Sinking of The Dix
On November 18, 1906, Dix was not on her customary Alki route, but was acting as a relief boat for the Monticello on the Seattle-Port Blakeley run. She left Seattle with about 77 passengers. Her captain, Percy Lermond, tasked with collecting fares, was absent from the pilot house, leaving the mate Charles Dennison in charge. Theoretically fare collection was a job for the purser, but on the smaller vessels, it was customary for the master to perform this function.
The evening was calm and somewhat clear, and as the vessel steamed west past Alki Point into the open Sound, Captain Lermond went to his quarters behind the pilot house to tally the fares. Off Duwamish Head, Dix approached near the Alaska Coast Company steamer Jeanie and then mate Dennison (who it turns out was unlicensed) inexplicably turned the vessel directly into Jeanie ‘s path. Jeanie was ten times the size of Dix and loaded with iron ore. Even though Jeanie had already reversed her engines, and was barely under steerage way, the impact was sufficient, given the much greater weight of the Jeanie, to cause Dix to heel sharply over on her port side. She quickly filled with water, rolled over, and sank in 103 fathoms (188 m). Captain Lermond described the terrifying scene:
| “ | The sight fascinated me by its horror. Lights were still burning and I could see people inside of the cabin. The expressions on the faces were of indescribable despair. ... There were cries, prayers, and groans from men and women, and the wail of a child and the shouts of those who were fighting desperately to gain the deck. | ” |
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