Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-28
GIVES His
LIFE FOR
VOYAGERS
Bravery of EmplOye Saves
200 Persons
! WIRELESS OPERATOR SINKS
WITH STEAMER
CALLS FOR HELP ANSWERED BY
THREE VESSELS
Heroic Mechanician, Purser and
Three Persons Are Drowned, but
Remainder of Crew and Pas
sengers Are Rescued
CALLS FOR HELP ANSWERED BY
THREE VESSELS
LRv Associated Press.l

By Associated Press.
q EATTLE, Aug. 27.-One man, a
n wireless telegraph operator, gave
~ his life that 200 persons might be
saved this morning when George W.
Eccles of Seattle, according to meager
details in wireless dispatches, went down
with the Alaska steamship companys
steamer Ohio while sounding the &c.
O. D." for aid.
His calls for help brought the steam
ers Kingfisher, Humboldt and Rupert
city to the rock of Steep Point in
Hish-Kish narrows, British Columbia,
and all but himself, the purser, quarter
master, a soldier and steerage pas
senger were saved. The Ohio went
down within thirty minutes after it
struck.
The deaa are
PURsER FREDERICK ]. STE
PHEN, Seattle.
WIRELESS OPERATOR GEORGE
=. ECCLES, Seattle, formerly Of Win
nipeg.
THE QUARTER-MAsTER, unidenti-
fed.
SOLDIER, unidentified.
STEERAGE PASSENGER, uniden-
tilted.
Details of the wreck are still lacking.
The wireless dispatches say the Ohio
sank in thirty minutes. Pilot Snow
was on the bridge when the ship struck.
The boats were lowered at once and
the women and children taken Off first.
The soldier and steerage passenger were
killed by the upsetting of a boat dur
ing the rescue of the passengers.
The Humboldt took twenty survivors
to Ketchikan, Alaska. The others will
arrive at Vancouver tomorrow on the
Rupert City.
Operator Remains at Post
Operator Eccles, who was a big man,
worked valiantly in rescue work and
was drowned while 50 engaged, and
Purser Stephen likewise gave his life
for others.
The Ohio, which left Seattle for VAL
dez. Alaska, August "a, with 1876 pas
sengers, struck a rock off Steep Point,
Alaska, at l o'clock this morning and
sank.
The steamers Humboldt and Rupert
City, which were in the neighborhood,
took off the Ohio's surviving passen-
gers.
M. j. Heney, the Alaska railroad con-
tractor, was on the lost steamer, but
was not injured.
The Ohio belonged to the Alaska
Steamship company and was valued at
$780, 900. She is a total loss.
News of the disaster was received
by wireless from the company's agent
at Ketchikan, who was in communica-
tion with the wireless operator on the
Humboldt.
List of Passengers
Among the passengers was Clarence
Cunningham, the Alaska coal land To-
cater, who lays claim to Alaska coal
mines valued at an enormous sum,
and whose title is being investigated
by President Taft.
Following is a list of the Ohio's pas
sengers:
First class, from Seattle:
r. M. Yates, A. N. Anderson, J. A.
Buckley, |. p. Rumsey, Halle Nichols,
Helene Brock, M. j. Heney, Horace V.
Winchen, F. G. Green, }. p. Gray and
wife, II. White, Clarence Cunningham,
w. r. Wells, E. P. Winter, j. A. Cerew,
w, e. Erwin, Clara Alfred, Captain
A. O. Powell II. S. Seidenberg, Ed
Wood, Rose Elton, Mrs. M. J. Walters,
A. w. Scott, L. r. Loomis, o. p. Hub
bard, Mrs. C. II. Kraemer, Mrs. G. c.
vim, Charles e. Rice, Mrs. c. E. Rice,
II. ]. Nestor and wife, IL. w. Wright,
G. S Booth, Mrs. j. S. Moore, q. q.
Boe, d. H. Jones, J. G. Ellis. Roy New
ton, Dr. w. j. Thompson, f. Ii. Stew
art and wife, r. j. Boyer, S. 5. Bur-
rett, j. Fenyer j. G. Martin, Mrs. j.
Carlson, Mrs. c. j. Harbaugh, Mrs. W.
B. Wells, Anna Davis, John Hawath,
b. H. Polly, Thomas Sheehan, V. M.
Reaves, D. A. Hayes, w. Milltken,
James Hackland, r. n. Nixon, w. ii.
Bell and wife, DIR. ]. b. Gibson, Mrs.
Johnstone, Mrs. e. Lang and Mrs. Ed
Nelson.
First class from Tacoma:
Mr.. and Mrs. j. l.. Church, Boulder
Colo; Mr.. and Mrs. Murane ana t"o
Fifty-eieht 111rfi W. in the steerage. mostly
Greeks and Slavonians.
Horace V. Mitchell is distinguished
geologist of Minnesota.
Captain Powell is wealthy mlne
owner OF Alaska.
Nome. .,-,.4..
two men. The steamer registered 2Ul2
tons, was built in Philadelphia in 1873
and came to this coast six years ago 10
enter the Alaska trade.
1t is assumed by shipping men that
the part played by wireless in the
wreck was much the same as in the
case of the steamer Republic. off Nan
tucket, last winter.
Sends Out c. @. D. Calls
EccIes, the wireless operator, is sup
posed to have stuck to his post TO the
and sending out the sc. Q. D." CALI
bringing the steamers Humboldt and
Rupert City, but losing his own life.
The Rupert City landed some of the
rescued passengers at swanson bay III
Hish-kish narrows. The remainder or
the passengers and the crew are sup
posed to be on the Humboldt. The
Dolphin, aonther Alaska Steamship
company boat. which left Seattle
Wednesday night, is due at Ketchikan
at midnight tonight, and her captain
has been notified by wireless to stand
by in Swanson bay and give assistance.
Similar instructions were also sent by
lContInued on Page EIghtl