The Washington herald., 1907-07-24

San Francisco, July 23-The steamer
Pomona, with flag al half mast. brought
in to-day 81 survivors Of the crew Of the
wrecked steamer Columbia and one of the
passengers Mrs. Ottile LIdelt
Nlnety-eight men, women, and children
are on the death roll of the Columbia.
OT these. . were cabin passengers, 8
steerage. and Il officers and seamen.
one life raft and FIVE Hfeboats are stin
unaccounted for. and II is possible when
these are heard from the number Of dead
Will be lowered. The chances of hearing
from the missing boats, however, are
SIM as the sea was running high. and
me hfeboats were probably swamped
IN the confusion and drifted away.
When the sailors and engine-room men
OF the Columbia stepped from the Pomona
to-day the burden of the story was the
heroism Of their comrades who went
down to death in order 10 save the lives
Of others
Girl shows HerOIsm.
OF the passengers. these men said the
Watson. Of Berkeley. who refused to be
taken aboard the lifeboat until her com
panion. whose head she had kept above
water had been rescued. Then for sew
eraI hours, while the other woman was
deiirious, Miss Watson held blankets
about her and cheered her.
There was not any explosion of the
boilers, said Willie Lewis a young sailor
because three men stayed below and were
drowned as the sea poured into the scald-
ing steam around them, while they opened
valves OF boilers and struggled with the
pumps These heroes" he said. were
Nose Burpee, assistant engineer; Al. An
derson, an oiler, and a man named Nc
Coy"
The list Of the steamer" he continued
was so bad that the port boats could
not be lowered. That accounts for a LOT
OF the deaths, for what boats were
available were launched in good shape
Ihere wasn't any hope after the collision.
as the Columbia was ripped from her deck
10 keel
All Of the sailors praised the courage OF
the women, who helped 70 bale out the
boats and made no outcry. except one
VINO cried continually because her little
boy had been lost.
Fails 10 Find Her Mother.
Little twelve-year-old Efie Gordon. one
or the rescued who was on the San
Pedro, crept along the wet deck. among
the others that had been rescued. asking
every one if they had seen ANYTHING of
her mother When daylight came. with
out finding her. she evidently realized
that she never would see her mother
again. The child. in its grief. seemed IN
conscious Of deep cut on its forehead.
The sailors all praise Capt. Doran.
There he stood" said one. lust one
man alone on the bridge, Spointing off at
the boats and shouting something.
Jumped OF the rail and swan away from
Inc wreck looked back, and there was
the captain still giving orders, without
any apparent thought of quitting the
bridge"
Mrs. Lidelt a school teacher. who was
the only passenger who reached here to-
DAY gave thrilling recital Of her ex-
ptTlenceS. OF Capt Doran's bravery and
OF the fearful scenes she witnessed
was awake at the time Of the COLI
slon' because 1 knew there was danger
from the fog she said II felt the en-
glnes stop and heard the sound of run
ming feet I put on my skirt and
went on deck II was terrible. Women
mad rushed on deck in their night gowns
Ho captain was pulling the cord of the
steam whistle and urging the crew 70
lower the boats and life RATS.
saw life raft at the side and
Jumped upon il. Just then the steamer
lurched and went down. I saw d. 60
tam wave MS hand IN token Of good hive
IN the water woman cried 10 save her
out 1 could not nothing nor corId anv
one else on the raft. All We could 40
was 10 hang on till we were picked an
by the San Pedro. up
Inc waves washed over the deck of
the san Pedro, drenching all the won,a,,
huddled there. Then the boon, broke and
carried four men into the sea. We re-
NAMED on the deck of the San Pedro
ultI we were taken of on the steamer
Elder"
Atthcks Captain of San Pedro.
Robert Hawse, third officer Of the Co
lumDla is severe in his official ranor. ~
me captain Of the San Pedro. who he
SAYS, refused to take the survivors fror,
The small boats on board his vessel IL
said; L was in charge Of the third boat
After we had picked up six men and four
women the latter nearly naked and one
delirious. I had the men row to the San
Pedro; but the captain refused to receive
my boat load. begged him to take the
women. but still he refused.
II these passengers had been takan
aboard l could have saved as many mora
As 1t was, I was helpless. for to take
more people in the boat would have re
suited in swamping it, I was forced
thereIore' 10 lay TO It'll daylight. covering
the women with the spare canvass
Chief Engineer jackson declares tho,
despite the heavy fog. the Columbia was
steaming at fun speed and was farther
out Of her course than was justified h.,
the rules OF navigation. The San Pedro
was also going at full speed. a fact which
proved so disastrous to both when tbe,,
came together.