Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-31
DECLARES SEA
WAS NOT ROUGH
PASSENGER TESTlFlES IN THE
b VALENCIA INQUIRY
Says Every One Seemed to Be Afraid
to Help the Shipwreoked Men
and Women-Vessels
All stood OF
BY Associated Press

SEATTLE, Wash, Jan. 30.-At to-
days session of the investigation into
the loss of the Valencia c. Allison of
st. Paul, a passenger, testified that the
sea was not rough. He explained that
he had himself been a sailor and that
the surf that finally battered the Va
lencia to pieces could not be called
high. This testimony caused a mild
sensation, as all published accounts of
the wreck have described high seas
and terrible surf"
Every one seemed to shun us said
Allison. "All seemed to be afraid to
help or to attempt to help the unfor-
tunate men and women who We're
facing death. All those who succeeded
in getting ashore Immediately went
off, The vessels on sea stood off and
made 10 attempt to lower a boat In
the morning after the last raft put
off from the Valencia there was no
great sea running; not a wave had a
comber on it.
"There might have been some excuse
for the Queen not coming in close,
but there was a tug alongside her that
did not come any closer that the
larger vessel. 1t all looked wrong to
me--all wrong"
Did the conduct of the officers of
the vessel meet with your approval?"
II was in my bunk when the vessel
struck and Immediately went on deck.
Everything was quiet and orderly
then Some one gave an order to lower
the boats on the saloon deck. l could
not see but l think the order came
from some one in authority. After a
few moments when they were lowering
the starboard boat the crowd gathered
around it. After people were jumping
in l could not distinguish faces--it was
too dark-the boat was filed and low
cred. / don't know who gave the word
to lower the boat to the water, but
it might have been one of the officers
or some excited passenger. Anyway,
the boat went down the ships side.
For moment it hung, one end up, the
other down, and all the time banging
against the side of the vessel. Finally
it was caught and capsized. There was
great excitement then and cries of
Pull them outn came from all Sides"
Crew Took Possession of Raft
How did it happen that so many of
the crew were on that life raft?" asked
Inspector Whitney.
LAS soon as the raft struck the water
the crew took possession" said the
witness
"What kind of weather was it when
you were picked up by the Topeka ?"
Nice weather. 1t was a trife foggy.
but there was no wind blowing. The
waves did not have combers OF them.
do not see why a boat could not
have been lowered"
Did you hear any reason given on
the Topeka as to why no boats were
lowered p"
None"
Mr.. Allison then went on and told
of the condition of the vessel when
he left He stated that the hurricane
deck was rising and falling with every
wave that struck the ship. That caused
many of those Oh board to leave, be-
lieving that she was about to break
up,
A. Willis, another passenger. testi-
fled that the first boat was not low
cred properly. He said the cliff on
which the Valencia was wrecked was
so abrupt where he landed that he
could not get to the life line that was
shot ashore.
John Segalos, the Greek fireman, who
was the real hero of the Valencia, tes-
titled before the inspectors this after
noon. Telling of his own daring in
plunging into the waves and trying to
Il feel very sorry for the poor people.
make the sign of the cross, tie a line
around my waist and jump in. But
the water it was too strong for me and
have to come back to ship"
Segalos spoke with a strong accent
and used his own idiom. He contra
dicted Witness Allison, saying the seas
were terrific the morning after the ship
struck
Rev, Fletcher l.. Wharton, pastor Of
the First Methodist Episcopal church.
today appeared before the board of
inspectors investigating the wreck of
the Valencia at the invitation of the
latter and explained that he had been
led to speak TO his congregation con-
cerning the alleged uselessness of the
life preservers on board the disabled
vessel on account of statements made
by Assistant Supt. of City Schools
Frank f. Bunker
"The public would like to know"
said Mr.. Wharton, what guarantee it
has from the inspectors as to the eff
cheney of seamen and equipment of
vessels on the Pacific coast. There is
feeling that the officers of the Va
lencia took aboard men who were un-
skilled as seamen and unable to care
for passengers in the event of a wreck
or other disaster. 1t is held, too, by
some tnbl the quallly OF the Ire pre-
servers was such as to render them
useless. 1 am here to seek information
that | may impart to the public and l
would like to know If the inspectors
are sitting in judgment on their own
acts"
The inspectors showed Mr.. Wharton
life belts made of tules and of cork.
They contended that the tule belt was
equally as good - cork and said that
a majority of witnesses had testified
that the former We're all right. The
tule belt worn by Joe Segalos, the
Greek fireman rescued from the life
raft picked up by the City of Topeka
was exhibited. A 20-pound weight was
tied to it and the life preserVer i'm.
mersed in barrel of water. When the
court adjourned at o'clock the belt
had been in the water six hours and
was still afioat.
Minister Is Satisfied
DR.. Wharton was Il formed that
marine inspectors had nothing to dc
with The selection Of seamen, and he
stated that he was personally satisfied
with the explanations given and would
be pleased 10 inform his congrega ton.
Witnesses called thi afternoon were
II Hawkins and JOcanh McCa ffarfxy