The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-20

ger vessel of the Canadian Pacific
Navigation Company. 1t was built
at Glasgow and cost over $200,000 The
vesesl arrived at Victoria Dec. 8, 1888,
yer route Since then it has been
engaged in the Vancouver trade, occa-
sionally going to Alaska and the Co
lumbia river
The Islander was twin screw
steamer, 240 feet long, AZ feet beam,
and 14.S hold; possessed great speed;
had accommodations for several hum
dred passengers, and a large freight
capacity.
Passengers and crew of the vessel
who have arrived here agree that the
loss of life by Thursdays disaster in
Lynn canal will amount to sixty-five,
but they admit that there were proba-
bly, five or more stowaways on the
steamer and that the five children,
known to have been on board the
steamer were either drowned or died of
exposure So it is possible that he loss
of life will reach over seventy.
A number of passengers of the
wrecked steamer Islander tell of their
thrilling experiences during the disas-
ter NJ Blumauer of Portland, who
was bringing out a satchel containing
$4,000 in Klondike gold, rushed up to
the upper deck when the boat was set
tling by the head, and Capt. Foote
told him there was little danger. Soon
there was a rush for the boats, and
when he was boarding the lifeboat 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 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
satchel on the deck ne 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
not be learned. is reported to have
taken his portemanteau from the care
of the purser. and with the grip con-
tanning dust amounting to $40, 900 in
value grasped firmly in his hand,
jumped from the sinking steamer to a
boat close by, and failing to 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 doc
tor insisted that no one called at his
room, but that he felt the sudden stop
page, 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 the deck
he got up and told his wife to dress.
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 ventilators and were drowned. DR..
Phillips was also drawn into a venti-
lator, but was caught by the head at
the top and escaped being drawn down
to death. He went down with the
steamer and caught hold of some
wreckage, from which he was after
ward rescued. When resuscitated he
called for his wife and child and the
man brought the body of his little girl
to him. He was left at Juneau, refus-
ing to leave until his wifes body should
be found.
A passenger who arrived by the
Queen, says that on the morning of the
disaster when tide turned, it brought
in a large quantity of wreckage, in
cluding parts of cabin stores. state
rooms, trunks, etc. The Indians looted
the wreckage, smashing trunks and
carrying off valuables.