Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-01-14
FlFTY.TWO ARE DEAL
STEAMER cLALLAM OF THE SEAT
TIE AND VICTORIA FLEET
LOST AT SEA.


LOST At SEA.
Women and Children Are Put on Life
boats in the Hope Of Reaching Shore
but All Are Drowned Within Sight
Of the Disabled steamer-Men Re-
main on Board the Sinking Ship an6
Are Finally Rescued.
Seattle, Wash, Jan. 11.-True to a
prediction made by superstitious sea.
men when the vessel was launched
less than year ago at Tacoma the
steamer Clallam has gone down in a
storm in the straits of Juan de F'uca
and fifty-two lives were lost in the
disaster.
There were about eighty persons on
the ship.
The Clallam was a staunch new pas
senger boat on the Seattle and Vic
toria run. She left Port Townsend for
Victoria in the face of a terrific south
ern gale. Within sight of her destina-
ton a huge sea overwhelmed the
steamer, smashing in the lights, food
ing the hold with water, eXtinguishing
the fires beneath the boilers and plac-
ing the steamer at the mercy OF a gale.
Little fear was manifested, however,
until word came up from below that
the vessel was leaking Investigation
showed that the waves on the wind
ward side had stove in a headlight,
through which the water rushed in an
immense volume, resisting all efforts
to stop it.
Boats Capsized or Swamped.
Seeing the efforts futile the safety Of
the passengers, particularly the wo-
men 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 get
ting away from the vessel, they were
either capsized or swamped.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam persisted within three miles OF
shore, at 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 lifeboats.
They were placed in the first boat,
| which Captain Lawrence volunteered
to command The frail craft went
down within sight of the Clallam. a
second lifeboat, filled with male pas
sengers and in command of Second
Officer Curtin, was probably lost few
minutes later. Aboard the Clallan1
watchers saw waves sweep passengers
from their hold on the seats of the
second boat and hurl them into the
water. Though this lifeboat righted
diligent search has failed to find
trace of it. More passengers and
members of the crew were lost when
q third lifeboat was sunk in an at
tempt TO launch it. Three passengers
who had fastened life preservers about
| their bodies, were picked up by the
steamer Bahiat. They had died Of ex
posture and their bodies were brought
to Seattle.
Tug Comes to the Rescue.
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 trying
to save the vessel. The pumps were
impotent and three gangs of bailers
were set to work. In spite of their eff
forts the water gained on them and
they were about to resign themselves
| to their fate when the Richard Holy
oke. one of six tugs which had been
sent to the rescue from Port Town
send, hove in sight. A line was thrown
aboard the tug and with the Clallam
in tow the tug started for Port Town
send.
The tug made fair progress and il
seemed for time that the Clallam
with the remainder of the crew and
passengers, would be saved. But the
hulk of the Clallam began to give way
before the terrific assaults of the
waves. The tug Sea Lion sighted the
Eolyolle and her tow and stood by
After midnight the Clallam went or
her beam end and began to sink rap
idly. In less than an hour she settled
and the tow lines were cut. A few
minutes 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, who were
swept away, persisted. The closing
scene was eight miles north of Protec
ton island, only short distance north
of Port Townsend. The survivors Of
the wreck were brought to Seattle or
the steamer Dirigo.