Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-01-14
0VERWHE MED BY THE SEA
lot a Woman or Child on Board Lives
to Tell of the Disaster-Tugs Hast
en- to the Rescue-Lifeboats Are
Launched but Die in the Angry
Waters.

in the storm of Saturday morning
while crossing the straits of Juan de
Fuca. The terrible fury of the storm
is attested by the fact that not a wo-
man or child of all those aboard have
lived to tell the tale The Clallam left
Port Townsend for Victoria Friday
noon. Within sight OF her destination
a huge sea overwhelmed the steamer,
smashing in her headlights and food
ing her hold with water, extinguish-
ing the fires beneath her boilers and
placing her at the mercy of the howl
ing gale All this happened Friday
afternoon
Bravely the officers and crew, help
less. worked to save the boat and
those aboard, but in vain. The Clal-
lam could not stand the terrific on
slaught of the seas, and just before
darkness began to fall it was decided
to make an attempt to save the pas
sengers at least by boats.
Two boats were launched. The first
contained women and children and
Captain Lawrence and three firemen.
The boat was overwhelmed 600 feet
from the Clallam and not hand could
be raised to aid those aboard.
The second boat rowed away into
the darkness. On board the Clallam
men were seen as waves tore them
from the boat, but later the boat was
still ahoat A third boat, containing
only men was swamped in the launch
ing.
From that time on the members
of the crew and passengers
remaining aboard devoted themselves
10 trying to save the vessel. 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 her tow she
started for Port Townsend. She made
fair progress but the hull of the
C'allam began to give way before the
terrific assault Of the waves.
At L 80 the Ciallam went on her
beam end and began sinking rapidly
Half an hour later she settled and the
tow lines were cut, and the vessel
lurched and disappeared heleath the
waves. Nearly all those aboard when
the tug arrived were rescued and
brought to Seattle last night.
The following is tie list of the los:
Captain l.. Thomas, Tacoma.
E-uno j. Lehman, Tacoma.
Captain T. Lawrence, Victoria
Mrc u Bolton Alberta u n
N. P. Shaw, Victoria
c. w Thompson, Tacoma.
Mrs. A. ]. c. Gallately, Victoria.
Miss Louise Harris, Spokane.
Miss Gallateley, Victoria.
Mrs. Rouin, Seattle.
A. K Prince, Chicago.
Eugene Hicks, indianapolis
Mrs. T. Sullens and two children,
Port Townsend
p. l.. Laplant, Port Townsend.
Mrs. H. w Laplant, Port Townsend.
H. H. Swany, Seattle.
Miss Murray, Victoria, b. c.
w. w. Gibbons, Tacoma
The residences Of the following were
not reported: G. K Jeffs. w. H.
a.
Guy Dennis, P. Buckner, Mrs. Rose,
Mrs. Charles Cox, Charles Thomas, G.
H. Joy, Miss Gill, G. j Burney, R. G.
Campbell, W. E. Rockledge. Ed Emma,
Mds. Reynolds, Ed Reynolds, w .Cluett,
c. Johnson, r. Turney; Charles Green
and Charles Freen and also nine mem
bers of the crew.
Tugs Go to Rescue.
Word came from Victoria of the
Clallam's predicament and feet
of powerful tugs was despatched to
render assistance. The Richard
Holyoke was the first to reach the
Clallam. which had by this time turn
ed partly over which had put the en-
gines out of commission. The Hol-
yoke succeeded in getting the haws-
or aboard, with which she started to
COW the Clallam to safety. The Clal
lam took heavy lurch and those re.
naming aboard we're compelled to
climb the side to safety. finally reach
ing the roof Of the pilot house
w II. Grimes or Redmond. Wash
ington, aboard the Clallam bound
from Victoria, telling the story of the
disaster, said that the weather hal
been rough, but there vas no susptc.
ion Of danger until he heard some
one forward inquiring about the life
preserFers. he investigated and
learned that a port had been stove IL
and that the Ciallam was taking wat.
er rapidly
THE boats We're promptly manned
and launched said Mr.. Grimes. land
the women and children and such
passengers IS desired To leave we're
placed on them, competent crews ba
ing In charge. The boats made on
from ths steamer safely. bit one aft.