1923 — Dec 5, steamer T.W. Lake sinks in gale Rosario Strait, San Juan Islands, WA –13-15

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-6-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–15  AP. “War Hero Drowns on Sound Vessel.” Fairbanks Daily News, AK. 12-8-1923, p. 1.

–15  Oakland Tribune, CA. “Five Bodies Washed Up By Waves. Puget Sound Boat…” 12-7-1923, p.1.

–14  Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 226.

–13  U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report 1924, p. 14.

Narrative Information

Berman: “T.W. Lake. Ga. S. [gas steamer]. 104 [tons]. 1895 [built]. Dec 5, 1923 [lost].  Foundered. Rosario Straits, Wash.,  All lives (14) lost.” (Berman, Bruce D.  Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 226.)

 

U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service: “On the evening of December 5, 1923, during a heavy gale, somewhere between Shannon Point [WA] and Decatur Island [San Juan Islands], the steamer T.W. Lake was wrecked, resulting in the total loss of the vessel, and the loss of the lives of 13 of the crew….Vessel was evidently lost in a strong wind and heavy sea.” (U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report 1924, 14.)

Newspaper

 

Dec 7, Oakland Tribune: “By International News Leased Wire to Tribune

“Seattle, Dec. 7. – Five bodies of the crew of fifteen men who went down with the ancient Sound steamer T. W. Lake early yesterday morning in the Straits of Juan de Fuca, have been recovered and are being held at Friday Harbor and Decatur Island for identification, according to F. W. Marvin, owner of the vessel.

 

“By Associated Press Leased Wire to Tribune

“Seattle, Wash., Dec. 7. – During the twenty-four hour gale along western Washington, which lashed the Pacific ocean and Puget Sound waters into enormous waves Wednesday night and early yesterday, sixteen persons were believed to have lost their lives, hundreds of dollars of damage was done to property by rain accompanying the high wind, communication facilities were partly crippled and high tides inundated a portion of both Hoquiam and Aberdeen.

 

“Fifteen persons were thought today to have been drowned when the steamer T. W. Lake sank yesterday in  Rosario Strait between Lopez and Fidalgo Islands, near Anacortes. Four bodies, three of them unidentified, have been recovered by police authorities of San Juan county. One of the bodies was that of Captain W. E. Mason of Tacoma, according to a report received here. At the time of the disaster the ship was westbound from Friday Harbor in the San Juan Island group to Anacortes….Those who are believed to have been aboard the vessel are:

 

  1. E. Mason, master, Regents Park, Tacoma;
  2. Uddenberg, mate, Gig Harbor;
  3. L. Larsen, chief engineer, Seattle;

Lars Dripping, assistant engineer, Seattle;

  1. E. Fielde, purser, Tacma;
  2. V. Abbott, cook, Tacoma;

Al Mason, quartermaster, Tacoma;

  1. Banks, quartermaster;

Charles Pearson and

George Eberl, stevedores;

  1. Skinner,
  2. Dunn,
  3. Skillman and

George Coffin, deckhands.

 

“The addresses of the last named are unknown…”

 

(Oakland Tribune, CA. “Five Bodies Washed Up By Waves. Puget Sound Boat Founders With 15 Lost…” 12-7-1923, p. 1.)

 

Dec 8, AP: “Seattle, Dec. 8. – (AP) – Among five unidentified bodies at Friday Harbor, taken from the wreck of the steamer T. W. Lake yesterday at Rosario Strait, when fifteen, all on board, were drowned, one bears a medal indicating that the wearer who appeared to be the engineer of the vessel, was a hero in the air service during the World War.

 

“The steamer plied the sound, and was bound to Anacortes from Roche Harbor.” (Associated Press. “War Hero Drowns on Sound Vessel.” Fairbanks Daily News, AK. 12-8-1923, p. 1.)

 

Sources

 

Associated Press. “War Hero Drowns on Sound Vessel.” Fairbanks Daily News, AK. 12-8-1923, p. 1. Accessed 4-6-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fairbanks-daily-news-miner-dec-08-1923-p-1/

 

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

 

Oakland Tribune, CA. “Five Bodies Washed Up By Waves. Puget Sound Boat Founders With 15 Lost…” 12-7-1923, p. 1. Accessed 4-6-2025 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune-dec-07-1923-p-1/

 

United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1924. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1924. Digitized by Google.  Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=oafNAAAAMAAJ

Also 4-6-2025 at:

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435066692476&seq=3&q1=shannon+point&start=1