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- [00:00]
Rich Napolitano
There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery app as a member of Noiser plus at noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts. Or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts@intohistory.com Today, most major transportation accidents happen very fast. A plane crash is probably measured in seconds rather than minutes. A train derailment is nearly instantaneous, a car crash split second. But a ship sinking? Well, that can take a while. Imagine what that's like. Something goes wrong and it looks like trouble, but no one's really sure. There are some rumors, some talk about rescue. You have time to think. You even begin composing a letter home. Then some bad news comes in, and the hope you held turns to anxiety and despair than to panic. On today's Saturday matinee, we're sharing an episode from the amazing podcast Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs that tells the story of the Princess Sophia, a Canadian passenger steamship that tragically sank on October 25, 1918. Caught in a severe snowstorm with strong winds and poor visibility, the Princess Sophia struck a reef and appeared at first not to be taking on water. But despite rescue ships waiting nearby, conditions prevented any safe transfer of passengers. So when the storm intensified and the Princess Sophia broke apart and Sank, all 353 people on board went with her, making this the worst maritime disaster in the history of the Pacific Northwest. I hope you enjoy While you're listening, be sure to search for and follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs. We put a link in the show notes to make it easy for you. History Daily is sponsored by Express Pros. Managing your workforce can be exhausting, and if you're tired of a costly and lengthy hiring process, simplify and speed up your recruitment. With one connection the experts at Express Employment Professionals reduce time to hire, cut down on interviews and lower your recruitment costs. Visit ExpressPros.com today. Express is more efficient than hiring on your own. Check out ExpressPros.com to see how Express employment professionals can take care of your hiring. History Daily is sponsored by atRuby. Lately, you may have been hearing about a serious but rare heart condition called attr cardiac amyloidosis, or attrcm. Because symptoms can be similar to other heart conditions, it may take time to be diagnosed, but learning more about ATTRCM and a treatment called Atrubi, also called Acharamatis, could be important for you or a loved one. Atruby is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with ATTRCM to reduce death and hospitalization due to heart issues. In one study, people taking atrube saw an impact on their health related quality of life and 50% fewer hospitalizations due to heart issues than people who didn't take a truby, giving you more chances to do what you love with who you love. Tell your doctor if you're pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding and about the medications you take. The most common side effects were mild and included diarrhea and abdominal pain. If you have ATTR CM, talk to your cardiologist about a Truby or visit attruby.com, that's attruby.com to learn more.
- [03:30]
Narrator
It's October 24th, 1918. 31 year old Jack Maskell is huddled in his cabin on board the steamship Princess Sophia. A native of Manchester, England, he had been working as an entertainer in Dawson City in the northern reaches of the Yukon Territory. He booked passage south on the Princess Sophia, the first leg of a long journey home to marry his fiance, Ms. Dorothy Burgess. But his journey has come to a frightening halt. The vessel has become stranded on a reef during a blinding snowstorm. Although he has been reassured by the crew that there is no danger, Maskell understands the perilous nature of the situation and is fearing the worst. He takes out a pen into stationery and writes a letter to his my dear own sweetheart. I am writing this, my dear girl, while the boat is in grave danger. We struck a rock last night which threw many from their berths. Women rushed out in their night attire. Some were crying, some too weak to move, but the lifeboats were swung out in all readiness, but owing to the storm it would be madness to launch until there was no hope for the ship. Surrounding ships were notified by wireless and in three hours the first steamer came. But we cannot get near owing to the storm raging and the reef which we are on. There are now seven ships near. When the tide went down, 2/3 of the boat was high and dry. We are expecting the lights to go out at any minute, also the fires of the boilers. The boat might go to pieces, for the force of the waves are terrible, making awful noises on the side of the boat which has quite a list to port. No one is allowed to sleep, but believe me, dear Dory, it might have been much worse. We struck the reef in a terrible snowstorm. There is a big buoy near marking the danger, but the captain was to port instead of to starboard of the buoy. I made my will this morning leaving everything to you my own true love. And I want you to give £100 to my dear mother, £100 to my dear dad, £100 to dear wee Jack, and the balance of my estate, about £300 to you. Dory, dear. The Eagle Lodge will take care of my remains in danger at sea. Princess Sophia, 24th October 1918. To whom it may concern, should anything happen to me, notify Eagle Lodge Dawson. My insurance, finances and property I leave to my wife, who was to be Ms. Dorothy Burgess, 37 Smart Street, Long Sight, Manchester, England. The Princess Sophia, the unknown Titanic of the West Coast. Today on Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs. Hello and welcome to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, tales of mishaps, misfortune and misadventure. Hi, I'm