The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 22, 1897, Page 20

20 FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, THE SAN STORY OF ONE OF THE GREATEST HOLOCAUSTS IN HISTORY BURNING OF THE STEAMSHIP AMERICA An Eye-Witness Describes This Awful Event, That Took Place in Yokohama-Harbor on August 24, 1872, Just a Quarter of The accompanying drawing is, perhaps, the first picture ever published of one of the greatest bolocausts in history— namely, the burning of the steamer America in the harbor of Yokohama on August 24, 1872, just a quarter of a century #go next Tuesday. Tuis borror has been described from time to time, but only the eye-witnesses to it were able herotofore to tell just what it lookeda like. Of course, kodaks were not in existence in those days, so the officers of the warships were not able to do any- thing toward making a picture of the awful scene. But itseems that there was a photograph made of the ship when the con- flagration was at its height. It was done by a Japanese named Ranjio, and, as it happened, was a splendid negative. A photographic print of this negative is in the possession of E. J. Weiss, keeper of the Goat Island lizhthouse, and it is through bis courtesy that it is reproduced here. At the time of the great fire Mr. Weiss was a man-o’-warsman in the ,and it so happened that his ship was on duty He was an eve-witness to the horror nd did his part toward American nav on the Asiatic station. that shocked all the civilized world, saving life on that awiul night. «That fire was the most awful sight I ever saw,” said Mr. Weiss, when telling of his experiences, *ana I hope I will never see another like it. Sometimes I wake up at night, after areaming of it, although twenty-five years is more than balf of my life, and jt is that long since it happened. ““‘When I think of it, though,” Mr. Welss continued, after a reminiscent pause, ‘it seems to me as ii it happened yesterday. I recollect every little incident perfectly. But why shouldn’t 1? 1t was horrible enough to be impressed on one’s memory ior a thousand ye “The day had been an awful hot one, even for that part of the world, and everybody on board my vessel was lying around gasping for breath. Although the moon had come up it was not very large and did not shed muchlight. The night was simply perfect and the surface of the bay was like glass. We could look around and see ships of all nations reflected on the surface, with their lights flashing like stars. Like all.other terrible thi wobody had any idea that it was going to take place. We were all tsking a much-needed rest aftera hard day’s work, and looked forward to a iong night of rest. “Suddenly there was a flash and a biue light lit up the A moment later and a rocket salled heavenward, fol- lowed by the clang of a fire bell. We all knew in & moment where it came from, and all thought of sleep went out of the head of every man on board. As I said, it was hot and the crew were all on deck, so we crowded around the bulwarks, anxiously waiting to see what would turn up. “At first we could see nothing but tbe dim outline of the steamer America and the blue lignt burning on her deck. We thought the fire was out. Then there came a puff of smoke just abaft the mainmast that gradually disappeared so that we were still in doubt as to the real state of aftairs. “But this did not last long. Almost before we could realize it flames shot up from the after cabin and then almost simui- scene. taneously there was a red glare from the forward part cf the vessel. This spread like lightoing and before our captain could make up his m as to what was to be done the whole steamer was in f] Ord quick enough after that, and in less time than it takes 1o tell the small boats from all the warships lying in the bay were speeding over the water 10 the burning ship. time tbe America was in flames from stem to we near enough the sights that we saw cold to this day. Laaders had bees thrown and to these hundreds of people were clinging. yrity of Coinese and their cries and groans Flames bsd sweot the decks ciean and the e vessel was like a furnace. Only those ate enough to reach the decks before the ay were saved. And even all of these were g to the fear and confusion caused by the alarm. t that I was in reached the vessel as soon, if not s of the others, and we soon picked up a load, m and then started back. The horrors ver the There w e ma on as some of the other boats got near ghtened wretches threw all sorts of stuff into one of them by beating her bottom out. They mped on top of the oarsmen, geveral of whom were severeiy jured. Then one of the ladders on which about a hundred broke, or burned away at the top, and ed the whole crowd to fall into the water. A number were picked up, but the majority met watery graves and even tne bodies were not recovered, There were & namber of people on the vessel who might