Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-04-06
FOUNDERS IN A FOG
Steamer Stella Wrecked on
the English Coast.
THE LOSS OF LIFE REACHES 12O
The Vessel struck the Dreaded Cssq"s'
Rocks and Went Down in
Ten Minutes.

southampton. April 3.-The passen-
<er steamer Stella, plying between this
port and the Channel islands, crashed
upon the dreaded CasQuet rocks. near
the island Of Alderney, yesterday after.
noon, in dense fog, and foundered in
10 minutes. Her boilers exploded with
a tremendous report as she went down.
The coasting steamer Lynx, which
brought the news Of the disaster here,
picked up four boats and 40 persons.
1t is estimated that 1870 persons were
drowned.
The second officer OF the steamer.
who was among the rescued, says col.
lapsble boat was launched full Of PEG.
ole, but he thinks it struck on the
rocks, owing to the fog. Another
steamer has picked up boat contain
ing As persons, including 20 women
who escaped from the wrecked steamer.
The Stella left Southampton yester-
day conveying the first excursion of the
season to the Channel islands. There
were about 1855 passengers on board and
a crew numbering 25 men. The
weather was foggy. At O'Clock Cas-
quet rock suddenly doomed up through
the fog bank, and the steamer almost
Immediately afterwards struck amid
ships. The captain, seeing the steamer
was fast sinking. ordered the lifeboats
launched. Women and children were
embarked in the boats. Then the cap
tain ordered the men to look after
themselves.
A survivor stated that he and rs
others put of from the steamer in a
small boat. The sea was calm, but
there was big swirl around the rocks.
When this boat was short distance
away from the wreck the boilers OF the
Stella burst with terrific explosion
and the vessel disappeared stern fore
most in the sea. The last thing the
survivor saw was the figure of the cap.
tain OF the Stella standing calmly on
the bridge and giving his last instruc-
tions. The survivor referred to said:
1.-THE suction was 40 tremendous that
We thought our boat would be en-.
quilted. saw FIVE boats and the col.
lapsible boat besides our own leave the
wreck. They contained altogether be.
tween so and 100 people. Five OF the
boats were soon lost to view, but we
took boat filed with women in tow,
and the occupants Of our boat took oars
in turn and rowed all night long until
most Of us dropped asleep. thoroughly
exhausted. We sighted sailboat at 8
O'Clock in the morning, but the steam.
er Lynx from Weymouth had mean.
while hove in sight. She took us all
on board. She eventually landed us at
Guernsey"
The Great Western Railway Com.
pany's steamer Vera, from Southamp-
ton. picked up 40 others of the surviy-
ors and landed them at Guernsey.
Up to noon l2 passengers have been
unaccounted for.
Later accounts say the Stella had l4O
passengers on board, and that her crew
mum bered AZ persons.
Another steamer of the same com.
pany which arrived at the island of
Jersey about noon today repo, is having
passed many bodies of victims of the
disaster about the Casquet rocks.
A survivor Of the disaster named
Bush says the speed of the Stella in
the fog was not diminished. though the
fog whistles were sounded. Bush adds
that at $3.50 P. NJ. the engineer sh owed
him in the engine-room dial register.
ing speed Of 1917 knots. He says
the vessel struck within rs minutes
afterward. Bush further asserts that
two lifeboats were sunk with the
steamer, which after resting on the
rocks for 10 or Is minutes split in two
and disappeared. 1t is thought posi-.
BILE the Partons were the only Ameri.
cans on board, as the list of survivors
does not contain the names of any other
Americans, as far as known. The
second mate was the only officer Of the
Stella who was saved.