A DISASTROUS WRECK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13516, 13 February 1906, Page 3

A DISASTROUS WRECK.

MANY LIVES LOST.

(Per Mail Steamer at Auckland.) Tho Pacifio Coast Steamship Company's steamer Valencia, which left San Francisco on January 20 for Victoria (8.C.) with 95 passengers and a crew of 60, ran on the rocks during a dense fog about midnight on January 22, and lies :i total wreck about 10 miles east of Cape Bcalo, on the west toast of Vancouver Island. News of the disaster was despatched to Victoria bv ♦lie lighthouse-keeper (Mr I'afer.wn) at 'Cape Bealo to Captain Gaudin. agent of marine. jV< the .-liape of the following sensational telegram :—" Steamer wrecked between here and Cloose. About 100 were drowned. Nine reached telegraph hut. Will wire more particulars as 60on as possible." It. was ascertained later (hat Pa'terson learner] of the disaster when one of the Valencia's boats reached Cape IWIe at 3 o'clock on tho afternoon of the 23rd. It was manned bj six men. who excitedly related the story (t the wreck, and declared that when tliey Wit the Valencia she was pounding to piocee ■ bn the rocks, and that. 125 people on board seemed to be doomed. The boat's crew consisted of the boatswain (T. J. M'Carthy), Claries Brown, Thomas Shields, John Monk, W. Goslin. and T. Lampson. The larding of a second boat with nine men at a point about 15 miles from the lighthouse was reported soon after Patersbn's telegram was received, but from that time until almost midnight nothing but the most meagre reports wore obtainable, and the extent of the disaster even now is only a matter of conjecture. According to the stories told by the men who brought tidings of the disaster ashore, the Valencia encountered foul-weather about 2t hours after leaving San Francisco. So thick was the fog t hat navigation was made only by means of reckoning. They were proceeding cautiously, and had no idea that Cape Flattery had been passed; indeed, the officers believed they were in the neighbourhood of tho lightship Umatilla whon ihe vessel struck. A founding shortly before the disaster had disclosed 30 fathoms of water, and there was consternation aboard when the officers and passengers heard the heavy grinding of the vessel's bow as she plunged upon ihe reefs. Being under slow steam she did not. go far. and hence was able to back off. It was then that the worst fears as to the extent of the aeoident were realised. The men who Jiad lx»en sent below came back with a report that slio was filling. So rapidly did the vessel take in water that the engineers and firemen were soon driven from their posts. A consultation was held, and it wa.s decided that the i only chance for life was lo run the ship ashore. There vvas no time to choose a ■ place to make a landing as the vessel was filling too rapidly, and the movement of

the steamer through the water would increase this danger. The character of the beach was such, however. Hint their hones in many respects were. disappointed. The current end tide carried the vessel armmd and loft her head on to the sea and,about 30 yards from a high bluff on shore. As tho water crept up on the doomed vessel the passengers sought safely by moving up on deck until the situation became desperate. At la.st, just before daybreak, the water had risen over her main deck'. Repeated attempts were made to lower the lioats and then! as in the case of (lie terrible disaster to the Clallam near Victoria, two y-wtrs ago.

the greatest loss of life was encountered. Two boats filled and children which were first lowered were smashed alongside and n-H their occupants were drowned. With these women and l children also perished the men who had undertaken to pull the boats to tire shore. By this time

lie ship's lights were all out, and the

surviving passengers and crow were huddled forward on the saloon deck. The darkness added lo the horror of the situation. In aU seven boats and two life-rafts were lowered, but two only have been heard from. Immediately on receipt of the news steps were taken to ilesnatcli relief fo the ill-fatal Valencia. The wrecking steamer Salvor waS the first to leave for the scene. Soon after 6ho had sailed it was reported that the steam whaler Orion had already sighted the wreck, and was standing by for the purpose of rescuing those on board the, Valencia. The fug Czar was sent by the Canadian Pacific Hallway with an Admiralty marshal on board. The schooner 11. Turner, towed into Kuyquot by the Queen City on her last trip, also left in the early morning. The Qucon, which arrived at 4-.30 from Seattle, left at S p.m. for the wreck', njitl will in all probability reach the Valencia before the wrecking steamer Salvor, which is a. slower vessel. The steamer Queen City, which left early in the morning, pas=ed the wreck without having sighted her, the weather being; thick at that time. Captain Townsend, of Iho Queen City, telegraphed from Bamfield Creek asking whether ho should return to the wreck, but. was ordered to proceed on his voyage, as other steamers are on the way. He reported the, wind as increasing from the south-east, with a nasty sea running near Capo Bealo, which he rounded in the afternoon.

