Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1902 — DIE IN OCEAN WRECK [ARTICLE]

DIE IN OCEAN WRECK

FORTY-ONE DEAD AND LOST IN' ' " CRASH IN FOSl“ Iron Bark Hits Steamer on Pacific _ Coast—Latter Sinks in 35 Minutes— Former Gets Away Without Attempting to Aid Disabled Boat. In a thick haze and without,* second’s warning an iron bark, believed to be French, struck the passenger steamer Walla Walla off Cape Mendocino, sinking her within thirty-five minutes and causing a loss of life which is believed to amount forty-one persons. Despite the darkness and a choppy sea the officers of the vessel quelled an incipient panic and succeeded in gettifig the passenger’s and crew of the vessel into the small boats in safety. The sailing vessel, though probably not severely injured, did not stand by to rescue, but made her escape in the tog. The crash was fearful. There was a brisk breeze blowing and the bark loomed “out of the thist with fulj sail set, going probably at twelve to fourteen knots. It struck the Walla Walla bow on just abaft the bow with such-force as to completely stave in that portion of the steamer. The steerage quarters were the most severely injured by the impact and it is among these passengers that the loss of life was the greatest. Captain Hall showed marked heroism in going down to that portion of the steamer which was "most smashed and releasing passengers from the cabins in which they had been pinned by broken timbers and buckled plates. Of the 142 passengers and erew on the Walla Walla 109 are accounted for, as follows: Eighty-four survivors are at Eureka, 117 at Big Lagoon, near Trinidad; seven were drowned before reaching land an'd one unknown woman died from the shock and exposure after reaching shore. At the time of the collision all th,e passengers were asleep and the only people on deck were the members of the port watch, in command of the second officer. Every-person on board the vessel was aroused by the crash and within two minutes the decks were filled with ges-~ ticulating and panic-stricken passengers, who, confused by the darkness anT the hoarse shouting of orders, could not understancLthat even a few minutes remained in which to- make their escape. The lifeboats were swung out and emergency rafts brought out ready for lowering. It was thought at first by the officers that the vessel would live for some hours and an attempt was made to take out the baggage, but this was shown to be impossible liy the suddenness with which the vessel toot a heavy list to port, where its plates were crushed in. To avoid this Captain Hall ordered the port boilers blown out and the noise of the escaping steam added to the confusion and distress among the passengers, many of whom were women. Finally seeing that to remain on the vessel endangered the. lives of the persons on board the captain ordered the men to take to the boats, and all who were not killed by the collision were safely got out, with the exception of the captain himself, who- went down ■nzith tha ypggol., VTe was picked UP later by one of the boats. There was a choppy sea running and the small boats could not make a landing on the shore, a few miles distant. They- ' drifted abou t all' day and fin all y six ty-ti ve people were picked up by the steamer Dispatch, which took them to Eureka. Another boat under command of Engineer Brown and containing nineteen persons attempted to land at Trinidad and was swamped, thirteen being drowned-' STOCIrRECEIPTS IN CHICAGO. Over Three Million Cattle and Nine Million Hogs Received. During the year the Chicago live stock market has received, in round numbers, last ten days estimated, 3,069,700 cattle, 183,G00 calves, 9.015,000 hogs, 4,102,500 sheep and 110,000 horses, or a total of 16,480,000 animals in 303,000 cars, showing an increase of 340,700 cattle, 47,300 calves, 320,900 hogs, 553,600 sheep, 11,000 horses and 18,500 cars, over 1900. Shipments during the year were, approximately, 1,034,700 cattle, 19,500 calves, 1,318,200 hogs, 770,800 sheep and 102,900 horses in 75,800 ears, being an increase in shipments of 100,100 cnttle, 5,400 calves, 283,500 sheep and 11,200 horses, a decrease of 133,900 hogs and an increase of 4,700 cars over 1900. The receipts of cattle are the highest of any year since 1593, but the average weight is greater and the quantity vastly superior with eight years’ improvement. All past records were broken in the receipts of sheep during the year, as were the monthly, weekly and records also.