The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-05-17

Statements Of Three of the Survivors.
The side-wheel, steel steamer Alas
kan belonging to the 0. r. & n. Co.,
broke and went to pieces in storm
eighteen miles south OF Cape Blanco
at 2:30 last Monday morning, and
several lives were lost.
Following are the particulars.
immediately upon the arrival Of the
steamer Columbia from San Francis
co at 1145 yesterday morning, news
quickly spread that the Alaskan was
lost and the survivors were aboard the
Columbia.
The first authentic statement was
received from quartermRster J. W.
Brown who came to The AsToRIAS Of
fee at noon. He said:
'HThe weather was fair until Sunday
morning when the wind blew with
terrific force. Sunday afternoon q
terrible hole was made aft, Just for
ward of the rudder, and the sea
poured in. Over $1,000 worth Of
blankets and bedding were stuffed in,
but you might as well have spit in the
hole. The water had every thing its
own way, and there was no doing any
thing"
"About two o'clock the next Mon
day. morning the storm was the
worst: the vessel had been laboring
heavily all night, and as she lifted on
tremendous wave
SHE SNAPPED IN TWO
In the middle, then parted. Just be-
fore there was cry Of all hands on
deck, the vessel was sinking and the
officers had to go down in the hold
and bring up at the point of q pistol
some of the men who were SO badly
frightened that they could scarcely
walk.
"When the final crash came I ran
up on the rigging and got over on the
pilot house. Three boats and q life
raft put off tossing on the water, full
of men. l saw. second officer Weeks
and sailor go into the forecastle and
they weren't seen again; I saw AL
Rails, the steward, drown, and chief
engineer SWANS drown. 1 clung to
where / was for sixteen hours, and
after tossing about good deal, was
taken on board the tug VigilGDt and
from there to. the steamer Co.
lumbia, and" so here. Those
who were saved are Captain
Howes, pilot Geo. Wood, myself, G.
Graham, Foley and Underman, two
stoaways) Barney Bertrand, Walfred
johnson, and another man, eight al
together.
1--WE neither saw nor heard of the
others, but I think they must have
been drowned. We couldn't have
lasted much longer if the tug hadn't
come along.
THE EXHAUSTED SURVIVORS. .
When the Columbia reached her
dock yesterday noon the terrible con-
dition Of Capt. Howes, pilot Wood and
the other men showed palmer than
words could tell the dreadful exper-
fence through which they had just
passed.
They could barely get ashore from
the vessel and after a hearty express
sion of congratulations at their mirse-
ulous escape and regrets for the sad
fate of so many of their comrades they
left at one O'Clock on the Column ia
on her way to Portland.
PILOT wooD's STORY.
Though terribly exhausted, and
scarcely able to speak, Pilot Wood
gave representative Of THE AsTo-
RIAN the following account Of the dis
| aster.
I'VE left Astoria at Ii Saturday
morning, the 11th inst, crossed the
bar and headed south in good shape,
the ship behaving well: we had q
tolerably pleasant trip. though rough,
till four o'clock Sunday afternoon
when terrible hurricane came up and
the vessel was found to be making
water fast, there soon being consider.
able water in the hold. The mon who
were firing were standing in the
water from that time on till the water
rose so high as to put the fires out
In the meantime the storm getting
worse. The wind was dead ahead
and blew with tremendous force, the
waves running high, and the outlook
very gloomy; :
at was evident as the night wore
on that there was no chance of saving
the ship. ] called Capt. FHowes' at
tention to the adyisability OF trying
to save himself and the crew. HI
agreed with me as to the hopelessnes.
Of the case and suggested that / dC
| all could to get the men into ths
boats. As for him he was going II
STAND BY, THE SHIP.
| Accordingly I got the three boat.
down from the davits all right, and
aft to the stern Of the vessel, and go
as many as possible aft. I explained tc
the men that our only hope was to gel
} into the boats and try to keep afioa
till we were picked up or could make
shore, and told them the best way tc
} do was to slip doyn hand over hand
on the painter. ~"We can't 90 dowI
that way" said one: "You 60 ahead
and show ia how van ara 00iny n