The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-04-06
STEAMER STELLA WRECKED
Foundered in a Fog Off the
English Coast.
LOSS OF LIFE REACHES 100
Rocks, Near the Island Of AIderney.
and Went Down in Ten Minutes.

Southampton. April 3.-The passen-
ger steamer Stella. plying between this
port and the Channel islands, crashed
upon the dreaded Casquet rocks, near
the island Of Attorney, yesterday after
noon, in dense fog. and foundered in
10 minutes. Her boilers exploded with
a tremendous report az she went down.
The coasting steamer Lynx, which
brought the news of the disaster here.
picked up fonr boats and 40 persons.
1t is estimated that 100 persons were
drowned.
The second officer of the steamer.
who was among the rescued, says a col
lapsible boat WAS launched full of peo-
pie, but he thinks it struck on the
rocks, owing to the fog. Another
steamer has picked up boat contain
ing As persons, including 90 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 1856 passengers on board and
crew numbering 20 men. The
weather was foggy. At 4 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 we're
embarked in the boats. Then the cap
tain ordered the men to look after
themselves.
A survivor stated that he and IS
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 a terrific explosion
and the vessel disappeared stern fore.
most in the sea. The last thing the
survivor saw was the figure of the oap-
tain OF the Stella standing calmly on
the bridge and giving his last instruc-
tions. The survivor referred to said:
THE suction was 30 tremendous that
We thought our boat would be en-
quilted. / saw five boats and the col
lapsible boat besides our own leave the
tween 80 and 100 people. Five of the
boats were soon lost to view, but we
took boat filled 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 a salboat at 8
O'Clock in the morning, but the steam.
er Lynx from Weymouth had mean
while heve 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-
ION, picked up 40 others of the surviv-
RS and landed them at Guernsey.
Up to noon lie passengers have been
unaccounted for.
Later accounts say the Stella had 14O
passengers on board, and that her crew
nun bered AZ persons.
Another steamer OF the same COM
pany which arrived at the island Of
Jersey about noon today reports having
passed many bodies of victims of the
disaster about the Casquet rocks.
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 25 minutes
afterward. Bush further asserts that
two lifeboats were sunk with the
steamer, which after resting on the
rocks for 10 or 10 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.