Douglas Island news., 1919-05-16
STORY TOLD OF
 ALASKAN WRECK
Narrowing Experience of Crew of Cannery Tender Wrecked
 on Alaskan Coast

E. C. Kccslcr, George srlxncr. C. C. Rudolph and s. l.. Oliver, mem bcrs of the party which was wrecked lest week near Dry Bay, below Yak utat. arrived in Valdez last night, after narrowing experience dur ing which the party narrowly es- capped drowning several times and death from exposure on the beach after getting ashore from the wreck, says the Valdez Miner
 In an interview with a Miner rcp- rcseutativc, Mir Kccsler stated that the party had fine trip from sc- attIc to Dundas Bay. just below Cape spencerl where they stopped oyer night taking on water and board ing up the boat tightly an round. The morning being bright and clear and Che barometer steady, it was de- cided Co run for Yalutat, and the start was made In a smooth sea and favorable tide
 About 10 o'clock that night while the party was about 30 miles from Yakutat and ten miles or thc beach. a sudden gale blew up. which In a few hours developed into ter rife storm. The vessel was headed out to sea. and for five hours fought the raging wind and waves, but was gradually forced back until early in thc morning she was in thc break CTS a half mile on shore.
 The spindrirt was so thick and the gale SO heavy that the roar Of the breakers was not heard until the boat struck. after which she rolled over several times, throwing Che party about like peas i'm a bottle and fractming two ribs for s. L Oliver. The boat was carried nearer the shore each sea, until she was finally washed high and dry on thC beach a total wreck.
 Nearly dead from cold and expo. sure the party managed to build a small fire on the beach and partly dried out, after which the numer- ous articles washed up on the beach were salvagcd.
 After spending three long .miser- 7ble days on the beach the party set out for Yakutat, after capsizinF three times in the surf. The smoke of the Admiral Sebree was sighted and an attempt was made to reach her. but the boat passed about hali mile ahead of them, the sea be- ing SO heavy they were not seen After floating about several hour. Inc steamer Comet sighted the boat and hauled alongside, taking them aboard and conveying them Go Yak. utat, where their wants were sup. piled by the Libby, McNeil & Libby employees. They remained at Yak utat five days before securing pas. sage for Cordova. Capt. Dune Stew. art going after the party yesterday
 It was a miracle that the whole party was not drowned, as the boat was under tons of water for several minutes. the seas washing over and through her from holes torn i'm thC vessel by tho waves.
 The Yankee II was an S5-foot boat powered with a 75-horsc power 1 N. & S. motor. and had a speed of fourteen miles an hour. She was built by Heath, Of Tacoma, and was formerly on the Bollingham-Friday Harbor run.
 Mir. Koesler. who represents the Pillar Bay Packing Co.,, a Boiling ham concern with offices at Seattle stated that he would go ahead with his arrangements for a cannery and packing house at Ester Passage where building. wharves and fish traps would be erected this year and a pack of Scotch cure herring made. He stated that until he heard from his company he would stay in Valdez.