The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 9, 1900, Page 21

T 444444444444 444 0044440444443 0 L] Do 0 30 E (L0 /o ‘....oJQQQQQQOWMQQW " \ - TR D444+ Tall, [ R aaany | i Pages 21 10 30 e aaasaas s s g S e e e e | Ottttttted UME LXXXV]ii—j\«). FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1900—FORTY PAGES. PRICE FIVE CENTS. RUSSAN PROPOSALS REFUSED === Collier Drifts Upon the Iowas Ram Plunges to the Bottom of the Bay-All Hands Are Saved. SHIP MAY FLINT GOES DOWN AMID GAILY LIGHTED CRAFT ON PARADE and Ge rma I ny Notifies the Pow- Will Not Retire From Peking. She e Understanding Von Waldersee China There 1 Be Trouble. Is S TR The Call end New York Her id Pul Sept. 8.—I have had a | tion with a highly | personage of the For- He declared that all re- romise on the part of e false. Germany has nitely refused the Russian has informed all the 1e text of the note doing | | cted here that Russia, tates and France will nd that America ce its great inter- der German protec- | | t is expe itical circles have v impressed by the es false press will not publish | | powers, desiring to | | impression that she at the head of the| | ion to Russia. of remark that the as already published | ver s of the Em- at Stettin. In the last “I am convinced succeed,” have been | | s the censorship WELLINGTON ; N, Sept. 8.— be made should rn to thelr cap! however, sev- must be passed complete harmony ng and of | | ep- | a large | | the with- | | ) the ex- force sum- | | the foreign lega- | | remain in the capital | | | | east g wi fonal %K) WA = of cond £ peace nego- the commissioners to be ap- overnment. pear the accom- ree aims, the Presi- It s to re- , with Von | ocean 1o | | intention ‘ | tdea of evacu- | VIDETTE, - WHILE SMALL BOATS AND T T - SAILORS LEAR-FOR LIFE FROM THE SINKING COLLIER INTO THE WATER AND UPON THE- LUMBER - LADEN BARK XCURSION CRAFT HASTEN TO. THE:RESCUE. HERE was a tragic feature of last night's brilllant naval fon not down on mme. Under the alf a dozen power- d w full view of the ship May Flint was nt £ to the bottom of the bay vigee t of a collision with the battle- Towa, the crew escaping death as by w o F . s leaped overboard | . were picked up by rowboats, while < others were taken off the bark Vi- - te, onto whick men jumped as the without a pilot ort under full sail wind, she became nd drifted across the bow | w e collision tore a bad hole ! » turned n a comparative ; ry eonclusion omm. ed by Cap- ddition to her of- an official or diploma crew of sixteen sailors, | mu more quickl Peking. T in fore, that the Emperor willing to r Knight r Harmeor Lind, George = which =0 much .l”!mlllull-r(‘ et Vescot ert Olsen, D. Ros Somhini R d_O'Connell, Michael King. Fd-| Walton P. Claussen, Robert Schroder, George John F. Hubert. The May Flint left Seattle last Sunday She had aboard 5000 ible after the ldersee or even after the Russian and tsin and the sion | bound for this port e Sach divs. | tons of coal consigned to P. B. Cornwall it the two groups of | The ship had a smooth voyage and wa § to obtatn satish n good working order when she entered bay. ptain Woodside r own part; method as ea evidouly expected Knoth, James Cazson, | that the owners would send a tug to pilot | | her in, but as none appeared he decided | to try and enter un: isted. There was 8; | falr breeze, which carried her along nicely | for some little distance. | At a point opposite the Brannan-street | wharf the ship satled in front of the bat-| tleship Towa, which was lying ht anchor, | gorgeously decorated ror the naval pa- | rade. | There were a number of other fllumi- | | nated ats in the vieinity, amd now and | { then one of fhem would throw its blind- | ing searchlight upon the battieship and sailing vessel. The May Flint had gone | | but a short distance ahead of the Iowa, | when the wind that had been carrying | her so nicely died into a light breeze and | tleship became almost stationary. | The swell from a passing steamer | T to rocking und she became un- Two of the crew, Michael liam Moore, were at the | helm, but although they exerted them selves to the utmost to avert threatened | disaster it was no us The ship was at the mercy of the tide. The