THE ELINGAMITE INQUIRY

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10819, 9 December 1902, Page 6

THE ELINGAMITE INQUIRY

' ■ (Per IJnited •Ptfesp'-AssooyitjtQfl.) AUCJIOiANI), December 9. Passey, a ste'erage'pjissp'n^gex, plated that •the steamer struck on the bottom, and $eemcd to slide ajbhg' a rock. Immediately i beffe^o qhe^vriiek the officer on the' bridge 1 called out to everybody' to' lio)d on. After tha^' there was foarf ifl, bumping and the jdiip. foiled her ,rajl half iinder' and reached, the water on the 'saloon 'deck. The sh\p did not go astern after the''telegraph rang. The land was so clos's'that Ihose on Iboar^d could almost jump ashore. The Ajfistriaus .swarmcU' No. 1 bpivt *like bees,' otherwise the pas'scngers rather assisted than hampered the crew. He oil a "ledge 6l! rock' tlirough the seawc6d, but men who were 'struggling' in the water "were pulled 'off again. Ife could T.ot say if tho rising tide washed! any people off the* ledge.' ' He sa-w ifo fire or b'bat <lrii\ on the steamer. Philip Jones stated that he was standing forward with the lookout man and' saw sometliingr like bi» black -"loud ahead. He asked the lookout man -vhat it was and the latter called out "Breakers.' 1 •Witness was pretty sure the alarm bell was njot rung. Charles I^ennon said that ho saw Romethiiifif like a cloud ahead at the same timt as .the lookout man. They looked till they could see- plainly what it was. About a minute after the lookout may called, "Breakers," tl\e telegraph rang, and the bow- touched.' Three minutes later the propellor seemed to stop instantly. Gunther, a saloon passenger, 'inspector of the Sugar Coy., sa^jl he was piking on deck when sbmeoh'e .called "Look !" and he .<jaw rocks and surf ahead.' The engines stopped before the vessel touched.