Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-01-25
B0ATSWAIN TELLS
HOW SHIP GOES
ON THE ROCKS
BY Associated Press.

! BY Associated Press.
VICTORIA, b. c., Jan. 24-In an In
! terview at Banheld Creek tonight,
| Boatswain Mccarthy told the first de-
tailed story of the wreck
! lie said the steamer Valencia had
been going by dead reckoning and
overran her distance, Soundings had
been made three or four times an
hour The steamer struck at t1:45 p.
nj. Monday, about midship, the first
officer quartermaster and a seaman
engaged i'm sounding having ten min
utes before got thirty fathoms.
Shortly before the steamer struck she
was going at half speed. Capt. johnson
Immediately shouted hard a star
board to the Quartermaster, and gave
orders to sound the bilges, which was
done. She did not appear then to be
making much water. The captain then
called to the engineer and asked IL the
steamer was making much water.
Before the engineers could reply,
firemen began clambering UP from the
fire room, telling the engineers on the
companion she was filling.
Capt. johnson rang for full speed
astern and made for the beach. The
propeller had only made few revo-
lutions when the vessel struck and
listed to port.
Capt. johnson was on the bridge
with the second officer when the vessel
struck. He ran down and gave orders
to have two of the seven boats lowered
to the saloon deck rail.
Crowd to Rail
Instantly the passengers crowded to
the rail and overcrowded the boats.
During the excitement they cut what
ever lines they could lay hands upon.
The davits broke about the same time
the lines were cut and both boats were
smashed at the sides of the vessel.
capsizing the passengers and crew in
them.
The crew threw lines out and by
means of jacobs ladders succeeded in
getting about six of the passengers
thrown out of these boats on board
again. The boats when lost were most
ly filled with women and children.
One very sad incident was witnessed.
A lady and gentleman with a little
child tried to get in one boat. The
father succeeded and the mother tried
to pass the child, but a wave struck
her and washed the child from her
arms. The child was lost before her
eyes.
One life raft was also lowered but
1t was dashed to pieces.
Four Boats Get Away
After this four boats succeeded inI
getting away from the ship all full
of passengers. This left one boat and
two life RATS. The captain, after con-
sulting with the mate, asked Mccarthy
to take charge, which he did and called
for volunteers and the five sailors who
reached shore in safety responded. The
captain instructed them to pull along
the beach and find place to get
ashore.
They landed at 1:10 p. m. Tuesday
and made Cape Beale lighthouse at g.
p. IN.
Before making Cape Beale they tried
to get back to the vessel by the beach
but could not do so. During the ex-
element Captain Johnson was very
cool and calm and all the crew were
at their stations.
The rescued sailors cannot give the |
lighthouse keeper at Cape Beale too
much credit for the manner in which |
they were treated.
Boatswain Mccarthy did not hold out |
much hope for the remaining boats, |
the other nine survivors are
said to have made shore in a boat and |
are expected to reach Bamfield on
Thursday. The survivors are of the |
opinion that the entire crew, with their |
exception, is lost.
A dispatch received by w. f. Bullen |
of Esquimalt, one of the owners of the |
steamer Salvor, from his brother, H. +.
Bullen, on board at Bamfield, says the |
Valencia broke up this afternoon. Since |
about noon yesterday assistance from
sea was impossible. The vessel had
broken up. Only fifteen had survived. |
Parties have been sent over the trail.
A party expects to leave tomorrow |
and will be back Friday.