JULY 25,
VOL. XLVI.-XO 14,548.
PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY,
1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
SURVIVORS
REACH CITY
BY STEAMER
Sixty-Five Columbia
Passengers Arrive
on Geo. W. Elder.
(i WLCOHED BY THOUSANDS
joyful Reunions and Scenes of
Sorrow Witnessed on
the Dock.
COMPLETE STORY OF WRECK
Narratives of the Castaways
Agree Substantially.
FEW CASES OF COWARDICE
AU Unite in Saying That Everything
Possible Was Done by the Ship's
Officers to , Save' Lives
After the Collision.
With 65 survivors of the ill-fated Co
lumbia aboard, the steamer George W.
Elder reached port at 6:20 o'clock yester
day afternoon, after a slow- and unevent
ful voyage from the sc.ailflflt .the. grtm
tragedy of the sea of last Sunday morn
ing. Two thousand people thronged the
narrow landing place at Martin's dock to
meet these fortunates who were snatched
from the jaws of death. Many were
there on the happy mission of greeting
relatives who had escaped. Others went
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE LAST LIFEBOAT THAT LEFT THE SINKING COLUMBIA
; . -....., ----. - rr " T"" " J- ' - "-t -v 1 " 1 "
t THE5 OARSMEN ARK SEAMEN LARSOX AXD PETERSOX OF THE COI-l'MllIA CREW I
T i
S IDS
TELL
OF HEROIC DEEDS
Young Girls Save Lives
of Others.
CHILD OF 12 RESCUES TWO
Little Ethel Johnson Pride of
Fellow Castaways.
MISS WATSON'S BRAVERY
This was the last life boat to leave the Columbia. It was pushed oft
as the vessel was sinking. The survivors were able to steady themselves
against the rail of the submerged vessel as they pushed off. The two men
at the oars are the seamen, Larson and Peterson, whose cool and courageous
conduct made it possible to launch the boat which had become fastened to
the Columbia, through fouled tackle-blocks. In all, 26 people, several of
them Portlanders. were saved In this boat. After the boat put off four
women, two children and five men were picked up.
The photograph waa taken from the deck of the imperiled San Pedro as
the life boat was being rowed alongside.
to make inquiry for some loved one un
accounted for.
The vigorous forward surge of human
ity as the first survivors came ashore
shattered the line of police and it was
some time before the Rquad regained con
trol and cleared a passage for the survi
vors from the dock to street where con
veyances were-in .waiting, toxonvey them
to their homes or hotels. There were
happy reunions in plenty. And there
were many meetings far from happy as
faint hope was again turned to despair
when news of missing ones could not be
obtained.
The steamer crossed the Columbia bar
at daybreak and drew ashore at Astoria
Bhortly after 6:35 o'clock. Her trip from
Eureka, Cal., and the scene of the trag
edy, was made under slow bell In order
that the bar could be made by day. At
full speed Captain Jessen would have
reached the mouth of the river at mid
night on Tuesday and crossed In with a
bright moon. It wesr-thotiirhirbest, how
ever, with the heavy passenger list to
keep off until dawn.
The greeting' of the survivors at Astoria
was barely less ardent, notwithstanding
the early hour of the morning. Many of
thossi having friends or relatives aboard
Astoria .Tuesday to wait for
wentf to
the incoming vessel, believing she would
pass in during Tuesday night. Not a
few of these shivered about the water
front all night, -unwilling to chance tha
the steamer should come in unannounced.
Long Stop at Astoria.
There was a stay of three and a half
hours at Astoria while the steamer dis
charged and loaded freight. At 9
o'clock she got under way again for
the voyage up the river . to Portland.
A dozen, of the survivors left the boat
at Astoria and came on 'through by
train, unwilling to wait longer to go
ashore. The majority remained aboard,
very largely from necessity, having
lost all their money and clothing In
the wreck. Nine and a half hours were
required to complete the voyage.
