The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-01-11
.F|FTY-F0UR LIVES
WERE LOST
Steamer ClaIldm, Out of Sc
dttle Lost in StOrm-life
Boats We're USe less

Seattle, Jan. 10.-The Seattle-victoria
steamer Clallam was lost early yester-
day morning midway between Smith
island and Dungeness Spit and a,
least fifty-four persons lost their lives
in the disaster.
Every person who put off in the life
boats lowered when it was apparent
that the steamer could not live out the
terrific gale that was blowing, drown
ed. Only those who stayed by the
session of the craft, were saved. Those
sens were compelled to fight desper-
ately for their lives, rushing forward
when the vessel turned on her beam
ends. clinging frantically to the rails
and finally slipping off the sides of
the vessel into the water or into a
life raft that had been lowered. Sub
sequently they were picked up by the
tugs Sea Lion and Holyoke.
1t was not the fault of commanding
officers nor the men in charge of the
life boats that the passengers wnu
.ook to the boats were lost. When the
life boats were lowered the end was in
sight, yet the impotent Clallam was
Unable to make headway against the
gale. Prudence dictated that the pas
5engers and crew needed to navigate
he boats be given the opportunity of
saving their lives by the life boats
That they failed to reach shore was
Two Mt RI ba 70 no hun, ~,
strength was but a reeble protest
against the fury of the elements.
Had all the passengers and crew re-
manned aboard it is probably true tina,
most of them would have been lost
Then the boat turned over and gave
dp the struggle. Others stronger and
oetter able to care for themselves
drowned with the relief tugs standing
oy awaiting to take them aboard.
For eleven hours the Clallam battled
against the fury of the storm before
me Struggle was abandoned and the
-oat settled back into the waters OF
he sound. Eally in the afternoon the
steamer became disabled; later in the
day three life boats, freighted with
auman life, put off into the sea and
went down almost within the vision of
he watchers aboard During all the
.emainedr of the afternoon and hall
If the night that followed, crew and
afloat
In the meanwhile the distress of the
vessel had been noticed by watchers
ashore. The steamship company own
ing the Clallam begged steamer and
Jug boat owners of Victoria to put off
10 relieve the vessel. But the Victoria
BOAT owners refused to risk their craft
n the gale. One steamer, the Maud.
started out of Victoria harbor to go
20 the Clallams rescue, but after strik-
ing the storm was compelled to put
about and run to- safety.
Distress flags were flying from the
Clallam from the time she became dis
abled. There was no boat in sight at
The time the flags were hoisted but it
vas with the chance that a passing
vessel might sight her or those on
shore be attracted by the Clallam' 8
light against the odds of the sea that
he signals were suspended.
After the vessel had been fighting
for two or three hours to keep head
way or to preserve the safety of the
passengers. a steam schooner passed
astern of the Clallam, three miles dis
tant. Aboard the Clallam the vessel
could be made out plainly. To those
hn eli
parent that the distress signals of the
Clallam could have beeen made out If
the men aboard glanced in that direc-
ton. But they passed on up the straits
without an answering signal nor even
a moments hesitation to indicate that
the boat would carry the news Of the
Clallam's distress. 1t was impossible
to make out the name of the passing
vessel but by the course followed 1t
was thought she had cleared from Bel
lingha,n Bay. Had this vessel stood
by and given aid to the Clallam the dis
aster might have been avoided. or In
any event the extent of the horror
that time to Victoria or some other
nearby port there is a possibility that
relief might have been sent earlier,
though the refusal of Victoria steam
ers to go to the rescue indicates that
nothing could have been gained by an
appeal In that direction.
Two additional children are believed
to have been drowned