Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-09
A A(iranhiC
Story Of
the Wreck
Fred Peters Who Drifted A.
shore from the Wreck Of
the ROSeCranS Tells Vivid
Story Of the Disaster

UNITED IlESS LEASED WIRE
Astoria, Ore, Jan 9-That the sea-
men who composed the crew Of the
crew of the wrecked steamer Rose
Grams met death in brave and un-
flinching manner is the statement
made by Fred Peters, the sailor, at st.
Mary's hospital here, who miraculous
ly escaped a water grave by drifting
to the shore near Tioga Tuesday after
noon.
"Of course, there was a great deal
of excitement when she struck, but
later, when the boys realized that she
was a goner, they calmly accepted
the inevitable, and although some had
hopes Of being rescued many had made
up their minds to de-" said Peters, as
he turned on his cot to rest his in
jured shoulder.
Struck akt 5 O'Clock
81 think it was about o'clock when
she bumped. | was on the bridge
with Second Officer Palmer, who i'm
mediately gave orders to reverse the
engines. A big comber Immediately
came over the vessel, and Captain
johnson Immediately rushed on the
bridge, exclaimed: Great guns, that
sea sprang up quick Just then the
boat hit bottom again, and | can heaI
him yet as he yelled above the roar Of
the seas; My God, we are on the
bar. The captain then ordered the
pumps at work, pumping out the OF
in order to Tighten the vessel. Captain
johnson did everything he could fol
the boat and the men. 1t was not long
before the seas had flooded the engine
rooms and put out the fires.
Seas Broke Over Them.
''By this time the seas were break
ing over so bad that the captain or
dered us below. While we were hud
died together expecting any momen
to be our last, some Of the boys sans
and poked each other, but all realized
the seriousness of our situation
"The seas soon got to breaking owe
us so bad that the captain ordered III
below She started to break up a
soon as she struck and at 5 o'clocl
broke in two. It wasn't long after thi
that the tanks burst and we wer
soaked with oil from head to foot.
"At o'clock we were ordered Of
deck, as the vessel was filling up S,
rapidly that we could not longer sta,
below.
Captains Leg Broken.
81 was the last to go. The othe
fellows were clinging to the mast
and some were trying to get into tn
wheel house. AS | came on deck
bumped against Captain Johnson, VIII
was clinging to the wheelhouse.
caught hold OF him to keep from bein
swept off the deck by big comber.
"'My God!' he yelled, don't touc
me my leg. It's broken. think he wa
injured by being thrown against tn
house or the rail. / saw that tn
wheelhouse, was already full of boy
and started across the deck to tn
main rigging. / stumbled and fel
Before could get on my feet bi
sea swept the decks and carried m
overheard.
The Plank Saved Him.
well the next thing / knew I'wa
fioundering in the surf, Luckily ha
put on q life-preserver, the same Q
the rest of the crew had done. VIII
time was this? AS well as l can r,
member, II was about o'clock.
Eyes, l caught hold Of plank
few minutes after / had been in Il
water, and that probably saved n
life. IT. was not very big, only abol
four feet long, a foot wide and tv
inches thick, but let me tell you 1t d
me lot Of good.
1T must have been 2 o'clock whit
/ hit the breakers. The next thing
remember was striking bottom and
GOT down on my hands and knees al
crawled out into some driftwoo
About this time a young fellow with
gun came along and helped me t,
rest of the way out.