your host, Rich Napolitano. In October of 1918, the world seemed to be falling apart. World War I in Europe had dragged on for four years and its staggering death toll loomed heavy over the general public. News from the war was reported daily, and each day brought more carnage and grief. Approximately 20 million had been killed as a result of the war. Families of soldiers from all over the world anxiously waited for news, hoping to see their husbands, fathers or brothers walked through their doors again. In the fall of 1918 came another grim danger, a worldwide influenza epidemic. The earliest recorded case of the outbreak was in the state of Kansas in the United States earlier that spring. But By October, over 10 million had been killed by the highly infectious and deadly virus. Within a year, over 50 million would be killed by influenza. The loss of all 353 on board the Princess Sophia on October 25, 1918 was a mere blip in a world gripped in chaos. Prospectors had been gradually moving north into the area of the Yukon territory during the 1800s, where they encountered the native first nations peoples of the nomadic fishermen and hunters. The emergence of Dawson City in 1896 was a direct result of the Klondike gold rush of 1896-1899, after gold was found by a First nations man named Kiss, who was also known as Jim Mason or Skookum Jim. While he is generally credited with the discovery of gold in the region, it was American prospector George Carmack who registered the original claim at Rabbit Creek, now named Bonanza Creek. Dawson City is at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike rivers, making it a convenient location to the gold fields. As news of the discovery spread south to what locals call the outside, a stampede of prospectors headed north to the Klondike area. An estimated 100,000 attempted the journey, but the inherent difficulties of traveling to the area resulted in only about 30,000 reaching it. Nevertheless, within a year, all of Bonanza Creek had been claimed by prospectors. With the gold rush came demand for accommodations, saloons, brothels, housing, restaurants and shops, and Dawson City flourished. Reliable transportation routes to the Klondike area were also needed, resulting in the formation of the boomtown of Skagway and its sister town of Dyee. Across Lynn Canal, these settlements transformed from scattered tent campgrounds to fully fledged cities within months. Most of the prospectors took the cheapest and most direct route. This was considered the poor man's route. Prospectors took ships along the Inside Passage north between the mainland and the complex web of Alaskan islands along the coast. Prospectors disembarked from ships at these ports and trekked the difficult overland passages of Chilkut Trail and the White Pass Trail to the headwaters of the Yukon River. These were incredibly difficult passages as prospectors had to haul all of their gear over the Coast Range mountains. Hypothermia, disease, suicide and starvation were not uncommon. Using pack animals was not possible on the steep Chilcote Trail, and men often overloaded their pack animals on the also difficult white passengers. The remains of more than 3,000 horses lie at the bottom of Dead Horse gulch. Although just 35 miles from Skagway to the Yukon river, the total distance walked was over 500 miles as travelers marched back and forth, hauling their supplies a little at a time and winding around the mountain passes. Once they arrived at the lakes forming the headwaters of the river, they either built homemade boats or purchased one to float the remaining 500 miles north to Dawson City. Others chose the shorter but much more difficult glacier routes from Yakutat and Valdez. This was a treacherous and unpredictable journey. Many became lost or suffered from snow blindness. Those who could afford it took what was called the rich man's route. This all water voyage sailed around to western Alaska and sailed up the Yukon river to Dawson City. This was by far the easiest route, but also much more expensive. At its height, Dawson City boasted a population of 18,000. But the boom of the Klondike Gold rush was brief and it began a steady decline, as did Skagway. The port of Dyea withered away completely and disappeared. Discovery of gold in Nome, Alaska, prompted a large departure of its miners in 1899. But those who remained often went outside for the winter months, going south to Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, or other locations. Year after year, fewer and fewer returned, and by 1918, Dawson City's population dropped to roughly 800 and was just a shadow of its former self. By October of 1918, the last ships were leaving Skagway for southern ports. The last ship was scheduled to leave Skagway for the outside on October 23rd before the big Freeze. Anyone who waited as long as possible to leave the north booked passage on the Princess Sophia. Built by Bo MacLachlan Company at Paisley, Scotland. She was named after Princess Sophia Matilda of the United Kingdom, hence the British pronunciation of Sophia rather than Sophia. She was part of the Princess fleet of six coastal liners purchased by Canadian Pacific Railroad or CPR and launched on 8 November 1911. These liners were designed to provide passenger and cargo service to the more remote locations of the Pacific Northwest along the Inside Passage of British Columbia and Alaska. She was a steel double hulled steamship with a length of 245ft, a beam of 44ft and a gross weight of 2,320 tons. Her her single screw triple expansion engine could provide propulsion up to 14.5 knots. She was not luxurious but still a comfortable, well appointed ship. Her original service route was primarily between Vancouver and Prince Rupert, but in 1913 she was assigned to take bi weekly trips between Vancouver and Skagway. With a capacity of 166 first class passengers and 84 second class passengers, she quickly became a favorite. She was sturdy enough to withstand the harsh weather of the Pacific Northwest but agile enough to navigate the channels of the inside passage. On October 23, 1918, the Princess Sophia departed Skagway at 10:10pm three hours behind schedule on her last voyage of the season. The ship was packed full of luggage and cargo including 24 horses, five dogs and $132,000 in gold ingots. 