The Wreck of the SS Dix

A lot of maritime blogs, including this one, have committed a lot of bandwidth the past couple of weeks to the launching of the new Washington State Ferry m/v Chetzemoka, and her various stability and trim problems.

Today I want to remember another ferry serving the Puget Sound region, which was lost 104 years ago today off of Alki Point. At 1942 on November 18, 1906 the steam schooner Jeanie collided with the 103' passenger steamer Dix, sending her to the bottom within five minutes of the collision. 39 of the 77 passengers and crew of the Dix lost their lives.

Captain Philip Mason, master of the Jeanie, was later exonerated from all responsibility for the collision. The blame was placed on First Officer Charles Dennison of the Dix for failure to observe the right-of-way, and also on the deplorable stability and trim of the SS Dix.

The full story is here at History Link.