River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-01-14
STEAMER LOST
IN PUGET SOUND
The Clallam Goes to the Bottom
During a Storm.
FIFTY-TW0 PERSONS PERISH
LifebOats Are Swamped-Many Wom-
en- and Children Are Victims-TuE
Rescues Thirty-One After
Heroic Efforts.

Fifty-tWO persons were drowned FIJI
day afternoon by the sinking of the
steamer Clallam, of the Seattle-Victoria
fleet, midway between Smith island and
Dungeness, in the straits of Juan de
Fuca, during storm. The terrific seas
buffeted the ship and made life uncom-
Portable for those on board, but little
alarm was felt until word was brought
up from below decks that the vessel
was leaking, the waves having broken
in a dead light, through which the
water rushed extinguishing the fires
beneath it's boilers and putting it at the
mercy of bowling gale.
Every woman and child aboard per-
ished. This was due to the desperate
effort to save them in the lifeboats,
which were capsized almost as soon as
they were launched.
Women and children were placed in
the first boat to leave the ship, which
Capt. Lawrence, Yukon pilot, volt
teered to command, and which was
manned by deck hands The frail craft
went down within sight of the Clallam.
A second lifeboat filled with male pas
sengers and in command of Second Off
Ger Currin was probably lost few min
utes later. Aboard the Clallam watch
ers saw waves sweep passengers from
their hold on the seats and hurl them
into the water. Though the lifeboat was
righted later, diligent search has
failed to find trace of it. More passen-
gers and members of the crew were lost
when a third lifeboat was swamped in
an attempt to launch it.
Efforts to Save I'm Vain.
Bravely the officers and crew OF the
helpless hulk worked to save the boat
and the souls aboard it, but in vain.
Stanch as it was, the Clallam could not
stand the terrific onslaught OF the seas
that raced in mountain high from the
ocean. The first boat contained only
women and children, three deck hands
from the Clallam and Capt. Lawrence,
of the Victoria, going off in it. The boat
was overwhelmed 600 feet from the Clal-
lam, and it's occupants shrieked In vain
for aid from those aboard the steamer.
The second boat rowed away into the
darkness. The third boat, containing
only men, was swamped in launching.
From that time on the members OF the
crew and the few passengers who had
volunteered to remain on board devoted
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 efforts the water
gained on them, and they were about to
resign themselves to their fate when
the Richard Holyoke, 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 it's tow it started for Port
Townsend 1t made fair progress, and it
seemed for time that the Clallam,
with the remainder Of it's crew and pas
sengers, was to be saved. But the hull
of the Clallam began to give way be-
fore the terrific assaults Of the waves.
wreck Goes to the Bottom.
At12:3O the Clallam went on her beam
end and began sinking rapidly. At
1907 she settled and the tow lines were
cut. A few minutes later she lurched
and disappeared beneath the waves. By
heroic efforts the crews of the two tugs
saved the lives of nearly all who re-
manned aboard the Clallam. A few were
swept away and persisted in the black
ness of the storm.
The closing scene was eight miles
north of Protection island, only short
distance north of Port Townsend and
approximately 30 miles from Victoria.
The Holyoke picked the Clallam up on
Smiths island. The survivors of the
wreck were brought to Seattle at five
o'clock Saturday night on the steamer
Dirigo.