have been saved if they would have jumped overboard, but sey woplda’t. They simply ran along the sides of the meain ¢ and screamed in agony as the fire burned their clothing them. They asked to be saved, bu: were afraid to risk themselves 1o the water. Natur they were allowed to per- lthough a number of seamen made desperate attempts to m. One brave fellow managed to reach a man who was st out of reach of the flames and carried him to the boat be- low. As it happened, though, he was so badly burned that he died shortly afterward. ovle were crowded a Century Ago——The Accompanying Picture Is Published for the First Time “It was not until ali the people on the deck had eitber been saved or drowned that the real horrors of the conflagration com- menced, and we could do nothing. Those Chinese who had been nsleep in the 'tween decks were the ones to suffer the most, and it was among them that the lose of life was the lieaviest. These fellows, doubtless made stupid by the fumes of optum, did not wake up until the flames nad reached them. They started for the upper deck, but were unable to proceed on account of the fire that blocked their passageway. Then they rushedin all directions and fell over one another in their wild efforts to reach safety. Whuat sceres were enacied in that inferno will uever be knawn. “Some tried to get out of the portholes, but, as it happened, they were too small. Others crowdéd behind them and fought like tizers for a place near the air. Knives were drawn, and it was a case of the stroogest getting hLis Lead outthrough the porthole and screaming with agony. “The position of the men was such that we could do noth- ing for them. They were just out of our reach, and we could bave done nothing aven had we been able to reach them, for the portholes were only large enouzh ‘or & man to poke his head through. To drag his body tinough would have been absolutely impossible. The flames also kept growing hotter, so that we could not venture near the vessel, and had to keep at a safe distance. “As things happened it would seem asifthose who were killed by men stronger than themselves were the best off, for ihey were saved the agony of being slowly burned to death. The wretches who managed to hold places at the portholes lit- erally suffered the tortures of the infernal regions. For a long tirue they screamed in the most 1.zing manner and then grew silent. Death had come to their relicf. We could see their heads hanging out of the portholes and then fall into the water, the rest of the body baving been burned away. Ofall the horribie scenes that I saw that night tnis was the worst. “Althongh we couid do nothing for the poor wreiches we never stopped trying. Our capiain gave orders when he saw the way things were going to try and sink e ship. He had hopes that in some way the water would extinguish the fire and give us a chance to rescue some of the people before she sank. But, although we fired several shots into her hull, we made little impression- on ber and soon gave it up. Of coarse, the troubie was that we could not put the shotin effective places, but had to fire just above the water line, which was of litile use. Had there been a slight swell ro ¢ we could have done some- thing toward filling the ship with water, although what the outcome would have been nobody can say. “When there was no living being left on the America we puiled off and watched her burn. This she did all through the long night and when morning came a number of Jaunches arrived on the scene and towed her to a place on the beach near Kanagawa but pot until after putiing in several hours on the work. «It seems to me now as if some fate bad it that the Amer- ica shouid be entirely destroyed that day for the hull Had no sooner touched ground than a typhoon came along. The launches barely had time to reach places of safety before the storm was at his height. This siruck the weak hull of the America and broke it all to pieces in a very few minutes. There was absolutely nothing left of it and what might have been of use was literally forced into the sand so that it was never recovered. Nothing was saved from this vessel except the few articles that some of the passsngers managed to take way with them. When the storm was over there was not enough to be seen to make & decent sizzd fire in a parlor grate. “I bave heard the estimates of loss of life in the burning of the America placed at all sorts of fizures from €0 to 500. Iknow of my own knowledge that the latter is a good deal nearer the t-uth than the former. Wiy, sixty peopie were drowned wher the ladders broke, and when the fire got well along there wa head poking out of every porthole to say nothing of those who were burned to death on the inside. 