The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-02
SAvE
wireless Operator Sacrifices His
Life TO
SAVE PASSENGERS

- w. ~ ~os ~ '. " = -
Sticks to His Post Till the Pacific
Liner Went Down-His CaD
Brought Two Ships-"Goodbye,
My God, I'm -" Was His Final
Message to the Land.
The coast liner Ohio, Of the Alas
ka Steamship Company, whose loss
was reported in our '"st issue, struck
"a submerged rock in the Pacific on
Steep Point while pushing northward
in fog from Seattle to Valdez with
1913 passengers aboard All the pas-
sengers were rescued by other ves-
sells which rushed to the sinking
steamers aid on the call of the wire
less &C. @. D." .
Purser F. ]. Stephens, of Seattle,
sank with the ship as he was still
lowering passengers over the side in
to the boats. Wireless Operator
George C. Eccles went down sitting
at his machine and \stiIl sending
the story Of the wreck to the oper-
ator at Ketchikan. The quarter
master and two seamen also were
drowned.
At l o'clock Saturday morning
United Wireless Operator Booth, OF
the Ketchikan station, was sitting
in his cramped little office fronting
the sea, on the South Alaskan archi-
pelago, when the receivers began
ticking frantically the wireless dan
ger call for help, &C. @. d. C. @
D."
Booth hurried back his answer,
What ship?" he demanded. Where
are you?"
Steamship Ohio" came the quick
reply. We've struck rock off Steep
Point. Ship sinking. One hundred
and twenty-eight passengers aboard.
Get help at once or everybody win
be lost"
Booth knew the Steep Point Rocks
are hundred miles off the main
land, opposite Ketchikan-and he
knew that the Ohio must have fouled
her course in fog.
Also he knew the steamship Hum
boldt and Rupert City, of the same
line, must be threading the tortuous
channels not far from where the
rock-wrecked boat was going down.
Five minutes afterward he had turn
ed his machine to their wireless ap-
paratus, had signalled both of them,
though they were league apart
at sea, and had sent them full speed
to the rescue.
Then came another desperate mes
sage from the Ohio.
ship sinking fast" it ticked in
frantic speed. Cannot hold ont
another hour. Passengers being TAX
en- of in small boats. Captain and
crew will stick to the last.
(Signed) "Eccles."
Booth, in his little cage at Ket-
chikan, could do not more than flash
word to Eccles that help was on
the way. Then he picked up the
Humboldt and Rupert City again.
Both beaded for Ohio" they re-
sponded. Reach her in half an
hour"
Booth was ticking this out to Ec-
cles aboard the sinking ship when
the latter broke in with his final
message. 1t said:
Passengers all off and adrift in
small boats. Captain and crew 60
ing of in last boat, waiting for me
now Goodby. My God, I'm"-
Booth at the land end Df the
wireless dispatch knew that Eccles.
of the Ohio, had gone down in The
final plunge OF the wrecked ship still
flashing out his message.
Details of the disaster came In
later from the steamship Humboldt.
which had rescued the surviving pas
sengers and crew from open boa-a.
a league from the So" of the wreck
and al Etu after ihe Ohio went
down.
The biz liner, edging slowly north
ward, had verred ten miles from her
course. A great hole was stove II
her bow and she was far down by
the head with five feet OF water ID
her hold before the crew could even
arouse all the sleeping passengers.
The panic that followed was quelled
by officers and crew, who stood at
the berth doors and kept all the men
and women passing out in line and
across the deck to the ships boats,
which waited at the davits.
Three seamen went down with
Purser Stephens and Eccles, because
there was not time between the strik-
ing of the ship and her sinking to
get all into the boats.