New-York tribune., 1907-07-24
NEARLY 100 MISSING.
ALL BO1TS NOT FOUND.
Swrirors Of the Columbia Tel of
Their Experiences.

Columbia and thirty-two members Of the crew.
The passenger IS Mrs. Q. Liedell. Of this city.
The exact loss Of life win Tot be known until
complete accounts are brought in from Brvca-
land and Shelter Cove. II is known that of 1SS
passengers. - were saved by the Elder. There
were tfty-nine IN the crew Of the Columbia and
Of these rhrty-eight were en- the Elder. At
Shelter Cove IS one boat instead of four. as first
reported with fifteen more persons. leaving the
total ron Of missing at So as two Of the three
bodies recovered have been identified
Il IS said that before the steamer sank six
OF her boats had been launched, together with
three life RATS It is expected that steamers
passing up and down the coast will succeed in
picking up some of these with their living
freight
The pier was crowded when the Pomona hove
II sight Captain Swanson Of the Pomona said
That many Of the survivors viii remain at
Eureka and are being cared for in hospitals,
They are suffering from exposure shock and
grief
Mrs Liedeu held her handkerchief TO her
face as she came ashore, and when asked by
newspaper men for q recital Of her experiences
broke into tears and turned away, shaking her
head.
y don't want TO say anything. I don't want
70 talk" she said
\ WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE.
After she had rested somewhat, however, she
told Of the accident
..yyhen the crash occurred" she said, Il got
o,r of NY stateroon. Every one was excited
every one except the captain. He stood on the
bridge his arms extended begging the passen-
GERS 70 be cool The crew stood at the boats,
cutting away 81 the lines that held them There
was no chance TO lower them. All who could
piled into the boats Lots OF people jumped over
The side. trying TO climb bits Of wood which
were floating in the water. I did not have time
~.
side, was raft There was nobody on it.
Jumped and struck on the raft Other women
gor on il also. Some crawled from the water
Others jumped from the boat.
Then the Columbia went down, bow first
The raft drifred around and water washed over
Us TWO women and little child We're washed
on and I never saw them again. one woman
vas left. Her hold was weak. She begged
70 help her. I tried 10 hold her on bat was
too weak She died before my eyes. Oh I can't
forget that I'll never forget that. She drowned
and I could not help her. Who she was I don't
know. Now and then I got glimpse OF an
other raft or boat We got some pieces Of wood
after q while and used them for oars, and final
L. il must have been hours afteTward,
climbed on the san Pedro It was a terrible
climb up her side.
Men helped but I felt so old and weak I
thought ! never would get over il. The waves
kept striking over Us. We were dripping wet.
and IL was so cold on the san Pedro we were
sitting on two little narrow pieces OF lumber.
Suddenly wave carried away the lumber we
were sitting on.
We managed 10 stay on the ship, however, /
bur there were some who got that FAR who got |
further. for without any warning the rear /
mast Of the san Pedro gave way and swept !
several into the sea. One OF two We're brought /
back alive, bur OF me others we saw nothing. (
And the darkness hanging over everything made :
It terrible We did not know whether the san !
Pedro would hold together. although the officers 4.
ard crew did their best 70 cheer Up. The day /
IT, and ha iigNf
appeared only gradually, but, then, We could +
see who was saved nd who was not. That 4
sight can't tell you about It. Everything /:
about i was 50 desulate and dismal And then {.
ttas Elder came lp. They got Us aboard, cared T.
f9r Us and At Eureka ! secured the only re- /.
naming berth Oh the Pomona 10 come back
here"
Chief Engineer J. Y. Jackson gave an account /
Of the wrecked steamer II an interview 10 The |
Evening Post"
When desperareIy swimming away" he said, !
u caught z rope thrown from the deck ofsthe /
San Pedro. From there looked back al the /
Columbia. As she sank I could dtHly see many
men dash across the deck toward the san +
Pedro. rhe next moment the fog had hidden the /
dreadful scenes.
Z an sure that many steerage passengers dla
no, leave their rooms. did not realize ttlat /
The end would come as soon as It did and
believe Captain Doran was Of the same opin-
ion"
OFFICIAL DENIES CHARGES,
? Scavertn. vice-presdent and general
manager Of the San Francisco & Portland
steamship Company. was asked to-day for an
otHciaI statement regarding the Columbia san
Pedro disaster.
y DO not see that there is anything ! can say
he said, except 10 express my profound sorrow
over the event and my deep sympathy WIN those
who have suffered by il. The San Francisco q
Portland Steamship Company is not in posses
sion OF anything additional 10 that which mas
been secured BY newspapers.
Formal inquiry into the disaster and us
causes VIII be held by the company Such an
inquiry viii also be held by the state officials
'ntrusted with such duties"
Ar. Schwer1n was asked about the published
charge that the wreck Of the Columbia was in
large measure due 10 the habit Of coastwise
masters Of 'LUgging the shore in order 70 save
coal for owners.
Ihat charge IS absolutely false" he said,
ana nothing better illustrates its falsity than
he TACT that II the time OF the collision the
Columbia fourteen miles off shore The
Aons of travel lies. generally speaking. between
ohe and twenty miles off shore. At certain
SIarted points, where the coast line tuts out
= feceoes, ships change their course. Point
Os-gads, which forms the southern arm Of Shell
N0fe where Saturday nights collision oc-
REQ Is such point, and undoubtedly the reg
Ia conVergence Of vessels there was the pri-
'leIg caQEe Of the wreck
., as ior any criticism against the Columbia on
1're u improper construction 1t is not sup
So su ny facts. The Columbia had five water
compartments and 4 collision bulkhead- /
= -'t know where she was struck, and until
~ ] shall not pretend 10 say"
- ~ eooiness Of A. Marks second steward OF
H. 1DluiAbia, saved many lives. AS soon az
srd up struck he 10 where his slept
thro,,a, ea them to their posts The men ran