The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-07-26
MANY LIVES LOST IN
MARINE DISASTER
STEAMER COLUMBIA SUNK IN
COLLISION OFF CALIFORNIA
COAST.
"a PASSENGERS ARE DROWNED
CRASH COMES WHILE PEOPLE
SLEEP coLUMBlA's OFF,
GERS ARE BLAMED.

Eureka. Cal, July Pain one of the
worst marine disasters In the history
of the California coast the steamer Co
lumbia was rammed and sunk in a col
lision with the steam lumber schooner
San Pedro off the Mendocino county
| coast shrinks, about | O'Clock Sunday
morning.
The best advices are that III OF the
| 249 souls on board the steamer Column
bia escaped death when the vessel
went to the bottom. One hundred and
sever of the Columbia's passengers
and ffty-seven of her crew have been
brought to this port by the steamer
George w. Elder, which towed the col
liding schooner San Pedro from the
scene of the disaster to Eureka. A
LAT message from Shelter Cove says
that three more lifeboats have been
picked up, Il of them containing
eighteen persons. another fifteen and
the third not reported.
Sunk in Eight Minutes.
Eight minutes after the San Pedro
struck the Columbia the latter vessel
had filled full of water and sunk. The
night saloon watchmen notified all the
passengers to go to the upper decks.
Without clothing they climbed out of
their berths and rushed out. 1t was
only two or three minutes before the
decks We're awash. Six boats and
three life RATS were cut loose, and as
many passengers as possible were
crowded into them. There was scarce
w. - AysIor1n ,~r n ,,r;n {lr ,~-,a
acting with heroism. The crew of the
San Pedro Immediately lowered a
boat and picked up a large number of
survivors, while the boats from the
Columbia lay to by the San Pedro.
Seventy-four Lives Are Lost.
When the Columbia sank she carried
down with her about s~eventy-four pas
sengers. This estimate is not accurate
and the number cannot be definitely
determined until full particulars are
received from Shelter Cove, where
four boats are said to have been land
ed.
Just as the Columbia was sinking
her boilers exploded. This counter
acted the suction and saved many
lives. Husbands and wives were sep
arated. and fathers and mothers and
children became lost to each other in
the excitement when the boats collid-
ed. Two hours after the wreck the fog
filled and a cold wind commenced to
blow. The people in the boats suffered
greatly.
Blames the Columbia.
G. Swanson, a sailor of the San Pc
drO, was at the wheel when the fatal
collision occurred. In his report to
Sailors Agent John Erickson the
blame is laid upon the Columbia's Off
GERS. Other members ON the crew of
the San Pedro s~ubstantiate the story
of Swanson. He says that the order
was given to him when the lookout
sighted the Columbia to put the wheel
hard aport. The Columbia was on the
coast side, the San Pedro on the sea
side. Apparently both vessels were
proceeding at full speed.
Somebody %BIundered.
If all had gone we'll the San Pedro
would have cleared the Columbia, but
1t is evident that an order. Put the
wheel hard a-starboard" was given on
the Columbia. This sent her directly
across the bow of the steam schooner.
Whether the speed of each vessel was
Stacked is immaterial. for the crash of
the vessels was terrific.
Passengers say that the collision oc-
Cured at half past II or t~hereabouts,
that it had been misty and foggy, but
that the weather had cleared up m
what and that after the collision the
steamer San Pedro could be seer
where she had drifted away a quarter
of a mile. That some poor navigation
was made is generally conceded.