353 people were on board including miners, government officials, employees, businessmen, families and newly recruited soldiers heading to war. Included in this number were 73 crew including Captain Leonard Locke. Six of the crew members had to be replaced at the last minute due to contracting influenza. 66 year old Captain Locke had experienced a lifetime at sea growing up in Halifax. He joined his father on a ship at age 16 traveling the world with the Red Star Line. He relocated to Vancouver in 1895 and ran a tugboat for the Dunmere Family coal magnets out of British Columbia. In 1901 he joined Canadian Pacific Railroad and commanded steamers along the Pacific Northwest. By 1918 he had 50 years of experience and had a respectable reputation. He was known as being extremely fastidious with procedures and very strict and proper. Leaving Skagway the Sophia began its journey out of the 90 mile long Lynd Canal. A cold wind was strong out of the north, bringing a harsh chill with it, forcing those gathered on the deck to head inside. As the passengers settled in, children were put to bed and adults gathered in the ship's saloon to socialize and talk business. At 11pm as the ship passed Battery Point, the weather turned for the worse. A blinding snowstorm enveloped the ship and the winds came whipping south over the mountain peaks. The water boiled with frothy whitecaps and visibility was quite poor. But Captain Locke continued on being three hours behind. Already he had faced worse than this and he knew these waters well. The Inside Passage was typically much calmer than the open ocean, but strong winter storms out of the north were common and could come up without warning. Despite the rough seas, the Princess Sophia steamed ahead at full speed. It passed through the 7 mile wide channel of Berners Bay. But Locke knew the narrower favorite channel was ahead on the approach to Juneau. It was 2 1/2 miles wide and you would have to proceed with caution through the channel between Poundstone Rock and Lincoln Island. But for the time being, he kept the ship at full speed. The only obstacle to be concerned with was Vanderbilt Reef. This is about a half acre of flattened rock and is the tip of a 1000 foot underwater mountain from the base of Lynn Canal. At low tide it is about 12ft above the waterline. But at high tide it might be just barely visible or not visible at all. If the seeds are crashing hard over is two and a half miles from the eastern shore and four miles from the western island shore. In 1918, a small red and black buoy marker was anchored at the southern tip of the reef, which was highly visible during the day during good visibility and virtually impossible to see at night. With poor visibility, captains and pilots often used Point Sherman as a point of reference located about 15 miles to the north of Vanderbilt Reef. Using this reference they could set their bearing and be sure to stay in the channel. In poor visibility, the ship's whistle would be sounded and the seconds counted until hearing the echo. This technique seems incredibly unreliable and archaic today, but it was used when needed, often successfully. Whether or not Captain Locke used Point Sherman as a reference or the ship's whistle to determine his bearing is unknown. But the Princess Sophia was off course, racing down the center of Lynn canal. At approximately 2:10pm in a blinding storm, the ship slammed into the north end of Vanderbilt Reef going 11 to 12 knots. It was high tide and so most of the reef was submerged. The Sofia slid up on top of the flattened rock, grinding its keel across the reef. The sudden jolt caused everyone and everything on board the ship to crash across the room. The Sofia was suspended up on the reef, only just barely, supported by very shallow water, its propellers up out of the water, spinning freely in the air. And so the ship's engines were shut down. Captain Locke ordered the lifeboats swung out on their davits and for the ship's situation to be evaluated. Locke sent the following message to CPR in Victoria via Princess Sophia. Ran on Vanderbilt Reef, Lynn Canal, three o' clock. Ship not taking any water, unable to back off at high water. Fresh northerly wind ship pounding assistance on way from Juneau. The message was received by the vessel Cedar outside of Juneau harbor, and another message was sent to the CPR station in Skagway. Due to the delays and difficulties in transmitting via wireless at that time, the message was not received in Victoria until 12 hours later. Passengers were concerned, but orderly and generally remained calm. Although there was a terrible impact with the reef, injuries were few. Captain Locke told the passengers that the ship was not taking on water and assured them he would be able to move the ship off the reef when the water rises. At 4:45am Locke received a message from Juneau informing him that the vessels Estebeth, Amy, Lone, Fisherman and Peterson were all on their way to his location. This was calming news for the passengers, but Locke believed all of those vessels were too small to perform a rescue in such violent seas. At 9am the Petersen arrived, commanded by Captain Cornelius Stidham. The sound of its whistle was a welcome relief. The Petersen approached within about 75 yards of the Sofia and used a megaphone to communicate with Captain Locke. Stidham was told to stand by and wait for high tide when the lifeboats would be launched. Stidham kept his vessel nearby and waited.
