The San Francisco call., 1896-09-30
Water Floods the Ho,d and the
Vessels Prov Is Turned
Landward.
ALL STEAM ON TO GAIN TIL
BEACH.
Shoals Reached Before the Fires Ar
Ex!inguished - Tne Disab ed
Liner May Be Saved.

PORT TOWNSEND, WASH, Sept. o.
While bound to this port from Victoria,
on its regular run from San Francisco
to the Sound, the steamship Umatilla,
commanded by Captain J. c. Hunter, met
with a mishap at 3:45 O'Clock this morn
ing that forced 1t onto the soft shaley
peach at Point Wilson, where it is still
stranded. The vessel was picking Its way
cautiously across the straits in the murky
fog that had prevailed since early in the
evening, when those aboard were startled
by grating, rasping noise, accompanied
by slight careening of the steamship.
The Umatiila had struck rock.
For only a moment was the steamship
on the sunken reef. The vessel rolled to
one side and soon slid from its perch, but
in the brief contact wit the rock large
hole had been stove in the bottom, and
through this the water poured into the
hold.
All steam was put on to get the vessel
safe inside the bay. When just off PoinI
Wilson water which had been pouring
through the rent surged up into the fire.
room, threatening to extinguish the fires.
When this fact was reported the nose of
IAC VESSEL was 10 llS DtdGut w nlCu
it struck moment later.
Unlike the condition of affairs which
usually exist under such circumstances,
the passengers, the officers lay, did not get
in the least excited, the calmness of Cap
tain Hunter and the orderly movements
of the crew assuring them that there was
no danger. AS soon as day broke the
officers offered to lower the boats and send
ashore all who might desire to go, but
the passengers we're confident in Captain
Hunters assurance that ii was safe to re-
main and declined to leave the vessel.
The position the unfortunate vessel
occupies is exactly that of the British ship
Kilbrannan, which went ashore there
during dense fog some months ago, but
was later successfully f1oated. 1t is in no
imminent danger, except from north
west winds, which are uncommon at this
season.
AT 8 o'clock this morning the steamer
Angeles went to the UmatiIla with a scow.
and much of the baggage and perishabl
freight was brought TO Polt Townsend.
Several of the passengers accompanied the
luggage, and all are loud In their praise OF
the seamanship and nerve exhibited by
Captain Hunter and other officers of the
vessel under such trying circumstances.
AT noon a second trip was made by the
Angeles.
The steamship Walla Walla, which
sailed south to-day, took part of the crew
of the UmatiIla back to San Francisco.
From this fact it is evident that the COM
psny's representatives do not expect to
get the vessel afloat again at an early
date.
A correspondent who visited the scene
this evening found the nose OF the Una
tilla jabbed we'll in the sands of the beach
The water had risen over the main deck
of the vessel aft. and the tables In the
dining-room were submerged. Those
aboard say that the water raised with sur
prising rapidity and that very soon after
the vessel was on The rock the firemen
were forced to come up out of The fire
rooms. The rock was driven into the
vessels plates Just under the boilers and
it did not take long for the water 10 rise
up 10 the fire boxes. 1t is impossible to
say just what will be done with the vessel.
The hole is bad one and there are some
who say that it means the last of the good
ship Umatilla.
The rock upon which the unfortunate
vessel struck is one of the many sub
merged mepaces in the straits and it is not
far from the notorious Sea Lion Rock,
upon which the tug of that name struck
two years ago.
That vessel had been plying the Sound
for years, and no one suspected the pres
ence OF q rock at this place until one day
the tug run plump upon it. The exact
location is said to be Immediately off the
Simms place on the straits.
Captain Lloyd came ashore late last
evening. He denies that the vessel went
On to the Sea Lion rock. The place
where she struck was an extension of a
rough, pc billy beach inside the buoy at
Riley's place.
The Umatilla at once commenced to
take water, and when the beach was
reached there was eight feet of water in
the freroom. Now the entire main deck
is submerged.
Diver A. o. Benjamin arrived from
Seattle this afternoon and will investigate
the damage. Eight men who were on
watch at the time the vessel struck claim
that the Point Wilson fog signal was not
blowing. The keeper denies this and says
IL was blowing all nipbt