The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-18
STEAMER SUNK BY
STRIKING ICEBERG
lucatan Goes Down in Eight
Minutes After Collision;
Passengers Are Saved.
REFUGEES ARE CAMPED
ON DES0LATE ISLAND
Steamer Sent From juneau to
at Once Rescue the
CaStawayS.

a., y AEAU, Alaska, Feb. l7-Thc
Alaska Steamship company's steel
steamship 9ucatan. bound from Valdez
for Seattle, with sixty.fve passengers,
struck an iceberg in lev strait at 80
o'ciock yesterday morning and sank
'ippt minutes later IN SIN fathoms OF
water
There was no loss of life and so
far as known no person was injured.
Inc shlpwrec ked passengers and crew
arc Campcd on Chihagof island and
VIII be brought here tomorrow by the
steamship Georgia which left Juneau
tor the purpose soon after news of the
wreck was received
First Mate Gustafson Of the Yucatan
and captain Raymond Jaeger OF the
hsblng schooner Alexandria arrived
mere this morning with the story of
the loss of the steamer.
Struck in Heavy Storm.
Tho steamer was bound for Gypsum.
on Chihagof island. TO take on ouan.
tity OF, gypsum, When ley strait was
reached the water was smooth. but
there werc great fields OF ice and the
snow was falling SO heavily that it
was possible 10 see only a short dis
tauce ahead. Captain w. p. s. Porter
was on the bridge and with him was
the pilot. Captain John Johnson, who
she was lost in British Columbia waters
last summer. Slow speed was ordered,
and the steamer orept through the ice
Suddenly an iceberg loomed I'D ahead
and the steamship rammed into ii. tear
ing great hole in rho side of the YES.
vel. into which water poured Full
steam ahead was ordered and the Yu-
catan was headed for Chihagof island.
where She was beached al point where
there 1S hpTpc ~ a hi oh
tide. The boats were lowered and all
on board were taken 10 shore without
mlshap or confusion, the ten women pas
Sengers being removed first Food and
bedding aud thc United States mail
were also taken ashore
Find Food and Shelter.
On the island the castaways found
cabins 10 shelter them from the cold
and. with abundant food, clothing,
blankets and wood, they arc not likely
TO endure hardship. Many of the pas
sepaeers lost all their personal, effects.
Soon after the crew had landed Cap
tain johnson, First Mate Gustafsop and
four sailors put off in lfeboat ia
seek aid. After rowing fifteen miles
thcv sighted the fishing schooner Alex
andria. Captain Jaeger of the AIexap.
drla offered use Of n gasoline launch, to
continue the trip 10 Juneau. Johnson
and the sailors turning back 10 the isl
and in the lifcboat.
Indians Unfriend1y.
Jaeger and Gustafsou set out for
Juneau in the launch Unfortunately
tbe launch broke down after going
short distance and the two men had
difficulty in getting their craft TO j
Hoonah Indian village. The Indians
refused to allow them 10 have a boat
10 finish their errand and the white
mon were obliged TO use threats. They
arrived at Juneau after being out
twcnty-f0ur hours.
The Gucatan was n steel vessel, built
at Chester. Pa, in 1890. aud was valued
at S300.000. Last summer she was
equipped as n private Yacht OF au eN-
pense OF $4,000 and. flying the flag
Of the New York Yacht club. carried
George w Perkins Of New York aud
a party of his friends on pleasure
trip along the Alaska coast as, Tar
north as the Aleutiau islands. After
this trip was ended the Yucatan was
rcconveTtcd into commercial boat.