- [20:14]
Rich Napolitano
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- [21:49]
Narrator
The passengers waited, anxiety began to set in as they realized their rescue was not certain. The Estabeth arrived next and its captain, James Davis, observed the Sophia was almost fully out of the water despite it being just past high tide. He communicated with Locke as well, and Locke assured him the ship was securely in place, wedged in a cradle on the reef. Locke asked the vessels to continue to wait, and when the seas calmed, he would launch the lifeboats. But Captain Davis made another important observation. The Princess Sophia had an enormous seam in her bow, an opening of about 4 to 6 inches. Water was pouring in and out of the outer hull of the ship, in his estimation at 300 gallons per minute. Despite rescue ships being available, Captain Locke believed it to be too dangerous to launch the lifeboats, and this decision was emboldened by his belief that his ship was firmly stuck on the reef. Locke certainly would have recalled the tragedy of the steamer Clallam in 1904. While foundering in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, its captain launched three lifeboats in rough seas, only to watch them capsize, sending 56 people, mostly women and children, to their deaths. Passengers on the Sofia began to line up on the deck with their suitcases, believing they would soon be boarding the lifeboats. Captain Stidham on the Petersen watched and was at the ready, but the signal never came to begin the rescue, and the lifeboats were not launched. All through the day of October 24, passengers on board the Sophia waited anxiously as their hopes rose and fell with each high tide. The snow, wind and waves were unrelenting, and Captain Locke continued to wait. Meanwhile, Signal Corps Private R.S. mcQueen wrote a letter to his mother. As soon as this storm quits we will be taken off. She is a double bottomed boat and her inner hull is not penetrated, so here we stick. She pounds some on a rising tide and it is slow riding, but our only inconvenience is so far lack of water. The main steam pipe got twisted off and we were without lights last night and have run out of soft sugar. But the pipe is fixed so we are getting heat and lights now and we still have lump sugar and water for drinking. The lighthouse tender cedar arrived at 10pm under Captain J.W. ledbetter. He ordered searchlights on the Sofia to check on her condition and he agreed with Captain Locke that it would be impossible to safely launch the boats. The fishing schooner King and wing under captain J.J. miller was also on scene and diligently circled the Sofia throughout the night. Communications from CPR headquarters to coordinate rescue efforts were plagued by problems and delays. Messages to Juneau repeatedly failed, either due to weather or other interference, but CPR agent Frank Lowell in Juneau had made arrangements to house all of the occupants of the Princess Sophia. It was difficult to find lodging for over 300 people. However, he found beds for them at numerous hotels, boarding houses and even private homes. If all on board could be evacuated, there would be a safe place for them to go. Eight rescue vessels were in the area on the morning of October 25th. Still, there was no sign of the weather improving and in fact it continued to worsen throughout the day. The Cedar attempted to anchor about 500 yards from Vanderbilt Reef in order to shoot a breeches buoy using a Lyle gun to the Sophia, but her anchor would not hold in the strong current and the effort was abandoned. Waves crashed into the Sofia with a relentless fury. Passengers became increasingly frightened as the ship scraped against the reef and was heaved up and slammed down again. How long the ship could hold up to the pounding was anyone's guess. Captain Locke gave the order to distribute life jackets to all passengers, assign everyone to lifeboats and provide rescue operation instructions. The lifeboats were swung out but remained covered in order to keep the snow out of them. By 1pm of October 25, the Cedar and the King and Wing were forced to seek shelter in the lee of nearby Sentinel Island. Captains Ledbetter and Miller discussed their options for a possible rescue, but agreed nothing could be done until the following morning. In his letter to his mother, R.S. mcQueen described the rescue. We had three tugboats here in the afternoon, but the weather was too rough to transfer any passengers. The most critical time was at low Tide at noon when the captain and chief officer figured she was caught on the starboard bow and would hang there while she settled on the port side and astern. They were afraid she would turn turtle, but the bow pounded around and slipped until she settled into a groove, well supported forward on both sides. The wind and the sea from behind pounded and pushed her until she is now 30 hours after on the rock. Clear back to