The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-08-21

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Going at Full Speed and Went to Bot.
tom In 20 MInutes-Passcnger Were
Asleep when Boat Struck.
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash, Aug 20.
The steamer Queen has just arrived
from the north, bringing news of one of
The most appalling marine disasters Oh
the Pacific coast.
The steamer Islander, which sailed
from Skagway, Ang. II, when nearing
the southwest end of Douglass island at
u. M, Aug. II, and running at full
speed, struck floating iceberg and in
l-ss than 20 minutes went to the bot
tom of the deep channel, carrying men,
women and children to watery graves.
The Islander had los passengers and
all were in bed when the vessel struck.
The shock was SO severe that many were
thrown from their beribs and the widest
excitement prevailed. Word was soon
passed that the vessel was doomed and
n general scramble for the lifcboats en-
sued, many jumping overheard and at
tempting to swim ashore, the distance
being short
In the scramble to get into the boats
many were hurled headlong into the
chilly water which, according to pas
sengers arriving from the scene, seemed
alive with human beings. Before all
the passengers had left the vessel she
gave lurch and went down, bow
first.
Ii is known that 81 lives We're lost.
1t will he some time before the names
can be definitely learned as the purser
lost his passenger list.
Passengers and members Of the crew
of the steamer Islander who have ar
rived here agree that the loss Of life by
the disaster will amount 10 90, but they
admit that there were probably five or
more stOwawys on the steamer and that
the five children known to have been
on board were either drowned or died
Of exposure. So it is possible the loss
of life will reach over 30.
Pilots story.
Pilot Leblanc, who had charge Of the
steamer at the time she struck. says:
"1hc night was fine and as we always
expect to meet lee Il sharp lookout was
| kept. About 2:4S a. M, the crash came.
The boat was under full speed and no
| ice was in sight and there was no fog,
but the wind was blowing and II was
dark and cloudy. The fatal berg was,
no doubt, even with the water. After
she struck | stopped the engines, when
Captain Footc appeared with the night
watchman who reported the ship leak
| ing forward.
II told Captain Foote that we had bet
| ter head for the beach, but he demurred
and when he decided to do so the ship
was taking water fast and would not
answer her helm. Then | called the
mate and ordered the boats out. This was
| done and they were loaded with pas
sengers Many passengers jumped over
| board with life preservcrs on. ! jumped
overheard and was in the water two
hours and n quarter before securing a
| piece OF wrcckagc."
The pilot also said that many Of the
men acted badly attempting TO jump
| into the boats before they had been
launched flad it not been for this
crowdng ana rushing he believed all
would have been saved, with the pos
sible exception Of those who did not get
out of their staterooms.
THE crew, on the other hand, be-
haved splendidly and looked to the safety
of the passcngerS. After the boats had
| been launched the crew turned their at
| tention to the RATS but these were also
rushed and after they had been launched
some of the crew had to swim for wreck
age as there were too many ON the
| RATS. He believes the vessel sank in
Is fathoms and that the boiler did not
explode, that the woodwork was carried
away by a rush of water and air.
A number of passengers tell thrilling
stories of their experiences during the
disaster to the Islander
! Left Gold Behind to Save His Life.
A. Brumbauer of Portland, who was
bringing out a satchel which contained
$4,000 in Klondike gold, rushed up to
the upper deck when the boat was set
Ting hy the head. and Captain Foote
told him that there was little danger.
Soon there was rush for the boats and
when he was boarding the life boat he
was afraid to throw his satchel Of gold
from the deck into the boat before slid
ing down into place for fear that the
gold would stove a hole through the
bottom of the lifcboat and thus cause
the loss of the lives of those who were
in the boat as well as losing his own
chances of safety. He concluded to
abandon his gold, and dropping the sat
chel on the deck he slid down into the
water and was hauled to the boat, thank
full to have his life saved though he lost
his gold.
Sas Starten, from Winnepeg, also
dropped a satchel with $1,000 gold in il
/ 4 I'll 4H.. IL
man who had just come out from the
Klondike, whose name could not be
learned, is reported to have taken his
portmanteau from the care of Purser
Bishop and with his grip containing the
dust, amounting in value to $4,000
grasped firmly in his hands jumped from
! the sinking steamer to the boat close 10y
and failing to reach the boat, he went
down with his treasure.
United States Consul \. Il. Smith, who
was a passenger on the steamer Queen
he having been on a holiday trip, saw DIR
Phillips Of Seattle at Juneau. DIR. Phil
lips told him that although he had es
capped with his own life, he had lost his
wife and child. The doctor insisted thai
no one called at his room but he felt tn,
sudden stoppage and says that his wifi
told him to 90 up and see what was th,
cause. lie demurred at first, but hear
ing people moving quickly he got mp anO
bold his wife to dress quickly. WheI
they got out of their room the steamer
was sinking and before they could jumI
) from the steamer, his wife and chill,
were caught in the suction Of one Of thu
| ventiators and were drawn down. DIR
Phillips was also drawn into the yentila
tor, but was caught by his head at III
top and escaped being drawn down L
death. His eye was severely cut 10y tn
a.. ventilator. lie went down with tn