captain and his crew realized that nothing short of miracle could prevent collision | with one of the numerous vessels in the vicinity and yet, although the tide was | all the while carrying the doomed ship | down toward the TIowa, the lingering hope that a fresh breeze would catch the sails | and bring her once more under control kept Captain Woodside from calling for | assistance, | But the ship was fated and almost be- | fore the crew fully realized the danger | that was imminent she had drifted across the Towa's bow. Although the crash was | a severe one it was not thought to have | serfously damaged 1y tha big collier. She got clear of the battleship only to drift still further astern and col- | dette remained afloat, and kneeling, the lide with the bark Vidette, lumber. Then it was that the May Flint's crew realized that their vessel must go down. It seems the Io bow had worked havoc with the ship's hull, ripping a hole sufficlently large to cause her to fill rap- idly. It was at this thrilling moment that the extreme test of nerve and presence of mind came to the sturdy sailors “TPo the boats!" roared the captain in a volce th ¥ rd above the fright- ened cries for help from the sallors. Meant Certain Death. But to launch the boats would have meant death for > who might have undertaken the t There was no time for that plece of lead. The roar of the water as it gushed into the ship’s hold, the falling of the ship's spams and rigging onto the deck and into the water, together with the wild shrieks for help from the frantic seamen, made a scene not soon to be for- gotten by those who witn. it. After the vessel had swung broadsids onto the lumber bark she drifted around the Vidette's bcw and went down. ing the brief interval that the ves- de by side the May Flint's crew leaped aboard the bark, but when safely on her deck the situation was almost as perilous as it was on the dpomed ship, for there was but one chance’in ten that the loaded with ho: | May Flint would not carry the bark down with her. With the 500 tons of coal ana probably an equal weight of water in her hold there was a suction that it seemed must carry everything in the vieinity down with her. There was a fearful displacement of water as the ship went under, but the Vi- The President is N_ harmonize the eon- | vithdrawal from Peking. s | nis forces for w £. " powers, and the PR | Further than that, the War Department s the with | has taken steps to have at Taku a suf- ficient number of United States tran ports to remove these troops to the Phil- ippines as soon as they reach the port. These orders are preparatory, and do not necessarily indicate that our Govern- ment has decided finally upon an im- medtate withdrawal from China. It is | simply placing itself in a position to car- . out the pledge conveyed in the reply ¥ MERICAN FORCES PREPARE TO, WITHDRAW | v the Russan hote n this language: | that, unless there is such a general ex- pression by the powers in favor of con- inued occupation as to modify the views of the allles to & of Peking, the re rnational force to re e legations, which the work of con wit ne ations INGTON, 8 8.—Orders hav bled to General Chaffee to prepare The ship was sinking like a|'ng sooner collided with the bark than the crews of both vessels offered up silent prayers of thanks. Captain Woodside and his men were finally taken aboard a launch and landed at the Brannan-street wharf. 3 W. H. Wescott, one of the ili-fated ship's crew, tells a thrilling story of the di aster. We were going along nicely.” he said, «gntil we got a short distance anead of the lowa. us and as we had ra pilot it was a case of waiting for the wind or to hail a pass- ing tug. The Ship Goes Down. “Then the tide began to carry us back onto the lowa. We struck her bow. drifted away almost immediately and | went straight into the Vidette. We had | | | er: leak. ““The horror of those ne cannot' be deseribed. ' It wasn’t the fea of being drowned that overcame me much as it was the expectancy of belng went up that our ship had sprung a few moments | maimed by a falling block or spar from struck | the rigging. One of the.men was by a spar and hurled jnto the water. was rescued by a rowboat. I