the middle and we can't get off. The tenacity of the storm was unforgiving with no end in sight, forcing the rescue boats to leave the Princess Sophia and seek shelter. At 4:50pm A huge swell lifted the ship violently and its steel hull produced a horrifying shriek as it began slipping from the reef. Radio operator of the Sophia, David Robinson, sent an urgent ship foundering on reef. Come at once. The Cedar and King and Wing responded and began heading back out into the storm to provide assistance. At 5:20pm another message was received by the vessel. For God's sake hurry, the water is coming in my room. Captain Ledbetter responded, telling Robinson, we are coming. Save your batteries. Robinson replied, all right, I will you talk to me so I know you are coming. This was the last communication received from the Princess Sophia. Shortly after this message was sent, the strong winds and current lifted the ship's stern section and the vessel slowly spun in place, grinding the rock underneath it into a smooth powder. The Sofia was turned 180 degrees with the bow facing north into the current. The blinding storm proved to be too much for the Cedar and King of Wings and both were forced back to shelter. At approximately 5:50pm The Princess Sophia slipped off the reef and sank to the bottom of Lynn canal with all 353 on board. As she sank, its bottom plates were ripped open, flooding the engine room. There were no survivors. Watches later found on the victims had stopped at 5:50pm At 9am the following morning, October 26, the weather broke enough for the rescue vessels to return to Vanderbilt Reef. The Cedar, King and Wing and other vessels arrived, but the men were stunned to see the ship was gone. From its perch on the reef, all that could be seen was the top 40ft of the ship's foremast above the surface of the water. Captain J.W. ledbetter of the Cedar wired a message to no sign of life, no hope of survivors. The rescue vessels began the sad duty of retrieving bodies that had floated to the surface with CPR, offering $50 for every body found. After several hours of searching, a few oil covered bodies were recovered before weather forced them to pause. Over the coming weeks and months, more bodies were recovered along the Alaskan coast, some up to 30 miles away. Within days, divers searched the wreck of the Sofia. What they found indicated she sank quickly and unexpectedly, with many being unprepared. Children were found still tucked on their beds, and adults were found fully dressed in the saloon halls, cabins and washrooms. Some had life jackets and seemed prepared, but about 100 people were found below deck still in their cabins. Passenger James Kirk of Dawson City was found tied to a younger man by the wrists in an apparent effort to save him. Newspapers called him the most heroic man of the Sofia wreck. Crewman Frank Goss survived the sinking of the ship and used a lifeboat to make it to shore, only to die from exposure during the night. All indications are that no order had been given to abandon ship, or it came at the very last moment. Some perhaps resigned themselves to their doom and calmly waited for the end, while those who were able made it into the water only to drown or succumb to hypothermia. A coroner later determined that most were suffocated in thick oil from the ship's torn fuel tanks. Recovery efforts were centered in the town of Juneau, which responded gallantly while itself dealing with the flu epidemic with a population of just 3,000. CPR agents, government officials and volunteer civilians assisted with the search and recovery and cleaned the oil soaked bodies of over 300 people with gasoline. A warehouse was converted into a temporary morgue where bodies were cataloged and personal items logged. Guards were stationed at the warehouse around the clock to Prevent looting. By November 1, 180 bodies had been recovered and most of them were identified. Embalmers and coffins from Skagway, Ketchikan and Seattle were brought in as the demand was simply too much for the small town. While most victims that would be found had already been recovered, a trickle of bodies continued to turn up as much as a year later. News of the disaster spread quickly. On October 28, the Toronto Globe published a story with the headline Worst Marine Tragedy on the Pacific Coast. In Glasgow, headlines read, terrible disaster at sea. Princess Sophia lost. The news hit the families of the victims hard, especially in Dawson City. Its residents originally received news that the steamer was grounded but perfectly Safe. Then on October 26, news came that the ship had foundered and all were lost. 126 Residents of Dawson City died on the Princess Sophia, about 16% of its population. This was a devastating loss for the small community. The Dawson Daily News published an editorial simply titled Keep Heart, a portion of the column reads. Few tragedies indeed take at one fell stroke such a heavy percentage of those so well known in a community. 