The age-herald., 1902-01-04
Unknown Vessel Causes Marine Disaster and Steals Away
 in the Gloom WALLA WALLA GOES DOWN
 OFF CALIFORNIA COAST AaIfDead Passengers Cling to FraiI Rafts, While Tempestuous Sea Posses Them About Like
 Toys for Hours.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 3.-The col iision at sea early Thursday morning between the steamship Walla Walla and an unknown sailing vessel, result ed in the sinking of the steamer and the probable loss at least of twenty lives. The Walla Walla, owned by the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, sailed from San Francisco January l for Puget Sound ports. She carried thirty-six first-class passengers, twen- weight second-class and crew of eighty men. When off Cape Mendocino, on the California coast at 4:10 Thursday morning an iron bark, believed to be French loomed up in the haze and crash ed into the Walla Walla's bow. Then the sailing vessel slid 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 were crush ed to death. A big hole was made in the steamers bow and she sank in thirty five minutes. The officers and crew maintained strict discipline and boats killed in the collision got off except Cap tain Hall whoswent down with, his ship. He was picked up later by one of the boats uninjured with the exception of a few bruises.
 Boats Could Not Land.
 There was a choppy sea running and the small boats could not make a land ing on the shore few miles distant. They drifted about all day and finally sixty-five people were picked mp by the steamer Dispatch which took them to Eureka. An other boat under command of Engineer
 
 attempted to land at Trinidad and was swamped. John Wilkinson, quartermaster, William Martin, fireman, L. Drubee, pas senger, and three unknown men were drowned. Those in the boat who were saved were Engineer Brown, Fireman John Mcclellan, coal passer. William shinn. Sailor OLeary, Chief Cook Mar shai and passengers William B. Smith and William Moorehouse.
 The Dead.
 The known dead are seven in number. as follows:
 John Wilson, quartermaster; William Barton, fireman; l.. D. Rule. a passenger. and four others whose names have not been learned.
 The remainder are supposed to be adrift at sea in three boats and two rafts Fourth Officer Brown, Third Officer Hol- dren and a boatswain are each in charge of boat First officer Nelson and Sec ond Officer Lupp are each in charge of a raft.
 Word has just been received from Trin- idad by telephone of the boat which put in there. The survivors had terrible ex- perience. and only five or six are left out of a boat load. The telephone dispatch states that thirteen were lost, The boat was capsized several times in rough weather Thursday morning, and each time several persons lost their lives. The survivors are now on the road to Eureka. and their names cannot be learned until they arrive.
 The citizens committee has arranged for a patrol system covering forty-five miles on the coast. both north and south of Eureka, so that should any sur vivors come ashore they will be taken care of.
 When the Dispatch reached Eureka this morning with the survivors tugs wer. immediately sent for missing boats The tug Ranger picked up one with eleven passengers and three of the crew.
 The walla Walla was valued at about s25o.oOO. She was formerly used as e collier and about ten years ago was converted into a passenger vessel at cost of s17g,- OoO The vessel was insured for about s2OO,OOO
 George Relss of San Francisco one of the crew gave the following account of the accident:
 All Were Asleep.
 Tt was 4:10 o'clock when the French vessel hit the h aIla walla in the bow All were asleep. The weather was clear: the sea was rolling high. The passen-