The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-13
PASSENGERS AND
CREW ALL TAKEN
OFF OLYMPIA
Wireless Again Plays Its Part
in ShipWreck
SUFFERED NO HARDSHIP
Steamer and Cargo Valued at $780,
600 Wrecked in Prince William
Sound Will be Total Loss
SUFFERED NO HARDSHIP

Seattle, Wash, Dec. 13.-All the
passengers of the Alaska steamship
steamer Olympia, which
went on the rocks at Bligh island,
Prince vii lam sound, Saturday night
were taken of the ship at o'clock
Sunday afternoon. together with the
mails and belongings, and we're con-
veyed to Valdez, Alaska, and Ellie.
mar Most of the passengers are at
Valdez. Those at kllemar are well
cared for in a little village.
The olympia left Cordova Saturday
evening after unloading a large guam
tity of coal in her after hold and
soon ran into a fierce gale. The emp
ty stern stood too high out OF the
water, and in the tempest the ship
became nnmanageable and was spun
about by the wind About midnight
she went hard aud fast on Bligh is
land reef Wireless Operator Hayes
sent ont the distress call, which was
picked up at COrdoya and Valdez, and
also gave as much Information OF the
wreck as he could, for the water soon
put out the fires and made the Wire
less unavoidable The government
launch Dona dson from Fort Liscum
and the steamer Juno left at once for
Bligh island and took OFF the passen-
gers without misnap to any Of them.
The crew also was saved.
rhe launch Donaldson arrived at
Valdez first with number Of passen-
gers. Later the Juno came IN with
the crew and other passengers. FED
eral Judge Edward c. Cushman and
Mrs. Cushman aud the other women
and children were left at Ellemar,
whence they will be brought to Val
dez by the Donaldson. Nothing has
been heard Of the Dora, he third
vesse. to 80 to the relief OF the Oiym-
pia. All passengers and the crew
showed great courage. and there were
no mishaps Of any kind IN transfer
ring them TO the rescuing ship. -Four
members OF the Olympias crew are
standing by the ship.
According to the stories of passen
gers, the Olympia struck Bligh Is
land reef, four miles OF shore. and
50 miles from Valdez. at midnight
Saturday. After the first impact, the
ship slid and then settled, resting
forward amldshins A high sea was
running, driven by a terriiice gale
aud the weather was intensely cold
A saloon door on the windward sid,
of the ship having been opened, the
combined efforts of three men were
required to close il. The officer.
dared not send out the lifeboat on nc
count OF the high sea and the cold
They were confident that the hull o.
the Olympia would hold together un
iii aid arrived The sea pounded tn,
ship increasingly upon the rocks
Water poured In the hold, tl0odinl
engine room, extinguishing the cleo
trio lights and finally making th'
wireless apparatus useless. There
was abundance OF food, and two must
clans who we're passengers, cheere'
the spirits of the passengers by play
ins.
Darkness was falling on the shor
A Alaskan day when at 3 o'clock, II
hours after the Olympia struck, IN,
government launch, Lieut.. Donaldson
and the steamer Juno came init
sight. The storm then had largel.
abated. The rescue boats went 4
the lee side of the steamship, ant
without difficulty 1913 persons-passeI
gers and crew-were taken of. "a
gether with mail, express and bag
gage. The passengers were convey
ed first to Ellemar. where they receis
ed every possible attention. Tn
/ Lieut. Donaldson reached Valdez yes
terday with some OF them. The oily
mpia lies on Bligh Island reel
shrouded with ice. The prospect q
saving the vessel is not good, nor
/ II likely that any of the cargo can b
saved The vessel was valued a
$250,O00 and the cargo at $4,000