Phillip Murray (d. 1906)

Phil Murray was the son of the captain of the sternwheeler Bonanza King, John David Murray.¹⁾

Phillip was killed in September 1906 when the sternwheeler Columbian exploded and burned near Eagle Rock. The Columbian was carrying a crew of twenty-five men, a full cargo including cattle, and three tons of blasting powder destined for the Tantalus coal mine, forty-eight km downstream. Six men were killed in the explosion. The fireman, Edward Morgan, who had tripped and accidently sent a rifle shot into the blasting powder, and the mate, Joe Walsh, were killed instantly. Carl Christianson, Phil Murray, and John Woods died before help arrived, and Lionel Cadogan Cowper died after several days. Joe Welsh’s body was thrown into the water and was found two months later, but Edward Morgan’s body was never found. The closest telegraph office was at Tantalus, and after the call was received in Whitehorse the steamer Dawson was sent out with a doctor and nurses on board.²⁾

No blame was assigned over the deaths.³⁾