The Topeka state journal., 1901-08-19


boats. Meanwhile the passengers
aroused to their peril. appeared on
deck and a. rush was made TO the pur-
ser by those who had given him treas
ure for safe keeping Purser Bishop
handed all out except two bags of $10
600 each which were not claimed and
went down with the vessel. The bow
of the steamer steadily sunk and 20
minutes from the time it struck, the
front deck was under water and the
stern with propeller and rudder were
high in the air and useless.
The captain remained on the bridge
until the last and finally jumped on a
life raft where he stayed a few min
utes, when the steamer dove forward
entirely out OF sight As it did so an
explosion occurred and the captain lost
his hold on the life raft and sank
Considerable difficulty was experience
ed in ascertaining the location of the
shore, though it was only a short dis
tance away. owing to the dense fog
prevailing. Finally Preston, of Seattle
and Dawson, who. with his bride was
on his wedding trip, both of whom
We're saved. in the last boat which left
the wreck heard water trickling down
the rocks and all the boats reached
shore number jumped off the
steamer into the water and We're res
cued therefrOm only to die of exhaus-
tion in the intense cold. Several We're
recovered only after four or five hours
rades."
Among the passengers lost were Mrs.
Governor Ross of Dawson. child and
niece and Dr. John M. Duncan of Vic
toria- The doctor was seen with a life
preSerVer about him. but no one saw
Mrs Ross and it was thought that
Ducan lost his life in a futile attempt
to rescue Mrs. Ross and family Just as
the steamer sank
Chief Engineer Brownlee stated he
IN, fa4a6
and was awakened by his third assist
ant lie also examined the engines,
found nothing wrong there, and thee
went forward saw there was serious
danger, and got boat ready. There
We're only four sean en- among the
crew. He got the boat down and
passed passengers into it. AS the
steamer sank he seized EOld Of a rail-
When he let so he came to the top and
caught a cabin door. As others seized
it he let so, out caught other wreck
age and finally Sot on a raft, on which
he reached shore
All the rescued spoke in high terms
OF the courage and assistance given by
Chief Engineer BrOwnlee ana First
Officer NeurOtsos. who saved several
lives. The intense cold of the water
caused severe cramps among many
who We're on the raft, and resulted III
death from the exposure the bodies
turning black.
4
had $4,000 in gold dust ia his satchcl
but promptly abandoned it. tumbled
into the water. was rescued, and is
thankful.
D. II. Hart. a Klondilze king. had $40
600 in gold dust, which he Abandoned
jumped into the last boat. and reached
shore safely
NJ. NJ. Manlin, Of Winnipeg. dropped
his satchel containing $4,000 and a
portmanteau with $1,000 and escaped
Another KlOndiker, whose name is not
given. is reported to have taken his
portmanteau containing 100000 in gold
dust from the purser, and Jun ped from
the sinking steamer to boat Whicn
he failed to reach, and both man and
treasure sank
At Juneau Consul Smith saw DR..
Phillips, of Seattle. who escaped but
who lost his wife and child. The doc
tor insisted no one called at his state
room He felt the shock, and says his
wife told him to get up and see what
the trouble was. He demurred at first
but when he heard movements decided
to do So and told his wife to dress
quickly. They all got out as soon as
they could by breaking open the door
AS they got On deck the steamer was
sinking Before they could jump off
they were caught in the suction and
carried to the shaft. His wife and child
We're drowned. He himself was caught
but his head struck. cutting his eye Sc
verely, and preventing him from going
down the shaft. He went down with
the steamer, caught hold of some
Wreckage, was helped on shore and
resuscitated. He called for his wife
and child. and soon his little girls body
was brought to hi1H- He said he would
not leave Juneau until he recovered his
wife's body.
Pilot LaBionde. who had charge Of
the steam er at the time she struck
says:
.'The night was fine. and as we al
ways expect to meet ice a sharp look
crash came. The boat was under full
speed and no ice was in sight. and
there was no fog The fatal berg was
no doubt even with the water. After
she struck I stopped the engines; then
the captain appeared with the night
watchman. who reported the ship leak
ing forward I told Captain F'oote that
we had better head for the beach but
would not answer her helm. Then I
called the mate and ordered the boats
out This was done, and they were
loaded with passengers. Many pas
sengers jumped overheard with life
preservers on I jumped overheard
and was in the water two hours and
a quarter before securing a piece of
wrecka ge."
Z. NJ Green. of Vancouver. was
awakened by the steward. and got on
a life raft with about a dozen others
They showed clear about Il feet, when
they heard a noise like a slight explO-
sion. He does not think the boilers
exploded, for there was not enough
wreckage in sight The raft drifted
toward the stern of the ship about 25
feet. when the stern was lifted high
in the air fully % feet and the ship
slid forward and went down bow fore
most This movement Of the ship kept
the raft from being dragged down with
the suction of the sinking vessel The
raft was very deep in the water. and
kept sinking. They were in the water
about two hours. when a boat came
out and took them ashore.
The Islander was the largest pas
senger vessel of the Canadian Pacific
Navigation company. She was built at
Glasgow at a. cost OF over $500. 600, and
arrived at Victoria December 9. 1888.