Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-01-24
Disaster to a Steamer.

1
A dispatch from Victoria, B. c., says
that the steamer Valencia, the San
Francisco Puget Sound liner, which was
en- route from San Francis 20 with ninety.
four passengers and crew OF sixty,
went ashore about Ten miles east of Cape
Beale at mid night Monday night. dur
ing a thick fog. About fifteen persons
we're drowned while attempting to leave
the ship. The steamer is on the rocks
against high cliff, and is likely to 60
to pieces at any time.
One boats crew reached Cape Beale
at 9 O'Clock yesterday afternoon, and
nine men got ashore near The telegraph
hut, about fifteen miles from the light
house. Two men are prisoners on the
face of the cliff, near which the steamer
went ashore, and cannot get up the cliff
or return to the wreck. The sea will
probably reach theh when the tide is
high.
The men report terrible scenes. One
woman dropped her child into the sea
when trying to hand il to her husband,
who was in one of the boats. When the
beats crew left there was little boy
running about tina dock, crying for his
mother, who was among the drowned.
There are still about l25 persons on
the wreck, with almost certain death
staring them in the face. The steamer
Queen which arrived at Victoria at a
o'clock yesterday afternoon from San
Francisco, landed her passengers and
left at once for the scene of the wreck.
The steamer Queen left at midnight and
should reach the scene of the wreck in a
few hours Urgent messages are being
received for assistance.
II is. reported that the whaling steamer
Orion has arrived at the Valencia
wreck from the whaling station at Sec.
hart seeking to save as many AZ possible.
/ A dispatch from Carmania, received
at o'clock p. IN. yesterday. says a
ships boat with several people passed
there at p. m. yesterday.
Victoria, B. c., Jan. 24.-Garly this
morning q message WAS received from
Cape Beale near which point the i'll
faled steamer Valencia lies on the rocks
off Vancouver Island hopeless wreck,
that the southerly gale has increased in
iorce nd there is little hope that any o!
the 100 persons supposed to be still on
board the vessel can be saved: The steam
er is fast going to pieces under the ter
rible pounding of the great seas. The
steamer Queen and wrecking steamer
Salyor both are at the scene making
every effort to save the people on board.
Up to 3 o'clock this morning only fifteen
of $50 persons on board when the steamer
struck are known to have escaped.
The officers believed they were in the
neighborhOod of the lightship Uminalilla
when the vessel struck. SOundiDgs
shortly before the disaster disclosed thirty
fathoms of water. There was conster-
nation aboard when the officers and pas
sengers heard the heavy grinding of the
vessels bow as it plunged upon the roofs.
Being under slow steam, the ship did
not 20 far at once; hence it was able to
back Of, although not without difficulty.
II was then the worst fears OF the extent
of the accident were realized. Men went
below, came back and reported the vessel
filling fast So rapidly did the Valencia
take water, the engineers aud fremen were
driven from their posts The only chance
for life was to run the ship ashore. There
was no time to chooses place Of landing,
so the captain drove his ship head on
against the rocks and forced the PROV
within thirty yards of the high cliffs
against which mountainous waves were
pounding with the roar of artillery.
The vessel struck with great force and
then settled until the main deck was
awssh. The panic stricken passengers
huddled on the hurricane deck. Just
before daylight the vessel began t. break
and it waq decided to lower the boats
Two boats filed with women aud chill
dren which were first lowered were
smashed alongside aud all occupants
drowned With these women and chill
dren also persisted men who had volun-
teered to pull the boats to shore During
this time the ships lights were all out
aud the surviving passengers and crew
were huddled forward on the saloon
decks. In all seven boats and two life
RATS were lowered and two only have
been heard from. One reached Cape
Beale light house and the other landed
further up the beach. The survivors OF
the Valencia relate a tale of painful
incidents which occurred before the
boats started from the Valencia to the
shore.