Arizona republican., 1909-11-22
NO EFFORT TO AID THEM
But For Los Angeles News papers the Wrecked Pas sengers and Crew Would Still Be Camped in Cold and Desolate Canyon

Los Angeles. Nov. 31.-FSmished nearly exhausted. and garbed in bor- rowed clothes. lO5 men. women and children. passengers Of the St CroiN. which was burned and sunk off Port Duma. eighteen miles north O. Santa Monica last night. arrived here today. With them came seventy-eight of the officers and crew. in a likewise eX- hausted and destitute condition. All were brought here on transportation furnished by the suburban trolley company after the police and sympa- thetic residents of Santa Monica had furnished food which broke fast that for some had stretched thirty six hours. and supplied clothing to the cold and weary bodies of the women.
 Mrs. l. A Wallace of Berkeley. re- mains at the Beach City hospital with a six months baby. Mrs Wallace was severely injured when an eyebolt se-- curing a dayit rope broke, and the boat she was in plunged bow first into the sea She and her baby 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 six year old son of Charles Veilbaum of San Francisco. was saved at the same time Sy Edward Norris the quartermaster. Aided by Miss Grace Thomas of Van couver. who proved a heroine.
 Captain Fred Warner. of the St Croix. also arrived this afternoon and reported the loss of the vessel to the North Pacific Steamship company T am sorry the ship burned" he said but thank a merciful God that not a single life was lost" Warner came to Santa Monica among the shipwrecked throng Some of these had toiled afOot over fourteen miles of the rough mountain trail that led to civilization from the desolate Zuni Canyon where they landed.
 Others, all women. who were fright ened into helplessness were brought on stretchers borne by the footsOre men. Others mckier still. found several dump cars of the railroad running through Malibu ranch and waking the sleepy ranch hands long before dawn. induced them to hitch mules and drag them where they could get aid A few
 
 the newspapers seeking information of tLe wreck. These with five slightly Tjured women reached the Rindge ranch house. six miles south of the scene of the landing. The rest re- msined until daylight in the canyon. Snivering in the cold fog, without food. except tin of hardtack, a can of milk and little water. Two bottles of liquor served as a stimulant to pre- vent the collapse of the overwrOuGht women
 Except for the efforts put forth by the newsgatherers no attempt would have been made to succOr the stranded passengers and crew. Immediately after the landing the captain dispatch ed the purser and chief engineer to get aid. but up to tonight he has not heard of the seamen. Warner said the fire was reported to him as having orig mated somewhere in the second cabin and il spread rapidly. The ammonia pipes of the refrigerating plant burst and the pungent vapors overwhelmed the members sof the crew who were struggling to save the ship and forced them 10 abandon the hose lines
 There was no confusion. The pas sengers provided themselves with life preservers and awaited their turns in getting into the boats. Ten minutes after the last ones left. the ammonia tank. and probably the boilers blew mp. The boats crew rowed seven miles To shore. and made camp in the desolate canyon. from which the blazing ship could be seen until it went down. Sev- eral of the women who collapsed from the reaction of the excitement were placed on stretchers and started to- ward aid. They were met by autos carrying sandwiches and coffee and which brought them to the beach town. The fact that the steamship company seemingly made no effort to aid them, stirred the passengers to indignation. They expressed their feelings at meeting tonight