Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1906-01-25
SUFFERING WAS
MOST INTENSE
Account of Wreck of Va
lencia Makes Heart
Grow Sick.
WAS HOPELESS FROM FIRST
Heavy Sea, Fierce Wind, and
Binding Fog Prevented
Escape or Rescue.
BOATS WRECKED WHEN LOWERED

Seattle, Wash, Jan. 25.-A special
representative of the Post -Intelligen-
Ger wired from Port Arthur, at $3.50
this morning, that the rescue ship,
City of Topeka, picked up a life raft
at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon, six
miles from Cape Beale, with eighteen
survivors of the Valencia on board.
The condition of the men was pitt
able. They were half frozen and
practically 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
the dangerous coast, could not run
closer 10 them When within half
mile from the raft, a boat was lowered
and 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. Several
were unconscious and were retained
on the raft solely by the bodies of
the other men, who were closely pack
ed. 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 of
the wreck. When they left the Va
lencia, there were about ninety peo-
pie still aboard, most of them cling
ing 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 Topeka is now searching for
ii.
Vivid Description Given.
G. Willets, one of the men rescued
from the raft, tells the following story
of the wreck: "The ship struck at
12:07 On Tuesday morning, January
~. | was on ueck at the time, smok
ing and was looking at my watch
when the crash came. In an instant
all was excitement. The vessel slid
off the reef and struck again. The
command to back her was given and
she went astern at full speed, but it
was too late. The waves and the wind
swept the vessel ashore. The order
was given to get out the boats, but
the boats were smashed like egg
shells as quick as they struck the
water Then the lee boats were tried.
One of them, filed with passengers,
including four women, fell as it was
being lowered from the davits, break
ing to pieces. Then an attempt was
made to get a life line ashore but this
was unsuccessful.
by Wednesday morning the ship
was rapidly going to pieces and had
sunk TO about the level of the hurri-
cane deck. In the morning another
sad calamity occurred. About fifteen
persons, among them two women, had
taken refuge in the fore topmast.
Suddenly it tOttered and fell with its
burden into the sea. | don't think a
single one was saved. When the To-
peka at last appeared, few cared TO
take the risk of trying to reach her,
but eighteen of us started with only
one pair of oars. We fought like de-
mons against the elements until res
cued."
Willets expresse7 the belief that the
Valencia is now a complete wreck,
and that none of those who remained
on board have been saved.
Said More Were Saved.
At the local offices OF the Pacific
Coast company, operating the wrecked
steamer Valencia, the staement was
given out this morning that informa-
tion has been received from the
wreck that life boat and raft which
had been unaccounted for, had got
ten safely away from the wreck. On
the raft were tight women, it is
stated, while no one knows how many
were in the life boat.