Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-22
Passengers Give Graphic Ac-
count of Fire at Sea Which
Destroyed North Pacific
Liner St, Croix.
BRAVE SEAMEN OVERCOME
FIGHTING TO SAVE VESSEL
Bursting Ammonia Pipes Drive
Crew to Decks; Refugees
Hungry and Footsore Cared
for in Los Angeles.

Try Morning journal Special Leased Wirel
Los Angeles, Nov. 2l,-Famished
nearly exhausted and garbed mostly
in borrowed clothes the los men, wo-
men and children who were passen-
gers on the steamer st. Croix which
burned and sank last night off Point
Duma, Is miles UP the coast from
Santa Monica. arrived here today.
With them came the 7S officers and
members of the crew, likewise ex-
hausted and destitute.
The survivors had walked, ridden
and made their way to Santa Monica
landing place.
Mrs. l.. A. Wallace, of Berkeley re-
mains at the beach city in hospital
with her six months old baby. Mrs
Wallace was severely injured about
the lower limbs when an eye-bolt Sc
curing a dayit rope broke and the
boat she was in plunged bow-first in
to the sea. She and the baby, with
the fourteen other occupants of the
boat were thrown into the water. but
were rescued by her husband and two
other men who dived from the upper
works OF the burning vessel.
Herbert, the 0 year old son of
Chalres Veilbaum, of san Francisco.
was saved at the same time by Ed
ward Norris, ships quartermaster,
aided by Mrs. Grace Thomas, wife of
racing man, of Victoria, b. s, who
proved herself a heroine.
Captain Frederick Warner came
into Santa Monica among the last of
the shipwrecked throng. Some of
these had toiled afoot over the four
miles of rough mountain trails. 9th
ers. all women, who had been fright
ened into helplessness were brought
on stretchers, born by foot-sore men.
Captain Warner graphically de-
scribed the burning of his ship and
the rescue from the vessel of the pas
"When the first alarm was given
Warner ordered full speed astern to
prevent the ships forward movement
tanning the flames which he said
were bursting from the ports.
"Only half hour elapsed from
then until the ship had been deserted,
several who had fallen into the wa
ter in the hasty scramble for the life
boats had been picked up and the
sailors had begun -four hours pull
for the shore.
Captain Warner said tonight:
Il was in my cabin when someone |
ran to my door and shouted captain. |
the ship is afire below the second /
cabin / shouted to the first officer, /
Mr.. Miller, in the next cabin, to take /
charge of the watch below and went |
on the bridge and ordered full speed |
astern to stop the ships headway in |
order not to fan the flames which | /
saw bursting from the after ports.
AN alarm was sounded Each .
man of the crew sprang promptly to
mis- station.
ion
Mr. Miller soon had five lines of
hose rugged. The ship had come to
/ full stop and the passengers were
placed in the boats when the first
Jfficer reported that the amonia
pipes of the refrigerating plant had
1urst and that the pungent vapor was
his men. The fire was
,aining aft the second cabin. Appar
,ntly IL started somewhere In the
econd ca bin and the powerful draft
vas drawing il down through the
haft to the boiler room.
BY this time the fire fighting
orce was being overcome. man after
nan, and the hose lines were aband-
med. Realizinh the fight then was
hopeless, / ordered the men up from
,elow and the fire room cleared.
AT no time was there any serious
onfusion. The passengers all pro-
ided themselves with life preseryers.
Irs. Wallace afterward said that 1t
vas a life preserver that enabled her
o keep herself and baby up after
hey had fallen into the water.
Boat No. / was the first to be fill
d and / ordered it cast loose. An eye
olt on the stern post drew out and
he boat up-ended. This threw some
{ the passengers into the sea and
lightly injured a few.
1T was then that Mrs. Wallace and
tile Viebaum went overheard. |
aw several men jump over to the
escue. Immediately l shouted to let :
he other davit rope go and the boat !,
ighted itself Immediately. 4
In moment those who had fallen !
verboard or had jumped into the
"a were back on board. the boat was !,
allied out and on it, way outside the :,
ne OF danger. a few life RATS were =,
lanned but these were abandoned n
nd those on them were taken into v
he boats a