The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-15
FIFTY PEOPLE DROWNED
Terrible Disaster Off Coast Of British
Columbia.
NOT 4 WOMAN OR CHILD SAVED.
Monster Wave Smasbes DeadIight and the
Ship Is Flooded-All the Passengers
Who Took to III. Boats In Hope Of Safety
Per.shec After Tugs From Port
Towsend Reach the Steamer II Goes Down.

Port Townsend, Wash. (SpeciaD.-
Fifty-two lives we're lost in the sink
ing of the fine new steamer Clallam i'll
storm that swept over the straits OF
Juan de Fuca with relentless fury. The
vessel was regular daily passenger
packet. She. made moderately good
progress across the straits. bound tor
Victoria Island, until off the entrance
to the. 1arbor was abeanl.
Then terrific cross-sea was pelting
the vessel, retarding her progress and
making life uncomfortable for those
aboard Little fear was manifested.
however, until word came up from be-
low that the vessel was leaking. Inves-
tigation showed that the waves on the
windward side had stove ill dead
light, through which the water rushed
in volume, resisting all efforts to stop
it.
Seeing the efforts futile, the safety OF
the passengers, particularly the women
and children, was looked after, and all
who desired were put off from the
steamer in the ships boats.
The heavily laden boats were thrown
about wildly in the choppy sea, and
one after another, after succeeding in
getting away from the vessel were
either eapsized or swampcd.
The terrible fury OF the storm is at
tested by the fact that not woman or
child OF all those aboard has lived to
tell the tale. An apparent discrepancy
in numbers from the list OF fatalities
following is accountable to the fact
that only such children as paid halt
fare were enrolled in the passenger list.
In the meantime word had come
from Victoria of the vessels predica-
ment and fleet of powerful tugs were
dispatched from here to render assist
ance. The Richard Holyoke, in COM
mand of Capt Robert Hail was the
first to reach the Clallam which had
by this time carcened partly over from
the thrush OF water which had put the
engines out OF commission. The Holy
oke reached the Clallam about II
o'clock and about a. m. succeeded Ill
getting a hawser aboard with which
she started to tow the Clallam to
safety.
The Clalam took a heavy lurch and
those remaining aboard were compelled
to climb up the side to safety, finally
reaching the roof OF the pilot house.
Without moments hesitation the
tugs boats were lowered and the work
of rescue commenced AT this point the
tug Sea Lion, Captain Hunter, arrived
and her men rendered valuable assist
ancc. Before all the struggling people
had been taken off the Clallam COM
menced to break up and soon afterward
went down. All possible assistance to
the rescued people was given by the two
ship masters and their crews and the
tugs hurried to Port Townsend. The
passengers surviving and the remainder
of the crew then took passage on the
Dirigo. bound for Seattle.
w. II. Grimes, of Redmond. Wash,
aboard the Clallam, bound for Victoria,
giYes this statement: :.
1.-THE weather was pretty rough SAID
he, but we had TO suspicion of danger
until someone forward said something
about life prescrvers. | went forward to
investigate and there learned that the
Clallam was making water rapidly. The
boats were promptly manned and
launched and the women and children
and such passengers as desired to leave
were placed in them, competent crews be-
ing in charge. The boats made off from
the steamer safely, but one after an
other they capsized and we were helpless
to render them any assistance