The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1901-08-23

snort. In the scramble 10 ger INTO tne
boats many were hurled headlong into the
chilly water, which, according to pf.'en-
gers arriving from the scene, seemed alive
with human beings. Before all the pas
sengers had left the vessel she gave a
luhge and went down bow first.
1t is known that 81 lives were lost. 1t
will be some time before their names can
be definitely learned, as the purser lost
his passenger list.
A number of passengers Of the wrecked
steamer Islander tell of their thrilling ex
periences during the disaster. VI. Blu
mauer Of Portland, who was bringing out
a satchel containing $4,000 in Klondike
gold, rushed up to the upper deck when
the boat was settling by the head, and
Captain Foote told him there was little
danger. Soon there was a rush for the
boats. and when he was boarding the life
boat he was afraid to throw his satchel
of gold down from the deck into the boat
for fear that the weight of the gold would
staye a hole through the lifeboat and thus
cause the loss of the lives of those in the
boats as well as losing his own chances
of safety. He concluded to abandon his
gold, and, dropping the satchcl on the
deck, he slid down into the water and
was hauled to the boat, thankful to save
his life. One man who had just come out
from the Klondike and whose name could
rot be learned is reported to have taken
his portmanteau from the care OF the
pCrser, Mr.. Bishop, and, with the grip
containing dust amounting to 100000 in
value grasped firmly in his hand. jumped
from the sinking steamer to boat close
by: but, failing 10 reach the boat, he
went down with his treasure
United States Consul A. J. Smith. who
was a passenger on the steamer Queen,
saw DR.. Phillips of Seattle at Juneau.
DIR. Phillips told him that he had lost his
wife and child. The doctor insisted that
no one called at his room, but he felt the
sudden stoppagc and says his wife told
him to get up and see what the cause of
the stoppage was. He demurred at first,
but hearing people moving on deck he got
up and told his wife to dress Immediately
When they got from their room, the
steamer was sinking, and before they
could jump from the deck his wife and
child were caught in the suction of the
ventiators and were drowned.
DIR. Phillips was also drawn into ven
tilator, but was caught 10y the head at
the top and escaped being drawn down
to death. He went down with the steam
or and caught hold OF some wreckage,
from which he was afterward rescued.
When resuscitated, he called for his wife
and child, and a man brought the body
of his little girl to him.
y. A. Belcourt of Ottawa and George
Ray of Ottawa were asleep when the ac
cident happened. Being unable to open
their stateroom door, they broke out
through the window and jumped from the
upper deck into the lifeboat.
The death OF Captain Foote was very
pathetic. He remained on the bridge
until the steamer was laundering When
the vessel commenced to sink and il was
seen that no expedient could avail, the
captain, it is said, Jumped into the life
raft, which was already taxed. Realizing
that his weight would work havoc there,
he exclaimed, II see there are too many
here, so goodby, boys!" and swan away.
He was shortly afterward seen to sink.
Chief Engineer Brownlee had a mirac-
ulous escape. He was asleep and was
awakened by Third Engineer Allen
ringing his bell. He ran to the engine
room. There two iremen died like heroes
soon after he arrived. They were or
dered to close the top wheel and shut
off the water, which was rushing from
the forward part of the vessel.
They tried to do so and were drowned.
Brownlee went down with the steamer
and was standing on the upper deck
holding the top rail when the steamer
slid down by the head. He rose from
the whirlpool and grasped some wreck
age DIR. Phillips of Seattle came up
after him, and together they chung to the
wreckage until they were picked up.
Pilot La Blanc said many of the pas
sengers acted badly, attempting to jump
into the boats before they had been
launched. Had it not been for this
crowding and rushing he thinks all
would have been saved with the possible
exception of those who did not get out
Of their staterooms. Among these were
Andrew Heating and his two sons, Ar
thur and Julius, OF Los Angeles. The
crew, on the other hand, behaved splen-
didly and looked to the safety Of the pas
sengers. After the boats had been
launched some of the crew had to swim
for wreckage, as there was too many
On the RATS. He believes the vessel sank
in % fathoms and that the boiler did not
explode but that the woodwork was car
ried away by a rush OF water and air.
He says AZ persons were drowned.
CONDENSED DISPATCHES.
and TerseIy Told.