The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-01-14
Steamer CIa||am, Of Seattle
Vlctorai Fleet, Sinks.
LIFE BOATS SWAMPED
Vessel WheImed by Terrific Seas ana
Battered to Her Doom-Frantie
Efforts to Save Life Proved
Utterly Futile. =

The steamer Clallam, of the Seattle
Victoria feet, went down early Satur-
day morning midway between Smith
island and Dungeness, In the Strats
Of Juan de Fuca. Fifty'two persons
were drowned. The vesJsl was reg
ular passenger packet and was not
yet a year old. When she was launcn'
ed at Tacoma last April the ,oottle OF
champagne was not broken, but feA
and slid down along the side OF the
vessel.> Old seamen predicted tha1
disaster would overtake the vessel
within a year, and it was said at the
time it would be difficult matter %
secure a crew to man the vessel.
Women and Children Perish.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam perished, within three miles
of shore, and at time when 1t ap-s
peared that the boat would be saved.
Every effort was made to save the vo
| men and children in the lifeboafs.
They were placed on the first ooaii
to leave the ship, which Captain Law
renee, a Yukon pilot, volunteered 70
command, and which was manned D1
deck hands. The frail craft went
down within sight of the Clallam and
q second lifeboat was nlled with men
passengers and in command OF Sec
{ ond officer Clarin, was prooably lost
a few minutes later. Aboard the Cal
lam watchers saw waves sweep pas
sensers 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 ot
her. More passengers and members
of the crew were lost when a thlrn
life boat was swamped in an attempt
to launch.
Three passengers who has fastened.
life preservers about them were PICK
ed I'D by the steamer Rehata. Tney
had died from exposure.
The Clallam left Port TownSand
for Victoria Friday noon, facing a ter
rifle southern gale.
Within sight Of her destination g
huge sea overwhelmed the little.
steamer, smashing in her headlights,
flooding her hold with water, extin.7
! euishing the fires beneath her boil;
ers and placing her at the, mercy OF
Ia bowling gale.
All this happened Friday afternoon.
The elimination of the tragedy vas
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
Clallam could not stand the terrific;
onslaught of the seas that raced In
mountain high from the ocean, and
Just before darkness Logan to fall It
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 task,
of trying to save themselves.
In spite Of their efforts, the water
gained on them and they were about
to resign themseles to their late when
the Richard HolyoKe, one CT the six
tugs which had been sent to the res.
cue from Port Townsend, hove IN
sight.
The tug made fair progress and It
seemed for a time that the Clallam,
with the remainder OF the crew and
passengers, would be saved. But the
hulk of the Clallam began to give way
before the terrific assaults Of the
waves.
Shortly after midnight Friday night
the Clallam went on beam end and
began to sink rapidly. In less than an
hour she settled and the tow lines
were cut A few minutes later the
Clallam lurched and disappeared be-
meath the waves.
The crews Of the two tugs saved
the lives of nearly all VINO remained
BRYAN RETURNS FROM ORIENT,