The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-02-01
FEW SAVED FROM
|LL.FATEO SHIP
The Valencia Goes to Pieces
on the Rocks Near
Cape Beale.
Only Thirty-six of the Passengers and
Crew Were Saved, the Dead Num-
berlng 119.-The Greatest Loss
Of Life In the North Pacific
Since 1875.

Victoria, B. Cor the 154 people
on board the steamer Valencia when
she struck near Klanaway rock, FIVE
miles from Cape Beale, but thirty-six
were saved.
The dead number 121, the greatest
loss of life in the North Pacific since
the Pacific" was lost In 1875. The
Valencia, in whose rigging about thir.
ty people were clinging frantically
waving for assistance which could not
be given when the steamed Queen left
the scene at 1870 a. m, broke up
about p. m. Wednesday. sweeping to
death those few who had survived
these terrible hours of privation
chilled and numbed to the limit OF
human endurance by clouds of spray
which swept over them.
or the total company of 154, but 90
have been definitely accounted for,
and three men believed to be other
survivors were seen on shore, from
the whaling vessel Orion, near the
wreck, huddling about a fire Six
survivors have been taken on the Sal
vor, most of them so badly cut up and
bruised, without boots and so over
come that they cannot stand, much
less walk. Eighteen were picked up by
the City of Topeka. With the three
seen from the Orion, mile and a hall
from the wreck, added, the survivors
total to 36. leaving a death list of 11g
persons. Not woman or child is
among the saved.
In an interview at Bamfield Creek
Wednesday night, Boatswain Nc
Carthy told the first detailed story OF
the wreck He said the steamer Val.
encia had been going by dead reckon
Ing and overran her distance. Sound
1ngs had been made three and four
times an hour. The steamer struck
at 11:45 p. m. Monday night, about
midship, the first officer, quartermas
ter and seaman engaged in sound
Ing having ten minutes before got
thirty fathoms. Reverse speed was
ordered by Captain Johnson, but the
vessel began filling. The captain
then gave orders to have two of the
seven boats lowered to the saloon
deck rail. Instantly the passengers
crowded to the rail and overcrowded
the boats. During the excitement they
cut whatever lines they could lay
their hands on. The davits broke
about the same time the lines were
cut, and both boats were smashed al
the sides of the vessel capsizing the
passengers and crew in them. The
crew threw lines out and by means
fnnnhfC lnI
tlng six of the passengers thrown out
or the boats on board again. The
boats when lost were mostly filled
with women and children
One very sad incident was wit
messed. A lady and gentleman with
a little girl 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 low.
cred, but 1t was dashed to pieces
After this four boats succeeded in get
ting 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 Nc.
Carthy 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 3 p m. Before
making Cape Beale they tried to get
back 10 the vessel by the beach, but
could not do so.
The Valencia left San Francisco
about IL O'Clock on Saturday last and
heard no sound or saw no light pres.
aging danger. The officers were run.
ming by dead reckoning and were on
the outlook for Umatilla reef lightship
when the steamer struck. She was
backed of after she struck, but the
water filling the engine room, the fires
were eXtinguished and the engine
crew forced out of the room, although
not before the Valencia had been driv.
en- hard on the beach.