The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-01-09
Until Storm Abates No At
tempt Will Be Made to
Remove From Lightship
Men Rescued From Lost
Rosecrans and Members of
the Point Adams Crew
PLANK RIDER TELLS
THRILLING STORY
Fred Peters, Carried On
Board for Miles Along the
Coast by Surging Billows,
Recites Experience; Wreck
Caused by Mistake Re
garding North Head Light

OauSed Dy mistake Ke-
garding North Head Light
ASTORIA. Ore, Jan s.-Until the
gale. which continued to rage all day
without any apparent sign of cessation.
| moderates no attempt will be made to
remove from the Columbia river light
ship the Point Adams life saving crew
and two survivors of the tank steamer
Rosecrans, which went ashore on Pea
cock spit yesterday.
After waiting until late today in hope
that the storm would abate sufficiently
to enable the transfer OF the marooned
seamen the tug Oneonta. which had
been standing by since midnight Mon
day, returned to Astoria.
BRIEFEST COMMUNICATION
The oneonta brought news that all
on board the lightship are well except
Captain Wicklund of the life saving
crew. who is suffering from an injured
arm. The Oneonta was unable to get
AAilo a1iy cAtCpS tie piitlEsl
cation with those on the lightship.
It was learned that one of the sur
vivors was Erick Lindmank, the Rose
Grams ship carpenter, but the names of
the surviving quartermaster and that
of the dead oiler were not ascertained.
Fred Peters, one of the ouartermas-
I gs.E.--rS >, was washed ashore on North
beach. was brought here late today.
Before leaving Ilwaco Peters attempted
to identify the eight bodies that have
come ashore. He remembered all OF
them as belonging to the crew, but was
unable to recall the name of only one,
George Nelson. one OF the quartermas-
ters.
TELLS THRILLING STORY
Peters told thrilling story of his ex-
perience from the laundering OF the
Rcsecrans until he was pulled out of
the water at Tioga station. Peters said
tia. with Third officer C. r. Palmer,
! bridge of the steamer when it struck
He said he believed the wreck was
Ceused by Palmer mistaking the North
I head light for the Columbia river light
ship.
NIGHT WAS WILD ONE
He "a % that there were eight men on
duty at the time OF the disaster and %
mer in their berths. The night was
| wild ore. but 1t was decided by the
officer in command that it would not
be vary hazardous to attempt the
entrance TO the Columbia.
In the storm and rain the man at the
| wheel, according to Peters, mistook the
north headlight for the light of the
lightship which is anchored off the Co
lumbia and, gauging his position by
the wrong light, steered the vessel off
her course, the disaster resulting.
SHIPS BACKBONE BROKEN
The backbone of the Rosecrans was
broken and there was nothing to do
but wait" according to Peters. Efforts
to launch the lifeboats were futile.
The wind and waves broke them from
their 1ashings before any OF the crew
could man them. The 36 men on board
waited bravely for death which ap-
peared certain. Captain Johnson stood
al his post in the pilot house directinE
the men. while himself suffering from
broken leg.
Peters had just talked with his COM
manding officer. when a big wave
washed over the ship, carrying him
overheard. He seized plank and rode
it for five hours. Finally he drifted
ashore and. crawling on his hands and
knees, reached the beach, where he
was taken care of by watchers and car
ried to the residence of NJ. " Marks
at Troga.
LIFE SAVER TELLS STORY
Peter Kruis, the injured life saver.
who was member of the crew of the
Fort Cranky lifeboat which turned
turtle on the very brim of the wreck,
is sturdy sailor from Holland
Propping himself on his pillows at
the hospital. he told his story rive
pulled an oar through many a mass
of combers. but that little trip yes
terday was the worst have ever gone
through. Though the Rosecrans struck
about $50. 1t was not until Oarsman
Theodore Roberrange went to the top
of the hill about s o'clock that we
discovered the stranded vessel.
1T seemed to us that it had started
in over the bar on the wrong course
and when the captain saw his mistake
he dropped both anchors. That's what
held him so far from shore II 1T
hadn't been for those anchors the
vessel would have come in far enough
so that we could have got our breeches