The San Francisco call., 1909-12-12
81 f1|F IS

ton, men lighting for their wives. who
watched the scene from safety for the
moment, but who knew not what the
future might unfold. The. sky was
barely streaked with light and low
hung clouds reflected back the furnace
glow from the 1eaping, roaring flames.
Sweating, half naked men, sailors and
passengers shoulder to shoulder, made
up a battle line that beat back the
march of flames. that smothered sullen
smoke and ember. that cheered with
JOY when the last glowing spark Kissed
and died out before the conquering
hose.
Among the passengers was one who
had a camera, and when the flames had
died the captain called on him to take
some pictures showing just what risk
attended the gathering in Of the pas
sengers who had gone into the little
boats when the vessel was fire swept
and thralled by flames that seemed re-
sistless. This man, unused to front
ing danger. had collapsed when the
strain of facing death was ended, but
the iron will of the captain brought
him up again and probably the most
remarkable pictures ever taken. show
ing the actual horrors of the scene.
were made by him. Swung by the
and fro, rolling from side to side and
casting spray mast high. Far down
below the towering sides OF the wave
swept ship the small boats crept along,
each man that made the crew with
nerves and muscles tense The terror
of the fire gone there raised up yet
another danger, that of being crushed
against the vessels side. Life RATS
were lowered and used TO fend the
small boats off from danger. Booms
were run out and lines that ended In
loop were lowered down. Women and
children seated in the loops and tied
with rope ends were hoisted up and
lowered down through the cargo
hatch, where strong and loving hands
received them. Several times the boats
were capsized as they came in contact
with the pIunging ship in the heavy
sea and several lives were lost. That
the loss was not much greater was due
to the skill of Captain Cousins and the
cool work of his crew. The photo
showed exactly the condition OF the
sea and proved that only praise was
due the commander of the Queen.
AS with the Queen. the wrecking of
the Valencia in the straits of Juan de
Fuca is presented in pictures taken by
cool headed men who wished to show
the world just what the terror of a
shipwreck was. Bound to Seattle from
San Francisco, the Valencia in the dead
of night ran on rock. A fog had
burdened her for hours and her scream
ing siren had walled out warning for
other fog bound vessels in the straits,
but when, without moments warn
ing, there came rending crash and
jar, the basic principle of life, self
preservation. swept everything aside.
Boats were swung outboard and low
cred rapidly. The passengers, half
dazed and less than half prepared to
brave the terror of the cold and angry
sea, were loaded in. The hungry waves
rushed through the broken bow. What
tales of horror marked the progress
of the little boats creeping like
crippled things upon the angry sea,
have only half been told Life after
life went out before the beat of hard
ship and the struggle against what
seemed to be death inevitable was pic
tured by the camera, that shows an
old man on life raft. standing up,
the central figure of q little group.
Beaten by wind and wave, half clad
and piteously infirm with age, his
white beard blowing In the wind, he
seems to be imploring heaven to bend
in mercy over him and give him help.
His party was rescued after drifting
on the raft for several days
Painters have painted shipwreck In
its naked horror, painted the brutal
dance Of flame upon a vast and empty
sea where small boats, gathering like
notes adrift in infinity, fare forth to
the unknown, but for the deadly touch
of truth the camera is the. ultimate re-
sort The wash of wave and roll of
pIunging vessel hanging high above the
tiny boats is shown, the wan and
weary faces lined by hunger and the
strain of battling with appalling force
are reproduced, and from the photo-
graphs the actuality OF the horror