James J. Hill, president of the Great Northern Rail- way, arrived here this evening over the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company’s line from Spokane, accompanied by his wife and three children and his private secretary. Mr. Hill comes here to meet Jacob H. Schiff, a New York banker and stockholder in the Great Northern, who will arrive to-morrow morning from San Francisco. Together they will leave to- morrow night or the next morning for Seattle. Mr. Hill's western trip is taken mostly for rest and to inspect his line. This is at least what he says about it. In an inter- view he would say nothing further about the Northern Pacific going into his con- trol than that it was being reorganized, and would soon be on asound financial basis, With the Northern Pacific in good shape financially he predicts a renewed prosperity to the Northwest. Mr. Hill denied emphatically that he had any intention of gaining control of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Com. pany. “The Oregon Railway and Navigation Company,” he said, “holds the key to the railroad situation as far as it pertains to Portland, and this city will be a great deal better off as long as the road remains in- dependent of any transcontinental road.” Py A nau Oricket at San Jose. SAN JOSE, Cawn., June 2.—The cricket game at Agricultural Park here to-day was not tinished, the visiting club being com- pelled to leave the grounds at 5:20 ». m. to to catch a train. The Zingari Club of San Francisco had the first inning, their total score being 155 runs. The San Jose Club still haa four men to bat when the game :7..: called, their total at that time being £ S A Whitsunday Celebrated at Petaluma. PETALUMA, CaL., June 2.—The Portu- guese Holy Ghost Society held a Whit- sunday celebration to-day. This morning there was mass at 8t. Vincent's Church. A long procession of forty little girls in white, carrying a corona, the emblem of the Holy Ghost, neadei by a band of music, marched from ghe society’s hall near town to the church. A barl held after the religious was l SANTA ROSA EXCITED, A Peculiar Land Deal Becomes the Talk of the Town. CHARGES OF FRAUD MADE An ex-Preacher of Oregon Se= riously Involved in the Matter. DEFENSE OF THE ACCUSED. He Claims That There Was No At~ tempt Made to Decelve in the Transaction. SANTA ROSA, CAvr., June 2.—The talk of the town to-day is a sensational land deal in which an ex-preacher figures rather conspicuously. In December last the Rev. Frederick El- liott, formerly of Oregon, but whose home is now in Oakland, traded a lot of land in Oregon to J. H. Benson for a $10,000 tract of land near Santa Rosa in what is known as the Hern School District of Sonoma County. The proper papers and transfers were made, signed, witnessed and duly recorded. Early in January Mr. Benson and his family moved to Oregen to settle upon the land in question, and he says he found neither the land nor the climate all that they were represented to be. The land especially was much inferior to the land given in trade and as soon as the winds, weather and floods wounld permit Mr. Ben- son hurried back to old Sonoma to call off the trade or get satisfaction in some other form. He became much incensed Saturday when he returned and found that the meek-appearing parson had in the mean- time sold the Sonoma County ranch to Fred Prindle of 8Santa Rosa, who holds possession. Benson has employed counsel and al- leges that the sale by Elliott to Prindle was not bona fide and should be set aside on the ground of collusion and fraud. Benson bases his charges partly on the fact that while Elliott claims to have sold the property to Prindle some time ago the latter has never recorded the deed of sale and transfer, and also on the fact that the Rev. Mr. Elliott had been selling off part of the tract to other parties. In fact El- liott was to have arrived in Santa Rosa Saturday last to close a third sale of part of the tract to another party. He failed to arrive on time, however, and the sale was not effected. » Meantime Benson’s attornéys have served an injunction to prevent the record- ing of any more transfers of any part of the land to other parties. Mr. Eiliott claims to have told Mr. Ben- son at the time the trade was made that he had not seen the land and he proved from certain papers, to Benson’s satisfaction, that the land must be as valuable as his Sonoma land given in exchange. Benson says he will make it hot for somebody and the end is not yet. Bicycle Against Horses at Fresno, FRESNO, Car., June 2.—Jack Prince, the world’s champion long distance bicy- clist, went against John Skelton and ‘Weazel, the horseback riders, each chang- ing each mile in a ten-mile race at the fair grounds to-day. Prince came out ahead by 15 yards and made the ten miles in 29:21. A strong breeze was blowing. et e o g Shoot at Visalia. VISALIA, Cav., June 2.—The competi- tive shoot between teams of 20 men each from companies C, E and F, resuited in vic- tory for Company E, Visalia. Following is the total score: E, 768; C, 761; F, 612 (with 18 men); average for E team, 38.4. e Santa Cruz Baseballists Win. SANTA CRUZ, CaL., June 2.—The base- bail game this afternoon between the Santa Cruz and Soquel clubs was won by the former. Score, 10 to 9. For additional Pacific Coast news see Second Page Hypochondrical, despondent, nerv- . ous, ‘‘tired out” who suffer from back- of energy, impaired memory, dizziness, melan- choly and discourage- ment, the re- sult of ex- hausting dis- eases, or drains upon the system, == excesses, Or WS abuses, bad habits, or early vices, are treated through correspondence at their homes, with uniform success, by the Specialists of the Invalids’ Hotel and Surgical Institute, of Buffalo, N. Y. A book of 136 Fflg&, devoted to the consideration of the maladies above hinted at, may be had, mailed securely sealed from ~observation, in a plain envelope, by sending ten cents in one- cent sux‘;l};s for tage on Book), to the World’s lg::;emry Medical Association, at the above mentioned Hotel. For more than a quarter of a century, physicians connected with this widely celebrated Institution, have made the treatment of the deli- cate diseases above referred to, their sole study and practice. Thousands have consulted them. This vast ex- perience has naturally resulted in improved methods and means of cure, A Triumph of Conservative Surgery, is the cure of Rupture, Stricture, Stone, Pile Tumors, Tumors, without the perils of cutting operations. Abundant Refer. ences, and Pamphlets, on above dis. eases, sent sealed, in plain envelope, 1a cents (stamps). WORLD’S DISPENSARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, Buffalo, N. Y,