The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-02-02
THEVALENCIA WRECK
SERIOUS CHARGES MADE BY THE
SURVIVORS OF DISASTER.

/ 6uukSFI
Tells Of Terrible Experience OF the
shipwrecked victims-caIIs Atten.
ton to Many Faults.
| Victoria, B. Gail the survivors
who reached shore near the scene of
the wreck have now been cared for,
the last party of nine, who had been
stalled at Darling river on account
of the flooded waters, have reached
the steamer Salvor at Bamfield creek.
They were in bad condition.
! Great credit is due to the party from
the Salvor, headed by Captain Ferris,
who travelled an almost impossible
trail for Is miles. After a night spent
on the trail they started for home with
the survivors. Before returning Cap
tain Ferris visited the wreck. He
reports the beach literally covered
with wreckage. and at that time five
bodies were on shore being identified.
They found F. F. Bunker, assistant
superintendent of schools of Seattle,
and F. Marshall on the beach in a bad
condition, the latter having walked
the whole way suffering from sprain-
ed ankle and experiencing severe pain
The remainder of the party had taken
to the trail.
Bunker had lost his coat and shirt
and was wearing blanket with arm
holes cut in it. Marshalls ankle was
in bad condition. The two men were
taken to a telegraph hut at Pachena
and given food. Soon afterwards,
while these two were being cared Tor,
the rescue party arrived with the 9TH
er survivors. All were completely IA
tigued. The entire party was equip
ped with shoes, those who had been
without having been supplied with
shoes taken from the corpses washed
ashore. The survivors are loud in
their praise of the rescue party from
the Salvor. The trail is in a frightful
condition and travel is most difficult
Brave Cable Operators.
Messrs. Richmond, Mousely and Nc
Wha, cable operators, were the first
to reach the survivors. The telegraph
men were completely worn out, having
Swan several streams, but it would
have been impossible for them to
bring in the survivors without the
assistance from the Salvor's party.
The survivors who were picked up by
the Salvor at Touquart, the men found
on Turtle island, and those brought
in by the rescue party have been re-
moved on board the United States
revenue cutter Grant, with the excep-
ton of two, who are too i'll to, be
transferred. The bodies secured by
the Salvor have also been removed
to the revenue cutter. The Grant has
gone to Seattle.
Crew Lacked Discipline.
F. F. Bunker said there was evident
lack of discipline among the crew,
and this fact is corroborated by other
passengers. A messboy cursed an Of
ficer to his face for not giving proper
orders. Mr.. Bunker said boat No. 2
was sent through the surf with more
than 20 passengers in it and only sew
en- got ashore after it capsized. He
got in the next boat lowered, with his
wife and two children. This boat
was sent out without officers or sea-
men. The boat capsized and he tried
to crawl back. AS he did so the boat
righted and nearly filled. He got in
and his wife was clinging to the side
of the boat. The girl was gone and
the boy was limp. He tried to restore
the boy to life and the little fellow
recovered consciousness and began to
cry and call Papa" His wife said
she could not hold on longer. He
kissed her goodby. Just then the
boat again capsized. He told his wife
to hold on, and took her with one
arm and the child with the other, but
something struck him on the head and
he lost them. He was swept in and
out three times by the breakers, but
finally managed to clutch the rocks
and hold fast.
He waited on the rocks after climb
ing out of the water until morning,
and then he climbed up the bluff and
found trail to hut, which he reach
ed after great hardship, having to
swim river to gain the hut. In the
hut he found some moldy beans and
a telephone receiver. During the next
two days the sufferings Of himself and
other survivors who had Joined him
were terrible. but help arrived from
the cable station at Bamfield, then a
2 party from Choose, then those from
the Salvor.
Why These Serious Faults?
i Mr.. Bunker says that in his opinion
i there are several questions that re-
quire answering in connection with
the disaster, as follows:
4 why were boatloads of passengers
loaded into the water without crews
to man or officers to command?
why was there no discipline among
officers and men?
why were the plugs for the bot
n tom OF the boats not made to fit?
~