Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-05
STEAMER SINKS;
WIRELESS SAVES
LIVES OF CREW
Ship Kentucky, on Maiden
Voyage to Pacific, Goes
to the Bottom
MANY HEAR SIGNAL
S. O. S. Flashes Through
Air and Men Are Res
cued from Death
MANY HEAR SIGNAL
Associated Pressl

n EW YORK, Feb. 4.--Thanks again
Y to the wireless and the interna-
tional distress signals. o. S.
Captain Moore and his crew of forty
six men are safe on board the Mallory
liner Alamo, bound for Key West to-
night, while their vessel, the steamer
Kentucky, is at the bottom of the sea
off Cape Hatteras
1t is another case of disaster avert
ed by wireless, and told to the world
by the same medium. The Kentucky, a
wooden vessel of 996 gross tons and
203 feet long, was bound from New
York to the Pacific to carry passengers
between Seattle and Alaskan ports for
the Alaska-Pacifc Steamship company.
The first news of the Kentucky's dis
tress was received at the United Wire
less company station at Cape Hatteras
at 11:30 this morning. There the ope-
rator heard the IS. o. ST." quickly fol-
lowed by this message:
I'VE are sinking. Our latitude is
80 TO- longitude, 76:30."
Almost simultaneously the operator
heard the steamship Alamo respond to
the Kentucky's call for help, informing
Captain Moore that the Alamo was
making all speed to the sinking vessels
assistance.
Messages Cease
Thereafter no message was received
from the Kentucky, indicating that wa
ter had interfered with the power, put
ting her wireless apparatus out of COM
mission.
The navy department at washington
in the meantime flashed wireless mes
sages along the Atlantic coast, dis
patching the battleship Louisiana and
two revenue cutters to the scene, but at
5 o'clock word came from the Alamo
that she had arrived first and had
taken off all hands in safety.
This is the message as received in
New York by the United Wireless COM
pany from its Cape Hatteras station:
Lat. 32:46, long. 76:2S-Steamship AL
amo has just taken Capt. Moore and
crew of forty-six men from sinking
steamer Kentucky. Water had already
reached fire room and steamer will sink
before midnight. The Alamo is now
proceeding to Key West"
Bad luck was the Kentucky's lot al
most Immediately after she left New
York for her 14,00O-mile journey jan
uary %. Good luck was her lot when
the wireless instruments were the last
things installed before she departed.
Ship Springs Aleak
One hundred and fifty miles off San
dy Hook the vessel began leaking bad
ly, but by working the pumps valiantly
Capt. Moore was able to reach Newport
NEWS WlIn SlAI6Gll lIlCllcS VI WdlCI III
the vessels hold. Repairs were made
and the ship received a certificate from
Lloyd's and the United States inspector
at the port saying she was sound and
seaWorthy.
notwithstanding this assurance r.
A. McLarney, formerly night operator
at the Waldorf Astoria in New York
who had shipped with the vessel when
she left this port, refused to continue
on the voyage because his parents at
Monticello, N. Y, had a premonition
that something would happen.
They bombarded him with messages
to this effect, and in Difference to their
wishes he obtained a substitute oper
ator. w. D. McGinnis, who sent out
the call which saved the lives of his
shipmates today.
The Kentucky was insured for $4,000.
She carried no cargo, her hold having
been filled with coal for fuel on the
trip around the Horn.
The Alaska-Pacific Steamship com
pany has notified its New York agent
to send money to the crew at Key
west. The men will be returned TO
New York.
Captain Moore and Chief Engineer
Grant, both of whom went from
Seattle to bring the steamer to this
coast, have been ordered to return
home as soon as possible.
III WAS Il6 luleHLlOI VI lllS SlCdiiiSiAip
company to use the Kentucky on the
Seattle le-Southwestern Alaska run.
May Leave Vessel
Officers of the company say it is too
late to buy another vessel on the At
lantic and bring it around to this coast
in time for the spring rush to the
north, and there are no available
American steamers on this coast.
They may charter a British vessel
and operate from Victoria, B. c., until
the place of the Kentucky can be filled
with an American ship.
H.. Z. Alexander, president of the
company, is now in San Francisco.
The Kentucky is somewhat over 200
feet in length, is commanded by Cap
tain Moore and for her trip around the
Horn shipped a crew of forty-six men.
She sailed from New York to Seattle
on January 23 Six hours after she
passed Sandy Hook a wireless dispatch
was received from her saying she was
leaking badly. Before she reached
Newport News, where she put in for
repairs, she nearly turned turtle.
On board the ship when she left New
York was the superintendent engineer
of the Alaska-Pacific company, 70.
Palaskette of Sea tile.