The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-05
TIE CAPTAINS STATEMENT.
The Death List May Possibly Reach Forty or
Fifty, He Says.
By the Associated Press.)

Eureka, Cal, Jan. 3.-Capt A L, Hall,
graphic account Of the disaster. He
says:
"We left San Francisco Wednesday,
being bound for Victoria and Puget
Sound. The weather thickened as the
night advanced, and Thursday morning
a heavy fog, accompanied by light
rain, set in. About 4 10 a. m. / was sud-
denly awakened by an awful crash on
the port side. well forward. Second Of
ficer Luke was on the watch at the time.
The housing, especially in the vicinity
of my cabin, was badly shattered, the
main force of the collision striking her
just forward Of my state room. My
bunk was struck and thrown across the
room on my table.
After the crash the vessel, which |
think was a French bark, judging from
the language used by her sailors, re-
bounded and groped ALONGSIDE. / called
upon her to stand by. She drifted away
and was lost to view. 1 could not tell
how badly she was injured. But l do
not imagine she was severely hurt, as
she struck us bow on, and though her
forward rigging might have been
broken, it is not likely her hull suffered
/ materially
"Those of the passengers who had not
| been awakened by the crash We're
! aroused at once. The vessel began to
fill Immediately and she sank in thirty
| five minutes. There was no confusion
on board. The officers and crew kept
the passengers from becoming panic
| stricken.
THE crew was Immediately ordered
| to man the life boats and RATS and an
! effort was made to save the baggage.
This was given up, however, the vessel
filing al such an alarming rate that no
thought was given but for the safety Of
the passengers. I gave orders to have
the port boilers blown out, it being
necessary to give the vessel a list to
keep the gaping hole in her side from
/ the water.
In few moments all the life boats
and RATS were out With the exception
OF two, which were smashed. One OF
these boats contained nine or ten passen-
gers. All We're thrown into the water,
but MANAGED 10 board a life raft, which
had been launched few minutes pre-
viously. The second boat was smashed
by striking a heavy object in the water
/ but all the passengers were rescued by
another life raft.
! we had about sixty-five first and
| second class passengers on board and
one hundred and sixty souls all told. We
had no knowledge Of the approach of
! the vessel striking us, the weather be-
/ ing so thick she was not seen until we
/ had been struck. 1t was very dark at
the time and the uncertain light inter-
! fered to a great extent with the rescue
| of the passengers. 1 remained on board
assisting them in every way possible
l went down with the ship.
After / had been down, don't know
| how long. the social hall deck broke Off
and / floated to the surface with it
( Sighting a life raft l commenced swim
ming. and Succeeded in reaching it af-
ter hard struggle and was pulled or
board by the three occupants. We
| iloated about nearly all day.
From the information | have con-
cerning the rescue of the passengers and
crew. | am not able to state how large
the death list will be, but in any opinion
/ it will not be less than twenty and pos
sibly may reach forty or fifty. A num-
/ Der were injured by the falling timbers
! It is almost certain a number of the
steerage passengers perished in this
manner"