2Add to this those who were murdered and the total is something awful. I know tha the day before the fire the decks were just crowded with Chinese and not many of them were saved. I believe there were not any records saved to show just how many of these people were on board, tut in my opinion there were at least 500. There were anumber of Englishmen and Americans lost also, so that in my opinion the loss of life at the burning of the America was at least 450 or 500. “The lossin money must have been something like §5,000,000. It is known that $2,000,000 in Mexican specie was on board, as well as large amounis in other coin. Then the America had on board one of the finest cargoes ever placed on a ship. It must have beer worth at least a miliion and consisted principally of sil nd laces. Add to this the cost of the vessel and the pas- sengers’ valuables and the estimate is a very high one, so that ail things consicered the burning of this vessel is surely one of the great catastrophes of history. “The way the photozraph of it was taken was from the shore. The man who took it was an expert and got a splendid neeative. Itshowed the vessel rather small, though, so 1t was touched up and afterward enlarged and rephotographed. At any rate that small picture thai I have looks exactlv asit 1ooked about an hour and a ha!f after the steamer caught fire, and her appearance did not change much- before midnight. Here for the first time Is presented a| list of the steasmers thot have left this | unless they wish to brave the perils of the | agree. It is made upin one word—star- | Then, when those who ¢ nnot zo by the Many of the steamers mentioned as port and aska crowded with | unknown without guide or definite idea | vation. The British Government, or| r, but are well suppied with pro- | being on the way tothe Yukon are heavily men mad fever. of the necessary knowledgze required to |rather the Government ot Canada, has | visions and fairly well off for money, | loaded with freis Aboard the Al-Ki Scarcely sed that tele- | assure a safe passage, they must wait for | siationed men at every point where the | reach the point of the beginning of the | were fifty head of pack korscs and the | hav e not Leen pub- over the United States chron- | e departure of these vessels, but up to the present time no attempt has | been made to gather this scattered infor- mation present it in such a condensed ¢hape the reader can grasp in a As these lines meet the eye, most of these ships realize that not 30 per cent of that column the size of the exodus. AN ASSAULT ON THE tation over ihe divide have found thst|least, the majority of the exnerienced ones | weeks before continuing Plenty of these persons are beginning to they see the headwaters of the Yuko | This will be the experience of at least the persons now on water on their way to the Klondike. Now | here it Is that a horde of hurgry would- | | what will be the result? O this point, at no money and'no friends. long wait. 1 | their journey. | emigrants make ap entry into the Can- | overland journey they will learn that it | same number of cattle, all intended for |addy adian portion of the Klondike country, | costs not less tunr $400 a ton to trensport | the K ondike. Tae Rapid Transit took | before next spring wili | and no person withont at least a yes provisi to the final point of destina- | all the freiznt she couid carry. The Wil- su of provisions is allowed to proceed. | tion. How many of the gold-hunters ¢cin | lameite took 300 horses. | There is no such regulation about going | afford to pay these prices? There is but | The Scuth Coast carried the tughoat | these the | to the entrance to the land of gold, and | one alternative, and that is to stay away until next spring, unless they send home for more money, and even that means a Governor Stonemun as part of ber cargo, s well as the steam lannch Firenz: and several smali lighters. The National City i be prospectors must linger all winter with | | aresailing northward, or have landed their complements of gold-seekers anc they are | pushing forward to Klondike. A list of the steamers and the number | of passengers each carries are as follows: | Willamette 1350, Istarder 1150, National City 105, South Coast 45, Farallon 75, | Elder 620, Cleveland 240, Portlana 140, | Queen 220, Walla Walia 680, yo 100, | Mexico 175, State of California 240, Excel- sior 200, Mervin Eliza Anderson 332, | Umatilla 500, City of Topeka 250, Hettie B | 60, Progreso 1240, Sea Otter 100, Dawson City Humboldt 403, Norman 150, Rosalie 137, Al-Ki 108, Utopia 395, Edith 98, George E. Starr 320, Rapid Trausit 117, | North Fork-£00. Thus all toid there are on their way to | the Kiondike to-day by the water route | 15 502 persons, in 31'vessels. These figures | have not been exaggerated, but are taken from the passenger lists of the vessels whose names are given. The list of ves- sels is as complete as could possibly be compiled. Unguestionably some parties| have got away by the water rotte whose | departure has not been reported to the | newspapers. S0 contradictory are the reports which come from those who claim to have knowl- edge of what it will .cost 10 reach the Klondike ano the necessaries of life one | must have in hfs possession. to. assure | ageinst siarvation, that it is almost:folly | pt the word of any one as absol ute. | Tueretore it is of interest to know what, on the average, these gold-seekers carry | with them.. Notall, not even the major | portion of the emigrants, will be able to | make the journey by water. Plenty of | them will have to brave the dangers of | Chilcoot Pass, with its record of death and | starvation, | It we average the possessions of each gold-seeker it will not reach the sum of over $50 per individual, This assertion will no doubt be derided by those who op- timistically declare that almost every one of the fortune-hunters has money enough to see him through. That is not true. Many a man has started from here to the Klondike with barely enough to live on for a few days after he has reached the mouth of the Yukon, trusting to eood fortune to help him complete the journey to the promited land. i From the most authentic sources it is Jearned that the water frontat Dyea and | Bkaguay is lined witk prospectors’ tents, Any number of those who went north from here expecting to get transpor-| 10 acc THE FLEET. . "OF carried the launch Hettie B. estimated that when mentioned reaches its destination at least | a thousand norses, mules and cattle will | been transported by them. This in 1 to tons and tons of prov'sions. The best equipped and provisioned of all the parties are those whica have or- | | zanized and chartered vessels. the precautions to ar- tange in advance ways to combat possible | emergencies | through all kinds of hardsnip. have taken and carry " ARCTIC BY A FORMIDABLE FLEET ties aboard the South Coast and Faral- lon are excellent examples of these. The explanation of their foresight liesin the fact that they were organized and offi- cered by men who knew the country to wkich they were going and to whom piacer mining in the roughest surround- ings was not a matter of hearsay. ! All sorts and conditions of men is the only fit way to describe the vast company that is aboard the fleet of vessels referred to. Among them was the Mavor of an Itlmois town, who had capitulated to the blare of the trumpets of the returned miners, thrown aside all the honor and emolument which office brought him ana joined the Klondike ranks. In the same party were four bellboys of the Palace Hotel at San Francisco. On another ves- sel went the nephew off Russell Sage of New York. On still another was the son of that old-time and famous grain specu- lator whom the world knows as *‘Old Huteh.” One must not forget the women. Where- ever they could crowd in they went. Not in fact, it1s the fleet of vessels As arule the memuvers The par- VA 1 - PASSENGER VESSELS THAT HAS SAILED FOR THE YUKON SINCE THE NEWS OF 1—Queen. 2—Excelsior. 3—Humboldt. 4—Mexico. 5—Portland. 6—Eliza Anderson. 7—Cleveland. 8—North Fork. g9—Farallon. 1o—Progreso. 0. Colle, THE GOLD DISCOVERY, 11—Willamette. aman in any of the parties faced the pos- | sibilities of starvation and death with a stouter heart than some of these feminine seekers for gold. The example of Mrs. Berry and the other women who have returned witnh health and riches has simply set on fire the am- bitions of the poor and energetic fem- inines of this part of the country, and the result is seen on the passenger lists of the | outgoing vessels. Alter the 15'h of September it will be | paying court to deatn to attempt to reach the Klondike. Yet there are thousands of | men in this City to-day wno are perfeatly | ready to face all this if they can g t trans- portation to the Yukon. Men who Have looked on the gola fever in various parts of the world for half a century say there was never anything that approached the | fever that has seized so many victims and of all classes. “On to the Klondike!” is heara on every sids, and fortunate indeed ! is the man considered who finds a way to | achieve his ambition. | Not Like Other Mortals. With the thermometer at a little less than 100 degrees in the shade Oscar Hay- den drove into Missouri Valley, clad in his usual summer costume of bheavy wool- an, flannel underwear, two thicknesses of jean overalls, fur cap and oporessive overcoat reaching from bis ears to the ground. In winter be seldom wears an overcoat—and that only on the warmast days—and is generally seen in his shirt- sleeves. Heat and cold seem to have an effect upon him exactly opposite to that ¥ of ordinary mortals. Hayden owns a § farm some distance southeast of Missouri | Valley. Heis well known, popular wit his neighbors, quite weil-to-do and pos- sesses no peculiarities other than his habit of piling on winter garments in summer and going about in duck tronsers and oute ing shirt in winter.—St. Paul Pioneer Press.