156 of the recovered bodies were shipped south for burial, 62 to Vancouver, 25 to Victoria, and the remaining to Seattle and the surrounding area. The bodies were transported on the Princess Alice, and it arrived in Vancouver on November 11th. Earlier that day, the end of the Great War was announced. It was Armistice Day, and the public filled the streets in celebration. The Ship of Sorrow, as it became known, was strangely greeted by an overwhelmingly rejoiceful crowd. Approximately 21 bodies remained in Juneau who were from the north, including Dawson City. It simply was not possible to transport them home. No ships were making the voyage north until the spring, and transporting overland was simply not an option. Instead, they were buried locally in Juneau. At Evergreen Cemetery, the body of Signal Corps Private Aris McQueen was found, along with his letter to his mother. He was buried at Sitka National Cemetery in Sitka, Alaska. Jack Maskell, whose letter you heard at the top of this episode, was also found along with his letter to his fiance Dorothy. He was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver, British Columbia. The body of Captain Leonard P. Locke was never found.
- [34:14]
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- [35:12]
Narrator
Investigation into the sinking of the Princess Sophia was launched January 6, 1919. The actions of Captain Locke were the focus of the inquiry, particularly his decision to run at full speed during a storm in poor visibility. His decision not to launch the lifeboats also came under fire. Testimony from the captains and crew of the various rescue vessels were mixed. Some believe there may have been an opportunity or two to launch the lifeboats, while others believed at no time was it ever safe to do so. CPR officials vigorously defended the actions of Captain Locke. The ship's log was never found and no evidence existed to explain how the ship veered off course. Ultimately, no blame was assigned to Captain Locke or anyone else. The inquiry submitted its findings entitled Report to the Marine and fisheries, Ottawa, which stated the Princess Sophia was lost due to perils of the sea. Workers compensation claims are filed against CPR by the families of the crew, but those were dismissed as the accident happened in Alaskan waters. The act of British Columbia, which provided workers compensation claims, only applied within the province. But this decision was overturned in an appeals court and each crew member's family was awarded a small pension of up to $3,500 from CPR, depending on each family's circumstances, in monthly installments. A total of $83,000 was paid out in exchange for an agreement not to sue the company. CPR also paid an additional $78,000 for funeral expenses for the victims. Civil lawsuits were filed in United states courts against CPR, with attorney William Martin representing the families of 225 victims. The case was heard in Seattle in front of Judge Jeremiah Neterer. Martin argued that the officers of the Princess Sophia were not qualified, incompetent and were alcoholics and drunk on the night of the accident. He alleged that most of the crew consisted of boys and men who were rejected for service in the army. Much emphasis was also placed on Captain Locke's carelessness and subsequent failure to evacuate the passengers from the ship. CPR's lawyers denied these allegations and submitted a petition to dismiss the case on the grounds of limited liability. In September of 1921, after extensive testimony, Judge Neterer gave his decision. He denied CPR's petition for limited liability and awarded a judgment of $2.5 million to the families plus $1 million in court fees to be paid by CPR. Judge Netero wrote, ordinary care on the part of the lookout and moderate speed would have prevented the catastrophe. CPR immediately filed an appeal to have the case reheard before Judge Neterer, which was granted. The case was reargued using the same evidence and same testimony. Just two weeks after the first judgment, the decision was reversed and CPR's petition for limited liability was granted. This began a long drawn out legal battle lasting more than 10 years. Captain Locke was accused of drunkenness, incompetence, and of having inappropriate relations with females on board. A bizarre accusation even levied that he rabidly hated Americans and sunk the ship on purpose. None of these claims were substantiated and were dismissed by the court. Finally, in 1930, a U.S. district Court upheld the decision in favor of CPR, and it was confirmed by the U.S. circuit Court of Appeals in 1932, 14 years after the loss of the Princess Sophia. The final ruling limited CPR's responsibilities to the value of the passengers, fares, luggage and freight fares, which was estimated at about $9,000. But years of court costs dwindled this down to a total of $643.50, about $2 per passenger. CPR