The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-13

TIE deck. Few of them had waited to
clothe themselves. The intense cold
made them want to obtain their cloth
ing. but they found it impossible to re-
turn below and do SO. Their rooms
were flooded soon after they had been
deserted and the steamer. flouEderinS
around in the high seas that are feared
by all Sound n8vigators. was sinking
with rapidly that sent terror TO the
hearts Of the officers and the crew
Victims Soon Benumbed.
While Some of the seamen held back
the frantic passengers by brute
strength others were preparing to low
er the life boats and RATS. There was
no time to think of the comfort of
any one. Even before the boats were
cut away. Captain McVey knew that
the lisr OF victims would be greater
than those who survived.
1t was n physical impossibiity for
any except the most hardened to with
stand the cold which turned ears and
noses white with the frost and which
so benUmbed feet that both the pas
sengers and members of the crew Stun
bled rather than walked TO the small
craft in which they were to leave the
sinking ship
Women Placed in Lifebosts.
Shrieks Of pain drowned the roar of
the inrushing water. Despite the ex-
listing pandemonium the women pas
senGers were placed in life boats. the
male passengers and the crew selecting
the unprotected RATS as their places Of
refuge.
Captain McVey ordered all lifeboats
and RATS cut away and before step
ping into his own boat nc stood on the
upper deck a moment to see that his
order was executed. Then he crdcscd
that his boat. the largest on board. be
cleared away.
Before the men had an opportunity
TO loosen the tackles, the bottom of
the boat rested on top OF the surging
sea which was raging over the hurri-
cane deck. and for a moment il seemed
as though ,he lfeboat would be
dragged down before she could be
freed from the doomed steamer.
Horrible Suffering.
Every hand in the boat was too cold
TO handle d knife and cut the ropes.
which. however. slipped through tackles
and set the boat adrift just as the yes
sci became submerged. The passen-
gers discomfort was increased greatly
the moment they had launched their
boats. Every wave sent its dash of
spray over them Soon a thin coating
of ice enveloped every one These who
faces and numbed feet. but there were
many who had on only their night
clothes.
One man i'm the captains boat was
driven insane by his intense suffering
He pulled a big clasp knife from his
pocket and gashed his throat Those
who sat near him were too dazed TO
interfere. The unknown mans body
fell TO the bottom Of the boat, where
II remained unheeded
Fishers Point. the nearest land. was
not quite FIVE miles TO the westward
of the point where the steamer went
down. and every boat Immediately
headed for that place. But the boats
we're heavy and the men at the oars
we're weak The boats and RATS soon
became separated. and the only details
of the disaster which could be learned
boat came ashore.
Survivors in PitiabIe Plight.
Not a man ON board was able to
walk. Their feet were frozen so badly
that the Iife-savers carried the sur
vjvors bodily TO the life-saving station.
Captain McVey shortly after his ar
rival said he had on board his ship be-
tween $50 and 200 passengers and a
crew OF fifty. Later. ne said there were
between fifty and seventy-five passen-
GERS on board the steamer when the
vessel went down. The latter figure.
however. is far below the estimate
made by the officials of the JOY line at
who estimate the number
Of passengers at not less than loo. The
exact number of passengers was given