The Gainesville star. [volume] (Gainesville, Fla.) 1903-19??, 1904-01-15
FIFTY-TWO DROWN
Steamer CIaIIam, Of Seattle
VlctOrai Fleet, Sinks.
LIFE BOATS SWAMPED
Vessel Whelned by Terrific Seas and
Battered to Her Doom-Frantlo
Efforts TO save Life Proved
Utterly Futile.

A special from Seattle, Wash, says
The steamer Clallam, Of the Seattle
Victoria feet, went down early Satur'
day morning midway between Smith
island and Dungeness, in the Straits
OF Juan de Fuca Fifty-two persons
we're drowned. The vesI9l was reg
ular passenger packet and was not
yet q year old. When she was launch
ed at Tacoma last April the Jottle OF
champagne was not broken. but fell
and slid down along the side OF the
vessel. Old sesnen predicted that
disaster would overtake the vessel
within a year, and II was said at the
time It would be a difficult matter to
secure a crew to man the vessel
Women and Children Perish.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam persisted, within three miles
OF shore, and at time when II ap'
peared that the boat would be saved
Every effort was made to save the Wo'
men and children IN the lifeboats'
They were placed on the first boat
to leave the ship, which Captain Law
renee, a Yukon pilot, volunteered 10
command, and which was manned ~
deck hands. The frail craft went
down within sight Of the Clallam ana
a second llfeboat was iilled with men
passengers and in command OF Sec
ond Oficer Clarin, was PROBABLY lost
a few minutes later, Aboard the Clal-
lam watchers saw waves sweep pas
senRers from their hold on the seats
and hurl them into the water. Though
the life boat was righted later, dill.
gent search has failed to find trace OF
her. More passengers and members
OF the crew were lost when a third
life boat was swamped in an attempt
to launch +,
Three passengers who has fastened
life preservers about them were PICK
cd up by the steamer Rehata. They
had died from exposure.
The Clallam left Port Townsend
for Victoria Friday noon, facing ter
rife southern gale.
Within sight OF her destination a
huge sea overwhelmed the little
steamer, smashing in her headlights
flooding her hold with water extin'
gushing the Ares beneath her boil
ers and placing her at the mercy OF
bowling gale,
All this happened Friday afternoon
The elimination Of the tragedy was
postponed for several agonizing hours
Bravely the officers and crew OF the
helpless hulk worked TO save the
boat and the eighty souls aboard her
but in vain. staunch as she was, the
Clailam could not stand the terrific
onslaught OF the seas that raced In
mountain high from the ocean, and
lust before darkness Logan to fall II
was decided to make an attempt to
save the passengers at least by the
boats. After the three boats had
swamped the crew and the few passen
gers who had volunteered to remain
aboard devoted themselves to the tasl
OF trying 10 save themselves.
In spite OF their efforts. the water
gained on them and they were abou
to resign themseles to their tate wher
the Richard HolyoKe, one CT the sis
tugs which had been sent to the res
cue from Port Townsend, hove II
sight.
The tug made fair progress and 4
seemed for time that the Clallam
with the remainder OF the crew ant
passengers, would be saved, But thu
hulk of the Clallam began to give way
before the terrific assaults OF thu
waves.
Shortly after midnight Friday nigh
the Clallam went on beam end ant
began to sink rapidly In less than al
hour she settled and the tow line:
were cut. A few minutes later thC
: Clallam lurched and disappeared be
meath the waves.
The crews OF the two tugs saved
the lives OF nearly all who remained