The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-01-16

moving. All went we'll until he came
in sight of the light house at Slip
Point. when he miscalculated on ac-
count of the snow storm, the distance
between the ship and the point, and
as he was turning to approach the
wharf he began to grind on the rocks
and before one could scarcely think
the fury of the storm drove the vessel
into seething cauldron amidst mon
ster rocks. where the noise from the
surf was equal to severe thunder. Tne
vessel poised for second upon a reef
and slid backward, and in so doing
met huge wave of water which
crushed in the stern as one would an
egg shell. The two Japanese cooks
who were sleeping aft, had not even
time to put on a single garment and
barely got up the stairs before the re.
turn of the monster wave, which
swept the whole length of the vessel,
bringing all the freight with it. Dur
ing this time and before distress
whistle was being blown, which soon
brought the good people of Clallam to
the beach. where fires were built,
thus outlining the coast to us, who a
moment before were cropping in inky
darkness, our lights having gone out
as soon as the water put out the fires
in the engine room. A wild scene was
ensuing at this time. occupied state
room No. 9, and in No. z, next to me,
was quartered Mrs. Dan Pullen of
Skagway, Alaska. Before we were
fairly on the rocks was UP and lean
ing out my window. and when the
shock came Mrs. Pullen came to the
door and in an instant she grasped
the situation and exclaimed I'VE are
lost! Oh. we are lost! Get a life pre-
server on as quickly as you can" I
lost no time in getting one on. 1 did
not stop at that, but put on two and
would only reach part way around
me- In the meantime I aroused Mr.
Langworthy, also Mr.. Booker and Mr.
Beemer and all got into life preserv-
ers as soon as possible. even too soon
for Mr.. Booker, for he had his on
wrong side out and wrong side before
BY this time Mrs. Pullen was inside a
life preserver and was up forward
where the crew of twenty-five men
were congregated in the smoking
room.
The two Japanese cooks by this
time had made their appearance and
could not speak because of their re-
cent bath in the icy waters. Clothes
were Immediately procured from nu-
merous places and soon both were
dressed in uniforms more conspicu-
Gus than serviceable, but were only too
glad to be clothed. At this time
plans were being made to get every
boat and life raft into place for i'm
mediate service. but we all knew that !
nothing could live for moment in |
such sea and among such rocks. The |
crew set to work and on account of |
the violence of the surf, which rose |
to the height of twenty-five feet were |
to seek the shelter of the |
cabins for warmth, it being very cold. |
The snow had stopped falling. but the |
wind seemed undated in it's fury and |
It was slow. tedious work to even at
tempt the preservation of lives by |
getting the life boats and RATS in |
readiness.
The ship then listed to port and |
stood at an angle Of perhaps forty |
five degrees and it was almost haz- |
ardeus for one to attempt to move |
because of the frozen spray with the |
pitch of the vessel While one portion |
Of the crew was working with the |
boats another was getting the ship
gun ready to shoot life line ashore. |
Some time after midnight line was
shot ashore and the crowd sent up a |
shout which was most pleasant to our |
ears, as we were assured Of an icy |
grave, knowing we could not live a
in this seething mass OF foam
unless the shot was successful. Soon |
our hopes were blasted, for the large |
line which followed the life line be- |
came entangled in the rocks and was
from shore or vessel. Re- |
newed energy was diverted to the |
boats and by 4 a. m. everything was
abated. At ten minutes after ten, OF
as soon as distress signals were heard
from our boat. the news flew to news
centers, as we'll as to Neah Bay, where |
assistance was secured. An Indian |
bore the message for help in boat
from Neah Bay to two tugs, the wy
AIDA. an American tug, and the Lorne, |
a British boat. At p. M, or nearly
three hours afterward. they hove in
sight and soon had a search light play
ing on us. This was Godsend, for
our lanterns were giving out and the
darkness was Stygian in it's blackness. |
Prayers were being sent aloft, but no
succor crowned their efforts. Every
thing being in readiness for daylight, |
all sought the shelter of the smoking |
room, the social hall having been stove |
in and the state rooms damp from the |
spray
Towards daylight. or about s |
o'clock, no cessation Of the seas fury
had obtained. Preparation was then
made to cut away a life boat, which
the mate succeeded in doing. Three
men managed to get into it. but in a
moment were hurled Yards and var,7s |