Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1904-01-15
FIFTY PERSONS DROWNED.
STEAMER CLALLAM SINKS DUR
ING FIERCE GALE ON SOUND.
Every Woman and Child Aboard Per-
ished-Life Boats and Life PreserV-
ers Proved Useless-Were 20 MIN
utes from Victoria-Tugs Do GOOD
Work-Prominent People Lost.

Work-Prominent People Lost.
Seattle, Wash, Jan. 10.-ln vain
struggle with fierce waves, brought on
by gale, "a of the passengers OF the
new steamer Clallam, almost in sight
of Victoria, for which port the steam
er was heading, sank and were drawn
ed in the straits of San Juan de Fuca.
Among the drowned is Miss Louise
Harris, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. w.
]. Harris of Spokane.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam persisted, they having taken to
the small boats when it was seen the
crippled steamer was doomed. Al
though the passengers were equipped
with life preservers and the small
boats ordinarily seaworthy, SO choppy
was the sea that the boats swamped
before the eyes of the passengers who
remained aboard the steamer After
floating for few moments the unfor-
tunate people sank and were seen no
more.
OF those thrown into the water from
the small boats, not one, SO far as
known, survived. OF the passengers
who remained on the sinking Clallam,
a number persisted after tugs from
Port Townsend came alongside. 1t is
charged by two passengers that the
tug Holyoke, first to arrive and take
in tow the sinking passenger steam
er, failed to improve her opportunity
to first rescue the passengers, and they
were later compelled to jump over
board and trust to life preservers and
life RATS until they could be picked
up by small boats from the tug Sea
Lion, which later came up and set
about the work Of rescue at once,
bravely risking life to render succor.
Had Victoria, where people on shore
plainly saw that the Clallam was dis
abled, been able to send a tug or
steamer to the assistance of the Clal-
lam, it is probable there would have
been few, if any, lives lost. But Vic
torians failed to grasp the seriousness
of the situation and although the Clal-
lam was within 20 minutes Of reaching
port she foundered about in the cross
seas, broadside to the gale, until tugs
steamed from Port Townsend, dis
lance of 80 miles. During the precious
moments which elapsed from the time
the Clallam's distress was noted at
Victoria and the arrival of the tugs,
three boatloads of people were launch
ed and lost.
The Death List.
The list of passengers and crew who
sank in the vain attempt to reach
shore from the steamer Clallam of the
Seattle-Victoria fleet, which went down
midway between Smith island and
Dungeness, in the Straits of Juan de
Fuca, follows: Captain l.. Thompson,
Victoria, Lloyd's agent; Bruno Leh-
man, Tacoma, customs inspector; Cap
tain T. Lawrence, Victoria, Yukon riv-
err pilot; Mrs. S. E. Bolton, Alberta,
D. c., who was on her wedding tour;
N. P. Shaw, Victoria, shipowner; c.
T. Thompson, Tacoma, president of
the Washington Cooperative Mining
company; Mrs. A. ]. G. Gallateley, Vic
toria, wife of the manager of the Bank
Miss Louise Harris, Spokane; Mrs.
Brown, Seattle, wife of restaurant
owner; A. X. Prince, Chicago, men,
Der of theatrical troupe Eugene
Hicks, Indianapolis, Ind; Mrs. T. Sui
lens and two children, Port Town
send; P. La Plant, Port Townsend;
Mrs. H. w. La Plant and two chill
dren, Friday Harbor: Mrs. Richards,
Port Townsend; H. H. Swaney, Seat
tie; Miss Murray, Victoria; w. B. Glib
bons, Tacoma; Guy Daniels, musician,
Kansas City.
Other Passengers Lost.
The following passengers, whose
residence is not known, are reported
lost: G. ]. Jeffs. w. H. Grimes, Geo.
Hyson, A. Valdemeer, H. Buckner,
Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Charles Cox, Charles
Thomas, C. H. Joy, Miss Gill, c. ].
Burney R. G. Campbell, w. E. Rock
ledge, Ed Lennen, Miss Reynolds, W.
C. Lurrett, S. F. Johnson, r. Turney,
Miss Bellies, Charles Green.
Members of the Crew.
The following members of the crew
were lost: NJ. R. Curren, second mate;
C. Lockwood, freight clerk, Seattle;
James Smith, first assistant engineer,
Seattle; Charles Manson, quartermas-
ter Seattle; R. Lindhope. quartermas-
ter, Seattle: Joseph Jewell, saloon