additionally received an insurance payout of $250,000 from Lloyd's of London for the loss of the ship. Prior to the sinking of the Princess Sophia, there had been calls to place a lighted marker on Vanderbilt Reef and other locations along the Inside Passage. CPR itself requested a lighted buoy on Vanderbilt Reef in 1917, but their request was denied due to a lack of funds following the disaster, the Daily Alaskan wrote, vanderbilt Reef has long been regarded as a menace to navigation, another terrible marine casualty. Numberless human lives have found a resting place in the icy waters of those sparsely lighted and poorly protected shores. In the case of the Princess Sophia, the loss of life is most appalling, making it the most serious wreck of record on the Pacific. Finally, in 1920, a navigation beacon was installed on Vanderbilt Reef. The Princess Sophia itself lies along the slopes of Vanderbilt Reef in several pieces, with its bow 40ft underwater and its stern in deeper water 130ft down. She is heeled over on her port side with much of its contents spilled out along the slope. It is a popular dive spot when conditions permit. Although it has never been surveyed, the ship's all black and white color, contrasted with an abundance of marine life, has been described as eerie and spiritual. Divers to the wreck can expect to see the ship's rudder, a fluke of the propeller boilers, its main engine, toilets, sinks, bathtubs, deck winches and the ship's foremast. News of the Great War and the influenza epidemic was at the forefront of everyone's minds when the Sofia was lost. Just five days later on October 30th, the HMCS Galliano went down. Significant news as it was the only Canadian vessel lost during the Great War. When the war ended on November 11, this pushed the tragedy even further out of mind as nations worldwide celebrated peace. For these reasons, the Princess Sophia has been referred to as the Unknown Titanic of the West Coast. However, in more recent years, more has been done to remember and honor those who were lost. A memorial service at Evergreen Cemetery in Vancouver is held every year at noon at the gravesite of Walter and Frances Harper, a newlywed couple who lost their lives in the tragedy in 2018. At the Centennial remembrance of the Princess Sophia, a bronze memorial plaque was commissioned by the pioneers of Alaska and installed at Eagle Beach State Recreation Area and dedicated on July 14. The plaque features a depiction of the steamship and includes the inscription in memory of the 350 passengers and crew who perished on the SS Princess Sophia at Vanderbilt Reef on October 25, 1918. And as it turned out, there was allegedly one survivor, an English setter found by local cannery workers. The dog, nicknamed Tommy, was covered in oil and shivering, but survived the harrowing ordeal. Tommy was thought to have belonged to Captain James Alexander, who went down with the ship. The Alexander estate later clarified that Tommy was a Chesapeake Bay retriever. While it has been debated whether Tommy came from the ship or was a local dog lost in the water, Tommy has become a local legend. In July of 2024, a bronze statue of Tommy the Dog was installed at T Harbor in Juneau, honoring the only survivor, mythical or not, of the Princess Sophia that is going to do it for the Princess Sophia, the unknown Titanic of the West Coast. Thank you so much for listening. For ad free episodes and bonus content, please join the Officers Club on patreon@patreon.com shipwreckspot for just $5 a month, you'll get access to all episodes, all ad free, plus at least one bonus episode every month and you'll be helping me continue to bring you quality maritime history episodes. Or you can make a one time donation@buymeacoffee.com Shipwreckspot Shipwrecks and sea Dogs is written, edited and produced by me, Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by Shawn Siegfried and you can find him at Sean Siegfried.com episodes, transcripts and show notes, social media links and merchandise are all available at shipwrecksandseedogs.com Please join me again next time, but until then, don't forget to wear your life jackets. Every big moment starts with a big dream. But what happens when that big dream turns out to be a big flash flop from wondery and ill Media? I'm Misha Brown and this is the Big Flop. Every week, comedians join me to chronicle the biggest flubs, fails and blunders of all time. Like Quibi.
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To like get other people to do it and the 2019 movie adaptation of Cats. Like, if I'm watching the dancing and I'm noticing the feet aren't touching the ground, there's something wrong with me. The movie Find out what happens when massive hype turns into major fiasco. Enjoy the Big Flop on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to the Big Flop early and ad free on wondery plus get started with your free trial at wondery.com plus.