The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-08

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ger and crew list of the steam.
er Alaska definitely were post
ed today as missing. This
number includes IL known
dead, representing bodies at
the Eureka mOrgue, some of
which have not been identified.
Eurega, Calf. Aug. S-Only wreck
age remains of the San Francisco &
Portland Steamship company's lin
er Alaska, which foundered in the
Pacific on the rocks of Blunt's reef,
40 miles south of here, Saturday
night, with a known loss of II lives,
and with 81 persons missing today
and believed to be dead. The ship
was enroute to San Francisco from
Portland, Ore.
Surviving passengers and crew,
numbering 166, were brought to
this port yesterday by the steamer
Anyox, which answered the Alas
ka's distress calls.
Some of the deaths were declared
by survivors today to have been
caused by an explosion of the Alas
ka's boilers a3 the ship started sink
ing after twice hitting the rocks.
Some of the passengers and MEM
! bers of the crew were blown into
| the sea. Many of these, it was said,
succeeded in again boarding the
ship and being rescued by lifeboats
after clinging to wreckage until
help arrived.
Oil rising from the burst tanks of
the ship was scattered over one life
boat filled with survivors, the ocean
nearby was coated with oil and the
bodies of the dead when recovered
were covered with oil.
So sudden did the tragedy happen
that the steamers crew hardly had
time to prepare the Iifeboats and
many of these were reported wreck
ed while being put over the vessels
sides, spilIing their human cargo
| into the icy water.
Rescue Survivors.
| Many of the survivors were res
cued by the Anyox after they had
foated about in the water for sew
eral hours.
J. H. Hoss and C. l. Vilim, both
of Chicago, said they reached a life
boat which had been swept of the
decks. Other lifeboats, they de-
clared went down with the ship.
Captain Harry Hobey of the Alas
ka, preferred to go to his death rath-
er than leave his command, passen-
gers reoprted When Mr.. Moss re-
moved a life belt he was wearing
and offered it to Captain Hobey,
telling him to save himself. wit
nesses say that the captain walked
away, saying:
Il prefer to go down with my
ship"
Although a veteran in the service
Captain Hobey was only 40 years
old. He assumed command of the
Alaska three weeks ago and this
was his third trip.
Stories of heroism were again told
today by survivors of the Inflated
steamer. Captain Snoddy and the
crew of the Anyox were commended
+ for their rescue work Accompa-
MED by three seamen, volunteers,
i Second Officer Andrew Sinclair of
the Anyox, took a life boa. from
the Alaska and within 80 minutes
rescued 80 persons clinging 70
wreckage in the water.
/ Blown From Decks.
Eureka, Cal, Aug. 8.-Passen-
gers and members of the crew OF
the steamer Alaska were blown
from the decks of the vessel into
the ocean when the ships boilers
exploded as the Alaska started
sinking after twice hitting on
Blunt's reef Saturday night, sur
vivors brought here said this
morning.
The steamer Anyox today brought
166 survivors of the wreck to Eur
eka. Seventeen dead were also
: brought here, including three wom-
en- and a child. There were 81
others missing and believed dead.
Twelve of the dead had been iden-
. titled
The story of the sinking OF the
Alaska did not become known IN
til survivors had landed here.
The ship was proceeding toward
San Francisco in dense fog when
she struck a submerged ledge OF
the reef. This shock was almost
instantly followed by another as
]
of the reef above water
! The Alaska struck the reef
shortly after o'clock. Immedi-
ately wireless distress signals were
flashed. Five miles away the
steamer Anyox of Vancouver pick
ed them up.
Rescued by AnyOx.
Disregarding fog and danger OF
striking the same rocks as the
Alaska, the Anyox put on full speed
, to rescue. At $3.50 p. N. the Anyoz
received the Alaska's final mes
sage:
We are sinking by the head"
Il Before the Anyox could reach th'
, stricken Alaska, the latter hat
!sVnk.