Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-27
BRAVERY OF SALT LAKE GIRL.
Sank With ship and Lost Clothes
And Life Belt from
Waist.
IN fire Raft She Checred the Survivors
But Two Died from Exposure
Terrible Tale Of Suffering.
lsnecial 10 the "News,"l

San Francisco. July 27,-Miss Blanch
Musser of Salt Lake, one of the Utah
survivors of the Columbia disaster. is
rapidly recovering from her experiences
on the night Of the wreck and Is still
resting prior to starting for nome.
Today she told just what happened on
the ill-fated passenger steamer bound
for Portland ana dictated the following
TO Elder NJ. J. Greenwood of the Cali
fernia mission,
II left san Francisco at II last Sat-
nrday morning in company with Miss
Wynona White. a cousin of mine from
Peaver. We steamed through the Gold
en- Gate Into the Pacific, which was
smooth and CLASSY. We spent the day
and .orepart of the evening in merri-
ment.
TOLD HER IT WAS NOTHING.
There were about 200 pleasure seek
ers on board. My berth was in one end
of the steamer and Cousin wynona's In
the other end. We retired at 10. and
that is the last I ever saw OF Miss
WHILE. sltDl SOuiluly Dut WIS
awakened at 1915 by slight shock. A
lady sleeping directly under me began
screaming. l told her to go back to
bed, as II was nothing.
CREW WARNED HER.
'Ono. OF the crew came to my door
telling me to get out; was In danger.
and to put my life preserver on, which
did as best l knew how.
II had no time to dress but put on
my shoes and rushed out upon 1eck
with my clothes and purse In my hand.
] was making my way towards Mis-:
Whites berth when sailor grabbed
me, rushing me to the other end OF the
boat Informing me the opposit. end
Of tho boat was under water
SANK WITH THE sHIp
II scrambled to the end of the boat
that was above water. Many were
Jumping lntc the ocean and others were
getting upon RATS. must have been
among the last to get out of bel. l
was stanling on the main deck holding
to the rail- when the steamer went
down, as sank into the cold salt wa
ter ! closed my mouth and eyes. MY
life rreseryer came of. I let 30 my
clothes an6 few belongings and held II
the lifr preserver.
MNANS OF DYING.
"Ihe suction OF the sinking Columbia
took me down but soon my life pre-
ny, T vol N I, handc fGnk
me to the surface. 1t seemed an age
that ] was under the water. As soon
as came to the surface caught hold
of a floating plank. The ocean seemed
alive with floating wreckage, while the
means OF tho dying brought terror 10
my heart.
EXPERIENCE IN WATER.
II remained hanging to this board.
managing to keep my head above water
for about half an hour, when l was
taken on to a raft of logs. Two men
drew me upon the raft there were abuot
10 of us. We were ordered to sit down.
WORE SAILORS SHIRT,
I'VE fioated on this raft for three hours.
the cold waves dashing over our freez-
ing bodies. l had practically nothing
on. one Of the sailors gave me his shirt.
We We're taken from the raft into life
bot.
TWO DIE ON RAFT.
"Porore daybreak two in our party
died. due to exposure. We rowed for IL
hours and finally reached shore. Wewere
worn out and many were unconscious.
A fire was soon made and we We're
made warm. We landed about 200 miles
north OF San Francisco on a barren.
and desolate coast. Four men went in
search of food. They returned In a few
hours having found the family of Mr..