Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-22
She is Wrecked While in Col
lision With an Iceberg.
SlxTy-FIVE LIVES ARE LOST
A Large Quantity of Gold Dust
is Abandoned.


III ioeDbrB VII l'ouBlhS lslbnu, AIhSkh,
at 2 o'clock last Thursday morning,
while on her way south. with the
largest number of passengers that she
las carried since she was replaced on
the run, n few months ago, and sank
within Is minutes after striking. Capt.
Foote her master, and about 60 others,
including passengers and members OF
the crew, were drowned To add to the
horror of the disaster, her boilers OK
ploded as chs went down, causing the
death of many of those who were strug-
CLING in the water.
The steamer left Skagway in the oven.
ing of Wednesday last, and was proceed
Ing out of Lynn Canal when the colli-
sion occurred. Most of the passengers
aud the members of the crew who were
10 bed we're awakened by the shock
The majority got out on deck 10 time
to be saved in the boats, which were
quickly manned, but large number
went down in their state rooms
Some of the survivors arrived hero
last evening, by the steamer which
passed the scene of the disaster the fol-
lowing evening and picked them up at
juneau, to which place they had been
taken. The news came as terrible
blow to the citizens of Victoria, many
~ Nao pcibS Windy hhoMh nbd
.havIng families in this city. 1t is i'm
possible at present TO obtain a complete
dist of the dead, as Puiser Bishop re-
manned at juneau to attend TO the for
warding of the passengers and kept the
ships papers with him. He cent a
letter to MIR. Vincent, secretary OF the
COMPANY, but gave but few names Of
those who had been lost and no details
Of the wreck. The officers and passen-
gels who came down were unable to
give complete list. All estimate the
loss of life at about 65, and give the
greatest praise to the officers for the
manner 10 which they acted under the
trying circumstances. The officers, on
the other hand. state that, had not the
passengers rushed the boats, the loss Of
life would have been small.
The survivors were landed on Douglas
Island, and the mate was sent to
Juneau for help. The steamers Flossie
and Lucy responded. taking the suryiv-
ors to Juneau. small amount of the
gold on board was saved. The City
Council Of Juneau promptly secured
Deoker's Hall, which was hastily con-
yerted into a lunch room and resting
place, where the survivors could warm
mp with hot coffee and suitable food.
All other assistance possible was ex-
tended to the survivors,.
United States Consul Smith OF Vic.
forta, who was passenger on the
Queen from Juneau to Victoria, cleaned
the following story of the wreck from
among 40 survivors who were passen-
gers or the Queen 1.-THE Islander left
Skagway for Victoria Wednesday even.
ina. August 18th, 6 o'clock. with 1875
passengers, u crew Of 81 men and 10 or
70 stogaways on board. All went we'll,
the steamer making her usual record of
10 knots an hour until 2 o'clock
Thursday morning, when juneau was
passed and the south end of Douglas
Island was reached Then, the steamer
encountered an obstruction, said to
have been an iceberg, and stopped with
jerk, which aroused many of the
seeping passengers. Capt. Foote was
having breakfast, and the pilot notified
him Of the trouble, When the vessel
struck, water dashed in forward in
( Rreat volumes, aud the pilot advised
that the vessel be run on the beach, not
over half mile distant, at once. To this
the captain objected, saying the hea
was too abrupt. He thought there was
no immediate danger, but would run a
dew miles further down, where be knew
there was good landing. The captain
assured several passengers there was no
kmmediate danger, aud said they could
go back to bed, and sent the first officer
down to examine That officer reported
I'll ere was great danger, and urged that
the vessel be beaohed at once. The
first officer ordered the beats let down,
z but this order was countermanded by
q the captain, who, however, finally
realized the seriousness of the situation
and allowed the first officer to get down
the boats. Meanwhile. the passengers,
4 aroused to their peril, appeared on
d deck, and ruHh was made to the
n purser, who had been given much
treasure for safe keeping. Purser Bishop
handed all out except two bags OF
SIC, 600 each, which were not claimed
& add vent down with tho vessel. The
ow " the steamer steadily sank, and
70 minutes later the propeller and rud-
A ser were high in the air and useless.
The captain remained on the bridge
until the last, and finally jumped on a
life raft. When the steamer vent
under, an explosion occurred. The
captain lost his hold on the raft, and
went under. Owing to dense fog,
much difficulty was experienced in
After time, water was heard tricklIng
down the rocks, and all the boals
reached shore. Many persons who
jumped off the steamer were rescued
only to die from exhaustion and the
n Intense cold Several persons recovered
consciousness only after four or five
hours hard work by their comrades. ="
Among the passengers were the wife
of Gov. Ross OF Dawson, her child and
her niece and DIR. John M. Duncan oil
Il Victoria. The doctor was seen with a
81 life preserver about him, but no one
saw Mrs. Ross, and it was thought that
M DR.. Duncan lost his life in futile at
"a tempt to rescue Mrs. Ross and her
child Just as tbs steamer sank.
~ All the rescued speak in high terms
m Of the courage OF Chief Engineer
Brownless and First Officer Neurotzes,
4 who saved several lives. The intense
& cold OF tue water caused severe cramps
among many who were on liferafts, anc
resulted in death from the exposure.
The bodies of those dying in this manner
turned black.
M. NJ. brumbauer of Portland hao
Sl4,00 in gold dust in his satcheI, hui
promptly abandoned IL and was rescued
D. II. Hart o. KIondike had $40, COO il
gold dust, which he abandoned wher
he jumped into the last boat, anc
reached shore safely. M. M. Manlin O
Winnipeg dropped her satchel, contain
ing $4,000, and a friend left So, O0(
behind. Another Klondiker, who's,
name is not given, is reported to hav,
a taken his portmanteau, containing
a $40, 100 IN gold DUST from the pursel