Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-09

-. 10
San Francisco. Cal, Jan. 4.--The
collision at sea early Thursday NOM
ing between the steamship Walla Wala
and an unknown sailin.. vessel resulted
IN the sinking OF the steamship and the
probable luss Of at least - lives. TIE
Wa!la Wslla, owned by the Pacific
Coast Steamship Co., sal frcm San
Francisco January let for Puget Sound
ports. She carried 81 first class passen
gers, 20 second class and crew OF 80
men, When of Cape Mendocino, on
the California coast, of 4. 10 O'Clock
Thursday morning, an iron bark, be.
lieyed to be French, doomed up 10 the
haze and crashed into the Walla Walla s
bow. Then the sailing vessel slid off
into the darkness and was seen no inore.
All the passengers and crew OF the
Walla Walia except the few on watch
were asleep. The storage quarters were
in the bow, and it is believed that
come of the steerage passengers and
crew were crushed to death, A big hole
was inade in the steamer s bow, and she
sank in 80 minutes. The officers and
crew maintained strict discipline, and
boats and life RATS we're lowered.
All who were not killed in the col
lisiun got off. except Capt. Hall, who
went down with his ship. lie was
picked up la or by one Of the beats,
uEinjured, with the exception of a
few bruises.
A choPfy sea was running, and the
small boats could not make a landing
on the shore, few miles. distant. They
drifted about al day, and finally G5
reop.e we're picked up by the steamer
Dispatch, which took them to Eureka
Anulhsr boat, under command of Engi.
neer Brown, aud containing l3 passen-
gers attempted to land at Trinidad and
was swamped. John Wilkinson, quarter
master, William Martel, fireman, L.
Drube, passenger, and three unknown
men were drowned. Those in the boat
who were saved were Engineer Brown,
Fireman John Mcclellan, CoalFasser
William Shinn, Sailor O'l.eary, Chief
Cook Marshall and Passengers William
u. Smith and William Moorehnuse.
When the dispatch reached Eureka
yesterday with the survivors, tugs were
irnmediately sent out for the miss ing
boats. The tug Ranger picked up one
containing IL passengers and three Of
the crew.
The Walla Walla was valued at about
$780,, 600. She was formerly used as a
converted into passenger vessel, at
cost of Sl75,000 The vessel was i'm
sured for about 5000, COO. She was an
iron screw steamer, and was built by
John Roach II Sons in 1881. Her not
tonnage was 2, 1853, and her rating was
No. |. Her length was 80 feet, breadth
40 feet 6 inches, and depth - feet ,
inches.
CAPT, HALLS STORY.
Eureka, CAL, Jan. I.--Capt. A. L.
Hal, master OF the wrecked steamship,
gives graphic account Of the disaster.
he says:
I'VE left San Francisco Wednesday.
being bound for Victoria and Puget
Sound. . he weather thickened as the
night advanced, and Thursday morn
ing a heavy fog, accompanied by a
ght rain, sat in About "A. 10 n. m.
was suddenly awakened by an awful
crash on the Fort side, we'll forward.
SecoDo Officer Luke was on watch al
the time. The housing, especially iu
the vicinity Of my cabin, was badly
rhatrered, the main force of the col
lision stiiking her Just forward of my
stateroom My bunk was struck anc
thrown ACCESS the room GU my table.
After the crash the vessel, which.
think, was a French bark, Judging from
the Language used by her sailors, re
l'oundeu ana CROPPED alongside. callet
to her TO stand by. She driited away
and was lost to view. | could not tel
how badly she was injured, but | d.
not imagine she was severely hurt, al
he struck US bow on, aud, though he
forward rigging must have been broken
it Is, not likely her hull suffered ma
terially.
Those Of the passengers who hat
not been awakened by the CRASH wer
aroused at once. The vessel began i
fill Immediately, and she sank in 8
minutes. There was no confusion OF
board. The officer, and crew kent tn
passengers from bee oming panicstricken
The crew was Immediately ordered t
man the lifeDoats and RATS, and al
effort was made to dave the baggage
This was given up, however, the vesse
filling at such an a arming rate that n
Thought was given but for the safety g
the passengers. l gave orders to bav
the port boilers blown out, 1t bein
necessary to give the vessel list t
keep the Gaping hole in her side on
of the water.
In q few momets all the lifeboat
and RATS were out with the exception
two, which were smashed One of thes
boats contained nine or 10 passengers
III we're thrown into the water, BIT
Saanged to board liferaft. which ha
been launched few minutes previousl,
The second boat was smashed by stril
ing heavy object in the water, br
also the passengers were rescued b
another liferaft. We had about Go fir
and second class passengers on boar
L. Ill
knowledge of the approach of the yess
striking us, the weather being so thiC
she was not seen until We had bet
struck. 1t was very dark at the tim
and the uncertain light intsrferred,
q grsat extent, with the rescue of ii
passengers. | remained on board, a
sistIng them In every way possible.
vent down with the ship. After | hi
been down, don t know low long, ii
social hall deck broke off and | floatt
10 the surface with 1T. Sighting lit
raft, ! commenced swimming, and su
ceeded 10 reaching it after hard stru
gle. aud was pulled on board by ii
three occupants, We Aoated hba
pearly all day, and early in the eve
ing wers picked up lew miles to II
north Of the wreck by the steamer hi
patch, which was proceeding to Sesttl
When the Wal'a Walla went dow
] was struck by heavy spar and bad
bruised This, with the exposure, l.
me in very weakened c0ndit on.
fact, We were all more OF less MI y
out when Capt johnson took US aboa
the Dispatch. Ffom the information
have concerning the rescue OF I
passengers and crew, am not able
state how large the death list will /
but in my opinion 1t will not be Ii