The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-01-26

men hreathlessk. One minute they
weN high in the air. and the next lost
10 sight. At last they succeeded In
bringing the raft TO the side Of the
steamer.
Pitiful Sight Presented.
The sight OF the poor creatures ON
the mft brought tears TO the eyes OF
the sailors ON the vessel. In the stern
of the raft sat an old man. His snow
white hair and pallid features were
creased and torn by the flying spray
but the instinct oh life was strong
within him, and he held on bavely TO
his place.
Three others were lying in sense
less heap in the center, washed by
every swell and retained solely by the
bodies of the other men who were
closely packed. Time and time again
great seas swept over them, sending
a shudder through the onlookers who
feared to see them swept away.
The work of rescuing them was dan
gerous. The men were too exhausted
10 even tie rope around themselves
Unable to Help.
When the raft was sighted cry
went nm from the steamers deck.
Orders were shouted and men on the
raft screamed aud called fruitlessly
for aid. For a minute il looked as
though the old man with gray hair
was gone when the raft gave sudden
lurch, but by heroic work of Mate
Burke and his men in the boat, he
was finally gotten on deck. The man
no sooner was safe than another faint
ing form exposed was swept away and
was only rescued by quick work on the
mart Of the boats crew. The next man
to be swept from the raft managed ia
grasp a line and cling TO it until he
was hoiste.f half way up the ships
side. when his strength gave out and
he fell back. He was picked up BY
the boat.
Unable to Assist.
Neither vessel could venture near
enough to render any assistance. The
terrible seas made it too dangerous.
When the Queen was first sighted the
raft put out from the wreck and at
tempted 10 reach her but before they
could get within sighting distance the
vessel put about and headed to the
straits. where she spoke the Topeka
and told of seeing the Valencia.
When the Topeka hove in sight the
raft was once more manned and put
forth with the result that she was
rescued. The survivors told terrible
tales Of the wreck OF the vessel. They
said that she will brock mp bNore
morning and every soul will he lost
When they left the ship there were
about ninety people -till on board
most OF them clinging to the rigging
! Men. women and children were be
ing swept by every sea. A. soon a
the men got aboard they were taken tt
the dining room. DIR. B. T. Whiting
assisted by two nurses and member,
of the crew. hastily administered siim
ulants and put them to bed. 1t wa'
due solely to the excellent work of th'
physicians that none Of the saved mel
suffered from the exposure.
I After picking mp the raft the steam
er went in search Of another raii
which the rescued men said had left
the ship earlier in the day. The Ve'-e
ran fully twenty miles, the other side
looking for the raft, but no signs OF !
was to be seen. It j. the general i'm
preston that the raft ioundered.
! It was utterly impossible for humal
brings to live long on raft in th
terrible sea during the rain and bit
ter cold wind.
On Raft -Four Hours.
The men rescued by the Topeka ha'
been ON the raft about four hours. il
the morning they had seen the steame
Queea, and an unknown tug in the
oiIing.
All the other boats werd SMASHED
to splinters when they attempted I
lower them. Two Of the iceboats wer
capsized shortly after launching. On
escaped the breakers and put to sei
with about eight or nine people OF
board.
Passengers Story.
The following is the story Of @. VII