Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-09
.F0RTY-F|VE LIVES
LOST IN SINKING Of
STEAMER ALASKA
II Bodies Recovered, With %
Others Missing, Is
Report.
NAVIGATION EXPERTS
BEGIN INVESTIGATION
Will Decide If Vessel Hit
Blunt's Reef or Whether Her
Boilers Blew Up.
IBy United Ncws.l

EuREEA. CAL. Aug. S.SNaviea-
ton experts today started invcsti-
cation OF the sinking of the steamer
Alaska
Recf--that graveyard Of many ships
because OF navigation errors or
whether its boilers blew up is cx-
psctcd to be made known.
But this fact did not tighten the
load OF the relatives and friends OF
twcnty-cisht missing passengers ana
crew members who are hoping against
hope that some miracle will restore
the lives believed lost; nor will ii
prevent the fearful and dramatic
scenes in the morgue, where seven
teen bodies now lie.
Forty-EIvc Lives Relieved Lost.
Forty-tivc lives are believed lost,
according to the revised lists OF the
ship Company.
The investigation is headed by
Captain j. l.. Eulgcr. supervising in
spcctor for the district Captain Bul-
ger said that all charges by passen-
gers of incompetence on the part OF
officers and crew will be thoroughly
probed.
The man who might be brought to
the bar TO answer questions viii
never appear. Captain Harry lIovcy.
skipper OF the Alaska, went down
with his ship. While Captain Ilovey
could not swim, II is known that he
made no attempt TO escape from the
sinking Alaska.
All day a beach patrol of expert
scamen faced the sfofE' h8f' sbI0nts
Reef. scanning the waters for addi-
tional bodies. Coast-guard cutters
skinned through the waters around
the dangerous reef. where the fun
nels OF the Alaska s,ill rise above
the surface.
Friends and relatives of the dead
and missing are arriving here hourly
and scenes in the little morSuc are
pitiful To add To the horror OF the
disaster. the correct number OF miss
ing and the identity OF some OF the
bodies lying in the shadows Of the
reef may never he known. for ths
purser Of the Alaska is also missing,
and he had tho only correct list. Many
passengers taken aboard nj Astoria
do not appear on the lists of the
steamship company.
Prepare to Return Home.
Survivors. who have been cared for
in local hospitals, hotels and homes
were preparing Monday night TO re-
turn TO san Francisco. They present
ell odd pictures. for many OF them
los, practically all OF their clothing,
and some OF the clothing given them
here or purchased in the haste oil
necessity offered strange contracts.
Many stories of heroism were toid
here today. Almost every rescued
passenger had some incident to tel
of the unsclhsh help OF OF ers-a man
who wouldn't take seat IN me-
boat: a woman who insisted OF older
women going first
Such "a story was that of the un-
identified happy little blonde" whose
praises everybody sang. She STOOD
By the rail and. as each hystcric"l
and badly frightened woman WIS p"'
overheard. she had joke ant word
OF cheer only when the last woman
was nut in the boats did she consent
to leave the ship, and then she col
lapscd.
Little Betty Jean Sanders is the
real miracle OF the disaster.
PatrolIlnE With Power Bonts.
1--WE were patrolling with the pow
cr boat around the wreck" said Cap
tain Ellison, OF the coast guard cut
ter. when we saw n mass OF wreck
age. Turning close. we found two
men in the wrcckagc. We pulled
them in. AS we were turning away
saw a 1ueer-looking bundle. We
pulled IL over the side. and there was
Baby Betty. wrapped in n blanket and
a Iifebelt. the last loving work of
her grandmother. who perished."
Hetty was getting along fine today.
and was pretty sure she would get
"all wcll' again.
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