The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-22

San Francisco, CAL, July zz.-1H Ht
steamer Columbia, bound north from
this port for Portland collided with
the lumber steamer San Pedro on
Saturday night about midnight of
Shelter Cove, Mendocino county
There was a heavy fog at the time
and the San Pedro heavily laden with
lumber struck the Columbia on the
port bow with such terrific force that
she was cut down to the water and
sank in about five minutes.
About 100 people sank with her to
a watery grave and the rest, number
ing about eighty, were saved by cling
ing to the San Pedro, from which
vessel they were rescued some hours
later by the steamer Roanoke. Cap
tain P. A. Doran OF the Columbia,
went down with his vessel. The San
Pedro was picked up by the steamer
George w. Elder and is now being
towed into Eureka.
The Columbia was an iron screw
steamer of 2,722 tons, register She
was built in 1850, by Brock &c Son, of
Chester, Pa, and was owned by the
San Francisco & Portland Steamship.
company. She was 1854 feet long.
3s-5 feet beam and 23.2 draught
The San Pedro was a wooden screw
steamer of 465 tons register, built in
1899. in Aberdeen, Wash. She was
1851 feet long, "a feet beam and 112
feet draught.
How 1t Happened.
The collision occurred at midnight
when all on board save the lookout
and officer on the bridge were asleep
tn fhnfr TIL.
steaming north at an easy rate, hav-
ing left here at noon Saturday Sud-
denly out of the fog Ioomed the dark
hulk of the steamer schooner San
Pedro, southbound, which was evf-
IDENTIFY out of her course Whistles
were blown and frantic efforts made
by the helmsman of each vessel to
avert the collision. but they were of
no avail. The San Pedro struck the
steamer on the port bow, tearing an
immense hole in her side, through
which the water rushed in great VOL
ume- Alarms were sounded through
out the passenger ship and the terri
ned passengers scrambled from their
state rooms in an effort to escape
from the doomed vessel. But the
time was too short to aid the life saw
ers The vessel sank within five min
utes or the time of the collision. A
life raft was launched with a number
of the passengers on board but only a
few of the entire number aboard
were saved. One hundred lives were
lost. The steamer Roanoke carry
ing a number of the dead and some of
the rescued passengers reached here
at 6:15 this morning, bringing the
first news of the disaster. The dead
were conveyed to the morgue
Shelter Cove, where the collision
occurred, is 179 miles up the coast.
A life raft, bearing number of the
by the Daisy Mitchell The San
Pedro is being towed to Eureka by
the steamer George w. Elder.
During the earthquake and fire the
Columbia was lying at the dry dock of
the Union Iron works and the shock
loosened some of her blocks, with the
result that the vessel capsized. But
she was entirely refitted and when
she left here Saturday she carried a
fuH list of passengers-about 300
The Columbia sailed from here on
saturday at IL a.. m, bound for Port
land She had a passenger list of 1s9
1oS DelnS sbin and q steerage.
Every Woman Lost.
According to ]. C. Flynn, a rescued
passenger of the Columbia, every wo-
man passenger on board was los.
The Merchants Exchange in this
city mas been besieged by anxious
relatives and friends of the CoIurn-
bias passengers since early rnornIne
Few women have called but scores
of men, some of them weepfne omen
ly. are passing in and out or sfanfIine
about the corridors waiting for news
One of the most distressing features
of the accident is that up to this hour
there is complete ignorance of the
names of the drowned and the names
of the survivors,
Miss Florence Thompson of John
ston, o., and Miss Eva Brooker Of
Franklin. KY, are among those lost
The steamer Roanoke spoke tba
steamer George w. Elder and the Lat
ter had on board 8S passengers and
taken off the steamer San Pedro.
The San Pedro had her stem ro1ai
and was damaged considerable FOR
ward. Her main stem was gone ana
fore mast sprung, her cargo was eona
and she was in water logged condi
ton. The Elder was trying to tow
her to Eureka but was making slow