From the various accounts of the
Columbia's end, given by the survivors,
a complete story of the tragedy was
01 -Inable. The versions of the dif
ferent passengers coincide in the main
as to the salient details of the disas
ter. There is no Inclination to lay the
blame for the collision of the Colum
bia with the San Pedro. Many say they
have opinions, but prefer to await the
outcome of the official inquiry into
the affair.
That the wreck was attended by
many scenes of bravery and that the
loss of life was reduced to a mini
mum considering the rapidity with
which the Columbia settled, is the gen
eral verdict. In the fact of the end
less number of mlraoulous escapes from
drowning, it is ciear that courage was
at hafto" rh'"plenty among passengers
and crew. Women and children dis
played admirable cqurage as well as
the men, and there were few Instances
of rank cowardice.
It Is generally believed among the
survivors that loss of life was confined
(Concluded on Page 6.)
A. Jj. Larson and S. Peterson, Sea
men, Launch Abandoned Life
boat and Take 2 6 People Away
From the Sinking Steamer.
Of deeds of valor, the wreck of the
Columbia had its full share. Of In
stances of cowardliness there were but
few. Not to the men are the acts of
heroism all to be credited'. Women did
their full share, and two of the noblest
deeds of all were performed by young
girls, one a miss of 17, the other a
mere child of 12. That little Ethel
Johnson, dauprhter of Mrs. J. A. John
son, of San Francisco, saved two lives
became known when the survivors
reached port yesterday on the George
W. Elder. The little girl, bouyed up
by a life preserver, held to 11-year-old
Effle Gordon, who was overcome by
the shock and exposure; and also
cheerfully assisted Olaf Pearson, who
had no life preserver. In keeping hlm
eelf afloat. The child kept cour
ageously by this trying task for nearly
an hour until all were taken aboard a
life raft.
Battle With Whirlpool.
The chHdren were among those who
failed to get off the boat before she
went down. They were swirled about
in the hissing whirlpool at its outer
edge, having gone overboard Just as
the vessel went down. Both the little
girls had become separated from their
mothers. Ethel withstood the ordeal
and kept her head while being tossed
about in the wave like a cork. Effte
was less fortunate and no doubt would
have drowned had not the plucky little
girl who was floating near her, caught
her about the neck and kept her head
Conrludd on Pnge 5.)
A GROUP OF SURVIVORS PHOTOGRAPHED YESTERDAY BY AN OREGONIAN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ON BOARD THE GEO. W. ELDER
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Willi
This photo of Columbia survivors was taken aboard the George W. Elder yesterday afternoon by an Ore
gonlan staff photographer while the t earner was en route to Portland. In the group are many who narrowly es
caped drowning as well as several who signally distinguished themselves by heroic conduct in saving others from
death: No. 1 J. Grant Kline, of Sanger, Cal., who missed the lifeboats and Jumped overboard at the last mo
ment with Mrs. Kline, saving both. No. 2 Mm. Kline. , Nos. 3 and 4 Miss Helen Churchley and Mrs. C. A. East
man, of Portland, who were among the last women to leave the sinking Columbia. They got aboard the last
lifeboat. No. 6 Miss Emma Grlese, of Cleveland, O., who was saved from drowning by Miss Maybelle Watson.
No. 6 J. P. Eccles, of Portland," who escaped by Jumping overboard and swimming to a lifeboat. No. 7 Joseph
Rumsey, drawn down twice by the eddying whirlpool of the sinking vessel. No. 8 Little Effle Gordon, sep
arated from her mother and rescued by 12-year-old Ethel Johnson. No. 9 Ethel Johnson, who rescued Effle Gor
don and helped Olaf Pearson keep afloat. No. 10 Mrs. J. O. Johnson, of San Francisco, mother of Ethel John
son and C. Johnson. She was struck by an Iron wedge and escaped death through efforts of her son. No. 11
C. Johnson, who rescued his mother. No. 12 J. C. Orr, of Schuyler, Neb., who Jumped overboard as the Columbia
sank. No. 13 Olaf Pearson, taken under by the sinking vessel, and afterwards assisted to lifeboat by Ethel
Johnson. No. 14 "Tricks," th spaniel, which escaped from room In hold of Columbia as the vessel sank.
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