The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-16

In kilograms from Nanaimo and Victoria,
received connrmasiss yesterday from yet
another source though not whit is added
to the intelligence already received
Capt Donaldson. OF the steamer Excel
sior. which arrived early yesterday morn
ing from Copper river. VIA Juneau. says
that he saw the Clara Nevada on Tues
day. February s. He was on the wolcott
going from Juneau to Skagway. and the
Clara Nevada was passed about an hours
run north Of Seward. She was headed
for Juneau and appeared 20 be all right
Il returned TO Juneau on "Wednesday"
said Capt. Donaldson. land the Nevada
had not then arrived. Before / left on
the Excelsior. on Thursday. the tug Cole
man. which piles between Juneau and
Skagway. came in and reported that the
beach AT Seward was strewn with wreck
age The captain of the Coleman said
that in the wreckage were life buoys and
q portion OF a hatch, all marked 'Hass-
ler.' The people Of Seward had seen a
fire. on the water on Tuesday. he said. and
had afte-ward heard an explosion. as OF
some large steamer. Later came the
wreckage. which they claimed 10 identity
as belonging to the Clara Nevada. AS
the boat did not come into Juneau before
the Excelsior left on Thursday. I con-
Guided that the reported Blowing up of
the steamer was correct. She may DC all
right. but i doubt it. My opinion is that
the Clara Nevada is lost"
Did you see any passengers aboard
when you passed her on February 2?r
Capt Donaldson was asked.
"No: her decks were aimoet deserted
several figures were seen and they waved
at US. That must have been just an hour
or so bsfore the occurrence of the expIo-
sion, II such really took place. Does it not
seem improbable that no one has ESCAPED
to tell the tale7 Wen, no. An accident Of
that kind. occurring during such violent
wind storm as was then raging, would
mean sure death for all aboard the vessel.
The wind was blowing straight down from
the head OF the canal and waves were
running high. 1. would have been possible
however, for a boat to live In the waters.
agitated as they were. provided the peo-
pie aboard had time to launch one.
hardly think swimmer could have lived
10 reach the shore. II the explosion fol-
lowed close upon the first discovery of
fire. doubt II the story OF the steamer
lost of Seward win ever be told.'
H. MAJ n~~n 0~~~ H..
In connection with this statement may
be taken the words OF Capt. O'Brien, OF
the steamer Ros lie. "On last Wednesday
morning at o'clock" he said yesterday,
'the Rosalie was running by the south end
OF Douglas island. bound for Seattle 1t
was dark and SHOW was falling. on the
southern end OF the island I discovered
row OF lights. The yesscl to which the
isshts belonged, as tar as ! could make
out. wan > I0ax. low, rakish hooking ss,sam-
er. coui1 NOT tel whefher ~ had tlfree
masts. or in fact any at all, but knew by
her build that size must be either the Unit
ed States revenue steamer Wheeling or
the Clara Nevada. Both knew were due
in Juneau The boat. whatever It may
have been. was headed for juneau.
could not say positively which II was. but
/ am sure that passed that Wednesday
morning either tha Wheeling or the Clara
Nevada"
Summing up the stories told by these
two experienced captains the Clara Ne
vada was sighted on Tue sday, just north
OF Seward, bound for Juneau. A short time
Seward, an explosion was heard and some
wreckage drifted ashore. Up to Thursday
the Clara Nevada had not reached Juneau.
A vessel was seen In the dark carly We'd
ncsday morning, near Juneau. which might
have been the Nevada.
The prevalent belief IS that the Nevada
will never again be seen aaoat Conjec-
lures as to the fate OF the vessel were rife
in this city yesterday. In view OF the
vague foundation for the reports so far
received the opinions Of marine men have
little moro weight than those OF the aver
age lanasmen. Tho most significant fact
stated by Capt Donaldson was that he
had been told by the captain of the tug
Coleman that the life buoys and hatch
cast ashore at Seward were marked
"Hassler" That the life huoys could have
been so marked is declared impossble by
II. p MCGUIRE. chief owner of the Ne
vada and president OF the Pacific and
Alaska Transportation Company.
No Bueys Marked ''Ha.slcr."
when we made our repairs on the
Hassler and renamed her the Clara
Nevada, we removed every trace OF