Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-02-02
ALL WERE SAVED.
Two Hundred and FOrty-seVen
Passengers Safely Land e&
on Lewis Island.

San Francisco, Cal, Jan. 29>-E'urther
particulars have been received of the
wreck of the Pacific Coast Steamship
company's steamer Corona on a reef at
the southeast point Gf Lewis ISLAND, 4S0
miles north az Victoria, B. c., and oppo-
site the mouth of the SkeeEa river, on
Sunday, january -.
The Corona hailed from Seattle with
247 passengers fer juneau, Dyea and
Skaguay on Thursday, January 20. She
carried q cargo of 100 tons, together with
ten horses and thirty-eight dogs. This
was 20 lrare been her final Alaskan trip,
as she WIS to return to the San Francisco
and San Diego run and be replaced by
the Queen.
AIT 500 O'Clock Sunday morning, when
$50 miles from Victoria, in what is
known as Arthur passage, the steamer
suddenly crashed upon the reef. The
FIRST shock was followed by several lesser
ones as the vessels Roadway ground her
further upon the rocks.
Passengers We're Ready for Breakfast.
Most of the passengers were up
awaiting the breakfast call, but scene
of understandable confusion followed the
rocking of the ship when her engines
We're reversed in an effort to get her Off
the rocks. When she finally settled down
the Officers and crew succeeded III calm
ing the panic-stricken passengers and
Capt. T2earce at once ordered the boats
lowered and the pumps to be worked.
AS soon as 1t was aScertained that the
vessel was taking in water Capt. Pearce
ordered the women and children into the
boats and at 9 80 a. M, the first boat,
IN charge of Second Officer Marshall,
put off for the nearest land, Lewis isl
and. Seven boats were manned and the
passengers were all landed on two trips
without accident. The hand baggage and
that in the forward hold was then trans
feTTed and the dogs and horses saved
Mattresses and BLANKETS from the cabin
staiterooms were also landed for the ac-
commodation of the shipWrecked pas
sengers.
At 8 O'clock the Corona had settled so
Tar that the fires under the main boilers
were eXtinguished Later Capt. Pearce
ordered Purser Ballintyne to take the mail
ashore, and at 11:15 the captain ordered
the rest of the crew ashore, and followed
himself Twenty minutes later the
steamer sank, stern foremost with her
bow hanging to the rock upon which she
struck. About 80 D. M. the tug Golden
Gate, with a barge in tow passed and
answered the signal of distress The sea
being too heavy to admit of her parting
with her tow, she proceeded and returned
next morning, when Capt. Pearce dis
patched her to Mary island with the news
of the wreck.
Storm Adds to Suffering
A severe storm which struck the camp
added to the sufferings of the hapless pas
sengers huddled upon Lewis island, which
continued until Wednesday morning. On
Wednesday night at o:05 the steamer
Danube was sighted and answered the
signal fared from the point and Capt
Pearce boarded a canoe manned by ST.
washes from an adjacent island. Upon
her return he conveyed the glad news that
the steamers Alki and Elder were close
behind the Danube and would receive
them, the Danube proceeding on her way
south with the news of the disaster. 1t
was supposed that one of the two vessels
would turn back to Fort Wrangle with
such passengers as desired to proceed
north while the other would bring the re-
mainder to Seattle.