Valdez daily prospector., 1917-12-03
VALDEZ WRITER
 DESCRIBES WRECK
Says There Was no Excatornont on
 Board Steamship Mariposs, and Crow Helped Passengers

James Fish, who left Valdez on the steamer Mariposa, and was a passen- ger for the States at the time that yes sel was wrecked on Strait Island reef, writes to relatives in this city, giving a graphic account of the experience of the Valdez passengers. His story follows:
 At 5:30 on the morning of Novem- her 18th the Alaska Steamship Com pany's ship Mariposa struck reef on strait Island and Sumner Straits Southeastern Alaska and sent out her last S. O. s. at 9:30 the same night. The vessel had left Shakan cannery two hours before and was en route to Ketchikan loaded with 263 passen- gers. 1850 tons of ore and 1000 cases of salmon. The shock was something terrific and felt as though the entire hin was crushed like an egg shell. The rapid ringing of the ships bell and the cry of the crew on watch for everybody on deck" and the order 10 flower away the life boats" indi- ,ated to everyone aboard the serious ress of the situation.
 But there was no panic. Everyone got dressed as quickly as possible, donned their life pressrvers, and walked the decks awaiting develop ments. The night was thick and dark and the rain fell in torrents, but the light on Strait Island was plainly vis- ible from the port side and did not look very far distant.
 While the boats were being lowered everyone was on a nervous tension as the ship settled first on one side fhen on the other. The wireless op- orator "got busy" immediately after the shock and very soon the word was nassed that the "Curaco" had an- swered the call and would reach the scene by 2 o'clock and thatthe "Ha- vfllo" would also reach the wreck about the same time.
 The boats having all been lowered the women and children were all ioad- ed into them. during drenching vain. but after being safely in the boats they were ordered to return to the ships for breakfast.
 After breakfast all the passengers were again put into the boats and rowed to Strait Island, one half mile distant. The landing was made with cut difficulty and the old sourdoughs got busy making camp, building hres and putting up canvas to protect the women from the heavy rain. About II o'clock the whistle of the Admiral lin "Curaco" was heard and shortly afterwards the "Ravillo" of the same line arrived at the scene.
 The passengers baggage, mail ana express was loaded into the ships boats and put aboard the relief steam CTS, and the passengers were then transferred from the island. Complet- ing this work at 4 o'clock in the a1- ternoon.
 The Mariposa had by this time talk on A decided list to starboard and her bow was very low in the water ana seemed to be getting in a more peril ous position as the afternoon advanc- ed. At s:30 the vessel being in sink ing condition, all the crew who had stayed by the ship left her and board ed the Santa Aana. which had ar rived about 4 o'clock and stood by while the Curaco and the Ravilla steamed away with the passengers for Wrangell about 45 miles distant, where all were safely landed.
 Among the passengers from Val deg were MT. and Mrs. M. Blum, Es- sic Johnson. George Toplif, Mrs. Gleason. Oscar Olson, Martin Filing son. Hans Christiansen and James Fish. Hans Andrus, Geo. M. Esteriy' Hotchkiss and Bert Carvey were also on board. At Juneau Bishop and Mrs Rowe and Representative and Mrs' sulzer took passage and were on board when the Mariposa met her doom.