Seward gateway., 1905-10-07
STEAMER SAILS
 STORMY SEAS
Santa Clara Meets Gale Which Drives Her to Inside Passage
 for Safety.

Steamer Santa Clara, Capt. Schagc, reached port Tuesday night, nearly ten days out from Seattle, after tenn ppstuou, voyage which called for rarc judgment and nerve on the part of her master. As usual the vessel was cleared for the outside passage. but on reaching the open ocean at Charlotte Sound she struck a gale which made progress impossible and to avoid immi- nent peril of shipwreck Capt. Schage turned back and came up by the inside passage 10 Cross Sound. From there he sailed straight to Valdez.
 Rough weather was encountered from the start. The Santa Clara left Seattle Friday evening, September 22, at II o'clock. By her usual course of sailing she should have come through by last Friday. The passengers are gralifcd to be here at all. and in testi- mouy of their sentiments. when they wcr6 nearing the end. they adopted resolutions of thanks to Capt. Schagc. in which they state the opinion that to hi, skill as navigator and the dis ciplme of his crew they had come through safely.
 Seward passengers express the belief that the Santa Clara wa, in real dan gor when she met the storm outside Charlotte sound. The vessel pitched fearuly. the sea swept over her side and the gale blew until the captain wa, driven off the bridge If he had not done ,o the wind would have carried him of, Many of the pas,en- gcr, were deaJhly sick. Old travellers among them say they never saw such d storm in the North Pacific. Eight head of cattle died and were thrown overheard.
 The Santa Clara sailed with nearly i LOCO tons of freight. part of which was for Valdez. For seward she had +5O tons. and for Sc'doyia 2G0. the latter for lhc railroad. 10 be taken to Turn again Arm. Most of the Seward cargo was for the railroad, although local merchants received numerous conoign- ments. Twenty head of cattle for the railroad company were embarked. eight peri,hcd i'm the storm and one reached seward only to die on the wharf after being lifted on practically as dead freight.
 Among the freight on the santa Clara was a huge compressor for Rich X Harris. 10 be used in driving the drills in the railroad tunnels. IL runs by steam. With it is a healthy spec men of Puget Sound fin to be used as a bed. This stick k twenty feet long and 36X4f inches. It weighs three tons. NIr. Harri, ordered two smaller JimbcrS and received this instead. He says he cln use it.
 Not tlc least interesting part of the santa Clara's Scldovia cargo was To of dogs. which were chained in row along the gangway next to the dock. Tacy will be used by the railroad company at Tmuagain Arm.
 The animals very early lost interest in the discharge of cargo and occasion ally offered subdued murmurs of dis content. Part of the lot were brought from Valdez by Col. Reyell, who went there to secure them. Others had been accumulated in Seward and were added to the delegation when the boat arrived.
 The Santa Clara Thursday brought back 200 tons of freight from Seldovia because the inlet steamers Tyonic and Neptune could not guaranty it's delit- cry at Turnagain Arm before the inlet freezes over. The railroad can take its freight over the line from the end of the track and everything will be transported that way hereafter.
 In spite of the congestion at Seldovia the Portland took l5O tons there for P. Welch & Company. The contract ors will take chance on getting it up on the steamers. If the freeZe-up comes late they will be able to do so. If not they will take it over the snow. The cargo included some heavy mach inery and special effort will be made to rush this through, The supplies can wait.
 The Santa Clara sailed this morning for Seattle at 3:3O. She had a large passenger list.