Consternation prevailed here last Saturday evening and Sunday forenoon
when indications were that Foreman Al Henderson of the shipyards, Captain J. F. Hoggan, Purser William Donnenwerth, Cook Stephen Simmons and seven others, some of whom had been
with Foreman Henderson at the Hootalinqua ways and others being members of the Canadian’s crew, had all been lost by the wrecking of the big launch Sibilla on Lake Lebarge.
The launch with the eleven men had left the foot of the lake at 3 o'clock Friday afternoon and when a terrible storm was raging on the lake. As their departure was announced here by wire and when they did not arrive the same night or by noon of Saturday,
Supt. Wheeler took Cam Smith's launch Sour Dough and, with Claire Marcil, left for the lake to look for the derelicts. At the head of the lake and when dark was approaching a launch was met containing Captain Stephen Martin, Captain Ed Gray, Engineer Geo. Waltenbaugh and other members of the crews of the Norcom and Vidette who had just arrived from the foot of the lake. As they had seen nothing of the Sibilla, the outlook was considered very critical.
W. E. Williams of the foot of the lake had accompanied the other launch across the lake in his own boat and he, with Wheeler and Marcil, proceeded to continue the search. The wind was blowing a hurricane and they feared every minute the small craft in which they were jeopardizing their lives would be swamped. In the darkness the two little boats became separated but the occupants of both made land and built camp fires and "Siwashed" for the night, their camps being only a mile apart.
As soon as daylight came the search was resumed. Indications were found
near the island in the lake that the Sibilla had been on the beach on the west side of the lake and nearby was found a notice on a tree which read:
Here the Sibilla was wrecked on October 24, 1913.
Below the above were the names of the eleven who had taken passage.
This only served to increase the mystery and while the three searchers were debating what to do next, the steamer Nasutlin which had left here late Saturday night, hove in sight. She was hailed and boarded and headed for the foot of the lake.
There is but little more to tell for on arriving at the foot of the lake the launch Sibilla was found tied up to the shore and all her late passengers were there, safe and sound, The launch had gone "dead" in the neighborhood of the island Friday afternoon and, there being no experienced engineer aboard, it was impossible to start her again. After being without anything to eat for twenty four hours, the eleven men had rowed and drifted until they arrived back at the foot of the lake - wet, hungry and sleepy, but none the worse for their experience.
The party all reached Whitehorse Monday on the Nasutlin, which steamer
has since been returned to Hootalinqua for others employed on the ways.
Thus was a near tragedy averted.
