The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-01-14
VICTIM TO TIE RAGE OF THE SEA
EVERY WOMAN AND CHILD ON
BOARD PERISH WITHIN THREE
MILES OF LAND.
HEROES RESCUED FROM HULK
SENT WEAKER PASSENGERS TO
THEIR DEATH, THINKING TO
SAVE THEM.

Seattle, Wash. Jan. IL. - Fifty-two
persons were drowned Saturday When
the steamer Clallam of the Seattle ana
Victoria feet went down midway De-
tween Smith island and Dungeness, IN
the Straits of San Juan de Fuca.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam persisted within three miles Oh
short at a time when it appeared GER
tain the passengers of the Clallam had
been saved.
A desperate effort was made to save
the women and children in life boats.
They were placed in the first poat.
which Capt. Lawrence volunteered 10
command. This boat was manned py
deck hands.
The frail craft went down within
sight of the Clallam. A second lie
boat. filled with male passengers, and
in command of Second Officer Currin.
was probably lost few minutes later.
Aboard the Clallam watchers saw
Waves Sweeping Passengers
from their hold on the seats OF the
second boat and hurl them into the
water. Though this life boat righted.
a diligent search has failed to find
trace of it. More passengers and mem
bers of the crew were lost when a
third life boat was swamped in an at
tempt to launch it.
Three passengers who had fastened
life preservers about their bodies.
were picked up by the steamer Bah
alta. They had died Of exposure and
their bodies were brought to Seattle.
The Clallam was stanch new pas
senger boat She left Port Townsend
for Victoria Friday noon, facing ter
rife southern gale.
Within sight of her destination huge
sea overwhelmed her, smashing in the
dead lights, flooding the hold with
water, extinguishing the fires beneath
the boilers and placing the steamer at
The Mercy of the Gale.
All this happened Friday afternoon.
The elimination of the tragedy was
postponed several hours.
The officers and crew Of the hulk
worked in vain to save the boat and
the eighty souls aboard. The Clallam
could not stand the onslaught Of the
seas that raced mountain nigh from
the ocean, and just before darkness be-
gan to fall, it was decided to make an
attempt to save the passengers in
boats.
After the three boats had swamped,
the crew and the few passengers who
had volunteered to remain aboard. de.
voted themselves to the task of try
ing to save the vessel. The pumps
ers were set to work.
In spite of their efforts the water
gained on them and they were about
to resign themselves to their fate
when the Richard Holyoke one of six
tugs which had been sent to the rescue
from Port Townsend hove in sight.
A line was thrown aboard the tug,
and with the Clallam In tow, the tug
started for Port Townsend. The tug
made fair progress, and it
Seemed for Time
that the Clallam, with the remainder
of the crew and passengers, would be
saved. But the hulk of the Clallam be-
gan to give way before the terrific as
saults of the waves. The tug Sea Lion
sighted the Holyoke and her tow
about midnight and stood by to assist.
Shortly after midnight the Claliam
went on beam end and began to sink
rapidly. In less than an hour she set
tied and the two lines were cut. A few
moments later the Clallam lurched and
disappeared beneath the waves.
The crews of the two tugs saved the
lives of nearly all who remained
aboard the Clallam. A few were
swept away and persisted.
The closing scene was eight miles
north of Protection island, only a
short distance north of Port Towns
end. The survivors of the wreck were
brought to Seattle on the steamer
Dirigo.