The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-04
TWENTY LIVES
CLAIMED BY SEA
Steamship Goes Down on
California Coast.
PASSENGERS ASLEEP
Iron Bark Loomed Up aid Crashed
Into the Vessel.
OFFICERS BRAVE AND COOL
Strict Discipline Was Maintsined and All
That the Boats Would Hold We're Low
cred from the Ship Panic Reisned
Among Others, and Many
Lespsd oyerbosrd-cap-
tain Picked Up.
Iron Bark Loomed Up aid Crashed
Into the Vessel.
OFFICERS BRAVE AND COOL
Or Associated Prcss.)

Dy Associated Prcsso
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. IA collision
st sea early Thusrday morning between
the steamship walla walla and an un-
known sailing vessel resulted in the sink
ing OF the steamship and the probable
loss Of at least twenty lives.
The Walla Walla, owned by the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company, sailed from
San Francisco January 1st for Puget
Sound ports. She carried thirty-siS first-
class passengers, twenty-eight second
class and a crew of eighty men. "hen
of Cape Mendocino. on the California
coast, at 4Ie o'clock Thursday morning,
an iron bark, believed to be French,
loorned uT1 in the haze and crashed into
the Walla Wallas bow. Then the sailing
vessel slid off into the darkness and was
seen no more. All the passengers and
crew OF the Walla Walla, except the few
on watch. were asleep, but were aroused
by the crash. The steerage quarters were
in the bow, and it is believed that some
OF the steerage passengers and crew We're
crushed to death a big hole was made
fn the steamers bow, and she sank IN
thirty-tive minutes.
STRICT DISCIPLINE.
The officers and crew maintained strict
discipline and boats and life rats were
lowered All who were not killed IN 1ne
collision got off, except Captain Hall, who
went down with his ship he was Tlekeo
up later by one of the boats, unlnlured'
with the exception of a few bruises
choSpy sea was running aTld She
email boats could not make a sanniTg
on the shore. few miles distant Ihey
drifted about all day, and finally sixty
five people were picked up by the steamer
Uispatch which took them to Eurehd'
Another boat under command Oh Ehst-
neer Brown. and containing thirteen per-
.o,e at+ernpted TO land at Trinidad and
was swamped John Wilkinson. quarter
master William Nartel, fireman; l.
6frlbe passenger, and three unknown
men were drowned. Those in the boat
who were saved were Engineer brown.
Brireman John Mcclellan, Coalpasser
William Shinn, Sailor OLeary, Ehief Cooih
Marshall and passengers WilliaH ID
Smith and William Moorehonse
When the Dispatch reached Eureka inns
,rorninr with the survivors. tugs We're
snmedIately sent out for missing boats.
rrhe tug Ranger picked up one contalllils
eleven passengers and three OF tne crew.
THO WalIa WalIa was valued at ABOUT
500 GOO. She was formerly USED as " tol--
ijer. and about ten>Y years ago vas -.
,erted into a passenger Tessel az d 80 es..
of s175 900. The vessel was insured lo'
about 5000 900.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT.
c-or,a T9aise of San Francisco. a men,
ser of the crew, gave the ioiioWihs aS
sount of the disaster: so,
..J+ Vas 4:lo when the French vessel
bit the Walla Walla in the bow. AN VIZ
tsleep The weather was cieal, ..Le eeI
s.as rollins, high. All We're pahic-stilc .s
s,na Messengers all rushed out OF their
sta.atroo,rs and the deck was CROWDED.
Sa,t.;r, Hall went Gown into the steerase
,nd found family Of seven l;-stelleo eS'
into a room by the force OF the sfoch
iamming the door. Two girls OF '"eiss
Ind fourteen years were pinioned sbeneati
sI,a,, Iir,,be- The girls were released
md the family assisted out OF tnelr
str+bs The CAPTAIN said the vessel would
link and all hurriedly prepared 10 lea.e'
..Tife-boats and RATS We're lowered; Hle-
preserves were put on ana the lH.sseiitseI ,
lowered TO the boats. The coiiisleil hap- nay
pened at $40 and the Vessei oiu @ no. 80
,ntil 4:a5, giving the crew ana p'tsseii-
rars thirty-five minutes TO leave ..'e
steamer. SiSty-three We're lowered, the
Sfe-saving boats then being fliied.
PANIC RElGNED.
..Panic reigned among the remaining
passengers; women scfeaflieo ,,,a aiiu ..,ss'
sSd boys hurriedly jumped overheard.
seyeral did not leave until the Tessel pc,
s.n IN sink. The officers We're cool ana
solIecied doing everything possible 70
,avn the passengers. Nc. one KNOWS tA-
,ctIv how and why the collslon oc-
.urred, excepting the second oiticei, attu
hc.is missing Immediately after ihe col
sia,, tho french vessel withdrew and ap-
ssra,,tI,, made no effort 10 render assist
tnce.
we were drifting here and there. siS-
,I-three in the life-boats and rats, ter
tour or five hours, continued Mr.. heise.
sThe boatI was in hac twelve SURVIVORS,
Including two ladies. a laos sa,s 49, ..e
ted shirt to signal the steamer Dispatcii.
NE were recognized and soon rescued.
rhe officers, learning Of the wreck.
tearched for others. She had aboard
iIsty-tfree passengers. The Dispatch
eas bound from San Francisco TO Seattle,
pat pulled into this port 10 iana ,ne sgs. ,s.
sued messengers. Captain Hall. with the
s-s, noate was saved. the remaining Off
1ers being lost.
BoII,ERs EXPLODED.
.T-he Walla Walla was partly SUBJ
,erpedy both boilers exploding and send
inE picccs of the vessel in every direcuon.
RE ting boat Bauhner arrived at 10 A.
.s,,S fonrtee, passengers. picked up
t,o,r the coast: Among those saved were
,;,. women A southwestern %lno had
t-if,ea them fifty miles up the coast from
,.bare the wreck occurred. I he sea be-
coming rough it was dangerous Tor them
10 land, compelling them TO remain at
,ea. CAPTAIN Hail is at the Hotel Eureka
.eyerely injured. Two li.e-saYirg boats
end one raft are yet unaccounteds for.
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
Captain A L Hall. master OF the
srocked steamship. gives graphic ac-
reunt of the disaster. He says:
.rNe LETT San Francisco Wednesday
ha,r bound for Victoria and Puget
E6und. The weather thickened as tho
night advanced and Thursday morning
heavy fog. accompanied by light rain.