Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-23
lpy AssocInted Press.l

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. July o.
One OF the worst mdrine disasters in
the history OF the California coast in
which between one and one hundred
and fifty lives were lost, as far as
has been learned, was caused by n
collision between the steamer Coum.
bla and the steam lumber laden
schooner San Pedro In Shelter Cove
IL miles southwest of the Mendocino-
Humboldt county line. between 70 and
| o'clock yesterday morning. Only
meagre details OF the tragedy have
been received. though every effort has
been made TO get the facts. Scores
of kilograms to Eureka. the nearest
point remain unanswered. The few
details known there were brought by
steamer Roanoke and the steam
schooner Daisy Mitchell. which ar
rived in San Francisco this morning
The Columbia. 300 foot steel yes
sci, of the San Francisco & Portland
Steamship Company while bound from
San Francisco for Portland. Oregon,
with 1S9 passengers and n crew OF GO.
colFded with and was rammed by the
San Pedro ITO foot wooden steam
er southbound for this city. The sea
was smooth but the weather was foggy
The San Pedro, looming up out of the
mist n few lengths away bore down
on the Columbia at high speed. des.
pite frantic efforts TO clear. With a
grinding crash. the San Pedro sank
her stem fully ten feet into the Co
lumbia's port. Nearly all of the Co.
lumbia's passengers and many of her
crew were asleep in their cabins and
hunks when the crash came.
Details Cannot be Secured.
AS the San Pedro lacked away the
sea poured In through the ragged hole
in the Colnmbia's bow above and be-
low the water line and In five minutes
the Columbia sank to the bottom the
deep waters of Shelter Cove covering
over the tops of the Columb!a's masts
Tho story of that five minutes Is
yet to be told and rs 1t is told by
some survivors the facts Of the trag-
edy can be but guessed at. According
to ]. s. Flynn. n passenger on the
Roanoke. Captain Doran OF the Column
bia succeeded I'm launching four life
boats and two RATS before the Co
lumbia sank. Flynn. in an interview.
is quoted as saying that SO passengers
all men. got away In that manner, and
were saved; that Captain Doran acted
with great GOODNESS in the face OF
death and went down with his ship.
Flynn is quoted further as saving that
not one OF the hundred odd women
passengers were saved. Shortly after
the collision the steamers Roanoke
and George w. Elder and the steamer
Daisy Mitchell all southGound. came
on the scene and stood by. The FL
der took the San Pedro in tow and
the latest report announces their ar
rival In Eureka. The stem of the San
Pedro was smashed to splnters. one
OF her masts was snapped off Mt the
deck. she was settling and had a
heavy list when taken In tow. Cap
tain Hansen remained on board. The
DAISY Mitchell offered assistance to
the Elder but this was declined. She
picked up life boat and raft OF
the Columbia and brought them tot
this city.
Near the scene of the wreck the
Roanoke picked up life raft and
found underneath IT the dead body OF
passenger supposed to he Edward
Butler of Portsmouth. N II.
Capt Doran Good Officer.
The officers OF the Merchants Ex-
change In this city and of the various
newspapers have been besieged since
early morning by relatives and friends
Of the Columbia's passengers but the
insistent and fearful requests for in
formation of the victims and the rcs-
cued remained unsatisfied Beyond
the reported facts that her crew was
drowned and that Captain Doran went
down with his snip no details OF the
casualties have been received. AS
sistant President Frye of the steam
ship company said this afternoon that
the Columbia lies in deep water and
10 miles off shore and that for the
present ut least no attempt will Re
made to raise her. Captain Doran
was regarded by the OF Gals of tho
San Francisco and Portland steam
ship company as one of the ablest sea
men who ever operated vessel on
this coast. His career had been free
from accidents and this Is the first