Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-07-25
II PERISH IN
WRECK AT SEA
PASSENGER STEAMER COLUMBIA
CUT DOWN BY LUMBER SHIP
OFF SHELTER COVE.
SURVIVORS CLING TO WRECK
Mistake in Signals Made at Time Most
of Those Aboard Slept, and Few
Escaped Panic and Seized
Slight Chance to Escape.

San Francisco, Cal.-One hundred
lives were lost when the steamer Co
lumbia, northbound from this port for
Portland, collided with the lumber
laden steamer San Pedro off Shelter
Cove.
About so persons were saved by
clinging to the badly damaged San
Pedro, from which they were rescued
later by the steamship Roanoke.
There was a heavy fog at the time
and, through a mistake in signals, the
San Pedro, heavily laden with lnm-
Der, struck the Columbia on the port
bow with such force that she was cut
down to the water and sank in about
five minutes.
Capt. P. A. Doran of the Columbia
went down with his vessel.
A few survivors we're picked up by
the San Pedro, but on account of the
fog and darkness 1t was impossible
for the crew of the latter vessel to
gather in more.
The passengers and most of the
crew we're asleep on both steamers
when the crash occurred. Many of
the Columbia's passengers did not
have time to get out of their state
rooms. Their shrieks and groans
were drowned by the overwhelming
waters, while there was panic and
commotion on board the San Pedro.
The San Pedro was badly damaged,
but was kept aioat and her passen-
gers, as we'll as those who boarded
her from the Columbia, were taken off
by the steamship George W. Elder,
and the vessel Is being towed into
Eureka.
The scenes aboard the Columbia, as
meagerly told in reports reaching
here, were terrible. Men and their
wives were parted, and many who
clambered upon the San Pedro saw
their loved ones swallowed up by the
sea as the Columbia sank.
Carried More Than 200 People.
The Columbia left here carrying 200
passengers and a crew of about 40, IN
der command of Capt. P. A. Doran.
Soon after dark a heavy fog came
on, and the steamer was feeling her
way along the coast. The sea was
calm, and the majority of the pas
sengers were in their berths when
Shelter Cove was passed. Capt.
Doran was on the bridge, when, a few
minutes later, and just after midnight,
the black hulk CT the San Pedro
doomed up almost dead ahead. The
Columbia at once reversed it's engines,
and Capt. Doran put the helm hard
aport, but it was too late to prevent
the collision.
With scarcely diminished speed the
San Pedro, laden with lumber, crashed
into the part bow of the passenger
ship with a force that cut the steamer
to the water line. Many of the pas
sengers must have been stunned or
killed in their berths, for the force Of
the blow was terrific, and both ships
reeled apart as if they had struck
solid rock.
Frenzled Panic Ensues.
Half clad and frenzied by fear, men
and women rushed from the state
rooms to the deck of the Columbia,
which was settling rapidly by the
bows. An effort was made to launch
the lifeboats, Capt Doran standing
calmly on the shattered bridge Of his
boat and shouting his orders through
a megaphone. Several of the boats
had been shattered in the collision,
and SO quickly did the Columbia go
down that there was no time to launch
the others.
Cases of rare heroism are reported.
It is said that In some cases where
wives could escape they preferred to
die with their husbands, refusing to
leave the ship.
The time for escape was SO short
that there was little chance for argu-
ment and only those who were on
deck and jumped without hesitation
were saved.