The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-08-02
LOST AT SEA.
An Appalling Marine Disaster
North of San Francisco.
ONE HUNDRED LOST.

"A Large Passenger Steamer Rammet
by Large Lumber Vcsscl-Pco
pic on Both Vessels Were AslccI
When the Crash Camc--NIany Wo
men Perish, But Many of the Mcl
Escape.
dispatch from San Francisco
| says In one of the worst marine dis.
astcrs in the history of California be-
tween one hundred and fifty lives
were lost as far as has been learned
by a midnight collision between the
steamer Columbia and the steam
lumber schooner San Pedro in Shell
ter Cove, twelve miles south of the
Observation-Disclosures County line, be-
tween 2 and | o'clock Monday. The
few details known here brought by
the steamer Roanoke and the steam
schooner Daisy Mitchell, which ar
rived in San Francisco Monday fore
noon.
The Columbia, IL 300-foot steel YES
sci of the San Francisco and Portland
steamship company, while bound
from San Francisco for Portland,
Ore, with 1S9 passengers and Il crew
of sixty, collided with and was ram
med by the San Pedro, 17O-foot
wooden steamer, south-bound, for
San Francisco. The sea was smooth,
but the weather was foggy. The
San Pedro looming out Of mist a
OF he Il
the Columbia at high-speed, despite
frantic efforts to clear. With a grind
ing crash, the San Pedro sank her
stem fully ten feet into the Column
bias port bow.
Nearly all Of the Columbia's pas
sengers and many of her crew were
asleep in their cabins and bunks
when the crash came. AS the San
Pedro backed away the sea poured
in through the ragged hole in the
Columbia'S S bow above and below the
water line, and in five minutes the
Columbia sank to the bottom, the
deep waters cS the shelter Cove COW
ering over the tops Of the Columbia S
masts. The story Of that five minu-
tes is yet to he told and as it is told
by some survivors the facts of the
tragedy can be but guessed at.
senger on the Roanoke, Capt. Doran,
Of the Columbia, succeeded in launch
ing four life boats and two RATS be-
fore the Columbia sank. Flynn is
quoted as saying that lightweight
passengers, all men, got away In that
manner, and were saved; that Capt.
Doran acted with great GOODNESS in
the face of death and went down with
his ship. Flynn is further quoted as
saying that none of the hundred odd
women passengers were caved.
Shortly after the collision the
steamers Roanoke and George w.
Elder and the steam schooner Daisy
Mitchell, all southbound, came on
the scene and stood by. The Elder
took the San Pedro in tow and the
latest reports announce their arrival
in Eureka. The stem of the San
Pedro was smashed to splinters, one
Of her masts was snapped off at the
deck and she was settling and had
heavy list when taken in tow. Capt.
Hansen remained on board.
The Daisy Mitchell offered assist
ance to the Elder, but this was de-
clincd. She picked up life boat
hnd raft OF the Columbia and
brought them to San Francisco.
Near the scene of the wreck the
Roanoke picked up life raft and
found underneath 1t the dead body
Of passenger supposed to be Ed
ward Butler, Of Portsmouth, n. ii.
The officers Of the Mercantile Ok
change in San Francisco and OF the
various newspapers have been be-
sciged since early morning by rela-
tives and friends Of the Columbia $
passengers, but the insistent and
fearful requests for information OF
the victims and the rescued remain
unsatistied. Beyond the reported
facts that Butler was drowned and
that Capt. Doran went down with his
shin no details Of casualties have
been received.
Assistant President Frye, OF the
Steamship company, said that the Col
umbia lies i'm deep water and ifteen
miles off shore, and that for the pre-
sent at least no attempt Will be made
to raise her.
Capt DOran was regarded by tht
officers Of the San Franciso and Port
| Land Steamship company as one OF
| the ablcst seamcn who ever operated
a vessel on the coast. HIS career mac
been free from accident, and this Is
the first disaster that has bcfallei
any vessel over which he held com
| l,,,n Il