had about given up all hope, for it emed to me that even if we managed to get aboard the Vidette she would be car- ried down with our ship. Every one shouted for the boats,-but there wasn't time to lower them. Those who did not jump got safely aboard the bark, and so far as I know all the crew have been ac- counted for. ““I am not one of the superstitious kind, but I will say that on more than one occa- sion I have had a presentiment that the old ship would go down some day, and now my fears have been realized. I was Hc Here the wind went back on | with the May Flint years ago when she was a steamer, and she never steared right then." Peter Claussen, one of the crew who leaped overboard, said “I realized that the odds were agalnst the lumber bark holding up when our boat went down, and I made up my mind | that the best thing I could do was to | jump. ‘T didn’t even stop to take off my | shoes. T swam about In the water for fully five minutes before being picked up by a | rowboat. I don't think I could have held | out much longer.” Struck by a Spar. nd thrown into the water. Although ed and stunmed from the blow managed to keep afloat until rescued by a launch. Second Mate Parker also jumped over- board and swam quite a distance before | being picked up. Many of the crew went to the Sailors’ Home, at the corner of Main and Harrison streets, after being taken ashore s of the accident spread rapldly inquiries were made the Home and other pl It was at first re lives had been lost, but could be learned at a late hour last night all had been accounted for The May Flint was owned and managed artic- by Willlam Mighell. The ship was an iron, four-masted vessel, 3577 registered tonnage. She was formerly the Persian Monarch, and was built by M. Millan & Sons at Dumbarton in 18%0. She was re- built in 1895, was 351 feet long, 42 feet wide and 16 feet deep. Her home port was San Francisco. The Vidette was in ch: Dodd and carried luml Clark. arge of Captain ber for Bixbee & expressed by the Government of Russia, and lead to a general agreement for con- tinued occupation, we shall give instruc- tions to the American officers in China to withdraw our troops from Peking after due conference with the other command- ers as to the time and manner of with- drawal.” Special Commissioner Rockhill has left Shanghai for Peking. A report by cable from him dated yesterday indicated that he had begun the discharge of his duties as a speclal observer of the present Chi- nese disturbances. Reports also were re- celved to-day from Consul General Good- now at Shangha! and Consul Fowler at Chefu, both dealing with the conditions of the missionaries. SERIOUS CONDITIONS CONFRONT CANTON Spectal Cable to The Call and New York Her- md. Copyright, 1800, by the Herald Pub- Ushing Company. HONGKONG, Sept. 8—The depression of trade in Canton Is serious. In five days only two steamers have called for Shang- hai. The normal number Is five daily. More than 50,000 unemployed will soon be reduced to a state of starvation. A mag- istrate, realizing the danger, has dis- cussed the situation with the merchants and urged the restraining of interference | Tribune from Pocatello, with foreigners. The magistrate has en- gaged 300 of the unemployed as soldiers. The Chinese are warning foreigners to clear out of Hongkong. The destruction of mission property - in Kwangtung is enormous. . At Berlin mission the damage is_more than 370,000. Ridiculous stories: about.the allies at Peking are being circulated by the Chi- nese. JAPAN RECALLING - MEN FOR THE ARMY SALT LAKE, Sept. 5—A special to the Idaho, says: From Information originating 1t would appear that Japan Is | mobilize 4 sll larger army n Asla. For a week past every mall fro the west has brouzgt letters from lf?el Japanese Government to Y. Takisha, in charge of Japanese laborers on the Ore. gon Short Line, instructing him to return certain of his men for service in the army, and under these orders a number of men have left for Japan. It appears that the demand has suddenly become urgent, for yesterday flve cablegrams were recelved by Takisha, all dated Yokohama, Septem- ber 6, and two more to-day, bearing to- day's date, all relative to the