Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-07-08
iISANTA ROSA IS
| TOTAL WRECK
Under Broken and Submer-
ged Hull Are Bodies of Z
Three Of the Crew
ARE TAKEN OF
But Rumor Has 1t That a Mum
Der of Them Were
Drowned.
(By Special Leased Wire to New Mexican

(By Special Leased wire TO New Me4lcdnJ
| Surf, Calf, July Son the rocks,
!; 300 feet off the sand dunes surround
! ing the mouth of Sonda Creek, the
Pacific coast Steamship Company's
steamer Santa Rosa, which stranded
yesterday, lies today a wave-batter-
ed wreck. Somewhere near the brok-
en- and submerged hulk are the bo-
dies of second officer E. Hueson and
three sailors, Fred Johnston, E. w.
Febson and John Psiffer, who were
drowned last night while attempting
to take ashore the life buoy lines
by which the passengers and crew
were transferred to land. All of the
1900 passengers were saved, accord
ling to Chief Steward, but contrary
reports say that many prished.
] Officers Denounced.
Many of the passengers were vehe.
!ment in their denunciation of the
ships officers, who they declared re.
fuse to land the passengers soon
after the Santa Rosa grounded near
point Arguello.
Captain Faria, who was making mis-
first trip as commander Of the YES
sci, declined they said, to listen to
the pleas of the passengers who de-
sired to be put ashore before the
gale arose yesterday evening and
drought them face to face with death.
/ He replied to entreaties, it was
Isaid, with the statement that he had
|received instructions from the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company to permit
no one to go ashore until it became
absolutely necessary.
i Shortly after the gale arose the
|Santa Rosaswung broadside to the
breakers: then she began pounding
on the rocks and her hull parted
amidships.
\ cupid's Ship.
Los Angeles, Calf, July S.-The
wrecked steamer Santa Rosa was one
of the first ships regularly to carry
passengers between San Francisco
land southern California ports and was
; known both as "Cupid's Ship" and
the "Good Luck Ship"
Il 1t is said that thousands have gone
4 with her on their honeymoon trips.
RI Superstition that the ship was a
! lucky one and would scatter good
l luck and prosperity upon the sea OF
matrimony of those who sailed with
her was strong inducement to young
couples. Many runaway match
, was made on the ship and marriages
t aboard at one time were a common
t occurrence.
Il The wreck of the Santa Rosa oc-
> cured shortly after 4 o'clock in the
: afternoon. Prior to the time she was
t laying easily, with tow lines run out
to the steam schooners Centralia and
! Helen P. Drew, ready to ge drawn of
! at high tide last night.
5 Thrilling Rescue.
: But at that hour a rising wind stir
/ red an angry sea, and the vessel soon
s}began pounding to pieces. At first an
:, effort was made to run buoy line to
!, the Centralia, but the high seas pre-.
vented this and it was decided to try
r to pass the life across the 800 feet OF
0 breakers to the shore.
d Hueson was detailed by Captain Fa
n ria, to take the line ashore. He and
his men .aunched life boat. Pas
o sengers on the doomed vessel and a
}. throng of ranchers from the hills saw
g the life boat mount the crest of q
breaker for an instant and then plunge
q Iout of sight. The foaming waters GOV
i cred the doomed sailors and they wert
/. mot seen again.
t Taken to Santa Barbara.
d The breeches buoy line, however
l. was washed ashore. It was picked ul
land made fast, and from o'clock unit
$3.50 the dangerous work OF taking tn,
e men and women passengers ashore b.
Q slender thread suspended over tn.
raging surf continued. Before Il
It lo'clock, the surviving members Of tn,
crew were safely ashore and drenche,
n weary and more or less hysterical pas
it sengers were placed aboard two spe
e icial trains from the north and sent t
II Santa Barbara.
,ul Inspite of assertions from tn
Il Company officials and ships officers t
Is the contrary, the passengers OF th
/ wrecked steamer Santa Rosa declar
If that more than four sailors lost thei
be lives.
" Eight Passengers Lost
1t One hundred and ninety-two passel
gers are all that have been accounte
for 80 far, say the survivors. Their
D. were two hundred on the steamer an
4 many of the rescued declared toda
ID that the missing ones went down I
ct death when the surf battered life raft
n. went to pieces.
e "There were probably eight lost /
all and 1t will be some time before tt
al exact number is known" said O. [
"a. Schooner Of San Luis Obispo. tn
.s. boats capsized, one from the SAM
n. Rosa in command of second mate He
ri. son, and another from Steamer HEX
"a. p. Drew which stood by us all ds
%. waiting for chance to help US get
I'D line ashore"
he The chief steward OF the vessel d
,rs lclared that only Heuson and his "a
ar Tors lost their lives. All the Do
-. ---
I CONTINUED on Pass sight)
s