Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-04
Fl MISSING.
Continued from page ~

| nct!iatcly after the collision the
French vessel withdrew and appar-
entity made no effort to render assist
ancc.'
I'VE were drifting here and there, Go
in the life boats and RATS. for four or
i've hours" continued Mr.. REESE. The
boat was in had l. survivors, includ-
ing two ladies. A lady gave me red
shirt to signal the steamer Dispatch.
We were recognized and soon rescued.
The officers. learning of the wreck,
searched for others. She had aboard
| 63 passengers.
The Dispatch was bound from San
Francisco to Seattle. but pulled into
this port to land the rescued passen-
gers. Captain Hall, with the first mate.
was saved, the remaining officers be-
ing lost. The Walla Walla was partly
submerged, both boilers exploding and
sending pieces of the vessel in every
direction.
The tugboat Bauhner arrived here
at 10 \. NJ. with IA passengers picked
up along the coast. Among those saved
were six women. a southwestern wind
had driftcd them 50 miles up the coast
from where the wreck occurred. The
sea becoming rough, it was dangerous
for them to land. compelling them to
remain at sea. Captain Hall is at the
Hotel Eureka. severely injured. Two
life saving boats and one raft are yet
unaccountcd for
Capt. A. l.. Hall, master of the
wrecked steamship. gives a graphic &C
count of the disaster He says:
1--WE left San Francisco, Wednesday
| being bound for Victoria and Puget
Sound The weather thickened as the
night advanced and Thursday morn
ing a heavy fog, accompanied by a
light rain set in. About 40 A. NJ, l
was suddenly awakened by an awful
crash on the port side. well forward.
Second Officer Luke was on watch at
| the time The housing, especially in
the vicinity OF my cabin was badly
shattered, the main force of the col
| lision striking her just forward of my
stateroom. After the crash. the vessel.
which l think was French bark
Judging from the language used by her
sailors. rebounded and CROPPED along
side. | called To her to stand by. She
drifted away and was lost to view. l
could not tell how badly she was in
| iured but / do not imagine she was
severely hurt.
Those of the passengers who had
not been awakened by the crash were
aroused at once. The vessel began to
fill Immediately and she sank in So min
| utps There was no confusion on
| board The officers and crew kept the
| messengers from becoming panic
| strick. The crew was Immediately or
dercd to man the life boats and RATS
| and an effort was made to save the
| baggage. This was given up, however.
the vessel filing ut such an alarming
rate that no thought was given but for
the safety of the passengers. l gave
orders to have the port boilers blow
out, it being necessary to give the YES
sci a list to keep the gaping hole in her
side out of the water.
In a few moments all the lifeboats
and RATS were out. and with the eX-
ception of two, which were smashed
One of these boats contained nine or
ten passengers. All were thrown into
the water but managed to board life
raft. The second boat was smashed
but all the passengers were rescued
by another life raft. We had about 90
first-and second-class passengers on
board and 160 souls all told 1t was
very dark and the uncertain light IN
terfered to a great extent with the
rescue of the passengers l remained
on board assisting them.
Il went down with the ship. After L
had been down. / don't know how long,
the social hall deck broke off and L
floated to the surface with it. Sighting
n life raft I commenced swimming ana
succeeded in reaching it and was pull
cd on board by the three occupants.
We noated about nearly all day ana
early in the evening were picked up
few miles to the north of the wreck by
tho steamer Dispatch. which was pro-
ceedinS to Seattle. We were all more
or less played out when Capt. Johnson
took us aboard the Dispatch
From the information I have con-
corning the rescue of the passengers
and crew. am not able to state now
large the death list will be. but in my
cninion. ii will not be less than 20 pos
sibly may reach 40 or 80. A number
were injured by the falling timbers. II
;ssnlmost certain number of the steer
.ra messengers persisted in this man.
Ecr."
: Cant. r. w. Stream of Tacoma, re-
~ oxpariepoa ~ foilowc.