Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-07-27
California ExCurSiORiStS In
Marine Disaster.
OVER A HUNDRED FIND DEATH
Officers Stand 10 Duty BraYeB 10
Rescue Women.
CAPTAIN GOES DOWN AT HIS POST

Steamer From san Francisco Tor
Portland, Ore In Fox Run Into
~ san Pedro OF shelter Cove, on
North Californian Coast-sRnk In
PasseaEcr Complement and crew
90 the bottom Boats Launched
Were soon syvsmpcd-Those saved
SWAN 20 the san Pedro and Were
Taken Aboard.
san FRANCISCO. July $50 far
as IS known, between 100 and $50 lives
were lost in n midnight collision be-
tween the steamer Columbia and the
steam lumber schooner San Pedro in
Shelter cove. twelve miles southwest
OF the AIendocinO- Humboldt line.
The Columbia, a 800 foot steel vessel
OF the san Francisco and Portland
Steamship company. while bound from
San Francisco for Portland, Ore, with
$50 passengers and a crew OF sixty,
was rammed by the San Pedro,
wooden steamer, southbOund, FOR this
city.
The sea was smooth, but the weather
was fOggy. The San Pedro looming
out OF the mist a few ship lengths
away. bore down on the Columbia at
high speed. despite frantic efforts 20
clear. With a grinding crash she sank
her stem fully ten feet into the Colum-
bias port bow.
Nearly all OF the Columbia's pas
sengers and many OF her crew were
asleep when the crash came. As the
San Pedro backed away the sea poured
IN through the ragged hole In the Co
lumhda's bow above and below the
water line, and IN i've minutes she
sank to the bottom, the deep waters OF
Shelter cove covering the tops Of her
masts
According to J. 3. Flynn, a passen-
ger, Captain Dorian Of the Columbia
succeeded in launching four lifeboats
and two RATS before the vessel sank
Captain DOran. Flynn says. acted with
great GOODNESS IN the face Of death and
went down with his ship.
From reports received ell the officers
OF the Columbia did their duty bravely
and tried to save the women and chill
dren, but they were pOwerless. Feel
ing the steamer sinking beneath their
feet many Of the men among the Co
lumbias passengers and crew leaped
into the sea and swan TO the San Pc
drO, which could DO made out drifting
away through the fog. They alone, it
seems, were saved.
One lifeb0at was launched, but IL
was swamped the moment IT reached
the water by the rush of frenzied men
and women. All who were in Il are
believed TO have persisted, drawn IN
der the water by the suction OF the
steamship when she went down with
O final rush, her decks still dotted with
screaming men and women.
( At the last moment the stern Of the
Columbia rose high above the water.
and many OF the victims slid the length
Of the deck as the vessel shot beneath
the water. Captain Doran chung to the
bridge and apparently made no at
tempt TO save his own life.
The San Pedro, a wooden boat was
severely damaged by the collision, but
was kept ahoat by her cargo Finding
NHNA 'O9SSt was S0AS AVi Ane tAine, the
crew OF the San Pedro turned to the
task OF rescuing the Columbia's pas
sengers, and about eighty who had
reached the sides OF the freighter were
drawn on boa-d. Boats were launched
and number of others who had chung
TO wreckage were found and taken on
board.
Survivors among the passengers OF
the Columbia say that the San Pedro
: xas not seen until she burst thronGb