The Ketchikan miner., 1908-10-24
COTTAGE CITY'S ACCIDENT.

COTTAGE CITY S ACCIDENT I.
 Just how it occurred is still some- what of mystery. It came stealthily l md in the stiffness of the night, the crash awakening .he sleepers ano startling the crew as much as fhe pas, sengets. It was unlocked for. Tn, Cottage backed out of her wharf at a quarter past ten Friday night, ant was proceeding calmly, under iui speed, until the Pickering tights oi seattle and surrounding towns hat iwindled into darkness by half ar hours time, when the shock occurred
 0 suddenly and violently that tn, ship shivered and groaned. It al. occurred in the twinkle of an eye. iNirst was felt and heard the fierce 1low. then crash into the schooner'> DOW spirit. which carried away the pilot house. bridge and fosemast oI he Cottage, with reverberatipg ,ounds not unlike those of passing
 hunder storm. The writer and an- other passenger were conversirg in the main aft saloon at the moment o srikiug: just d second before two O. he crew rushed into the cabin at tempting to reach the engine room . before they could reach the enigneel he crash came.
 Some confusion followed, but hardly though to say that cousterna ion reigned As a rule all behaved beautifully and as calmly as could be sxpected. Mr. and Mrs. Morrow opened their stateoom door and said that some one was calling for hell
 ion that any One had been swepi ever. and Purser Jones probably owes his life to the Morgow's as assistarct vas rendered at once by throwing life oreservers and ropes to his aid. Alter We all went aft we could hear the poor fellow calling for help. Reas- ,urauce and quieting words were shouted to him. and finally in about fifteen minutes boat reached hiul. -Four CT five steerage passengers bound ior Treadwell, who were lodged n the staarboard bow were hurled from their hunks, receiving slight wounds ID the head and body. ard one mar sustained 3 sprained or broken ankle.
 As fast as possible the barber of the ship with the aid of passenger bound ID the injured as hest. they could. \ bout this time Captin Jansen came town from above showing slight confusion on the forehead. 4 lady asked him what the trouble Was. He replied: ''I donit know. l was in my cabin. The pilot had the bridge. " Then he passed out and into active command. As suon as 1t was ascer- sained that the vessel was not taking iu water. the pisssngers dressed and iwaited developments. It happened
 hat the steamboat George l.. Stai sas making her regular trip 10 Bell ingham and she, seeing the c isaster, came alongside. took the passengers lboard and back to Seattle, arriving about a. n. Ambulences were sent for and Purser Jones and the others injured were hurried off to the hosp sais. None of the Ketchkan party were jired. and al who desired we're transferred to tine Jefferson for eeturn. Many theories. but none inaiiy accepted as yet. were advaanc- d as to how the accideni occurred, put it seems more than probable that, ss the tug had two schooIers in tow the Cottage ran into the stern of the .ir-t one. rebounded. and struck ihe DOW of the second. which swept the bay deck of the Cottage and. crashed h ough fer s,arboard bow to within a iew inches of the water line. Tie oUarteimfster, man named Larsen, while having his head dressed. was isxed the question, "How did it hap oen?i Hts answer was: T could not get the wheel over to hard apori. Something the matter with the steer ng gear. Tie night was dark, but nur fcgqy. and there were several craft withln short distance of the Cottage.
 We started on Friday with thirteen cabin passengers. This sounds oni- nous. but being true believer, we g4a.e tbe verdict with the ultra.su. pefsliticus.