Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-01-25
VALENCIA WRECK.
Reports Show Tremendous Loss oi
Life--FeW of Survivors Are
Rescued.

Seattle, Wash, Jan. 25.-The spe
cial representative of the Post Intel
ligencer wires from Port Arthur at
$3.50 this morning that the rescue ship
City Of Topeka picked up life raft
at o'clock yesterday afternoon, six
miles from Cape Beale, with IS sur.
vivors Of the Valencia on board.
The condition Of the men was pitt.
able. They were half frozen and prac-
tically unconscious from exposure. A
terrible sea was running when the
raft was sighted. The men on the
frail raft battled with a pair Of oars
to reach the Topeka which owing to
a dangerous coast could not run closer
to them. Within half a mile from
the raft boat was lowered and a
line made fast to the raft.
At last they succeeded in bringing
the raft to the steamers side. The
sight of the poor creatures brought
tears to the eyes of the sailors. Sew
eral were unconscious and were re-
tanned on the raft solely by the bodies
Of other men who were closely packed
Time and again great seas swept over
them.
The work Of rescuing them was dan
gerous and several were swept into the
sea while the raft was lashed to the
steamers side. Finally all were lifted
aboard except one man who was swept
away in sight Of rescue.
The survivors tell a terrible story o1
the wreck. When they left the Valen
cia there were about 80 people still
aboard, most Of them clinglng to the
rigging. Men, women and children
were being swept away by every sea
They said another raft had left the
steamer before they left, and the To
peka is now searching for 1t.
G. Willetts, one Of the men rescued
from the raft, tells the following story
VI luC WICCh.
The ship struck at 12:O7 on Tues
day morning January %. / was or
deck at the time smoking and was
looking at my watch when the crasf
came. In an instant all was excite
ment. The vessel slid off the reef ani
struck again. The command to bacl
her was given and she went astern a.
full speed. But 1t was too late. The
waves and wind swept the vesse
ashore.
"An order was given to get out The
boats. Two on the weather side werl
smashed like egg shells as soon al
they struck the water. Then the Lex
boats were tried. One Of them file,
with passengers, including four won
en-, fell as 1t was being lowered iron
the davits, the ropes breaking. Thel
an attempt was made to get life lin
ashore but this was unsuccessful.
"By Wednesday morning the shil
was rapidly going to pieces and ha'
sunk to about the level of the hurrl
cane deck. In the morning anothe
sad calamity occurred. About flfteel
persons, among them two women, hat
taken refuge in the fore topmast. Sud
denly 1t tottered and fell with its bur
den into the sea. l don't think sin
| gle ona was saved
when the Topeka at last appeared
few cared to take the risk of trying Il
reach her, but eighteen of us startet
with only one pair of oars. We tough
like demons against the elements un
til rescued"
Willetts expressed the belief tina
the Valencia was now complete
wreck and that none of those who re
manned on board would be saved.
At the local offices Of the Pacif'
Coast Company, operating the wrecked
steamer Valencia, statement wa
given out this morning that informa
tion has been received from the wrecl
that life raft and life boat, yet un
accounted for, had gotten away safel,
from the wreck On the raft were eigh
women, 1t Is stated, while no on
knows how many were in the lif
boat.