, 1889-11-14
LOSS OF THE LIBBY.
BURNED TO THE WATERS
EDGE IN TIE STRAITS.
Stacking Lime Sets Fire to the
Drifting Steamer. .---Passen-
gers Take Life Boats and
Are Picked Up,

Sunday morning about o'clock the
steamer j. B. Libby, owned by Capt H.
+. Beacher, while about ten miles off
WILDLY Island, between Smiths Island
and San Juan Island, in the Straits OF
Fuca, caught fire and burned to the wa
ter's edge. The passengers and crew
were all saved. The vessel and cargo
are total loss, footing about SO, 900.
RoCKED IN THE CRADLE OF THE DEEP.
The Libby started from Roche Harbor
Saturday night with a cargo OF 500 bar
rels OF lime and produce for this city. On
account OF rough weather outside she put
into Richardson's, Lopez Island, and
laid TIL morning. Soon after leaving
Sunday morning she lost her rudder,
from what cause is unknown.
| STACKING LIAE FIRES THE STEAMER.
The sea was heavy aud the vessel DRIFT
ed helplessly in the trough toward Dun
geness for about an hour when fire was
discovered in the hold, caused by water
Stacking the lime. The first officer im-
mediately reported to Captain White.
The captain ct first proceeded to get the
passengers on deck, where he could see
to their safety There were about seven
passengers and crew of fourteen. All
efforts to check the flames failed. Dis
tress Signals were given by flag and
whistle.
| PASSENGERS TAKE To TIE LIFEBoATS.
The passengers were remarkably self
possessed, and by the wise management
of Captain White were safely landed into
the lifeboats, and the crew boarded the
liferaft Three Cinnamon made wild
rush for the boats that threatened pan
ic, but were promptly dealt with by Cap
to the steamer by lines and drifted with
her.
| One Chinaman to be sure of landing
all right buckled on four life preservers,
while white man, to make assurance
doubly sure, went to his state room and
strapped on eight, and then found that
he was too bulky to get out OF the door !;
he was persuaded to remove them and is
now thankful that lie did.
The four-masted schooner Jeanie,
bound for NauaimO, was then about ten
miles distant, to the north, and saw the
Iibby's distress signal. She immediate
ly started to her relief, picking up the
wrecked passengers and crew after they
had drifted about for an hour. The raft
had begun TO fill and would not have
foated much longer.
After the Jeanie had started away with
the burning wreck, 4 chicken was dis
covered on the bowsprit Of the rescuing
schooner The wife OF the captain claims
it as a souvenior of the fire, and will
make pet OF it.
The Jeanie towed the burning steamer
to this city, her pumps constantly play
ing on the flames. She arrived here
about two o'clock. The charTed hull
was towed to Hadlock and beached.
The boat is but partly insured.
PASSENGERS PRAISE CAPTAIN WHITE.
IHe passengers are uHdiLlIiouo III
praise of Captain Whites calmness, to
which they attribute their deliveranee,
resolutions to that effect having been
signed by all OF the passengers.
THE LOST STEAMER.
The J. B. Libby was built at Utsalady
by Capt Libby in 1863, and has been
employed on the sound ever since. She
was originally a side wheeler. Capt.
Beecher purchased Ter last April Tor
$12, 900, and placed her on the island
route. She had just come off the ma
rine ways and received costly improve
ments.
Her loss is most untimely to Captain
Beecher, who had just added to his line
the fine new steamer Point Arena, and Is
showing much enthusiasm and enter
prise in building up transportation line
between the islands, this city and Sc
81