The sinking of the PRINCESS SOPHIA with the loss of all human life would have far reaching effects in the territory.

Many Yukon businesses operated only in the summer months because of high operating costs, cold temperatures and limited access during the winter. As was the custom of the time, most of the government employees as well as mining and business owners and workers waited for the last boat out before the close of the season. It was this segment of the population who filed aboard the PRINCESS SOPHIA on October 24, 1918. These people were the backbone of the territory and their combined loss was almost irreplaceable. With an economy already stretched to the limit by World War One, a manpower shortage due to wartime enlistment, and increasing Federal Government cuts to the territory, the loss of a large segment of the active business and mining community hit the Yukon hard.

Dawson especially, with an already dwindling population and abnormally high representation of townspeople among the 350 plus victims, would never recover.

THE TRAGIC SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

ON VANDERBILT REEF (top) – During the storm the PRINCESS SOPHIA ended up on the port side of the reef marker, (triangle in foreground) instead of the starboard. Running high–up on the reef she remained there, balanced on the rocks. When asked by the Captain of a rescue ship if he wanted to attempt to transfer passengers, Captain Locke of the SOPHIA replied that in his opinion the water was too rough, and he preferred to wait for better weather.

THE WEATHER WORSENS (center) – The situation now is desperate, the wind has greatly increased in intensity (note angle of smoke coming from smoke stack) and a winter storm is moving in. Rescue ships in the vicinity have to run for cover.

TWENTY FEET OF MAST (to the right of the buoy) is all that remains visible of the PRINCESS SOPHIA, as a boat searches for survivors. It is surmised that, during the terrible night time storm, the wind began to shift direction, and like a weather vane on the reef's surface the SOPHIA turned with it. Soon the damaged bow of the ship that had been cradled on the rocks was over deep water and began to sink. As the front end of the boat went lower into the depths, the stern of the ship, which was now on the reef, began to rise. The wind, blowing with gale force in the opposite direction from the day before, blew the doomed ship slowly off the reef and she slid into the channel.

There were no survivors of the more than 350 men, women and children aboard. Almost all of the victims found in the water were wearing life jackets and virtually none of them had drowned. When the SOPHIA went down her fuel tanks had burst and the resulting oil, cold-water mixture caused suffocation when ingested into the lungs.

ONLY SURVIVOR OF SOPHIA Reprinted in the Weekly STAR Mar. 21, 1919.

An English setter, the only survivor of the Princess Sophia, is making himself at home in Auk Bay, having arrived there from Tee Harbor and attached itself to the cannery settlement there, according to word brought to Juneau by L. E. Lloyd, superintendent of the John L. Carlson & Company cannery.

According to those who know the story, the dog arrived at Tee Harbor covered with oil, half wild and almost starved, shortly after the Princess foundered. It possessed a fear of salt water that it has not overcome. It is supposed that the dog reached shore from the wreck and found its way to the nearest settlement.

When told about the dog, L.H. Johnston, agent of the Canadian Pacific at Skagway, said that he remembered that several dogs were checked on the Sophia. He said that when he returned to Skagway he would inquire whether or not any of the dogs that left Skagway would answer to the description of the little wild thing which sought refuge at Tee Harbor so soon after the accident occurred.

It was later determined that the dog probably belonged to Captain James Alexander and his wife Louise, owners of the Engineer Mine on the southern shore of Tagish Lake. They both perished in the wreck.

WILL FOUND

Shipwrecked off coast of Alaska. S.S. Princess Sophia 24th Oct 1918.

My Own Dear Sweetheart, I am writing this 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 life boats were soon swung out in all readiness, but owing to the storm 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 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 two thirds of the boat was high and dry. We are expecting the lights to go out any minute, also the fires. The boat might go to pieces, for the force of the waves are [sic] 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 Dorrie it might have been much worse. Just hear[d?) there is another big steamer coming. 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, Dorrie dear. The Eagle Lodge will take care of my remains.