Lewiston Evening Teller

DROWNED LIKE RATS IN TRAP
Wails of Dying Rent Air As Steamer Dix Went Down

SEATTLE, Wash., Nov. 20.-Captain P. Lermond, master of the steamer Dix, told the story of the collision after arriving at Seattle. He was shaking with the cold, his eyes still dilated with the horror of his experience.

"I don't know how it happened," he said. "Charles Dennison, mate of the boat, was at the wheel. We were just about two miles due north of Alki point and running at the usual speed. There was nothing to hinder it. It was a fine clear night and the water was like a mill pond. I had seen the lights of a steamer on our starboard quarter some time before but had not paid any attention to them. I went below to collect the fares. The boat was crowded. There were 70 passengers on board and it was quite a task to get all the fares. I have been on the run for the past 13 years and knew almost everybody aboard.

Cries That Human Ears Seldom Hear.

"When I was in the ladies'-cabin I heard the bell signal to stop. In a moment I thought that something must be wrong and rushed forward to see what was up. Just as I got on deck on the starboard side I saw the bow of a vessel loom up. Almost instantly she struck. The jib boom crashed through us just aft of midships and heeled the Dix over like a top. She careened like a flash on her port bow and lay there for a minute or two with the water rushing in and all over. I was thrown against the deck house. For an instant the wind was knocked out of me and I was almost paralyzed. The steamer stood for almost two minutes on her port beam. This was exactly at 7:24 o'clock as my watch stopped then. In a moment I recovered my breath and sprang up on the house. Just then the steamer heeled back to starboard. There was another rush of water, cries and screams of men, women and children. From below came sounds such as human ears have seldom heard. Many of the passengers were penned below and could not possibly escape. Then the steamer turned her bow up. She filled and her stern went slowly down, until the bow was standing straight half out of water. For an instant I clung to the railing. The sight fascinated me with its horror. Lights were still burning and I could see people inside of the cabin. The expressions on the faces were of indescribable despair.

Others Sank From Exhaustion.

"People on deck slid off into the water and went down shrieking and desperately clutching at the water or at the Jeanie which still loomed only a few yards away. Within the sinking steamer pandemonium reigned. There were cries and prayers from men and women. The wail of children mingled with the shouts of those who were fighting desperately to gain the deck.

"What took place in that cabin will never be known as no people were saved from there. The boat heeled back and went down by the stern. The other boat was only a short distance away from us all this time. Some of the passengers who had been on deck jumped for her martingale (the chains beneath the bowsprit) and in this way clambered up to safety. By that time the Dix was standing on end with her bow way up in the air and then she started to go down.

"I leaped into the water and managed to keep myself afloat. Others from the sunken steamer were floating near me. Every once in awhile one who had been swimming until his strength gave out would throw up his hands and with a last despairing cry sink. This happened time after time.

In the Water Half an Hour.

"All around were floating heads which called for help and watched the Jeanie as she slowly came towards us and dropped boats which moved here and there picking up men in every direction. Finally a boat came to me. By that time I was indifferent and did not care whether I was saved or not. It must have been at least 25 minutes from the time the Jeanie struck us that the boats were got out and I guess I was in the water another ten. We were taken on board. There were 39 of our people on the steamship. The rest were drowned. There was no sign of my little steamer. She was gone completely.

"I don't think the vessel was very badly damaged by the collision. It was the heeling over on her port beam that caused her loss. She filled with water as soon as she went over and this took her down.

"As to the cause of the accident I cannot say. I was not on deck and don't know how it happened. I heard my mate signal either one or two whistles, I am not sure which. I also heard him ring a stop bell. I cannot understand myself how it could have happened. The night was almost as clear as day and the sea was smooth. This is the first accident that has happened on any ship of mine during the 13 years I have been running on the sound."

Captain Lermond is a well known navigator and has the reputation of being one of the ablest sound pilots leaving Seattle. He is a man about 45 years old and has been at sea since a boy. The Dix sank in 100 fathoms of water. The Jeanie, the government launch Scout and several tugs have gone to the scene of the wreck to search for bodies.