The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-27
343 DROWNED
ASSHIP SINKS
Princess Sophia, on Rocks, Goes
Down With All on Board,
Says Report.
268 PASSENGERS PERISH
High Wind Prevents Rescue
From Vessel SOuthbOund
From Alaska.
268 PASSENGERS PERISH

! VANCOUVER. b. g. Oct. 2s.-The Cana
ldian Pacific steamship Princess Sophia
| which went on a rock IN the Lynn Canal
on Thursday with 2es passengers aboard
! foundered last night with her passen-
gers and crew of seventy-five, accordins
to private adviccs received here to-day
Local Canadian Pacific officials arc
/ without confirmation of the report
The vessel was bound southwark from
Skagway, situated at the head OF the
Lynn Canal. an arm OF Chatham Strait
extending northward from the Pacific
In the vicinity OF Juneau. Alaska.
| The canal, which ID a natural body OF
water, Is 100 miles long and nve to ten
miles wide.
| VICTORIA. B. C.. Oct 26.--A wireless
! message received here tonight says the
| United States Lighthouse Tender Cedar
has found the body OF one woman near
the scene OF the wreck Of the Princess
Sophia. The only sign OF wreckage is
four upturned boats drifting near the
rock on which the vessel struck.
SEATTLE, Oct. 2s.--Nearly all those
aboard the Princess Sophia. II IL be-
lieved here. were Alsskans, who boa I'd ed
J the steamship at Skagway after coming
UP the Yukon River from the interior
OF tho northern Territory. They left the
river at White Horse, and went by train
TO Skaxway.
The Sophia struck at O'Clock Thurs
day morning. II was at first thought
she would float on the high tide In the
afternoon. Efforts in that direction evil
IDENTIFY failed and the vessel remained
fast.
! The Government lighthouse tenders
and a number OF small craft stood by.
! Yesterday Capt. Locke, master OF the
steamship, notified the Canadian Pa
| cIic's Vancouver Office that the wind
made It impossible to transfer any one
from the stranded ship to the boats
standing by. He expressed no fear for
their safety however.
The vessel was in the path OF the
wind. which often sweeps down the Lynn
| Canal with hurricane force Thursday
afternoon a fresh northerly breeze
! sprang up. causing the ship to pound
badly. making II almost Impossible to
launch the liteboats from several steam
| ships which had hurried in answer to
! the Sophia's $ o call.
| Wednesday the heavily loaded Sophia
| left Skagway for Vancouver and Vic
/ toria. Not many hours out she ran
| into one Of the fret snOwstorms of the
year. Early Thursday in the dark and
storm she ran hard aground on the
Vanderbilt reef Distress calls were
! sent out and Government boats and
small craft went to her assistance.
/ When daylight came 1t was found the
boat was resting easy and the weather
calm, and 1t was decided not to remove
| the passengers. Word was sent to Van
couver and the wrecking steamer Tees
and the Canadian Pacifc Railway
| steamer Princess Alice were sent TO the
Princess Sophia's aid. These ships will
| arrive at the scene tomorrow.
The storm sprang up yesterday and
| the winds whipped down the long, mar
row Lynn Canal with hurricane force.
The Sophia, in the path OF the gale, was
pounded against the rocks.
On account of the danger OF stranding
the nearby ships did not dare go near
her. Lifeboats were impossible, al
though the shore was not many yards
! away. Last night the gale increased In
fury and lifted the steamer up, dragged
her across the reef. and sent her TO the
bottom.
The only definite word from the north
regarding the wreck came to-day when
the Canadian wireless at Victoria picked
up the following message from the
United States wireless station at Juneau :
princess Sophia driven across reef
last night. No survivors. Seventy-tiye I'm
crew, 26S passengers. Everything pos
| sible was done. Terrible weather pre-
vailed"