Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-24
FEARFUL LOSS Of LIFE
Latest Details of Wreck of
Steamer Valencia.
OFF VANCOUVER COAST
Women and Children Swept Into Sea
and Drowned.
154 WERE ON BOARD THE SHIP
Grave Doubts Entertained for the
Rescue of Many-Perilous Position
of the Passengers.

The steamer Valencia, Capt. Johnson, of
the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, with
ninety-four passenger on board and crew
of sixty, was wrecked to eastward of
Cape Beale on the Vancouver island coast
In the early Tuesday morning with
heavy loss of life. greater than that of any
other disaster that has occurred near Vic
toria, B. c., since the terrible loss of life
following the collision of the ship Orpheus,
with the steamer Pacific, when en- route
from Victoria to Portland
The survivors, who have reached Cape
Beale the boatswain and five seamen, went
to secure assistance in one of the steamers
boats, report that at least fifty persons
were drowned alongside the steamer, when
boats loaded with women and children
smashed against the steamers side soon
after they were lowered from the vessel.
When they left over one hundred per-
sons were huddled on the saloon deck of
the steamer. which was then partly sub
merged with the inrolling sea washing over
the main deck southeast gale was blow
ing. with the wind whistling through the
cordage Of the wrecked vessel at veloc-
ity of over forty miles an hour and
high sea was beating against the hull
sending spume high over it and huge seas
pounded on the deck, threatening to break
up the wreck.
Unless the several steamers which have
been hurried to the assistance of the
wrecked vessel can arrive in time to save
those who remain on the wreck, it is doubt
full if any of them will reach shore. for
a landing in such place is extremely DIFF
iieult, if at all possible.
VICTORIA &. c., January 24.-The va
lencia sailed from San Francisco on her
second trip TO Victoria, replacing the re
Gently disabled steamer City of Puebla, at
liam. Saturday. This was the only clear
day. and frcm Saturday evening Capt. John
son and his officers had to navigate by
means of dead reckoning. Nearing the en-
trance to the straits the weather was very
thick and the officers thought they were
in the vicinity of the Umatilla Reef light
ship near Cape Fldttery, winch mas good
fog signal on board
Having had no observations and unable
to make out their position in the thick
weather prevailing, soundings were taken,
showing thirty fathOms. Immediately after
the men with the lead lines reported thirty
fathoms of water the steamer struck heav-
ily against some reefs off shore with a
shock which awoke all on board.
The steamer did not run on the reef, and
was Immediately backed away. AS she
won't into deep water she began 10 I'LL the
impact with the rock having greatly dam
aged the steamer. The engineers whstled
the bridge that wafer
over the engine rooms plates and they
were unable to stand by their engines, so
fast did the water rise in the engine room.
They and the firemen were driven on 10
the deck but before they were driven out
in answer TO excited jingles from the
bridge. they gave what speed was possi-
bic, and Can't johnson turned the vessel
again toward the beach.
Put Vessel Ashore.
As tho Valencia was laundering as a re-
suit of her impact with the rocks the only
possible chance to save any of those on
board was to put the vessel ashore again
with the hope, scant though it was, of
landing those on board on the rocky coast.
Before she struck again on the rocks the
engineers. hremen and all below had been
driven above by the thrush OF water and
the seas soon began to roll over the main
deck.
Water was over the deck when the boats
We're being lowered. the lights being extin-
guished by the flooding of the engine room
before the work was commenced.
The loss of life was awful when the boats
were lowered. Two boats filled with women
and children were swept against the side
of TIE steamer smashed and completely
wrecked, all those in the boats being swept
into the sea and drowned.
a special from Cape Beale states that
when the steamer Valencia left San Fran
cisco at IL am. Saturday. the weather
was clear, but since has been thick and
Capt Johnson had consequently TO navi-
gate by reckoning.
Officers Terrible Mistake.
The officers Of the steamer thought they
were near Cmatilla reef lightship when the
vessel drove in on the Vancouver island
coast SoundIngs had been taken, thirty
fathOms having been secured a few minutes
before the vessel struck. When she hit the
rocks her engines were reversed and the
steamer succeeded in backing off into deep
water. She Immediately began to fill, and
so quickly that the engineers and firemen
We're driven from the engine room. and the
only chance to save the lives of any one on
board was TO drive the vessel ashore
When the six survivors, who have arrived
at Cape Beale left the Valencia she was
lying head-on TO the sea and was about
thirty yards from the high bluff on shore
with the water over her main deck
What were left of the passengers large
number having been previously drowned
were huddled together IN the saloon deck
Wher, the boats We're lowered, soon after
the vessel was driven into the shore she be-
gan 10 ill, and there was a great loss of life
The boats. filed with women and children
were smashed against the side OF the steam
er and all in them were lost. The lights had
gone out by this time and the crew could
not see TO work. Several boats and three
life RATS were lowered Only two of them
have been heard from.
100 on the Wreck.
There were thought TO be about 100 per-
sons stiil on the wreck, and the survivors
who had reached Cape Beale say at least
fifty were drowned alongside the steamer
before they left The boatswain and five
seamen were sent to secure assistance, and
are the only ones that reached Cape Beale
arriving there about O'Clock. Up to 10
o'clock last night efforts TO secure further
details from Cape Beale of the wreck OF the
Valencia were unavailing.
Three steamers are on the way. The