New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-11
pRlFTED THIRTY NILES
1ASHED BY FURIOUS SCI.
ppget Sound Steamer Vas Literall1
Beaten to Pieces by Wares.

Seattle Jan. 1o.-Every woman and child
aboard the steamer Clallam. which went down
civ Yesterday between Smith Island and Dun
enness in the Straits OF Juan de Fuca, was
lost. Fifty-two persons in all were drowned
when It appeared certain that the ClalIam must
70 down. a desperate effort was made to save
,he women and children in the lifeboats They
were placed in the first boat to leave the ship,
which Captain Lawrence, a Yukon pilot volun-
,eered 70 command, and which was manned by
s.clhands The frail craft Went down within
sight OF the Clallam. and q second lfeboat. filled
with male passengers and in command of Sec
md officer Curr!n, was probably lost few
minutes later
Aboard the clallam watchers saw waves sYeep
passengers from their hold on the seats and hurl
them into the water. Though the nfeboat was
yighted later. diligent search has failed to find
a trace OF her. More passengers and members
Of the crew were lost when third lifeboat
swamped ia attempt to launch it. Three
passengers wearing life preservers were picked
SD by the steamer Bahata- They had died from
exposure.
The Claliam was stanch new passenger boat
m the Seattle Victoria run. She left Port Town
send for Victoria Friday at noon, facing ter
rife southern gale. Within sight of her destina-
sion huge overwhelmed the little steamer,
smashing in her headlights. flooding her hold
with water. extinguishing the fires beneath her
boilers and placing her at the mercy Of a howl
.ng gale. All this happened in the afternoon The
elimination of the tragedy postponed for
several hours.
SEAS BATTERED IN STEAMER
Bravely the officers and crew Of the helpless
sessel worked to save the boat and those aboard
her. but in vain. Stanch she was. the Clallam
eould not stand the terrific onslaughts of the
seas. and just before darkness began to fall it
was decided TO make an attempt to save the
passengers by the boats. These were lost and
from that time the members of the crew and the
few passengers who had volunteered to remain
aboard, devoted themselves TO trying TO save
abe vessel The pumps were impotent. and three
gangs OF bailers were set to work
IN spite Of their efforts the water gained
them. and they were about to resign themselves
10 their fate. when the Richard Hoyoke. one
OF the six tugs which had been sent TO the
rescue from Port Townsend. hove in sight. A
line was thrown aboard the tug. and with her
tow she started for Port Townsend. 1t seemed
FOR time that the Clallam was TO be saved.
hut the hull began TO give way before the ter
fihc assaults Of the waves.
The tug Sea Lion sighted the Holyoke and
her tow about midnight, and stood by TO assist.
Shortly after midnight the Clallam went on her
beam ends and began sinking rapidly. About
o'clock she settled and the tow lines were cut.
"A few minutes later she disappeared beneath
fhe waves
SAVED BY CREWS OF TUGS.
BY heroic efforts the crews of the two tugs
saved the lives of nearly al who remained
aboard the steamer. A few We're swept away
and persisted in the blacl5ness Of the storm. The
closing scene was eight miles north of Protec-
zion Island, only a short distance north of Port
Townsend and approximately thirty miles from
Victoria. The Holyoke picked the Clallam up at
ETrf. s1a Tfe -fxrorS Of fhC
were brought here the steamer Dirigo.
Charles @. Bennett, Of San Francisco, one or
the passengers saved, lays much OF the loss Of
lie TO the tug Holyoke for trying to tow the
Clalam TO Port Townsend instead Of TO the
beach, and for not sooner abandoning the at
tempt 10 tow the steamer at all and giving her
attention 10 saving the passengers. He says
that the towline was fully one and one-eighth
miles long. When 1t became apparent that the
Clallam was going to sink. some Of the crew
tried TO signal the tug. but through a misunder-
standing of the signals. for some other reason,
the tug failed to respond, and most OF those on
she steamer jumped into the sea in their life
rreservers. Mr.. Bennett says that he was In
the water an hour himself before being picked
up by the Sea Lion.
Isaac Hewitt passenger, who lives on VAN
oouver Island, stayed with the Clallam until sne
that had the Holyoke responded promptly to the
signals Of the crew OF the Clallam many pas
sengers would have been saved
We all believed that the Holyoke would let
go her line and come alongside when IT became
apparent that further effort to save the snip
was useless" said Hewitt. This belief served
10 keep US buoyed UP until few minutes Defore
the ship sank. We signalled the Holyoke re-
peatedly TO come to our aid. but she continued
20 tow US with line which put her out or range
az the human voice. The tug Sea Lion wasted
no time when she arrived in rendering all the
assistance possible. Every member OF the ere"