Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-19
TWO BOATS CRASH
ON PUGET SOUND
AND MANY DROWN
Steamer Dix Sunk in a Collision
Two Miles North of AIki
Point.
. WRECKED IN DEEP WATER
Barely Time to Launch Lifeboats Be.
fore Doomed Vessel Was
Submerged.
@
OTHER CRAFT NOT DAMAGED
Confusion of Signals Seems to Have
Caused Accident Despite Fact
That the Crews Were Within
Hailing Distance.

there was confusion of signals and
the consequent calamity. The
women had not a chance for their
lives and were drowned like rats.
In the panic that ensued after the
accident some of the passengers
knelt in prayer, while others leaped
into the. sound. Several craft are
searching the waters for dead
bodies. --..,7''--z -
SEATTLE, Wash, November 1a-The
steamer Dix. Capt. P. Lennon bound from
Seattle to Port Blakeiey with passengers,
sank two miles north of Alki Point short
ly after Z o'clock last night after having
coll.ded win the steamship Jeanne. Capt.
p. H. Mason, of the Alaska Coast Com
pany.
Forty-one passengers and members Of the
crew of the Dix are missing and thirty-nine
were saved. The Dix Is a total wreck
, The Jeanne was not injured in the least
and no member of her crew was lost. The
master of the Dix was saved. The collision
occurred while the sound was almost as
smooth as a mill pond and after the boats
had been steaming within sight of each
other for a quarter of an hour.
The Jeanne was backing when she collided
with the Dix and the impact was very
slight. The Dix was struck abaft of amid
heavily to port for brief period, righted
herself. then sank stern first. There was
hardly time to launch life RATS or boats
before she was almost entirely submerged.
Passengers jumped from the decks into the
water; women screamed and officers and
men called orders that could hardly be
heard above the din. The passengers from
the Dix who could swim made their way
to the sides of the Jeanne and were dragged
aboard.
Passengers Picked Up by the jeanne.
The-Lsanie was not moved until after all
who had reached her had been hauled
aboard. Then she cruised about, picking
up several who had managed to stay above
water. 1t was after 10 o'clock before the
Jeanne left the scene of the catastrophe
Snd steamed to the Virginia street dock
Seattle with her thirty-nine survivors
The Jeanne of the Alaska Coast Company
had finished unloading at the Great North
ern docks at Smiths Cove and had started
for Tacoma shortly before o'clock, Just
about the same time the Dix left the Flyer
dock for Port Blakeley.
There were no passengers on the Jeanne
The Dix was making the last trip of the
night and was well filed with passengers.
When within about two miles north of
Alki Point the two steamers were within a
short distance of each other, steaming
along converg!ng lines. The captain of the
Jeanie says he signaled for the Dix to
pass him, and his whistle was answered.
SThe Dix was then within speaking distance
of the Jeanne and to the port of her Sud-
denly Mate Dennison who was at the wheel
of the Dix. put her hard over to starboard.
, as II to cross in front of the other vessel
!, Capt. Mason of the Jeanne, who was on
the bridge. saw that accident was i'm
minent and called out warning to the
man at Abe wheel of tie Dix.
Signal to Reverse Engines.
Capt. Mason gave the signal to reverse
bis engines, and his vessel was slowly
backing away when the two came together
There was but slight crash. the force OF
the collision from the Dix coming against
the side of the larger vessel, and not that
OF the heavier craft against the. smaller.
For a minute all was STILL Then panic
followed
When the Dix started to sink. stern first
passengers and members of the crew
leaped into the sound. Some OF the passen-
gers huddled together in groups on the
deck. while others knelt In prayer
The women, who had little chance for
their lives. stayed with the sinking steamer
and were drowned as In trap.
Capt. Lennon is a well-known navigator
and has the reputation OF being one of the
ablest sound pilots leaving Seattle. He In q