Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-07-24
100 PASSENGERS GO DOWN.
Terrible Marine Accident Occurs OF
the Coast of California.

San Francisco, July 22.-In collision
between the passenger steamer Colum-
bia and the steam schooner San Pedro,
of the Mendocino coast. 100 passengers
lost their lives. The Columbia was
sunk and lies completely submerged in
the deep waters Of Shelter cove.
Capt. Dorap, Of the Columbia, stayed
with his vessel and is among those lost.
The collision occurred at midnight,
when all on board, save the lookout and
officers on the bridge, were asleep in
their berths. The Columbia was steam
ing north at an easy rate, having left
here at noon. Suddenly out Of the fog
loomed the dark hulk of the steam
schooner San Pedro, south bound, which
was evidently out Of her course. Whis-
ties were blown and frantic efforts made
by the helsman of each vessel, but with
out avail.
The terrified passengers scrambled
from their rooms in an effort to escape
from the doomed vessel, but the time
was too short to aid the life-savers. 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-
ber aboard were saved.
The steamer Roanoke, carrying num-
Der of the dead and some of the rescued
passengers, reached here this morning,
bringing the first news of tho disaster.
The dead were conveyed to the morgue.
The Columbia was steel vessel of
LAO tons and was 800 feet in length,
1915 feet beam and 14.4 feet in depth.
She carried crew of "a men, under
Capt. P. A. Doran, who had been master
OF the vessel for the past five years. The
vessel was built at Chester, Pa, in 1880
and was owned by the San Francisco and
Portland Steamship Company. During
the earthquake and fire the Columbia
was lying at the dry dock of the Union
Iron Works and the vessel was capsized,
but she was entirely refitted, and when
she left here Saturday she carried full
list of passengers. ....a.
The San Pedro was commanded by
Capt Sansen and is wooden vessel of
3ls tons. She is 168 feet long, 81 feet
beam and IL feet deep.
The steam lumber schooner Daisy
Mitchell, which dooked at the Mission
Street wharf at 9.i0 O'clock this morn
ing, brought one of the Columbia's life
boats and life raft. Capt. Smith, Of
the Mitchell, said:
"We were south-bound from Willapa
harbor, and reached the scene of the col.
lision about l.30 O'Clock yesterday. The
Columbia had gone to the bottom and
not even the tops of her masts were visi-
BILE. The steamer George w. Elder at
that timn was taking the San Pedro in
tow. hailed the Elder and asked her If
she wanted any assistance from us.
got such short answer that you would
think had offered an insult.
"The San Pedro's stem was smashed to
splinters and it looked to me as though
she had rammed her way ten feet into
the Columbia's bow. The San Pedro
was settling at that time and had heavy
list. She had lost considerable of her
uoCh ioau Ol luuD6r. Inc sea was
smooth. The water was Uttered with
the timbers and splntered wood. We
saw two life RATS of the Columbia and
life boat. We picked up the boat and
one of the RATS and brought them along.
1--WE saw great many life preservers
in the sea, but no bodies, dead or alive.
1--WE cruised around the scene for an
hour or two, then pursued our course
south. The steamer Roanoke stood by
the same as we did, and, understand,
picked up body or two and one of the
survivors"
The assistant to President Frey. of the
San Francisco and Portland Steamship
Company, to-day gave cut the following
figures:
Cabin passengers upon the Columbia,
1853; steerage passengers, 21; total pas
sengers, 1S9; crew, 80. This makes a
total of 240 souls on board Reported
saved, 0S; nnaccounted for, 15l."
Take tho pactma efar,e uJord 10. ~