Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-26
VESSELS SEEK
STRAY SURVIVORS
CRUISING ABOUT, HOPING TO
SAVE LIVES
Wrecked Valencia Lies Submerged
and Only a Portion Of a Mast
Is Visible Above the
Water
CONTINUED from Page oreJ

vessel and before darkness last night
the hun was submerged and all who
remained were lost This morning the
steam whaler orion, a small vessel,
which could approach nearer the wreck
than any Of the rescue steamers, found
only a. portion of the Valencia's mast
and derrick above water. There is very
little wind today, but there Is a swell
running which Is very heavy, though
not to be compared with that of We'd
nesday. The whaler's crew picked up q
few jackets and caps and a number OF
strips of blankets which had evidently
been used as lashings by those who took
to the rigging.
The salvors also proceeded to the
wreck today after making three efforts
to land at Darling creek, but as the
steamer was unable to proceed as close
as the whaler, those on board saw moth
ing of the wreck. The butt of the mast
was seen above water and n boat went
to make an examination. The broken
mast was found to be entwined in can
vas, while flannel and calico, which
appeared to have been part of . the
cargo, had been used in an attempt to
lash some of the passengers to the
mast.
A good deal of the wreck was seen
adrift, but no bodies. Few bodies have
been recovered.
From Pachena hut, where a CORE
spondent cut in with an instrument to
send the account of the survivors pre-
dicament at Darling river, it was re-
ported that three, all identified had
been picked up. The Orion and Salvor
on returning to Bamfield did not re-
port finding any corpSeS and the tugs
RI fnn mo- u
of Topeka, which have left to proceed
inward, their masters satisfied that no
more can be done from seward to
save life. did not report having located
any victims. The Salvor and Orion will
continue to the wreck and the tugs
Lorne and Pioneer and the steamer
City of Topeka have started homeward
From this time the greater part of
the work will be done ashore. Tonight
parties went up along the beach to
make an investigation at the spot where
the fire was seen. to make sure wheth-
er the party seen there was a ship
wrecked company or some of those that
are patrolling the shore line.
May Not Be Survivors
Dispatches from Bamfield tonight
say there is some doubt with regard to
the men seen on the beach between
Beegadoss point and >lanaway being
survivors of the Valencia, the prepon-
derance of opinion being that they were
men who had gone from west coast
points to endeavor to succor any who
reached shore from the Valencia
The people ashore were sighted first
from the Salvor and the steam whalel
Orion was signaled and advised to go
nearer shore and investigate. The Orion
went as near as possible and reported
there n
or shore.
With heavy surf and swell beating
in from sea it was impossible to land
there with boat.
At / p. m. the Orion reported two
men and a boy on the beach near where
the people had been previously seen,
and it was there that the tug Lorne
was communicated with and the naval
crew of bluejacketS for H. M. S. Egeria
were asked if they would attempt. a
landing.
Though now recognized by Captain
Butler and all on the tug Lorne that
the work would be extremely hazard
Gus, the bluejackets volunteered to try
and put out their lifeboat, which was
taken from Esquimault. They made
Il desperate attempt and reached with
in three boat lengths of the shore when
they We're obliged to return.
The sailors, who were in command of
Lieut.. Knight of the Egeria, reported
that there were eight or ten people in
the group, but they did not think they
were shipWrecked men. They did not
make any attempt to get off when the
boat was fighting to make landing.
Before leaving the sailors on the
Lorne tried to float food ashore in bar
rels, but the surf swept out the barrels
and none reached shore.
On the return of the Salvor to Bam-
field arrangements were made to send n
party from the land side to where the
men were on the beach.
The board of trade met today and
suggestions were made that highway
should be constructed along the coast
from Otter Point to Cape Beale, and
that two life saving stations should be
provided, one for the southern and the
other for the northern part of the
coast.
A public meeting, called by the
mayor, will be held tomorrow to dis
cuss an agitation for a better system
of protection for shipping on the island
coast.