The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-24
S<zyIvoR / OF DISASTER Young Woman Reaches
 San Francisco. eREA1 CROWDS AT WHARF Miss Lieden Would Not Talk to
 Reporters. Thirty.two Members of Crew of Ill- Fated Columbia Also Arrive
 But Rules Preve.tea
 Any Interviews.
GREA1 CROWDS AT WHARF

Any Interviews.
 San Francisco. July 2s-The Pacific Coast Steamship Company's passenger steamer Pomona arrived in San Fran cisco from Eureka, bringing from the latter place ono of the surviving pas l sengers of the wrecked steamer Co., lumbia, and the thirty-two members of | the ,Columbia's crew who were saved out Of her total complement of fifty
 nine. The passenger is Miss Ledell of this city.
 The Pacific Coast Company's dock | at the foot of Broadway was crowded with people when the black hull of the Pomona hove in sight around the bend in the water front.
 The first comment from the watchers was "she brings no bodies," for the flag at her stern rail was dying at the masthead. The starboard rail of the Pomona was black with passengers and here and there among them as the vessel ran alongside the wharf could
 De discerned members of the ill-fated Columbia's crew. whom the crowd up- on the dock picked out by the non- descript clothes they wore.
 When the gang plank was hoisted to the Pomona's deck, officers of the Pa cifc Company had dihiculty in restrain ing the people from clambering aboard. The crowd was made to stand back and lane was kept open. while the Pomo- mas passengers came ashore. Each was stoped at tho foot of the gang plank and asked excitedly:
 Were you . passenger upon the Co., lumbia? With one exception the an- swer was No"
 The exception was Miss Liedell. Clothed from head to foot in . dark brown ulster and her features hidden by . brown veil tied over her hat and under her chin. she came faiteringly down the plank and made her way un- certainly through the crowd. She held her handkerchief to her face as she walked and when asked by newspaper men for . recital of her experience she broke into tears. and turned shaking her head:
 Mi.s Lie4en wsssA..t ra,k.
 don, d1na ~sas 1s'ai ts ssif i sS: nnensr.S. Captain Swanson of the Pomona spoke for brief moment with newspaper men. T don't know that can add anything to the accounts already giv- en-" said Captain Swanson.
 T asked several officers of the Co., lumbia crew for a statement just how the collision occurred and what fol II they were not at liberty to talk until after they had reported to the com pany off1cials in San Francisco"
 Purser Byrnes of the lost ship is remaining at Eureka by order of bis company. He has sent many of the survivors north to Portland upon the steamer George w. Elder. which res cued eighty or ninety men and wo- men and took them to Eureka.
 the RnFvfVnra h4inK cared for there in hospitals. They are suffering from exposure. shock and grief.
 Among the Columbia's survivors brought by the Pomona Is E. Petersen of Brigham City. Utah. He was a waiter. The Pomona brought ten deck hands. seven engine room men and thirteen stewards and walters, all saved from the Columbia. Paul Hier- ner, a quartermaster on the Columbia. was in charge of a raft bearing four women and eleven men which made shore at Shelter Cove It is probable that these are the fifteen persons re- ferred to in last nights dispatches as then being on their way to Eureka and expecting to have arrived at the latter port shortly before the sailing of the Pomona yesterday.
 Vice. President and General Manager R. P. Schwerin of the San Francisco and Portland Steamship Company, was asked today for an official statement regarding the Columbia-San Pedro dis aster. He said
 Expresses Profound Sorrow.
 T do not see that there is anything that I can say except to express my profound sorrow over the event and my deep sympathy with those who have suffered by it. The San Francisco and Portland Steamship Company Is not, owing to the interrupted wire service between this city and Eureka. in pos session of anything additional to that which has been secured by newspapers.
 Formal inquiry into the disaster and its cause will be held by the com pany. Such an inquiry will be held by the State officials entrusted with such duties The moment vessel Is lost its officers and crew lose all connection as such. with the company That Is proyided by law. In due time an off, cial inquiry will be instituted. wit the exact facts will become known"
 Mir. Schwerin was asked about the proof of the published charge that the wreck was, in a large measure. due to the habit of coastwise masters to "hugging the shore" in order to save coal for owners. He said: .sThat charge Is absolutely false. and nothing better illustrates its falsity | than the fact that at the time of the collision the Columbia was fourteen miles off shore. The extreme. range of light house lamps is only twenty miles a and matsers must be within range | to get their bearings. especially in foggy weather.
 "As for any criticism against the Co., | Iumbia on the score of improper con- struction it is not supported by facts. | The Columbia had five water-tight | and collision bulkhead | It is an impossibility to build an un- ,inkable vessel for practical use. put | m as many watertight bulkheads as you please, have as many water-tight | as you like"
 The cool head of second steward. A. Marks of the Columbia. saved many | ives, when the Columbia sank As ,oon as the ship struck the steward ran nto the glory hole" where his men ,lept and ordered the into their posts The men were well drilled, and they vaster no time in their duties. awaken ng the passenger. They ran through he cabins assigned to them. dragging he people out of bed and adjusting heir life preserves for them. This