A special representative of the Post Intelligencer wires from Port Angeles at. 5.50 a.m. on the Ssth that the rescue ship Citv of Topeka picked iir> a life raft at 1 o'clock on the previous afternoon «ix miles off Cape Beale with 18 survivors of the Valencia on board. The men were in a

pitiable condition, and almost, dead from exposure. The raft was siirlitcd about 12 o'clock, but, owing to thick weather, it

was supposed lo be nothing but a log. At last, by the aid of a powerful glass, its true nature was determined. A terrible sea was running. One minute the raft was poised on top of a wave, and the next it was lost from view in the gully formed by the mountainous breakers. Tho 18 men on their frail support, battled bravely with a pair of oars to reach the City of Topeka. which, owing to a dangerous coast, could not run in any closer to them. When

within about half-a-mile from the raft, a boat was lowered from the Topeka, in charge of Second-mate Burke, who, with much difiiculty, succeeded in making fast a line to the raff. The spectators on the Topeka watched the slruggling of tho gallant seamen breathlessly. One minute thev were high in tho air, and the next lost

to sight. At last they succeeded in bringing the raft to the side of the steamer. Tlie sight of the poor creatures on (he raft broueht tears to Hie eyes of the sudors on the vessel. In the stem of the raft sat an old man. His snow-white hair and pallid features were crushed and torn by (lying spray, but tlie instinct of life was strong within him, and he held on bravely l-o his place. Three others wore Iyin<r in a senseless heap in tho centre, washed by every swell, and retained solely by the bodies of other men who were closelypackcd.' Time and time again great seas swept over them, sending a shudder through the onlookers, who feared to see them swept away. The .work of rescuing them was dangerous, The men were too exhausted to even tie a ropo about themselves. Tlie survivors told terrible tales of the wreck of tlie vessel. When they left the ship there were about SO people still on board, most of them clinging to the rigging. Men', women, and children were being swept away by every sea. _ As soon as the men got aboard Dr B. V. Whiting, assisted by two nurses and members of the crew, lustily administered stimulants, and put them to bed. After picking up the raft the steamer went in search of another raft, which the rcsoued men said had left tho ship earlier in tho day. The vessel ran fully 20 miles looking for the craft, but no sign of it was to be seen. It is the general opinion that tlie raft foundered. AH the other boats were smashed to splinters when they attempted to lower them. Two oL.Hk life boats were capsized shortly after launching. on e escaped the breakers, and put to sea with about eight or nine people aboard. The steamer City of Topeka. left Port Angeles at 5 o'clock on the morning of tlie 25th to return again to the scene of the wreck in the hope of picking up other survivors.

G. V\ illefcfs, who was one of tho passengers rescued from the raft by the rescue boat of the City of Topeka, tells the following story of the wreck:—"The ship struck at 12 o'clock on tlie morning of Tuesday, January 23. I was on the deck at tho time smoking a oigar, and was looking at my watch when the, first crash came. In an instant all was excitement. There were shrieks of frightened men and women, the wail of little children, and the hoarse orders of the officers of tho ship. The vessel reeled like a drunken man, slid over the reef, and struck again. The command to back her off was given, and she went astern at full speed, but it, was too late. Tho water was pouring in like a millrace, and with a sound which drowned all else. Th» wind swung the vessel's stern to the beach, and jicr head to the waves. This saved many lives, as she was then swept hack to the shore, and struck once

again in such a position she remained partly above water, and on an even keel,

Every wave now washed clean over her, and many people, who hastily rushed on deck, went, to their deaths without time to

murmur a prayer, The order was »iven to get out the boats. Two of 'them on the weatherside were launched, and were smashed like e»sr. shells as soon as they struck the water. Then came the attempt to get out the lee boats. The purser took charge. Four women and a number of men went in one boat. I do not, know how many, but she was snetically full. Just as they were lowering the other the davits broke, and the stern of th» boat fell to the. wa[ eEl while the bow litws ;n the air.'! .' '"• ' '■-