Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-08-28
SCORES LOST AT SEA.
STEAMER ISLANDER STRIKES AN
ICEBERG AND SINKS
Boilers of Ship Explode as She Goes
Down, killing Many Who Might
Have Escaped OFF Douglas

The steamer Islander, the flagship of
II Canadian Pacific Navigation fleet
and the largest and fastest passenger
steamer on the Victoria Skagway route,
collided with an iceberg off Douglas ISL
and, Alaska, while on her way south
with the largest number Of passengers
that she has carried since she was re-
placed on the run few months ago, ant
sunk within fifteen minutes
Capt. Foote. her MASTER and about
sixty-fve persons, including passengers
and members of Il crew, were drowned
To add to the horror Of the terrible dis
aster, her boilers exploded as she went
down, causing die leath of many OF
those who wee struggling in the water
The survivors tell frightful stories OF
the panic that prevailed upon the ship
after she struck the iceberg. Nearly all
the passengers were asleep at the time
Many of them rushed frantically to the
decks when they were aroused by the
shock. A struggle for life preserYers
followed, in which a number of the voy
ayers were injured. Enough buoys were
distributed, however, to save the lives of
many who otherwise would have been
lost.
Among the lost are Mrs. Ross, the wife
Of the governor Of Yukon Territory, her
child and niece.
Tlere was S275,0o0 in gold on the
steamer, 100000 of which was carried
by passengers. III. I'll. Hart, who has
spent sixteen years in the klondike, lost
$50, 900 In dust.
United States Consul Smith, Of Veto
ria, cleaned the following story of the
| wreck from the survivors:
'"rhe Islander left Skagway for Ficto-
ria with 10 passengers and crew of
sixty-one men ON board and ten or twelve
| stowaways All went well, the steamer
making her usual record of fifteen knots
an hour until juneau was passed and the
| south end of Douglas Island was reach
ed. Then suddenly the steamer encoun'
tered an obstruction. said TO hlve been
| an iceberg. and stopped with jerk
which aroused many of the sleeping pas
| sengers. AS soon as the vessel struck
water rushed in forward in great vol
umes, and the pilot advised that the yes
| sci be run on the beach not over half a
| mile distant, at once. To this the cap
| tain objected, aging the beach YVES too
abrupt. He thought there was no i'm.
mediate danger, but would run a few
miles farther down whore he knew there
| was a good landing.
| meanwhile the passengers, aroused TO
| their peril, appeared on deck and rush
vas made to the purser, who had been
| given treasures for safekeeping. Purser
| Bishop handed all out except two bags
| of $4,000 cash. which were not claimed,
| and went down with the vessel. The
| bow OF the steamer steadily suak and
| twenty minutes from the time 1t struck
the front deciy was under water and the
stem, with propeller and rudder were
| high in the an and useless.
| 1.-THE captain remained Oh the bridge
| until the last and finally jumped IN Il
| life raft where he stayed few minutes,
| when the steamer dove forward entirely
out Of sight. As 1t did SO an explosion
| occurred, and the captain lost ais hold
on the life raft and sank.
Considerable difficulty was expert.
cnced In ascertaining the location OF the
shore, though it was only a short dis
lance sway, owing 10 the dense fog pre-
vailing. Finally Mr. Preston, Of Seattle
and Dawson, who with his bride was on
his wedding trip, both Of whom were
| saved in the last boat which left the
wreck heard water trickling down the
rocks, and all the boats reached sh 1re.
| A number jumped oE the steamer into
| the water and were rescued therefrom
! only to die Of exhaustion from the in
| Tense cold