The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-01-14
WALLA WALLA SUNK AT SEA
With LARGE LOSS OF LIFE

and after "A hard struggle he succeeded
in reaching n life raft.
TWO LIFEBuATs WRECKED.
1t was In the lowering of the boats
that the first loss of life occurred. Two
Of the small craft were smashed 10y
collidinE with floating wreckarc. and "A
number W their passengers sank before
they could be dragged aboard the life
RATS. The boats that finally got Gear
OF the sinking steamship were bufreted
about on a heavy sea and one was
thrice capsized before IL finally reached
the shore near Trinidad. OF those who
embarked upon II more than half were
lost. The survivors encountered great
suffering. drifting helplessly for nearly
thirty hours before they reached shore
near Trinidad. During that entire time
they were without food or water.
To the steam schooner Dispatch and
her captain, Victor Johnson, most OF
the survivors of the wreck are indebt-
ed for their lives. The Dispatch, which
was enroute from San Francisco to Sc
attic. was hailed by three men in n
small boat, which, in the heavy atmos-
phere. was almost alongside before II
was seen. The occupants OF the boat
proved to be firemen Of the Walla
walla, and Captain johnson was soon
In possession of details of the disaster.
He at once altered his course and
steered for the scene of the collision.
For hours he cruised about, picking up
several OF the Walla Wallas small
boats, crowded with men and women
who had escaped death in the wreck.
Everything was done for the comfort
of the survivors, the crew Of the Dis
patch depicting their wardrobes to sup
ply warm clothing to replace the
drenched garments OF those who had
for hours been at the mercy OF the
heavy seas. When at last there APP
pcared to be no hope Of further rescues
the Dispatch abandoned her trip and
put into port.
SINK WITH THE STEAMSHIP.
Captain Hall believes that a half
dozen or more persons went down with
the Walla Walla. When the bark's
bow penetrated the steamships hold
there was crashing OF timbers, and
the staterooms in the vicinity of the
point OF contact were wrecked. Some
of the Storage passengers, he fears,
We're either too badly injured to make
their escape or were pinned in their
quarters and were unable to eXtricate
themselves.
Just as the Walla walla was settling
beneath the waves her boilers exploded.
and the ship was rent asunder. Portions
of the woodwork were hurled n great
distance and men who had at the last
moment leaped into the sea with the
hope of swimming to one of the crowded
life RATS We're either struck by the fly
ing tirnbers or carried down by the sue
tim.
The officers of the Walla Walla are
able to throw no light upon the identity
of the bark that sank their craft. There
was great excitement on the strange yes
sci after the crash, and the voices OF
her officers could he heard giving orders
to the scamen. The language spoken
was French. Although Captain Hall,
because of the injury he sustained in his
stateroom. which was penetrated by the
bow of the bark was several minutes
late in reaching the deck, the strange
craft was yet so near that he could hail
her. This he did. asking that she stand
by and render what assistance she could.
The hark's crew paid no attention to his
appeal, and as she passed out of sight
there was no evidence of an intention
to lie to and lower her boats.
THE LATEST PARTICULARS
EUREKA, Cal, Jan. 4.-Up to o'clock
this morning no news of the missing
passengers and crew of the Wala Walla
had been received. 1t is hoped that to-
day the tugs that are searching the sea
viii find the RATS and life boats that
were not picked up Friday. The coast
Is being patrolled and If any of the
boats have made a landing the survivors
will ne promptly taken care of.
Many of the passengers and crew who
reached Eureka yesterday are still suf-
fering from the hardship and exposure
they experienced but all are expected to
recover. The survivors who are able to
travel VIII probably be sent down to San
Francisco on the steamer Pomona. which
leaves tonight.
EUREKA, Jan. 4-Word has lust
reached here that life boat from the
wrecked Walla Wala with seven pas
sergers has landed safely in Big Fresh
Water Lagoon fifteen miles north of
Trinidad y stage has been dispatched
rom Trinidad to return with the sur
Nlvors. The eight passengers arrived at
Trinidad late last night, who were res
cued IN Big Lagoon, among them Second
ofhcer, who was on watch at the time
of the wreck. VIII arrive here / p. m.
me life boat which landed at Trinidad
mad ten aboard Nine reached shore two
are now lying in critical condition.
one of them being revenue
officer. DOphner OF Tacoma. His
wife died on the boat and was thrown
overheard. The seven landed at the Big
Fresh Water Lagoon will return to Trim
dad this evening. The steamer Pomona
sailed from Eureka at p. IN. for San
francisco with most Of the survivors.
SAN FRANCISCO. Jan. 4-The mos.
conservative estimate places the num-
Der OF dead at ten and included twenty
six in the list of missing.
step was taken when NJ. Hutin retired
from the presidency of the Panama
Canal Company. This brought about an
entire change in the agreement. the main