The Penn's Grove record., 1904-01-15
STEAMER CLALLAh sunk
Vessel Caught in Fierce Gale AMI
Goes Down.
LlFEBoATS WERE cAPSlzED

Tugs Saved over Thirty Passengers on
Board the Iu-Fatei vesseI-Women
and Children Among victims-steam-
er Left Port in Severe storm-over
Fifty People Perish.
Victoria, B. C.-The steamship Clal-
lam, of the Seattle-victoria fleet, went
down midway between Smith Island
and Dungenness, in the Straits of Juan
de Fuca. Fifty-one persons We're
drowned.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam persisted.
The Clallam, which piled daily be-
tween this port and Seattle, had made
moderately good progress across the
straits, bound for Victoria, until Trial
Island, off the entrance to Port Town
SEND Washington harbor was abeam.
Then a terrific cross sea was pelting
the vessel, retarding her progress and
making life uncomfortable for those
aboard. Little fear was felt, however.
nul 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
volume, resisting all efforts to stop it.
Bravely the officers and crew OF the
helpless hulk worked to save the boat
and the souls aboard her, but in vain.
Stanch as she was, the CIallam could
not stand the terrific onslaughts of the
seas, and just before darkness fell il
was decided to make an attempt to
save b passengers at least by the
boats. Two boats were launched. and
in these some of the passengers were
entrusted to the waters.
The first boat contained only women
and children, three deckhands from the
Clallam and Captain Lawrence. The
boat was overwhelmed 600 feet from
the Clallam and its occupants shrieked
IN vain for aid from those aboard the
steamer. Not a hand could be raised
to aid them.
A second lifeboat was filed with
male passengers and in command of
Second Officer Currin was lost a few
minutes later. Aboard the ClalIam
watchers saw waves sweep passengers
from their hold on the seats and hurl
them into the waters. Though the life
boat was righted later, diligent search
mas failed to find a trace of her.
More lives were lost when an attempt
was made to launch a third boat. The
a was swamped Immediately and
all in it were lost. They were all men.
After the third boat was lost, those
on board the Clallam devoted their at.
tention to trying to save the ship. The
Few passengers left Joined the remnant
OF the crew in their desperate efforts
to keep the sinking vessel a1oat. The
pumps were impOtent, and three gangs
OF bailers were set to work. 1t seemed
for a time that the Clallam was to be
saved. But the hull began to give way
before the terrific assaults of the
waves.
All seemed doomed to perish, but
unexpected aid was near.
When the Clallam broke down she
was within twenty minutes of her
dock in this city. People who watched
her from the shore say she suddenly
stopped steaming and slowed around.
drifting broadside ON before the wind.
which was blowing at the rate of thirty
miles an hour from the southwest. She
feeled heavily from beam to beam then.
The local agent was notified, and he
e~ndeayored to get a tug to go to her as
sistance, but failed, owing to the abb
n of the vessels of the tug fleet.
and no steamer had steam up. Then
ne telegraphed to Seattle and tugs were
dispatched to her from there.
The Richard Holyoke, in command
OF Captain Robert Hall, was the first
to reach the Clallam, which had by
this time careened partly over from
the thrush of water which had put the
engines out Of commission. The Hol-
yoke reached the Clallam and succeed.
ed in getting a hawser aboard. with
which she started to tow the ship to
safety. The Clallam took a heavy
lurch, and those remaining aboard were
compelled to climb up the side TO
safety, finally reaching the roof of the
pilothouse.
Without a moments hesitation tie
tugs boats were lowered and the work
OF rescuing those remaining on the
sinking ship was commenced. At this
point the tug Sea Lion, Captain
Hunter, arrived, and also rendered as
~sistance. By heroic efforts the crews
OF the two tugs saved the lives of
nearly all who remained aboard the
Clallam. A few were swept away and
persisted in the blackness of the storm.
The closing scene was eight miles
North of Protection Island. only a
short distance north of Port Townsend.
and approximately thirty miles from
Victoria. The Holyoke picked the
Clallam up on Smiths Island. The
survivors of the wreck we1A taken to
Seattle on the steamer Dirigo.
The Clallam was built in Tacoma in
1908. Her gross tonnage was 672;
length, 155 feet; breadth, SO feet;
depth, 12.1 feet.