The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-25
SURVIVORS TELL
 OF DISASTER Anxious Throng Greets Arrival of Rescuing Vessel MOURNING FOR LOST ONES Thrilling Tales of Rescue Are Told By Those Who Were Saved From Watey Grave In the Sink
 ing of the Columbia.
MOURNING FOR LOST ONES

Astoria, Ore, July 24.-All night long an eager throng waited on the docks for the arrival of the steamer George ". Elder, which had on board many of the survivors of the ill-fated Columbia, which was sunk in a collision with the steam schooner san 2edro y Sundas lorning.
 Whs,s at last the Elder finally wa 4as- cerned in the glow of the eariy morning, there was cheer after cheer Hundreds of people from all parts of the city were added to the expectant crowd. The scene on the Elder was perhaps more animated.
 Crowds of eager people were gathered on the dock and a long row of happy faces shown over the rail. Shouts of greeting went back and forth as the Elder came to her dock. There were pitful scenes when it was learned that the Elder had picked up none of the Columbia s rafts or life boats. All hope had departed for some and they slipped away from the merrymakers to hide their sorrow as best they might. It was only too true, the Elder had not sighted any of the miss ing rafts or boats, and had picked up none of the victims after leaving Eureka.
 Captains Statement.
 Captain Jesse of the Elder made the following statement to the Associated Press:
 When the Elder arrived on the scene of the disaster the Columbia had already gone down, and the deck of the San Pedro was awash. Our first work was to pick up as many of the survivors as we could from the rafts and boats of the Columbia. The water was pretty smooth and the fog had just lifted. This was about o'clock in the morning.
 I've did all we could for the poor peo- ple and succeeded in saving many lives as you already know. When we had done all we could for the shpwrecked passen- gers we made ready to take the San Pe- dro in tow. This was a difficult task and once the San Pedro broke away from us Finally everything was made fast and we lowed her into Eureka.
 "The San Pedro has as many people on board as she could safely carry.
 The reporter of the Associated Press made a careful canvass among the sur vivors and without exception the res cued said the officers and crew of the San Pedro could not have been more kind. They did everything possible in the work of rescue and fitted all they could with temporary clothing and prepared coffee and edibes for the chilled people who were taken aboard.
 The survivors tell thrilling tales of their rescue.
 Miss Buxton's Story.
 Miss Minnie Buxten of Portland said she never felt any fear. She swan for a long time before she was picked up by boat No 6. which was already over crowded-having twenty eight persons on board In this boat were Arthur Cor don and Ethel Johnson, the only children saved She says the most terrifying thing of the whole thing was the shrieking of the drowning persons and threatening crashing of the timbers from the deck load O. the San Pedro.
 Mr. Russell, who was a fireman. says that when he was coming out of the wa ter tender, he heard the whistles. He put his head out of a port hole and saw the schooner coming and stayed there ''till they struck He then went to his room and put what money he had in his pockets The first assistant engineer then sent for the water tenders to go down to the fire room. Russell's partner, N. c. Anderson, went below and was drowned as was another water tender, George Alexander Russell went up to the port side of the ship. but could not secure a life preserver. He stayed there until the Columbia went down and he was carried down with the suction. He came up and the first thing he got hold of was buck rack. He was shortly afterwards pulled on raft
 There was an old man on the raft, re- norted to be wealthy, but he died almost immediately following from exposure. Russell picked up a little dog which was houuing in the water. It had been chained on the Columbia, but the watchman cut if loose The watchman lost his own life The dog was brought here by the ElSe-
 r-otain Doran gave his commands per roc,'p. As the ship was siking he had s', hand on the whistle lanyard and he s~i6:
 Goodbye, God help you, I've done all l corld.'
 List of Rescued. Following Is list of the survivors