The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-01
WERE BLUNDERS,
Says PASSENGER
Valencia Survivor Declares Sea
Was Not Rough at Time
of Wreck.
ALL SEEMED AFRAID TO
HELP THE SUFFERERS
Can't Understand Why No YES
sci Tried to Send a
Boat.

SEATTLE, Wash, Jan. 3l-At this
mornings session of the investigation into
the loss OF the Valencia. c. Allison OF
St Paul. n 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 Valencia
TO pieces could not be called high. This
testimony caused n mild sensation, as all
published accounts OF the wreck have de-
scrlbed high seas and terrible surf
Seemed to Shun Them.
Every one seemed to shun us. said
Allison, testifying before the board of
United States inspectors In the Va
IencIa investigation, "All seemed TO be
afraid to help or to attempt to help the
unfortunate men and women who were
facing death
All those that succeeded In getting
ashore Immediately went OF. The yes
sells the sra stood off and made no
attempt to lower q boat In the morn
ing after the last raft put of from the
Valencia there was no great sea running.
Not wave had n combcr on IL.
Looked Wrong to Him.
There might have been some excuse
for the Queen not coming In close. but
there was tug alongside Of her that
did rot come any closer than the large
wrong.
Did the conduct OF the officers of the
vessel meet with your approyal?"
Seemed Orderly at First.
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 TO the saloon deck. ! could not see.
but think the order came from some one
In authority. | do not know whether II
was the Captain or not. ! did not know
him very well No, ! am sure the order
did not come from any of the passengers.
Boat Was Lowered.
After few moments. when they were
lowering the starboard boat. the crowd
gathered around IL. AfterwaTd people
were jumping In | could not distinguish
iaceS-it was too dark when the boat was
filled and lowered. ! don't know who
gave the word to lower the boat to the
water, but 1t might have been one OF the
officers or some excited passenger.
Quickly Capsized.
Anyway, the boat went down the
ships side. For a moment II hung one
end up. the other down, and all the time
banging against the sides Of the vessel.
Finally IL was caught and capsized There
was great excitement then. and cries OF
pull them out came from all sides"
How did it happen that so many of
the crew were on that life raft?" asked
Inspector Whitney.
LAS soon the raft struck the water
the crew took possession" said the wit
ness.
Crew Took Possession.
What kind OF weather was II when you
were picked up by the Topeka"
Nice weather. 1t was a trinc foggy
but there was no wind blowing. The
waves did not have combers on them. |
do not why boat could not have
been lowered
Did you hear any reason given on the
Topeka to why boats were low
cred2"
No Reason Given
Mr.. Allison then went on and told OF
He stated the hurricane deck was rising
the ship That caused many OF those on
about to break up.
A. Willis another passenger, testified
the first boat was not lowered properly
He said the ciff 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
Greek Hero Testifies.
John Segalos. the Greek fireman who
was the real hero of the Valencia testi-
Ned before the inspectors this afternoon
Telling Of his own daring In plunging into
the waves and trying To take a line
ashore he said
Il feel very sorry for the poor people