| Women and Children Drown Before Eyes of
All |
| Wm. Grimes, of Redmond, Wash., was aboard the 'Clallam'
bound for Victoria, and gives a concise statement of the disaster: "The weather was pretty
rough." he said, "but we had no suspicion of the danger until some one forward said something
about life-preservers. I went forward to investigate, and there learned that the 'Clallam' was
making water rapidly. The boats were promptly manned and launched, and the women and children
and such passengers as desired to leave were placed in them, competent crews being in charge. The
boats made off from the steamer safely, but one after another they capsized, and we were
helpless to render them assistance. They simply drowned before our eyes. In the meantime the crew
and passengers were busy bailing and trying to stop the leak, but without success. The bailing
was kept up, however, and soon we were overjoyed to learn that a big tug had hold of us. The tow
boat started and made good headway until it became apparent that the 'Clallam' was careening
under us, then all hands went on deck, and as the ill-fated packet listed we gradually crawled
up on her exposed side, from where the brave fellows from the 'Holyoke' rescued most of us."
Prominent among those known to be aboard and as yet unaccounted for, is Homer Swaney, iron and steel plant promoter, and owner of valuable iron properties in British Columbia. He boarded the vessel here, and was not among the rescued. |