Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-07-21
Captain GIRLS
SHIPS SKIPPER

Rosa. has come In for large amount
Of criticism concerning his delay In
attempting to land two hundred and
ninety passengers from the vessel
while the sea was smooth and weather
conditions propitious.
Captain Faria of the Santa Rosa has
taken to himself all blame that may
lie for delay or misjudgment In the
transfer of passengers from his vessel
following the disaster at Point Ar
guello last Friday. In an extended in
terview yesterday he absolved the Of
ficials of the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company from the charge of having
haggled over the price Of removing
passengers at time when minutes
might have meant life or death.
Il was supreme In command from
the moment the vessel struck until the
last passenger was ashore" he said.
"and have no intention of Sinking
the responsibility of what I did or
did not do. The messages which I re-
ceived from the company in regard to
transferring my passengers to another
vessel were merely suggestions and not
orders. but had they been the latter I
would not have had'to obey them. for
alone was responsible under the navI-
cation laws. Moreover. there was no
haggiing over question Of price, for
the first message I received In regard
TO 4 transfer made no reference to cost.
but merely instructed, me to do what
considered best"
Maintains Hs Was Right.
Captain Farla did not admit. how
ever. that the course which he had
adopted was the wrong one. He point
ed out that at the time the Santa Rosa
struck the sea was smooth. that the
vessel was taking no water and that
the steering gear and machinery were
uninjured.
II had every reason to believe" he
said that we could float the Santa
Rosa at high tide and go on our way.
Had I put the passengers ashore at
that time they would have been strand
ed on an open beach. without food.
fuel or shelter. and might have had
the satisfaction few hours later of
seeing the Santa Rosa get Off the bar
at high tide and stand out to sea with
out them. That would have been fine
thing. would II not? Imagine the criti-
cism to which the company and myself
would have been subjected, particu-
larly II some passenger had been In
jured or drowned In being set ashore.
And during the hours when II was pos
Isibie to have taken the passengers of
There seemed to be no reason to be-
liieve that we would not be afioat again
at high tide.
Broken Hawser 10 Blamed.
AS matter of fact. believe the
Santa Rosa would have been Hoated
again had II not been for the parting
Of the Argyll's hawser at critical mo-
ment. At all events, the best answer
to any criticism that may he made OF
my judgment Is that no passenger lost
his life"
Captain Thomas Gunderson of the
1
the vessels which stood by and at
tempted to pull the Santa Rosa off the
sandbar near Point Arguello Friday
told Government Inspectors Bolles and
Bulger during his examination at the
second day of the inquiry into the
cause Of the wreck that he was great
ly surprised at Captain Faria's pro-
crastination In getting his passengers
ashore.
II told my mate" said Gunderson
In answer to question by Inspector
Bulser. that II Vas a strange thing
to me why he did not get his passen-
gers ashore while the sea was smooth
and II could be done In safety. Then
when It commenced to get rough and
we saw that no attempt was being
made to get them Off. ! sworc good
round sailors oath at the skipper OF
the Santa Rosa for his delay.
Sea Was Smooth.
Gunderson testified that he was on
his way from San Pedro to San Fran
cisco when he sighted the Santa Rosa
and Immediately put In toward IT,
This was at 6:35 o'clock. The sea
was smooth at the time. he said. and
the air was clear except for a slight
haze skirting the coast. Having nc
wireless aboard. he could not commu-
nicate with the stranded steamer. but
he at once, got out a line and attached
n IN the yeSsel
His line broke. ne said. soon after
the one on the Argyll parted, hut his
mate and three seamen endeavored to
get another aboard. Failing, they Of
fered their services to the captain OF
the Santa Rosa and helped to man the
life raft.
Gunderson was Of the opinion that
the Santa Rosa could have been hoated
at high tide II the tow lines had held
but said that II he had been In com
mand of the vessel he would have put
the passengers ashore before he did
anything else.
| KAUAI ROAD Department