Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-07-26
HUNDRED LIVES
LOST IN DISASTER
TWO BIG STEAMERS COLLIDE AT
NIGHT AND PASSENGERS PER
ISL LIKE RATS IN TRAP.
NOT A WOMAN ESCAPED,
Columbia Bound from Frisco to Portland
with 800 Persons On Board Sent
to Bottom.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, July 22.-In
collision between the passenger steam
er Columbia and the steam schooner San
Pedro off the Mendocino coast at least
15O passengers lost their lives Sunday
night. The Columbia was sunk and lies
completely submerged III the deep waters
of Shelter Cove.
Capt. Doran, master of the Columbia,
stayed with his vessel and is among those
lost.
Eighty of the passengers and crew of
the Columbia We're saved. According to
j. c. Flynn, a rescued passenger, every
woman passenger on board was lost.
ALL WERE ASLEEP.
The collision occurred at midnight
when all on board. save the lookout and
officer Oh the bridge. were asleep i'll their
berths. The Columbia was steaming
north at an easy rate having left here
at noon, Saturday. Suddenly out OF the
fog loomed the dark hulk of the steam
schooner San Pedro. southbound, and
was evidently out Of her course. Whistles
We're blown and frantic efforts made by
the helmsman of each vessel to avert the
COLLISION, but they w,re of no avail.
TEARS BIG HOLE IN SIDE.
The San Pedro struck the steamer in
the port bow, tearing an immense hole III
her side. through which the water rushed
III great volume. Alarms We're sounded
throughout the passenger ship and the
terrified passengers scrambled from their
StaterOomS III an effort to escape from
the doomed vessel. But the time was too
short to aid the lifesavera.
VESSEL SINKS IN FIVE MINUTES.
The vessel sank within five minutes of
the time of the collision. A life raft was
launched with number of passengers on
board, but only few of the entire num-
Der aboard We're saved.
The steamer Roanoke. carrying a num-
Der of the dead and some of the rescued
passengers, reached here at G:15 this
morning, bringing the first news of the
disaster. The dead were conveyed to the
mOrgue.
SAN PEDRO SINKING.
The steamer Roanoke spoke the steam
er George VI. Elder and the latter had
on board lightweight passengers and the
crew Of the Columbia which We're taken
off the steamer San Pedro. The steam
er San Pedro had her stern gone and
was damaged considerably forward. Her
mainmast was gone and foremost
sprung. her cargo was gone and she was
in Il waterlogged condition. The Elder
was trying to tow her to Eureka, but
was making slow progress.
The Roanoke picked up a body sup
posed to be Edward Butler of Ports
mouth, O., and brought it here to this
city.
BRINGING DEAD TO FRISCO.
Shelter Cove, where the collision oc-
Cured is 179 miles up the coast. A life
raft bearing number Of the survivors
is being towed to this port by the Daisy
Mitchell. The San Pedra is being towed
to Eureka by steamer George w. Elder.
The Columbia was a steel vessel of
1T4G tons and was 800 feet in length,
$50 feet beam and Ia feet in depth.
She carried crew of seventy-four mea
under Capt. L. \. DOran, who had been
master of the vessel for the past five
years. The vessel was built at Chester,
Pa. in 1889 and was owned by the
San Francisco Il Portland Steamship
company.
INJURED BY EARTHQUAKE.
During the earthquake and fire, the
Columbia was lying at the drydOck Of
the Union Iron works and the shock
loosened some of her blocks, with the re-
suit that the vessel was capsiZed. But
she was entirely re1itted and when she
left here Saturday, she carried 4 full list
Of passengers. about 800.
The San Pedro was commanded by
Capt. Hansen and IS Il wooden vessel of
31S tons. She is ZIG feet long, II feet
beam and T. feet deep. She was built
in San Francisco in 1902 for the ]. Il.
Haney & Sons company and was re-
Gently sold to the Eastern and Western
Lumber company.
SAD SCENES AT EXCHANGE.
The Merchants Exchange in this city
has besicged by anxious relatives and
friends of the Columbia passengers since
early morning. Few women have called,
but scores of men, some Of them weep
ing openly are passing in and out or
standing about the corridors waiting for
news. One of the most distressing fea-
lures of the accident is the difficulty to
get the names of the drowned and the
names of the survivors.
ELDER REACHES PORT.
Chief Engineer J. T. Jackson of the
Columbia has sent telegram from Eu-
reka to the city. stating that the steamer
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