The San Francisco call., 1909-08-28

Strikes Submerged Reef
The Ohio sailed Tuesday with 1S1
passengers and a crew of 81 men IT
struck submerged reef that rises out
OF deep water and sank in nearly 100
feet Of water. 1t was built in 1873 at
Philadelphia The vessel carried $780,
600 insurance.
II was at I o'clock in the morning
that the Ohio crashed into the rock
that brought its destruction Almost
the first man to respond TO the danger
signal given by the crash of the i'm
pact was Operator Eccles Clad only
in his nightgown he rushed to his sta
tion and dispatched TO whomsoever
might pick it up the &C. Q. D." or dis
tress signal
Somewhere not far distant were the
steamers Humboldt and Rupert City,
both Of them equipped with the United
wireless service. The hall for help.
&C. Q. d." &C. G. d." came flashing
through the night and aboard these two
steamers it meant that somewhere, not
far distant, steamer was in distress.
Flashes Broken OF
Then came the name of the vessel
and its location Almost instantly the
Humboldt and the Rupert City had
started toward the scene, when sud
denly the wireless men on the two
ships found that they had lost the
Ohio.
This ominous indication led. to the
belief that they were in danger OF being
too late. or that the operator on the
Ohio had deserted his post. Develop
ments showed. however, that Eccles had
played the role of hero, TO the end that
he sacrificed his own life in an effort
10 save the lives of others. With
Purser Stephens, Eccles was among the
first to aid the other officers of the yes
sells in claiming the distracted passen-
gers, so that order might be maintained
and great loss of life prevented.
While Eccles was flashing out
through the blackness of night the ap-
peal of the stricken ship, boats were
being lowered and passengers and crew
made safe therein.
The greatest speed possible in trans
ferring those aboard the vessel was
necessary, as the fatal impact had torn
so great a hole in the bow Of the ves-
sci that there was no hope of its re-
naming adoat for longer than very
short time.
1t was still dark when the lights of
the Humboldt and Rupert City ap-
peared in answer 20 the signal Of OPP
orator Eccles. who, in the meantime,
had gone TO his death.
The passengers and members Of the
crew Of the wrecked vessel were then
transferred 10 the rescuing steamers.
Company Gets Report
brief report received tonight by
the Alaska steamship company from
Captain John Johnson says:
ohio struck rock 1 a. M, August IS,
off Steep point. Afterward ran her
toward shore in Carter bay. She now
lies submerged in six fathoms forward
and II fathoms aft Purser, wireless
operator, quartermaster, one steerage
passenger and one soldier missing.
ship damaged on port side on bottom
Some bulkheads are gone Impossible
10 say the extent Of the damage Cap
tain and four men are standing by the
wreck. Passengers and crew were
picked up by fishing boat Kingfsher
and landed in Swanson bay. Send in
structions to Carter bay"
Messages received from Ketchikan,
Alaska, state that George W. Perkins
private yacht Yucatan left there this
morning and will stop at Swanson bay
10 pick up Captain Johnson and the
members Of his crew who are still
there.
Wireless Flashes News
The United Wireless, one of whose
operators perished in the sinking OF
the stea eamship Ohio, received an ac-
count of the disaster from Operator
Booth at Ketchfkan late today Booth
says in dispatch to headquarters OF
the company here:
About / a. m. I was sitting with
my receivers clapped TO my ears, hav-
ing just finished working with Op-
orator Eccles on board the Ohio, when
I was startled by hearing him call:
C. Q. D, c. Q. d. Immediately an
swered and he sent the following mes
sage: Ohio struck a rock steamer sink
ing; send aid Immediately or every
body viii be lost
The steamships Humboldt and Ru-
pert of the Mckenzie Brothers steam
ship company happened to be near and
they both called the Ohio, asking for
her latitude. Eccles gave it immedf-
stely, and the Rupert flashed back that
they wouln change their course and
stand by the Ohio as soon as pos
sible
Meanwhile Eccles sent another
message saying:
Ohio sinking fast-can not hold
out Passengers are being taken of
in small boats. Captain and crew will
stick TO the last
The Humboldt and Rupert both re-