Norwich bulletin., 1909-11-22
l5 Passengers,
 78 Grew Saved
BY VIGOROUS ACTION AIDED BY A
 SMOOTH SEA.
STEAMER ST. eRoG BURNED
Eighteen Miles North of Santa Monica, caIifornia-Reseued camped on shore-Bassage All Destroyed.

Los Angeles, Nov. 21.-The passen- | ger steamer St. Croix of the North Pa- cific Steamship company burned to the waters edge last night at a point three miles off Point Duma and eight cen miles north of Santa Monica. All on Board Escaped. The lives of 15 passengers and the crew of IS were saved by vigorous action by the officers and crew, aided ! by calm sea.
 All, on board escaped in lifeboats and rafts and were landed at Point Duma on the beach. They camped last night in the Zuni canyon back of the point. Passengers Mostly Women. The fire started in the second cabin while dinner was being served and had made such headway before it was dis covered that the greatest difficulty was experienced in launching boats and life rafts and placing the passen- gers. who were mostly women, safely aboard them.
 A panic among the passengers was prevented by the officers and crew, who gave passengers no chance to save their personal belongings. News of Disaster Brought by Auto. First Officer. N. F. Hill immediately after the landing of the passengers made his way overland to Malibu ranch and there obtained an automo- bile and came to Santa Monica, arriv- ing at il o'clock last night, bringing the first authentic information of the . landing.
 At o'clock, while the hull of the St. Croix was burning fiercely, the steamship City of Topeka passed with s7:~ 1.4r l,rf afVror unable to discover any signs of life aboard. proceeded on her course to Redondo and gave the first report of the disaster.
 Explosion in Boiler Room.
 The St. Croix left San Pedro yester- day morning, bound for San Francis co direct.
 It is believed an explosion in the boiler room below the second cabin caused the fire. The vessel carried no freight.
 Arrived at Los Angeles in Borrowed
 Clothes.
 Los Angeles, Nov. 21.-Famished. nearly exhausted and in borrowed clothes. the fifteen men, women and children passengers on the steamer St. Croix, which was burned and sank last night off Point Duma. arrived today With them came the seventy eight members of the crew, likewise exhaust ed and destitute.
 All were brought from Santa Moni- ca by trolley car after the police de- -partment and residents of that city had furnished food that broke fast which for some had lasted thirty-six hours The survivors had walked, ridden and made their way to Santa Monica as best they could from the isolated land ing place.
 One Woman Injured.
 Mrs. l.. A. Wallace remained at the Beach City hospital with her six months old baby. She was severely injured when davit rope broke and the boat she was in plunged bow first into the sea. Burning of the Steamer Described by
 the Captain.
 Los Angeles, Cal, Nov. 21.-Captain Frederick Warner came into Santa Monica among the last of the ship wrecked throng. He described the burning of the vessel and the rescue as follows:
 T was in my cabin when someone ran iu my door and shouted Captain, the ship is afire below the second cab in l shouted to the first officer, MT. 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, so as not to fan the flames, which I saw bursting out of the after ports. q "An alarm was sounded. Each man of the crew promptly went to his sta tion. Mir. Miller had five lines of hose rigged
 'The ship came to full stop and the passengers were placed in the boats Then the first officer reported that the ammonia pipes of the refrig- erating plant had burst and that the vapor was overwhelming his men. The fire was gaining abaft the second cab ing. Apparently it started somewhere in the second cabin, and and the pow erful draft was drawing it through the shaft alley to the boiler room. Real izing that the fight was hopeless, I or dered the men up from below and the freroom was cleared.
 At no time was there any serious confusion. All the passengers provided themselves with life preservers. Mrs. Wallace afterwards said that it was life preserver that enabled her to keep herself and her baby up after they had fallen overheard. N
 Boat No. 1 was the first to be filled and ordered it cast loose. An eyebolt in the sternpest drew out and the boat dropped bow first, throwing some of the passengers violently and slightly injuring a few.
 Tt was then that Mrs. Wallace and little Vielbaum went overheard. I saw several men jump to the rescue. Im- l shouted to let the other davit rope go, and the boat lighted it. self immediately.
 '1n a few minutes those who had fallen or had jumped into the sea were back on board and the boat was on its way, outside the line of danger A few life rafts were manned, but these were a ha daned and those thcr,, ,..carsa