Douglas Island news., 1901-08-21
THE ISLANDER WRECK.


all absorbing topic of conversation. So
many different tales are told that it is
entirely out of the question to find the
exact truth.
However, we consider it just and
right that Capt. Foote, who lost his life
on that occasion, be given the benefit
of the doubt and deemed innocent I'M
til proven guilty of the terrible crime
of drunkenness while on duty.
1t is of course natural that those
whose relatives and friends went down
to their death on that ill-fated ship
should barber feeling of resentment,
They are to be pitied more than blamed.
for the trial is to them indeed sore
one.
There are several things connected
with that terrible calamity that would
seem to indicate that all was not we'll,
The Islander was not more than half a
mile from the shore of Douglas Island
when she struck. The regular steam
boat course is fully two miles out.
Many of the passengers aver that she
struck rock and not an iceberg, as at
first reported. Again it is stated that
after the shock the ship was steered to-
ward the sea and not toward the beach.
The theory OF the explosion of the
boilers is perhaps false one. Scientl-
fic engineers state that it was practical
" impossible, and that the explosion
was simply the pressure of the air in
the hold, compressed by the inrushing
water, which lifted the decks with
force equal to charge of dynamite.
The story of the robbing of the dead
from the islander is probably fake. a
man mean enough to steal pocket
knife from a corpse would not overlook
a poke containing so ounces of gold
dust.
Among the passengers on the Island
er was a man who had just come out
from the Klondike, and carried satch-
ell containing $1,000, worth of gold dust.
This be chung to persistently, carrying
it to the table with him at meal time
and back to his stateroom when he re-
tired. When the ship was sinking he
was told to cast aside his little fortune
and secure life preserver, but he hung
to his satchel, and when the final
plunge came he went down into the
cold waters still gripping his treasure.
But it cost him dearly; he never came
to the surface.
The so-called life preservers on the
steamer Islander were about as poor
makeshift as it was ever our privilege
TO behold.
When the shipwrecked passengers
and crew from the Islander were
brought to Juneau every attention was
given them, that their wants might be
supplied.
A number of peculiar souvenirs were
brought up from the Islander wreck.
One is a small sign that reads: mo
passengers allowed on the bridge"
Chas. Fox, Jno. McWilliams, August
Fiel and Steve Kane made trip to the
scene of the Islander wreck, Thursday.
They found the body of woman float
ing near the shore. She was lying on
the beach face downward, with her
hands grasping the rocks. Life was ex-
tinct. She was taken to Juneau on the
Lucy.
The members of the islanders crew
who were drowned and whose bodies
have been recovered: Capt. I'll. B. Foote,
Miles Jacobs, waiter; Hugh Porter, coal
passers; Paddy Burke, oiler; Alfred
Kendall, night watchman; S. j. Pitts
(colored) chief cook; Chinese mess boy.
The members of the Islanders crew
who were drowned and whose bodies
have not been recovered are: George
Allan, 3rd engineer; Fl. Smith, End
steward; Norman Law, waiter; George
Buckholder, oiler; James Hatch, fire
man; James Baird, asst. pantryman;
George Miles, barber; coal passer (name
unknown); Chinese mess boy, (name
unknown.
The passengers of the Islander lost
whose bodies have been found, are;
Joseph Dahl, Circle City; DR.. j. A
Duncan, Victoria; A. w. Jerry, Eagle
City; Mrs. Gov. Ross and child, Daw.
- noro4b,, LIMO pb;llins Seattle