Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-12
Steamer Olympia Is Wrecked
on Coast of Alaska. ;.
PERIL TO THOSE ABOARD
Keen Anxiety u Felt for 10e P4-
sengers and Crew.
WIRELESS IS NOT WORKING
Vessels Have Gone to Rescue, But
They Were in Time.

SEATTLE, Wash, December i2-Noth-
ing has been received from Alaska today
concerning the wrecked steamer Olympia
There Is good reason for believing al
the passengers were saved, but the
Alaska Steamship Company has no ad-
Ices. Every effort is being made TO gain
communication with the Olympia
The Olympia was bound from Seattle
for Cordova and Valdez She had landed
at Cordova and was on her way 70 Val
dez
Hull Of Steamer Strong.
The Alaska Steamship Company. agents.
say the hull OF the steamer is strong and
the ship will not break up. II IL likely
that the relief vessels sent from Valdez
and Cordova have been unable to ap-
proach the vessel because OF the high
seas. and they are standing by waiting
Tor the storm to abate. There Is abund-
ance Of food on the vessel
The wireless apparatus Is out OF com
mission and Cordova and Valdez have no
news. There were no eastern passenger
on board. Twenty-eight OF the paSsen-
gers were bound from Cordova to Val
dez.
There were 1o6 persons on the Olympia
when she went on the rocks at the south
eastern end of Bligh Island. Prince Will
liam sound. Alaska, during q furious
storm yesterday morning.
Small Boats Last Resort.
The only means of communication be-
tween Seattle and Cordova and Valdez
/ is by military cable. operated by the
United States Army Signal Corps. When
the cable Office closed for the night the
last word received by the operator at I'll.
naval wireless station at Cordova was
| that the passengers and crew were still
aboard the Olympia, which was being
| pounded and tossed about on the shar,'
rocks by the heavy sea. On account o.
! the fury OF the storm the passenge.s Will
not attempt to take to the small boats
unless they see that the steamer can
hold together no longer
Cable dispatches received from Cor
dosa Indicate That Wireless Operator
Hayes Is the hero Of the wreck.
Operator Stuck to Post.
In spite Of the fact that the Olympia
was being tossed violently and the
wireless was worked with difficulty.
Hayes stuck to his post and managed
| to reach the operator on duty at the
! naval wireless station at Cordova With
| his calls for assistance. The operators
kept in touch with each other as much
as possible, but there were long Inter
walls when the governments shore sta
ton was unable to detect vibration
from the Olympia's wireless.
| Hayes continued at his post. and
finally succeeded In getting his instru-
ments to work long enough to fiaah the
good news to the shore station. forty
| miles away. that all were still on board
the Olympia, hopeful that she would
hold together until the rescuers A.
rived
For seven Of the ffty.two passengers
OF the Olympia this is the second ship
wreck experience within ten days. They
drst sailed from Seattle December On
| the steamship Northwestern. The yes
sci was but few hours out OF port
when she went on the rocks In FaIse
bay, San Juan Island. Her passengers
we're brought back to Seattle and sailed
again on the Olympia
Vessel Built in Glasgow.
The Olympia. built in Glasgow in ises
was operated between the United King
dom and China for several years. Later
she was transferred to the North Pacific
Steamship Company and piled between
Seattle and the orient. In 1904 she was
sold to the Northwestern Steamship Com
| pany which later was absorbed by me
| Alaska Steamship Company. Morgan
Guggenheim corporation. her present
owner. When the Olympia was under
| British registry she was known as the
Dunbar Castle.
| The vessel carries a crew or nfty-four
officers and men. Among the Officers are
| cant James T. Daniels, First Omcer Ned
stuart. Steward c. W. Egerton. Purse
Toe Large. Freight Clerk w. A. Pence
and Chief Engineer A. T. Shields