Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-07-26
vORS Of
WRECK IN PORT
RESCUED VICTIMS OF MARINE
TRAGEDY ARE BROUGHT TO
PORT BY TIE POMONA.
Survivors Reach Eureka on the
Elder, and 81 Reach San Fran
cisco From the Wreck.

eight men, women and children are
on the death roll Of the Columbia.
OF these seventy-fye were cabin
passengers, nine were in the steer
age and fourteen were officers and
seamen of the ill-fated vessel. One
life-raft and five boats are still un-
reported, and it is possible that
when these come ashore the number
of the dead will be lowered.
Thirty-one survivors of the terri
BILE disaster reached this city at half
past 10 o'clock yesterday morning
on the steamer Pomona, from Eu-
reka.
AS the survivors OF the Columbia
came down the gangplank and were
recognized by friends and relatives
in the crowd there were cries OF
greeting and many scenes Of joyful
reunions were witnessed.
Women became hysterical and
many man to whose eyes tears
had long been strangers made no
effort to conceal the fact that he
was moved to tears by the pathos Of
the moment.
Those of the survivors whose
friends were awaiting them on the
dock were as soon as possible hur-
ried away to hospitable homes, where
they told again as best they could
the horrors through which they had
so recently passed.
OF those thirty are members
OF the Columbia's crew and the other
is Mrs. Ottilia Liedelt, music
teacher living at 1925 Larkin street.
Mrs. Liedelt is the first passenger
on the lost steamer to return to this
city. She tells a narrowing story
OF the awful scenes aboard the
doomed steamer, and Is herself so
overcome by the shock OF the ex-
perienc that she will not soon re-
cover.
Mrs. Liedelt pays a high tribute
to the wisdom and GOODNESS of Cap
tain Doran. She describes the mad
scramble for places in the boats and
tells OF her own horrible experience
for three hours on a life-raft, where
woman perished before her eyes.
She says that after she and others
had been taken aboard the San Pedro
a number were drowned when the
mast snapped Off, and still others
when parts OF the deckload were
swept away.
Second Officer II. Agerupp and
Third Officer Robert Hawse of the
Columbia were among the officers
of the Columbia who arrived here on
the Pomona. Hawse is was who res
cuend heroic Maybelle Watson of
Berkeley after she had battled in
the water for two hours to save
helpless woman's life.
Chief Engineer J, f. Jackson OF
the Columbia was also a passenger
on the Pomona. He denies EN-
phatically that the vessels boilers
burst, and states that all the men
in the engine-room were saved.
A story of the high heroism that
consists in the performance of duty
when duty looks like death is that
told by A. Marks. the second steward.
Marks awoke his men Immediately
after the collision and sent them
about the vessel arousing the sleep
ing passengers They strapped life
preservers on them and sent them
to the boats, Marks says II was
impossible to induce some OF the
women to leave their cabins. so
overcome were they with fright.
The particular hero OF the stew
ards mess is c. Murphy, who
strapped eight women into life pre-
servers and aiterward jumped into
the water with three women and a
child clinging to him He saved all
OF them. This child was 3 years old
and was the only little one saved
from drowning.
The crew had many stories to tell.
but always they returned to the hero
ism of their captain. They say that
he did not try to leave the doomed
vessel, and that as he sent the
passengers and crew away in the
boats and RATS his last words were:
We'll. boys. | did all could for
you, and can do no more. She's
a gouer. Good-by."
Further details OF the Columbia
disaster are coming In slowly, owing
to poor communication. The total
list OF known survivors number, 154
or this number l3s were brought In
by the steamer Gsorse W. Elder, and
- remaining hiteer came ir mid.