The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-03
Men Who Set Out
to Get Help ftv
Importer Found
Off Coast by Tug

san FRANCISCO, SEPT. S.
Eleven rneu, who were plcked =
In = small boat ~ he tug -
Lion during ths night aftar ~
had fowed two weelks 6or - =
bring ~ - tlss water1oGU1c
stennssr Canslian Imporau
staFesN ssek - fher - -,
-Agz Fc--- s~r@ sSpS------....
A radisSzam = 5Is swnss G1r
ths Sea Lion thh mssning -
vised that after picking = -
boatload Of sailors it was 6pci1n
that the tug shouId proceed -
where the Importer = awaiolnG
assistance. some eeo miles on ~
California coast taking -
rescued men back 70 their 60
WE'RE WITHIN loS
MILES OF FRISCO
A later radiogrAm 10 the oWnorn
Of the Sea Lion showed that The ~
men had pulled and sailed eh&1o
sturdy little iifeboat TO within ~
miles Of San Francisco. They 49,
have made port either here q =
Eureka, within the next four 49,
IL was estimated.
The following were In the huoef
Second Officer A. IAcid. -
bourne. Australia: Third OffIcor y
w. Watt. North vancouver, b. ~
Second Engineer c. H. GreenhiIl, 60
Francisco: Cadet r. Newell, victnr1n
b. c.; Purser w. d. Sissons. Medic1no
Hat. Alberta: Scamcn L. q. lfarpenA
Vancouver. B. c.: T.. v. irvine Nonp
treal. Quebec: l. r. Profit, vancous
yer. b. c.: WinchmAn Z. J. go.
lin, Vancouver. b. c.: Firemen A. J.
Hawker. Charles Banks, IAneiov
Prairie, Vancouver. b. c.
The Canadian Importer was MI
reported by the steamer Canadian
Observer. which was standing By
her. as about 600 miles off the North
ern California coast
HAD Volunteered
TO SEEK HELP
The men had volunteered. ACCORDING
to the fragmcntary reports which
reached various coast ports, to a.
tempt to row ashore and summon
aid. after the Canadian Importers
wireless had gone out Of comuin-
sion. Their boat was laden with :
supply Of water. food. nautical IN
struments and similar equipment
and small sail was hoisted. Ia
this crude craft they left the
waterlogged hulk OF the Importer.
on which Captain Bissett and IS
members OF the crew remained, two
weeks ago today.
Shipping men had estimated they
would reach port unless picked ~
about September 7.
The rescue tug Sea Lion ~
San Francisco a few days ago
to take up the search. II Is b.
lieved the boat was found aboug
$50 miles off shore.
The Canadian Importer Il owned
by the Canadian government mer.
chant marine department. She lcft
Vancouver. b. c.. three weeks ago
for Australia via Honolulu. Ton
days ago the steamer Cordova
found her waterlogged and In
sinking condition soma 500 miles
out from the California coast.
Captain Bissett OF the ImpOrtor
refused n tow and tho Cordova con-
tinued TO port. No further word Of
the vessel was received until two
days ago. when she was picked
up by her sister ship. the Canadian
Observer. which now u standing
BY the wreck.
Nearly SO years has elapsed. a.,
cording to mariners tales. since the
Pacific has seen duplicate OF the
desperate attempt Of the IL men from
the steamer Canadian Importer, to
row 600 miles to shore for aid.
The other instance was that OF Z
party of sailors from = disabled
''windjammer." who rowed for weeks
and finally reached the Hawaiian
islands.
The story OF their experiences was
credited as Mark Twain's first III
newspaper scoop" II was pun1lthu
rr&-- =