The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-08-23
SANK IN 20 Minutes
Passengers We're Asleep at the
Time Of Disaster
MANY PEOPLE WENT DOWN
FrightfuI Experience of Survivors and
Heartrendine Scenes-The Steamer
Struck a Floating Iceberg While
Running at Full Speed.

Port Townsend, Wash, Aug. 20
The steamer Queen has just arrived
from the north, bringing news of one
of the most appalling marine disasters
on the Pacific coast. The steamer
Islander, sailing from Skagway Aug
IA, when nearing the southwest end Of
Douglas island at a. m. Aug. 10, and
running at full speed, struck float
ing iceberg and in less than 20 min
utes went TO the bottom of the deep
channel, carrying men, women and
children to wateTy 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 berths,
and the widest excitement prevailed.
Word was soon passed that the vessel
was doomed, and a general scramble
for the life boats ensued, many jump
ing overheard and attempting TO swim
TO the shore, the distance being short.
In the scramble to get into the boats
many were hurled headlong into the
chilly water, which, according TO the
passengers arriving from the scene,
seemed alive with human beings. Be-
fore all the passengers had left the
vessel she gave a lunge 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, for
the purser lost his passenger list
A number of passengers OF the
wrecked steamer tell of their thrilling
experiences during the disaster. M
Blumanton of Portland found a satch-
ell with $4,000 worth of KlOndike gold
and rushed upon the deck as the YES
sci was sinking, and Capt. Foote told
him there was no immediate danger
Later there was another rush, and
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 stave a hole through the life
boat and cause the loss of lives Of
those in the boats as we'll jeopardizing
his own chances for safety. When he
dropped the satchel from the deck he
slipped into the water and was hauled
TO the boat thankful to save his life.
One man who had just come from the
NlOnulh0s Ills LdlllV NOulh AOL w
learned, is reported to have taken his
portmanteau from the care of the
purser, Mr.. Bishop, and with the grip
containing dust amounting TO 100000
in value grasped firmly in his hand,
jumped from the sinking steamer into
a boat close by and failing TO reach
the boat he went down with his treas
ure.
Pilot LaBlanc said that many of the
passengers acted badly attempting TO
Jump into the boats before they had
been launched Had it not been for
this crowdihg and rushing he thinks
all would have been saved, with the
possible exception of thise who did not
get out of their state rooms. Among
these were Andrew Heating and his
two sons, Arthur and julius, of Los
Angeles.
N. A. Belcourt, NJ. P, and Gen. G..
Ray of Ottawa, were travelling COM
panions on trip to Dawson. Mr.. Bel
court said the steamer was running
at full speed, and while possibly no
fog had been encountered up to or
Immediately preceding the collision,
a dense fog prevailed when the acct
dent happened.
The case OF Mrs. Ross is peculiar
ly sad one. She left Victoria a short
time ago to join her husband, who was
recently appointed governor of the Yu.
kon territory. 1t is only a few days
since she left her parents In this city
to take up her residence in the Yukon
territory, and letter received few
days ago told of her plans for the fu-
ture She left five of her children in
Dawson, but brought the youngest, an
infant, with her
According to stories told by some
Of the passengers, the proportion Of
the women saved was sman. When the
survivors were brought ashore, some
of them were so numb and disheart-
ened and had so little life left in them
that they begged to be lett alone, or
left to their death.