The Alaska daily empire., 1913-08-20
COMPANY AND OFFICERS
 DID EVERYTHING POSSl BILE


 One of the notable things in con nection with the wreck of the State of California and the work that fol- lowed has been the total lack of unfa- vorable vriticism or complaint on ac- count of the acts of Capt. T. II. Cam, Purser l.. J. COughlin, Agent s. H.. Ewing or any of the other officers or members of the crew of the ship or of the Pacific Coast Steamship company On the other hand, all the surviving passengers and everybody else that has followed the details of the terrible tragedy have nothing but praise for them all. It is admitted that from the time the ship struck the rock in Gam bier Bay until the wants of every pas seuger were carerd for that everything was done that it was possible to do.
 Capt Cam was on the bridge and in command of the vessel when she struck Notwithstanding that there was but three minutes from that time until he went down with his ship, the life boats had been launched and filled with passengers.
 The ships crew was sent about get ting the passengers out of their state rooms and into the boats. Some of the women hesitated about getting into the boats, and Capt. Cam ordered men to throw them in and hold them there, if necessary. After going down and coming to the surface, Capt Cam immediately took charge of the res cue work ordering the boats that were full ashore with their passengers, and directing that they come back for more.
 The instant the vessel came in con tact with the rock, Capt. Canns mind turned toward the beach at the can nery, and he sisnalled full speed astern. As he felt the rock ripping the whole bottom out of his ship, he realized that she would not have time to reach the beach. so he signalled full speed ahead and pointed for the rocky shore, trusting to luck that the bow of the vessel would hang up Ou the rocks, and that the aft compartment would hold out long enough to permit him to get the passengers all out in safety. But the shore was found to be a sheer rock, and the pressure from beneath lifted the deck and smashed '4iN NppNi WI AS Ol lllf AtSStl lllO splinters. The ship immediately sank. and cast all that were not in the life boats into the water. Capt. Cam says the loss of life was due more to the falling debris than from drawning. The falling of the mast on the first and most completely filled life boat added at least a half-doZen to the list of the dead, and most of those that were in it were crushed by the mast and went to the bottom never to come to the surface.
 When it is considered that the loss of life was but 31 out of a total of ap- prOximately 150, including those that boarded the vessel at Gambler Bay. and that many, if, indeed, not most of those that were lost were killed by the collapse of the ships upper works, the capable manner in which the rescue work was directed becomes apparent. Admiralty Trading Company Renders
 Aid.
 The entire commissary, store, medi- cal supplies, equipment and everything of the Admiralty Trading company was placed at the command of the pas sengers by Manager George c. Teal.
 Launches and all the available small boats immediately were sent to the scene of the wreck and they brought to the cannery all baggage or anything that could be found and used for the comfort of the passengers.
 The story of Capt. Cann's sending the Lucca P. to Juneau and the Val kyrie to Petersburg; of the arrival of the Jefferson at Gambler Bay; of her coming to Juneau at full speed: of Capt Cams getting the news to Agt. $. H. Ewing, and the presence of phy- sicians and nurses and ambulances and al lOther things needed in an emer- gency at the dock; the sending of the injured and suffering to the hospital: the housing of others; of the assist ance rendered by the officers, crew and passengers of the Jefferson. and the aid rendered by the officials and citizens of Juneau has been told. There being no wreck to stay with Capt. Cam came with the passengers, and he and Purser Coughlin took full charge of providing for them.
 Pacific Coast Steamship company's
 Generous Treatment.
 The officers of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company arranged with all the stores at Juneau to furnish all the passengers of the wrecked ship anything they asked for, and to send the bills to the company. They pur- chased clothes, medicines, toilet ar ticles, suit cases, and everything that they would require, and provided them with transportation to any place de sired.
 While this course was being pur- sued by the local officers, they re- |