Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-11
FIFTY-TWO LOST
From Small Boats After Sinking of
Steamer Cialian.

I tIdllam of the Seattle lCtOrla flee
| went down early Saturday morning
midway between Smith island am
| Dungenncss, in the straits of Juan d.
! Fuca. Fifty-tWo persons were drowned
Among the victims We're:
capt. +. Thompson. Tacoma, Lloyds
| agent.
Bruno ]. Lehman, Tacoma, custom.
insne"tnr.
cart. r. Lawrence. Victoria, Yuko,
river pilot.
Mrs. :. F.. Bolton, Alberta, p. G.
who was on her wedding trip.
y. p. Shaw. Victoria. shipOwner.
Z. w. Thompson. Tacoma. president
OF the Washington Cooperative Min
ing Company.
Mrs. \. c. G2llately, Victoria.
Miss Louise Harrison, Spokane.
Miss Gallately. Victoria.
AIRS. Eouin. Seattle. wife Of a res
taurant owner.
A. X. Prince, Chicago. member Of q
theatrical troupe
Eugene Hicks. indianapolis.
Mrs. T. Sullens ana two children.
Port Townsend
Mrs. II. w. Laplant. Port Townsend.
Besides these there We're - other
PASSENGERS and 10 members OF the
crew.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam persisted within three miles OF
shore. At the time when it appeared
certain that the Clallam would founder
Il desperate effort was made to save
the women and children in the life
boats They We're placed in the first
boat to leave the ship. which Capt.
Lawrence, a Yukon pilot. volunteered
to command. and which was manned
by deckhands. The fail craft went
down within sight of the Clallam and
i second lif"hoat. filed with male pas
songers and in command Of Second
officer Curtin. was probably lost Il few
minutes later.
Aboard the Clallam watchers saw
waves sweep passengers from their
hold on the seats and hUrl them into
the waters. Though the hfeboat was
sighted later, diligent search has fail
ed IL find Il trace of her.
More passengers and members of the
crew We're lost when IL third lifeboat
was swamped in an attempt to launch
it. The bodies of three passengers no
had fastened life preserVers around
their bodies We're picked up by the
steamer Bahata. They had died from
exposure.
TIL" Clallam was a stanch new passen-
@'l boat on the SeattlcNictoria run. She
left Port Townsend for Victoria, yester-
day noon. facing a terrific southern gale.
Within sight of her destination a huge
sea overwhelmed the little steamed.
hold with water, eXtinguisnng the fires
beneath her boiler and placing her at the
mercy of Il bowling gale.
Bravely the officers and crew of the
helpless hulk worked to saw" the boat
ard the lives of those on board. but in
vain. Stanch as she was. the Ciallam
could not stand the terrific onSaughts Of
the seas, and Just before darkness WAS
decided Ia make an attempt To save the
passengers Icy the boats.
Two boats were launched. TIE first con-
tanned only women and children. tn! ce
deck hands ana Capt. Lawrence. Il was
overwhelmed 500 feet from tn, Clal!Hm
ANA its occupants Shrieked in vain for aid
from those aboard the steamer Not 4
hand could be raised 10 aid them
The second boat disappeared into the
9 lrkne<s: hut it was seen that At least
some of its occupants Were washed over
board. The third boat. containing only
men WAS swamped in launching.
From that time on. TIL" members of the
volunteered tn r, main aboard. devoted
themselves to the task of trying to axe
tn" vessel. The pumps were useless and
three gangs of bailers We're set to work.
1t seemed tor Il time that the ClallIm
would he saved. but the hull began to
give way Before the terrific assaults III
the waves. Tugs had by this time come
to her assistance.
At 12.:n the Clallam went ON her beam
ends ana began sinking rapidly. At La
Sh" settled and the tow lines wcr" cut \
few minutes later she !urched and diS"p- |
pcar..d beneath the waves
BY heroic efforts thc crews Of the tugs
Sea Lion ana liolEokc saved the lives of |
nearly all VIII" remained aboard the vessel! |
A few were swept away and persisted in |
the hlaClinoss of the storm.
The survivors of the wreck We're
brought t" Seattle. tonight on the steam
or Drigo.
w ii. Grimes of Redmond. Wash. whn
WIS aboard Tho Clallam bound for Veto |
ria. gives Il concise statement;
'''rh" weather was pretty rough sud
he, bat We had no suspicion OF danger |
until snmcon" forward said something
about lite pr"SClVerS. ! went forward I"
investigate. ana there learned that the |
tlall;, IN was making water rapidly. Tho |
ho:lt.i were promptly manned and launch |
"a. and the women and children. and such |
passengers rs desired to leave. VIZ
placed IN Tho m, competent crews being in |
charge.
THE boats mad. off from the steamer
safely. itlil bil' bIttr aHhIh'I liitN CUP |
sized. and we We're helpless to render |
them any assistance. They simply |
drowned before our eyes.
"In the meantime crew and passengers |
were busy baiiIng ana trying to stop tine |
leak Int without success. The hailing |
WAS kept up. however. and soon we were
oVcrioycd to learn that big tug had hold
of MS. The tug started and made pretty
good progress until it became apparent
that she was carccning under us, then all |
hands went on deck. and as the packet |
listed we gradually crawled over her eX-
posed side from whittier the brave fellows |
from the Holyoiie rescued most of us.
When the Clallam WAS launched at Ia
coma last April. the bottle of champagne
WA not broken. but fell and slid down
lIo"G the side Of the vessel. old scamrn
predicted that disaster would overtake
tie vessel within "A wear and il was said