quick return of men. There are about 1300 Japanese in the service of the Oregon Short Line, and while Mr. Takisha is not grerred to y his Gov- reparing to or her wars say how many will be drafted ernment he anticipates a hea: boler <ns —y pates vy reduction George Knoth was struck by a falling he | SHPS AT - MERCY 0F HURRICANE Several Vessels Wrecked | Off the Coast of schooner James ballast, Florida. RRERES S IS DRIVEN ON A REEF | | Reports of Various Disasters During | the Recent Storm, and It Is Prob- able That Many Seamen Have Perished. e Qe | bark South American of Liver- pool, laden with mahogany, and bound from Santa Ana, Mexico, to Falmouth, England, is a total wreck on French Reef, Florida, The captain and ecrew, less three men left on the wreck, arrived here this morning and are being cared for by the customs officials. The hurricane struck the South Ameri- light, at 9 p. m., and at 2:30 a. m. of the 5th inst., the bark, with all her eanvas blown away and unmanage- able, was hurled upon the reefs. The vessel will prove a total loss, | Captain Schjonemann of the South American reports that on his way | to Miami he passed the following | stranded vessels: The four-ma 1 inside the reefs and afloat. | A vessel with only the stumps of | her masts showing: name and na- tionality unknown; crew presum- ably lost. board and the barkentine Coldoon, | Iaden with lumber, previously re- ported. There is another vessel on the reefs and a eamer reported ashore | RS S IAMI, Fla., Sept. S.—The wsteel forty-three miles south of Miami. can Tuesday, when off Careysport but her eargo may be saved. Dudge of Philadelphia, in A Norwegian bark with no one on north of this place. | OUSTON, Texas, Sept cane accompa has been blowing coast land t v entirely. The las stated that t | croaching rap! the flcod had extended into the bay, being done to smal boats were not the rain had been ver) traffic was entirel been no casualties, except along the water front. ern Pacific wharves had been damage: Inland there the cotton cro beaten from the ope: crop has suffered nearly ready for harv At midnight the wind miles an hour and great ing done to busines throughout the ct wire is the only one that other telegraph and being shut off has been closed down, be- came crossed wi the telephone wires ocked, though none was serious eral great brick and irog stacks have been blown over and tin roofs are as numerous on the ground as on the houses. The streets are utterly desertsd. So far there have been no casualties. The storm has spread to the interior and there is great anxlety in this city. Per- sons are offe ordinary sums to the telegraph companies to get messages through to Galveston and other pol ler construc to the extent of $25,000 but nothing can be done for them. Up to midnight telegraph g bhad been heard from Galvestor | NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 8—A special | trom Houston, Texas, says: There is an hurricane play Rockport, on the lower coast, and that the great ¢ ouse built by E. H. R re has been blown away unconfirmed rumor that the h with The damag the storm ford Stat mili | drowned, Fort St. p to-day | damage done by the storm t crops. LOWER PORTION OF GALVESTON IS FLOODED SAN ANTONIO, Tex., Sept. 8.—Posstbly the last a ch ¢ the flooded city | of Galveston was received in A tonio to-night by Jerry G ing the death of his brot The mes et The entire lower po | then flooded and the pe ple | on higher ground in the p fety NEW ORLEANS, Sept. from Dallas, Tex., says the keenest ate of doubt a to-night concerning the fat island and city. It d tha f Galveston the bridges in the bay. The bridges are ber, three for railroad uses Jalveston County public wagon and pede: trian bridge. It seems hardly creditable that all these bridges could be swept away without the city suffering tremendously. INSISTS THAT LI PROCEED TO PEKING £ four in num- nd one the TIENTSIN, Aug. via Shanghat, Sept. 7.—United States Minister Conger i3 said to insist that Earl Li Hung Chang shall be allowed to proceed to Peking for a conferenc: Orders have been received from Wash- ington that 5000 American treops shall be divided between. Peking, Tientsin and Taku for the winter. 2