The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-23

boats from the Columbia lay to by the
San Pedro.
down with her about seventy-four pas
sengerS. This estimate is not accurate
and the number cannot be definitely de-
termined until fun particulars are re-
ceived from Shelter Cove, where four
boats are said to have been landed.
Captains Last Words.
Captain Doran and First Officer Whit
ney were on the deck when the Columbia
sank, the captains last words were:
According to Purser J. E. Brynes of the
Columbia there were 100 passengers on
board-16S first class, - Storage and co
crew.
CoIumba's Boiler Exploded.
1t is known that 1O7 passengers have
been saved and 81 of the crew. The exact
number at Shelter Cove is yet to be de-
termined. just as the Columbia was
sinking her boilers exploded. This
counteracted the suction and saved many
lives Husbands and wives were separ-
ated and fathers and mothers and chill
excitement when the boats collided- The
only dead person caught by the Elder
was George I. Sparks, president of the
bank of Fort Smith, Ark. He and his
Sparks. when pulled upon the life raft,
was weak from swallowing salt water and
shortly after, when transferred to one of
the boats, he died from cold and eX-
posure His daughter was saved
Two hours after the wreck the fog lift
ed and cold wind commenced to blow.
The people in the boats suffered much.
Blame Placed Upon Columbia.
o. Swanson a sailor of the San Pedro
was at the wheel Saturday night when
the fatal collision occurred. In his re-
port to Sailors Agent John Erickson, the
blame is laid upon the shoulders of the
Columbia officers. Other members of
the story of Swanson He says that the
order was given to him when the lookout
sighted the Columbia to put the wheel
hard apOTt Three points apOrt carried the
San Pedro seaward apparently out of the
way of the approaching vessel whose
name at that time was not known. Short
toOts from the whistles of both vessels
warned the shippers. The Columbia was
on the coast side, the San Pedro on the
seaside. Apparently both vessels were
proceeding at full speed. If all had gone
well, the San Pedro would have cleared
the Columbia, but it is evident that an
was given on the Columbia. This sent her
directly across the bow of the steam
schooner. Whether or not the speed of
either vessel was Stacked is immaterial,
The Columbia, an iron vessel. bore the
brunt of the impact and her iron plates
cracked and a cash seven feet across
the forward hatch allowed the water free
ingress at great velocity.
5. G. Peterson, sailor aboard the
Columbia, was on watch on the fore
castle. He could see the lights of the
San Pedro some hundred yards away
He gave notice of this fact in q shout to
his superiOrs on the bridge. What they
did he does not know, but at any rate the
Columbia shot across the path of the San
Pedro He says that signals were ex-
changed both M
was hardly time enough to slacken speed
or make any preparation to meet the in
evitablc disaster.
Collision at Midnight.
Passengers say that the collision occur
red at half past twelve or there abouts;
that it had been misty and foggy, but at
the time of the disaster the weather had
cleared somewhat and after the collision
the steamer San Pedro could be seen
where she had drifted away a quarter of
a mile That some poor navigation was
made and that the lives lost are upon the
head of someone is generally conceded.
1t is said that the San Pedro was under
to the testimony of passengers, was go
ing full speed. 1t is said that she was
headed west when the collision occurred
and one passenger stated that the Co
lumbia crossed the bow or attempted to
cross the bow of the San Pedro.
r. Hawse, third officer on the Column
bia, said he was in his room at the time
of the wreck and he noted the shock and
heard the alarm given. He makes the of
fetal statement that the Columbia float
ed eleven minutes after the San Pedro
struck her.
Young Girls Heroism.
Officer Hawse tells of the heroic rescue
of lady passenger by Maybelle Watson
who resides in Berkeley. Cal
MISS watson was in one of the small
boats with about twenty of the passengers
and crew The boat capsized when the
Only about ten or twelve who had or
life preseTVers came up. Miss Watson had
been in the water thirty minutes when
a young woman appealed to her for help
The young lady had put her life preserveI
on wrong and could not keep her head
above water. Miss Watson asked some
men to help, but they all refused. She
held the girls head above water for al
most two hours. The girl was uncon-
scious most of the time. When Officer
Hawse approached in a boat and asked
Miss Watson to give him her hand So
that he could help her In, she refused
assistance until they lifted her uncon-
scious companion on board. When tbs
two girls were taken on board the SaI
Pedro the doctors said that Miss Wat
sons companion was beyond recovery
but when they learned of the heroic eff
fort of Miss Watson to save her they
worked hard and the young lady revived
and is now all right. Miss Watson i:
only Is years of age
Story of Passenger.
Professor William Hardin Lucas o.
Seattle gave the following account of the
wreck;
LAS nearly as ] can learn from those
who did not lose their watches, the col
lisiOn occurred at about 10 minutes afte
midnight. The shock was hardly notice
able but | heard the crash and a scrap
ing sound that followed. For few sec
Onds | heard no other sound and decided
to await developments or information
Soon | heard one of the crew shouting
All hands on deck Still / supposed onl.
the crew was wanted and did not leav'
my berth until the cry was changed t
Everybody ON deck, she's struck From
the scraping sound 1 inferred that tn
vessel was aground on a rock or bar
and concluded that 1 would not Join II
any panic or stampede for the boats, bu
would rather wait until all the womel
were put off and take my chances of get
ting one of the boats that might com
back after going to shore. or trust to
life preserVer and what swimming ! coul
do Without any waste of time, though
not I'm a real hurry. L completely dressed
even to buttoning my vest, tying my era
vat and lacing one of my shoes, but de
cided not to lace the other because
might need to remove them in case ha
to swim.
Truth Forced Upon Him.