The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-18
NONE TO I'ELL THE STORY.
Continued iyom Page 1.

boat ard is lost. \ young man named Hln.
Of Seattle. whose father is engineer on the
+ flrehcat. and Harry Hunt. OF Montana.
went along from Seattle 10 put IN se-ae
steam heating pipes. They must nave been
lost young man named George Rowe
Of Seattle. nieknamed Peggy was on
the boat. \. Benicke Portland cigar
drummer was aboard.
A Post-intellgencer special correspond
ent, who came down on the Humboldt.
gives the following account OF the disas-
ter:
The Rustler's Gruesore Find.
The little steamer Rustier, with the
searching party aboard. which left juneau
last Thursday night. has returned. The
wreck was found. Several residents of
Juneau who felt anxious for friends and
a customs Inspector. were aboard with
Capt. Thornton. During nearly two days
of cruising along shore in the vicinity Of
the wreck not 4 sign OF a survivor was
seen: but for miles the beach was found
strewn with wreckage of all descriptions.
The las thing discovered was tho wreck
itself. in six fathoms OF water.
Seward City. off which the catastrophe
occurred. is only way station on the
highway OF water TO the gates of the
Klondike. 1t is a small mining camp sixty
miles from Juneau. on Lynn canal No
craft but local steamers call there. For
several days before and after the wreck,
on the night of February o, the most vio-
lent weather of Allska's stormiest season
ragged. No small steamer dared 10 venture
out. Huge ships, II caught IN ii, turned
tail 10 the storm and ran for cover behind
the first friendly poin; of land. These are
the reasons why this cruel calamity was
not heard of till nearly five days after
ward. and why particulars have been 20
$40 win coming. In FIVE days any sur
| vivors. cast away on an island, weakened
| by cold and hunger. have in all probahi.-
| i;y died. But it is almost certain that no
| body ever reached land alive.
The night the Clara Nevada was destroy
| ed the most violent gale of the winter
swooped down from the mountains and II
| had been blowing no less hard all or
| Saturday. The captains of all the ships
/ which were out in the storm say that no
vessel could have rode 1t out with any
thing the matter with her machinery.
| The breaking OF rudder chain would
nave meant disaster.
That something became suddenly wrong
! with the Cara Nevada is shown by the
story of the only living witness. who
stood more than five miles away. In the
failure of the searching party to discover
any survivor this story, more In detail.
is still the best evidence Of what hap
pened The general appearance OF the
wreck also supports his statements.
George Back, a wel-known citizen of
Juneau, who Is interested in quartz min
Ing at Seward City. was on the small dock
at that place about o'clock. week ago
Saturday night. He expected the steamer
Coleman and did not want TO run any
chances OF missing her and a business trip
10 Juneau. While looking out to sea. over
toward the shore OF Sullivan island, he
saw a sudden burst OF flames. The tre
leaped into the air, distinctly revealing the
For nearly an hour afterward he saw IN
occasional fame fare up, It seemed to
him, out of the water. This was not
known outside Of Seward City until tho
following Thursday, when the Coleman.
tho storm having subsidized. put IN there
for the mail. and that afternoon the Col
man brought the first news OF It TO Jul
neau MIR Back came down on her. He
said: II think there was an explosion
up from the hole amidships. 1t was a
fash. very bright. and for the moment
saw the black outlines OF the nasts.
think there were shree masts Every 1T
tie while there would be i sputter OF fre.
The whole ship seemed 20 be afre. con-
sidering the distance between the flames.
The blizzard vas furious. never saw It's
| equal on Lynn canal 4 placed some ligais
on the dock 10 guide any boats that may
I rave put off from the ship. though IT dld
not look as though they had time 10
launch any boats. do not think shiVs
boat could have lived in that sea. Ger
/ tainly no swimmers could. unless carried
/ bodily By the bowling blast. watched
about an hour for boats. None came
8
seward City. Next morning there was
/ wreckage on the beach near the wharf
! and Il kepe accommodating each day. The
assortment Of wreckage included anle-
/ cloths. towels pillow cases, chairs. tables
cars. broken plank. skyIghts. parts %
deckhoasss and every thing you could
think az almost. Some Of the wood VAS
painted yellow We looked along ihe
: shore fer bcaies, but saw none"
Burned to the Waters Edge.
The Clara Nevada had rev ard freshly
painted yellow trimmings.
No name was noticed on the oars. linen
or other wrockags. This may be explain
81 By the sacf that the Clara Nevada vas
newly fitted out when ser, away on her
trip north.
Capt. Thornton found the wrecked hulk
over AGAINST Rlari6re point stranded or n