Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-01-30
WRECK OF THE
VALENCIA
Steamship Goes Down Near the Rocks
Where She Struck in the Night
Last Week.
LOSS OF LIFE IS VERY HEAVY
Out Of a Total Company Of 154 Per
sons, Only About Seven Are
Accounted for.

Victoria, B. c., Jan. 29.-The steam
ship Valencia is total loss. having
broken up on the rocks where she
struck.
OF the total company of l54. but 81
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. huddled about fire. Six sur
vivors have been taken on the Sal
Nor. Nine, most of them SO badly cut
up and bruised. without boots and so
overcome that they cannot stand.
much less walk, are still camped at
Darling creek. telegraph hut, and
eighteen others were picked up by the
City of Topeka. With the three seen
from the Orion mile and half from
the wreck adde to the survivors if left
death list of 119 persons. Not a
woman Or child is among the saved.
Is Entirely Submerged.
The steamer SalvOr has returned to
Victoria from the scene of the wreck,
which she visited this morning. Only
the broken stump of mast and a
part of derrick showed The Salvor
brought to Victoria L. l. Hancock,
chief cook, and George Long. fire.
man. who were picked up on Tur.
ret island after escaping from a life
raft which drifted ashore there. They
were in a very weak state and were
removed to the marine hospital for
treatment. The United States shiI
Grant was at Bamfield when the Sal
vor left this morning at a. M. ant
had on board the remaining Is sur
vivors and II bodies.
Chief Cook Hancock said he left thu
wreck about noon on Wednesday
The steamer Queen was then stanrlin.
by, but was too far out to render an.
assistance. If the steamer had stoo'
by in its original position a larg
number might have been saved. TIL
life raft followed the Queen. tryin
desperately to signal her, but recei>
ed no reply. The look out evidentl
could not make them out. Then thOs
on board saw the City of Topeka. bu
could not attract any attention frOT
that vessel.
Wallis, one of those identified a
dead, hOisted a signal standing in tn
wreck before the tug Car ran ir
ward to the Valencia. At the time tn
Car was working in there We're abou
20 persons still in the rigging. H
was of the opinion that many woul
nave been saved If any steamer ha
been standing by to pick them NJ
When Hancock left the wreck the cal
tain, the first. second and fourth off
1off I.
third officer left the night previous
He says the officers were mucn e,
cited.
Awful Experiences.
In telling of the experiences of thOs
who were with him on the raft NJ
Hancock said that so poignant wa
the disappointment of the shipwrecke
men when the steamer Queen faile
to see their signals and shaered ava.
that one went mad and few mil
utes later died The others, to ligh
en- the raft. pushed his body owe
board. Then another passenger. wit
a cry, slipped off the raft. leaving eigh
These We're clinging to the frail raj
with seas beating over them. VINE
one, Creepy, became insane. and wa
soon violent. While some tried t
propel the raft landward. others wer
obliged to hold him. Hancock, VIII
fell asleep. was awakened by Gregg
clutching his throat and trying
choke him. The insane man was sa.
ing meanwhile, you are wild do
and good to eat At last through tn
spray. the wooded shores of Turre
island were seen. as the raft drifte
near shore, Wilson became crazy, an
with wild cry leaped into the Sc;
The raft. with four survivors an
three bodies of those who succumbe
within sight of land. grounded on
sandy beach. The raft was left drift
ing off shore until found next morn
ing by the Salvor and the bodies re
covered. Greggy the mailman. wa
one of those whose body was foun
The four survivors. as soon as the
crept from the raft, staggered abov
high water mark and fell into ST
por. Frank Connors, who had ina
ined he had seen a lighthouse, wande
ed into the bush. Next morning II
Salvor dispatched two boats and
Gated him on log semi-unconscio'
and muttering HE was going to fiji
the lighthouse" He was revived wi
difficulty and it was expected by T
Hart, on the Salvor. that his reast
end health would be restored.
An Ottawa dispatch says the Can
dian government has ordered an inve
tigation into the wreck of the Vale
cha.
Premier Mcbride announced tod;
the provincial government would {
operate with the Dominion cover
ment in a life saving scheme for Il
west coast of Vancouver island.
Chief of Police Langley has recei
ed a telegram from Mrs. D. NJ Pr
ers, of Los Angeles, identifying Oh
OF the bodies found, from the Associ;
Ell Press description, as that of n
husband.