Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-02-12
STEAMER HITS REEF
PASSENGERS SUFFER FOUR
WEEKS ON Shore.
Prepared for Long Wait Before Rescue
Is Expected-Set Up Camp in Snow
Six of Crew Are Missing Steamer
Left Valdez, Alaska, for Kodiak
January 2.
January 2.

Seattle, Feb. ga cable dispatch to
the Associated Press from Valdez says:
The Alaska Steamship company's wood
en-. steamship Farallon, which left Val
DEE, Alaska, for Kodiak January ?,
while trying to land a passenger at
Iliamna, struck Black reef in Iliamna
bay, at the houth of Cook inlet January
| 5, during a thick snowstorm, but a
smooth sea enabled all the passengers
and crew, 32 people, to reach the land
safely.
Clothing, bedding and supplies were
taken ashore and with plenty of fire.
wood the shipwrecked party went into
camp on the beach to wait for rescue
boat, which arrived February 3, being
the Steamer Victoria, that took the
castaways on board, carried them to
Valdez and afterward sailed for Sc
attic with them.
Six of the Farallon IS crew are miss
ing. Becoming impatient at the non
arrival of a steamer, on January O
Second Mate Gus Swanson and five
sailors left the camp in a small boat
for Kodiak, on Kodiak island, hoping
that they might there get into com
munication with the world and cause
a steamer to be sent to Hanna.
The Victoria spent as much time as
possible searching for the boat and its
little crew, but was obliged to con-
tinue to this city because of the con-
dition of the rescued.
Castaways Suffer.
Despite the fact that they were
fairly well supplied with clothing and
easily obtained wood for fuel, the cast
laways suffered greatly from the Sc
we're cold. None, however, is seriously
the worse for the experienc.
Captain McGilvray of the steamer
Portland, which arrived from Alaska
several days ago, said, after learning
} of the wreck of the Farallon, that early
on the morning of January 20, just
| after the Portland left Seldovia on the
southeast shore of Cook inlet, he saw
a signal light at sea and headed the
: Portland in the direction of the flash.
However, it was. not repeated and in
the darkness the Portland could see no
? vessel in distress. Captain McGilvray
on his arrival here made no report of
chasing this phantom light, thinking his
vague story would only increase the
anxiety of the people already distracted
I over the missing Farallon. Now Cap
tain McGilvray thinks the signal flame
may have been made by the small boat
! which put out from Hanna to seek
y assistance.
+. Four Weeks on Ice.
e J. Thawaites, mail clerk on the Far
allon, gave a vivid description of the
g four weeks encampment on the ice
d He said:
d 'fWe had one passenger to land al
d Hanna bay, where we arrived early
on the morning of January 5. In &
n binding snowstorm the steamer crepf
l. along, Pilot Crooks, who knew thu
IS coast well, realizing the peril of the
h attempt to enter the bay in the storm
With all his caution he missed the en-
e trance and the ship struck a reef ;
d mile off shore and a mile north of thu
entrance of the bay The Farallol
2 hit the reef at high water and whei
d the tide receded it was caught amid
1t ships on the rocks and her engine an'
1t machinery displaced so that they rolle'
is violently as the ship pounded.
1T cat noon the Farallon was on he
beam ends and we were expecting he
to break in two or turn turtle int
deep water any minute.
"All hands were ordered to the ST
p boats, and down the icy sides of tn
ship we lowered ourselves to the SINAI
ne boats in the water. They were tosse
ID about like chips, and cakes of ice bat
fe tered them. The men let themselve
IL down to the boats on a rope. Blanket
err and food were also lowered to tn
IS boats. When all the men were in tn
e. boats they pushed off for the shor,
is which could be seen dimly through tn
TO veil of snow
cd eve could hear the roar of surf o
N. the shore, and the reports, as of car
or non, when ice cakes were hurle
he against the rocks. 1t seemed for
to- time that we should be unable to Ian
because of the surf. The boats wei
ng also in grave danger of the fioatin
he ice. At last we discovered a small GOV
in of shelter, and we landed safely.
IT. Modern Robinson Crusoes.
ne "The sailors put the passengers an
supplies ashore, and then turned bac
TO the Farallon, from which they too
" sails, tarpaulins, baggage, mails, pr
visions and mattresses. To get a
az this stuff required two trips. In IL
meantime the party ashore was bus
he setting up camp, for all knew thu
b., the stay while waiting for rescue wOul
or probably be long.
eh "Upon two feet of snow that covere
he 1.-THE rocks of the shore tarpaulins wei
as spread for a floor. Boxes and barre
of of supplies formed walls, and lashC
b., oars made gables for the tent Sal
were spread over the frame, but lackt
of two feet of reaching the ground {
So one side Of the shelter, leaving an ope
ha inc thronoh which the lev wiz