The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-08-12
STEAMSHIP SINKS
ON PACIFIC COAST
BOILER ExPLooES ADDING HON.
OR TO TRAGEDY THAT COST
klAsY LIVES
Boats Are Wrecked While Being Put
Over Side; survivors, in Water for
Hours; Death Toll
Runs High

4
mains of the San Francisco and Port
and Steamship company's liner Alaska,
which foundered in the Pacific on the
rocks of Blunt's reef. forty miles
south of here, Saturday night with a
known loss of seventeen lives and
with thirty persons definitely posted as
missing Monday and believed TO be
dead. The ship was en- route TO San
Francisco from Portland, Ore.
The Alaska had aboard 132 passen-
gers and carried crew of eighty-two. |
Of the passengers, revised lists Mon |
day placed the missing or dead at thir-
ty-five Twelve members of the crew |
are dead or missing.
Surviving passengers and crew, num-
bering 167 were brought to this porn
sunday by the steamer Anyox, which
answered the Alasla's distress calls.
Some of the survivors planned to leave
for San Francisco aboard speciai
rain arranged for by officials of the
inc which owned the Alaska.
The authorities made plans to hold
an inquest over the seventeen bodies
n the morsue here.
Some of the deaths were declared
by survivors to have been caus-
ed by an explosion of the Alaska's
boilers as the ship started sinking af-
ter twice hitting the rocks, Some of
the passengers and members of the
crew were blown into the sea. Many
Of these, it was said, succeeded in
again boarding the ship or were res
sued 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, tahe ocean
nearby was coated with oil and the
bodies of the dead when recovered
were covered with oil.
So suddenly did the tradedy happen
that the steamers crew hardly had
lime to prepare the lifeboats, and many
IF these We're reported wrecked while
being put over the vessels sides, spill
ing their human cargo into the Icy
waters. Many of the survivors were
rescued by the Anyox after they had
loated about in the water for several
aours.
j. II. Moss and G. L. Vilim, both of
Chicago, said they reached "a lifeboat
which had been swept off the decks
Other lifeboats, they declared, went
1own with the ship.
Captain Harry HOBBY of the Alaska
preferred to 90 to his death rather
han leave his command, passenger
reported. When Mr.. Ross removed {
ifebelt he was wearing and offered I
10 Captain Hobey, telling him to save
himself, witnesses said the captain
walked away, replying:
Il prefer to go down with my ship.
Although veteran in the service
Captain HOBBY was only 40 years old
He assumed command of the Alask;
three weeks ago, and this was hi
third trip.
Stories of heroism were again toll
by survivors of the i'll fated steamer
Captain Snoddy and the crew of tn
Any0x We're commended for their res
cue work. Accompanied by three sea
men volunteers, Second Officer Andre,
Sinclair of the Anyox took a lifeboa
from the Alaska and within thirty mir
utes rescued thirty persons clinging [
wreckage in the water.
The full story of the sinking of tn
Alaska did not become known unit
survivors had landed here. 1t wa
brought out that the Alaska was pro
ceeding towards San Francisco in dens
fog when she struck submerge
ledge of the reef. This shock was a
most instantly followed by another {
the reef above water.
The Alaska struck the reef short
after O'Clock. Immediately wirele
distress signals were flashed. FIJI
miles away the steamer Anyox of Va
couver, b. c., picked them up and dl
regarding fog and danger of strikil
the same rock as the Alaska, put
speed to the rescue. At $50 o'clo,
the Anyox received the Alaska's fin
message
I'VE are sinking by the head
Before the Anyox could reach t
stricken Alaska the latter had sun
In the bog the Anyox came upon Ii
boat with survivors from the AlasE
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