SAVED BY WIRELESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 79

SAVED BY WIRELESS.

HEROISM OF THE OPERATOR. | Another magnificent demonstration of . the great worth of wireless telegraphy for J • life-saving purposes at sea has just been afforded in fche case of the steamer Ohio, ! wrecked off the coast of Alaska. Due entirely to the sheer heroism of the wireless operator, but five lives were lost out of ths 131 passengiers and crew of 83. j Amongst the five was the operator him- ' self, George E. Eccles, who stayed at his post until almost every «oul had reached the boats, and than, in jumping overboard, struck a piece cf timber, crushed his s-kuJI, -and samk from sight. The other t victims of the wreck were- the purser, a quartermaster, a soldier, and a steerage passenger. j Tli3 conduct of Eccles is lauded as one of ths ikiest pieces of heroism on record, ' outdoing that of the famous Jack Binns, ' ivbo.=.3 feat in summoning aid ' to the ! wrecked- Republic six months ago was so highly regar&sd. Almost i.h« first man to respo±d to the danger signal when the Oliio crashed into a hidden rock at 1 o'clock in the morning was Eccles. Clad ' only in his nightgown, lie rushed fo his station and despatched to whomsoever might pick it up the "OQ D," or distress signal. Somewhere not far distant were t.h.3 steamers Humboldt and Rupert City, j both equipped with wireless apparatus, i Th>3 distress call was picked up by both, and following came the name of the stricken vessel and its location. They made all haste to the spot indicated. . ! Meanwhile boats had been lowered from the Ohio. Eccles for a. few minutes left his post to aid. ths officers in calming the distracted passengers and, in, ma.rshaJ.ling them .so that they might be transferred to tho boits without confusion. A great hole had bsen torn in the side of the Ohio, and it was patent to all s»he wa.s sinking. Before daylight the' Humbaldi and Rupert City, summoned by the w>k>eless operator, earns upon the scsr.e. - J£sc!«6, his brave work accomplished, hrd alisecdy gore to his death. The passengers and crew were' transferred to the two , rescuing vessels. Half an hour after she .struck the Ohio sank in 100 fathoms. The. nissracres Iw f.gnt out showed that Eccles was ths last man ->n the wrecked vessel. The last words he despatched wera:— "Passengers all off adrift in small boats. Captain and crew going off in la=?t boat ; waitincr for me now — crood-bye '' According to the account cf the passengers, at the la^t moment Eccl.es went below to l°ok for the mi»incr fildier. Not finding him, he ccire on deck .just as the ship w<->s foundering. He sprang overboard, but struck a piece of timber, and wa^ rendered unconscious. Diwinjr the greater jwirt of the half-houT-that elapsed between the striking on the r~ck and sinking of the Ohio Eccles was at his post describing the work of tho officers in quieting the Unified pa^~?ngiers n.nd directing the rescuing «teq.mers to the scene of the He told •n his nvspaffes of the lowering of the boats and the efforts to guide them sifely from ih a r : de of the sinking steamship. It was ar instance of great bravery hard to surpass in the arnals of fhe =ea. A> oompaiicd with the seiT^les* self-.sacr'fic" of life maritime tradition.-, impel many riptnins of wrecked c=hip« to ira'.io. tlv?actof th 9 wirel?^ operator ?how out with p^puliav lustre. It. wn< po?ti> justice that EcpTp^ should be instrumental in saving a shipload of lives. Some four years ago, vi iiiie employ«d as tr?in despatcher for tlie Caiia-dian-Pacific railroad, ht was respoi^ib'o for a ?ipar]-on collision that caiifed los of life. Although he harl worked 36 hourj, without .=!=>Ep ii? was di^charL'ed by the railroad for ra.roka-n^ss and iirpflicienLy. Hi.s ln«t t'-ip on the stea.mer Ohln wa> un accident. He lwd accepted an^fhe> ji;>-»i-tion. bu f ?s a favour to tb-> su] ai iut 'iid^nt of the wireless company he Jigivcil to make one more trip -rith t-lip stcitn'r.