The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-01-27
STEAMER C[ALLAM sunk
Vessel Caught in Fierce Gale and
Goes Down.
LIFEBoATs WERE cAPslzED

Tugs Saved Over Thirty Passengers on
Board the In-Fated vessel-woneni
and Children Among victims-steam-
or Left Port Ia 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 were
drowned.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam perished ,=.,, s
The CIallam, 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 (tYashfngton) harbor was abeam
Then terrific cross sea was pelting
the vessel, retarding her progress and
making life uncomfortable for, those
aboard. Little fear was felt, however,
until word came up from below that
the vessel was leaking. Investigation
showed that-the waves on the wind
ward side had stove in q headlight.
through which the water rushed In
volume, resisting all efforts to stop 1t.
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 Clallam could
nd 40 81 , No. ~
seas, and just before darkness fell it
was decided to make an attempt to
save the passengers at least sbys 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 hand could be raised
to aid them. -
A second lifeb0at was filled with
male passengers and in command OF
Second Officer Currin was lost few
minutes later. Aboard the Clallan
watchers saw waves sweep passengers
from their hold on sthe seats and huri
them into the waters. Though the life
boat was righted later, diligent search
has failed to and trace Of her.
More lives were lost when an attempt
was made to launch third boat The
boat was swamped Immediately and
all in 1t 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 afoat. The:
pumps were impotent, and three gangs
Of bailers were set to work. It seemed
for time that the Clallam was to be
saved. But the hull began to give way,
before the terrific assaults Of the
waves. rj. n
All seemed doomed to perish, but
unexpected aid was near. III
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
seeled heavily from beam to beam then.
The local agent was notified. and he
endeavored to get tug to go to her as
sistance, but failed, owing to the abb
sence Of the vessels Of the tug fleet
and no steamer had steam up. Then
be 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 inrush of water which had put the
engines out of;commission. The Hoi-
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 heavy
lurch, and those remaining aboard were
compelled to climb up the side to;
safety. finally reaching the roof Of the
pilothouse. H..
r Without q moments hesitation the
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
Clailam. A few were swept away and
perished I'm the blackness of the storm.
The closing scene was eight miles
North of Protection Island. only g.
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 were taken to
Seattle on the steamer Dirigo. ..
The Clallam was built in Tacoma In
1903. Her gross tonnage was 672;
length. 155 feet; breadth, 33 feet;