The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-23
Latest Advices on the Steamer
Columbia Disaster
Show That Fewer We're Drown
ed Than First Reported.
HER BOILERS BLEW UP
Girl of Sixteen Rescued Another
From the Water.
Story of the Catastrophe as
Told by a Survivor.


Pacific Coast Steamship company S
passenger steamer Pomona arrived in
San Francisco from Eureka at 1890
this morning, bringing from the latter
place one of the surviving passengers
of the wrecked steamer Columbia and
the 80 members of the Columbia S
crew who were saved out of her total
complement OF SO.
The passenger is Miss A. Leidell of
this city.
The Pacific company's dock at the
foot of Broadway was crowded with
people when the high black hull of
the Pomona hove in sight around the
bend in the water front. The first
comment from the watchers was "she
brings no bodies for the flag was fly
ing at mast head.
The starboard rail of the Pomona
was black with passengers and here
and there as the vessel ran alongside
the wharf could be discerned mem
bers of the illfated Columbia's crew.
whom the crowd on the dock picked
out by the nondescript clothing they
wore An erroneous report had been
spread that the Pomona brought a
number of the COlumbia's passengers
throng of eager men and women as
sembled upon the dock. When the
gang plank was hoisted to the Po-
mona's deck, officers of the Pacific
Coast company had difficulty in re-
straining people from clambering
aboard.
The crowd was made to stand back
and kept lane open while the
Pomona's passengers came ashore.
Each was stopped at the foot of the
gang plank and asked excitedly:
Were you a passenger upon the Co
umbia ?" With one exception the an
swer was mo"
But One Passenger on Board.
The exception was Miss Leiden.
Clothed from head to foot in a dark
brown ulster and her features hidden
by brown veil tied over her hat and
under her chin, she came falteringly
down the piank~and made hersway
uncertainty through the crowd. She
held her handkerchief to her face as
she walked and when asked by news
paper men for recital of her ex-
perienceS she broke into tears and
turned away, shaking her head.
'I don't want to say anything.
don't want to talk" she murmured.
Captain Swanson of the Pomona
came down from the bridge to the
gang plank head after his passengers
and after the Columbia's crew had
landed Though sixty hours had
elapsed since the midnight horror off
Mendocfno coast and though he had
played no part in the scenes of the
MIeCK MS SIIlOIlOn was SuCn IndL tears
filled his eyes again and again as he
spoke for brief moment or two with
newspaper men.
Il don't know that I can add anything
to the accounts already given" said
Captain Swanson. Il asked several Off
GERS of the Columbia's crew for a state
ment just how the collision happened
and what followed after 1T occurred, but
they said they were not at liberty to
talk until after they had reported to
the company officials here in San Fran
cisco. OF course did not want to press
them
The Pomona left Eureka at o'clock
yesterday afternoon with one passenger
and 80 of the survivors of the Column
bia crew who reached Eureka from
Shelter Cove. 1 did not have an oppor-
tunity to learn their names. Purser
Brynes of the lost ship is remaining at
Eureka by order of his company He
has sent many of the survivors north to
Portland upon the steamer George w.
Elder. which rescued so or 80 men and
women and took them to Eureka to
which points he towed the water logged
San Pedro Many of the survivors who
remain at Eureka are being cared for in
hospitals They are suffering from ex-
posure, shock and from grief. No one
who belonged to me was on board the
Columbia, but 1 had many friends and
ecquaintances among the men and Off
GERS of the crew.
Eyes Dimmed With Tears.
His voice choking and his eyes dim
med with tears, Captain Swanson turn
ed away.
Purser Brown, of the Pomona, fur
nished a list Of the members of the
Columbia's crew brought to this city
by his vessel He showed a list of the
surviving passengers taken to Eureka
exclusive of those who reached there an
hour before the sailing of the Pomona.
which had been personally secured and
certtled by Purser Brynes. 1t compris-
ed 1Ot names and Tailed with the list
reported in these dispatches. Mr. Brown
eaid he was authoritatively informed It
Eureka that 10 members of the stew
ards department. 10 men of the engi-
neer's department and II of the deck
crew, a total of 81 were saved as were
all of the walters except two The lat |
sar, he said are still unaccounted for.
Among the Columbia's survivors |
brought by the Pomona is E Peterson |
OF Brigham City, Utah. He was a |
waiter. The Pomona brought ten deck
hands. seven engine room men and
thirteen stewards and walters oil
saved from the Columbia
Paul Hinner. a quartermaster on the
Columbia. was in charge of a raft
bearing four women and eleven men
which made shore at Shelter Cove II
Is probable that these are the fifteen
persons referred to in last nights dis
patches as being then on their way to |
Eureka and who are understood to
have arrived at the latter point shortIv
before the sailing of the Pomona YES |
terday.
1t is hoped now that the loss of life
will not be so heavy as at first report |
ed. The exact number will not be |
known until complete accounts are