Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-04
27 MISSING.
Steamer WaIIa WaIIa Cut Down
by Unknown Craft.
Vessel Believed to Be French Bark
Disappears in Darkness.
TT Of Passengers and Crew Saved Leaving
~ 10 Be Accounted Tor.

San Francisco, Jan. 3.-The collision
at sea, early Thursday morning, be-
tween the steamship Walla Walla and
an unknown sailing vessel, resulted in
the sinking Of the steamship and the
probable loss Of at least 20 lives. The
Walla Walla. owned by the Pacific
Coast Steamship CO., sailed from San
Francisco Jan. i. for Puget Sound
ports. She carried Sc first-class pas
sengers. 2S second-class and a crew OF
so men. When off Cape Mendocino. on
the California coast at 40 o'clock,
Thursday morning, an iron bark, be-
lieved to be French, doomed up in the
haze and crashed into the Walla Wal
las bow. Then the sailing vessel slid
of into the darkness and was seen no
mere.
All the passengers and crew of the
Walla Walla. except the few on watch.
Were asleep but were aroused by the
crash. The Storage quarters were in
the bow and it is believed that some OF
the Storage passengers and crew We're
crushed to death. A big hole was made
in the steamers bow and she sank in
30 minutes. The officers and crew main
tained strict discipline and boats and
life RATS We're lowered. All who We're
not killed in the collision got off except
Capt. Hall, who went down with his
ship. He was picked up later by one
of the boats. uninjured, with the ex-
ception of few bruises.
\ choppy sea was running and the
small boats could not make landing
on the shore. few miles distant. They
1ritted about all day and finally IS peo-
pie We're picked up by the steamer
Dispatch, which took them to Eureka
Another boat under command of En-
gineer Brown and containing Is per-
sons. attempted to land at Trinidad
and was swamped John Wilkinson
quartermaster. VIM. Martel fireman.
l.. Drube, passenger. and three I'M
known men We're drowned. The Others
in the boat who were saved Were En-
gineer Brown, Fireman John McClel-
Ian, Coal Passer VIM. Shinn, Sailor
O'Leary, Chief Cook Marshall and VIM
B. Smith and VIM. Moorehouse, pas
sengers.
When the dispatch reached Eureka
this morning. with the survivors, tugs
were Immediately sent out. The tug
Ranger picked up one boat containing
II passengers and three Of the crew.
The Walla Walla was valued at $780,
900. She was formerly used as a COL
lier and about 10 years ago was con-
verted into passenger vessel at cost
of s175,000 The vessel was insured for |
about 100000
The Walla Walia was one of the |
best-known vessels on the coast and |
had been plying between Puget Sound |
and San Francisco for years. She was |
an iron screw steamer and was built |
by ]. Roach & Sons in 1881. Her net
tonnage was 216S and her rating was
No. l. Her length was $40 feet breadth
40 feet. s inches and depth % feet,
inches.
George REESE of San Francisco. one
Of the crew. gives the following ac-
count:
1T was 40 when the French vessel
hit the Walla Walla in the bow. All
were asleep. The weather was clear.
the sea was rolling high. All were
The passengers all
rushed out of their staterooms and the
deck was crowded. Captain Hall went
down into the steerage and found
family of seven fastened into a room
by the force Of the shock jamming the
door. Two girls of IL and IA years were
pinioned beneath fallen timbers. The
girls We're released and the family as
sisted out of their berths.
The captain said the vessel would
sink and all hurriedly prepared to
leave. Lifehoats and RATS were low
cred: life preservers We're put on and
the passengers lowered to the boats
The collision happened at 40 and the
vessel did not sink until AS, giving
the crew and passengers IS minutes to
leave the steamer. ,
ESixty-three were lowered, the life {
saving boats then being filled. Panic
reigned among the remaining passcn-
gers: women screamed and men and r
boys hurriedly jumped overheard. Sew Q
.ral did not leave until the vessel be-. :
yan to sink. The officers were cool
Ind collected. doing everything pos
;ible To save the passengers.
NO one knows exactly how and why \
he collision occurred, excepting the Z
'econd officer. and he is missing. I'm q
Continued on page % -