Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-03

Eureka, Cal, Jan, 9.-The steamer
Walla Walla, bound from san Francis
60 for Victoria, -. Gu was wrecked
Thursday morning at 4;1O by French
four'masted bark The Wala Wala
had 1875 passengers aboard and 81
are reported drowned, The collision
/, occurred twenty miles south Of Mendo-
elmo buoy. The French bark struck the
Wallo Walla in the bow. Al the lime
OF the collision the second officer was
on the bridge. No definite information
can be learned as to the cause OF the
accident as all aboard were sleeping,
Particulars Of the disaster are hard
to obtain at this time. The crash oc-
Cured early IN the morning while most
OF the passengers We're asleep, Boats
and life RATS were launched mmedl-
ately and under the direction of Capt,
Hall and his crew most OF the passen-
gers were placed safely on the RATS
and in the boats, but 1t Is believed that
the loss OF life win be considerable.
Tugs have been sent from here to the
scene of the wreck The Walla Wala
carried 30 first class passengers, IS Sec
ond class, and a crew Of sixty men. The
steamer Walla Walla was one of the
best known vessels on the coast. She
was owned by the Pacific Coast steam.
ship company, and has been plying be-
tween Puget Sound and San Francisco
for years. She was an iron screw steam
mer and was built by j. Roach 4 Sons
IN 1881 Her net tonnage was 2,1GS and
her rating was No 1. Her length was
80 feet, breadth 40 feet inches. and
depth % feet inches.
Geo Reise of San Francisco, a pas
senger, gave the following account:
1T was 4:l0 when the French vessel
hit the Walla Walla In the bow. All
We're asleep The weather was clear,
the sea was rolling high. All were
dumbfounded The passengers rushed
out Of their staterooms and he deck
was crowded Capt Hall went down
INTO the steerage and found a family
OF seven fastened In room Two girls
OF Il and II years were fastened he.
tween tmbers. The girls were released
ana the family assisted out OF their
berths. All prepared TO leave the YES.
|, sci, The captain said she would sink.
If.dfe boats and rafts were lowered Hfn
preseryers were put on and the pas
sengers lowered to the boats. The ves-
sci did not sink until A.l6 giving the
crew and passengers SO minutes To
leave the steamer Slxty-three were
lowered, the lile-savlng boats then be-
ing filled. The excitement grew intense
among the remaining passengers Wo-
men screamed and men and boys hur-
riedly Jumped OF the steamer several
did not leave until she started to sink.
The officers were cool and collected, do
Ing everything possible 10 save their
passengers. No one knows the cause OF
the collision but the second officer. and
he Is missing AS soon as the French
vessel penetrated The steamers bow, ii
was but short time tll she withdrew,
leaving the passengers al the mercy
Of the high sea, and lending no assist
ance whatever
we were drifting here and there. 63
In the lifeb0ats and rats. for over five
hours The boat ! was In had twelve
survivors, two ladies'. A lady gave me
a red skirt TO signal the steamer Dis
patch We were recognized and were
soon rescued. The officers learning of
the wreck, searched for others, until
she had aboard SO passengers The nis-
patch was bound from San Francisco
to Seattle but pulled into this port 10
land the rescued passengers.
capt Hall, with the first mate, was
saved. the remaining Officers being
lost The Walla Walla was partly
submerged both boilers exploding and
sending pieces Of the vessel in every
direction. The tugboat Bauhner ar
rived here AZ 10 a. m. with "A more
passengers picked up along the coast.
Among those saved We're six women
A southwestern wind had drlftad them
fifty miles up the coast from where the
wreck occurred The sea becoming
rough. n was dangerous for them 10
land compelling them 10 remain az sea.
Capt, Hall is nj the Hotel Eureka
severely injured Two life-snvine boats
and one raft are vet unaccounted for"
Twenty-snven NJ the messengers and
crew Of the Walla Walla are missing
All the rest are accounted for
COMPANY ISSUES STATEMENT.
san Francisco, Jan 3.-The Pacific
Coast Steamship Go, has issued later
statement showing that the Walla
Walla carried slxty-four passengers
and a crew Of eighty men.
The company has no definite infor-
nation as 10 the number Of persons
drowned. but places little credence IN
the report telegiaphed from Eureka
that the number OF lost win reach 49,
The report from Eureka that there
were l66 passengers on board the Walla
Walla when she went down is probably
not correct. The records OF the steum-
ship company in this city show that
there were 36 first class passengers and
2S steeragc. The crew consisted OF 60
men AS the steamer ala not stop at
any port between San Francisco and
the scene Of the disaster, II is not posi-
bic that any more than those listed al
the steamship Office here were on board. |
The following passengers were booked
for Seattle
j. l.. Field.
j a. Gray.
A. II. Sell.