The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-01-13
FIFTY PEOPLE DROWNED
Terrible Disaster Off Coast Of British
Columbia.
NOT A WOMAN OR CHILD SAVED.
Hssstes Wave Smsshes Deadllsht and The
SAlp Il fisoded--An the Passengers
VIE Tsst to the Boats 10 Hope Of Safety
Perished-Sooa After Tugs From Port
Tswsesd Reach the Steamer II Goes Down.

Port Townsend. Wash. (SpeciaD.-
Fifty y-two lives we're lost in the sink
ing Of the fine new steamer Clallam in
a storm that swept over the straits OF
Juan de Fuca with relentless fury. The
vessel was a regular daily passenger
packet She made moderately good
progress across the straits, bound for
Victoria Island, until off the entrance
to the harbor was abcam.
Then a terrific cross-sea was pelting
the vessel. Tetarding 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 in a dead
light, through which the water rushed
IN volume, resisting all efforts to stop
If.
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 capsized or swamped.
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 half
fare were enrolled in the passenger list.
In the meantime word had come
from Victoria OF the vessels predica
ment and feet of powerful tugs were
dispatched from here to render assist
ance. The Richard Holyoke. in COM
nznd OF Capt. Robert Hall 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 I a. m. succeeded in
getting a hawser aboard with which
she started to tow the ClalLam to
safety.
The Cla!lam took a heavy lurch and
those remaining aboard we're compelled
TO climb up the side to safety, finally
reaching the roof of the pilot house.
Without a moments hesitation the
Tugs boats were lowered and the work
pf rescue commenced. At this point the
tug Sea Lion, Captain Hunter, arrived
and her men rendered valuable assist
anre. Before all the struggling people
had been taken off the Clallam COM
menced to break up and soon aftcrward
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,
gives this statement:
The weather was pretty rough" said
he. but we had no suspicion of danger
until someone forward said something
about life preservers. went forward to
investigate and there learned that the
Gallam 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.