South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-08-08
STEAMER HITS
DENSE FOG In
PACIFIC OCEAN
Crashes Into Rocks of Blunt's
Reef, 40 Miles South of
Portland, Ore.
loo PERSONS RESCUED
Steamer Anyox, y Miles Dis
tant, Answers 5. O. 5. Calls
From Inflated Ship.

/ IAOL1 Hit dltu CItlp.
EUREKA, Calf. aug. r. Forty
eight persons. SO passengers and y
OF the crew were lost Saturday night
when the steamer Alaska OF the san
| Francisco and Portland Steamsr o
| company, southbound from Port
land, Ore. 10 San Francisco. sank so
minutes after crashing into the rocks
of Blunts reef, 40 miles south OF
this city.
The survivors, mum bering 166 per-
sons, were brought here Sunday by
the rescue ship Anyox. the first ves-
sci TO reach the scene Of the wreck
! in response TO the Alaska's radio
signals. The coast guard tug. Rang
er, dispatched early today from Eu-
reka, returned 10 port with the
bodies OF Il men. Eight were MEM
bers Of the crew and four were pass
engers. Capt. Harry Hobey. master
OF the Alaska, is slll unaccounted
for and is believed 20 have gone
down with his ship.
survivors Injured.
OF the survivors landed by the
iAnyox, 80 were more or less serious
lly injured and received medical
treatment at local hospitals.
The Alaska struck the reef bow
lend on In a dense fog. according 20
survivors and at once began 20 list
The work Of launching Iifeboats was
accomplished without delay or dis
sf-
= fully rode the waves. but the fourth
boat capsized. throwing its occu-
pants into the sea. The greatest loss
Of life. the survivors said. resulted
from this mishap. A few who wore
p lifebelts succeeded in keeping auoat
b until picked up.
Capt. HOBBY when the last % the
> lifeboats had been sent over the side
OF the rapidly filing Alaska. went 10
the stern of his vessel and he was
there when il started its plunge 20
the bottom.
Sinks Rapidly.
A dense fog concealed the treach-
eroUs rocks Of BIunts reef. which
project far into the ocean, when the
Alaska crashed at $40 o'clock sat
crippled steamer listed. turned and
sank 20 within four feet Of the tips
Of the masts
The passengers were placed in life
boats. but one overturned as IL was
lowered into the water
Thomas Johnston Of Brooklyn. ".
Y, was drowned and his wife res
cued though injured. owen Terun
land his wife, Of Indianapolis, were
saved slightly injured or the -
bodies recovered four have been
T identified as passengers and eight
as officers and crew.
List OF Dead.
, The known dead are:
Passengers: Thomas Johnston OF
! Brooklyn; z. Pickau Of Hubbard.
Ore: A y. Hutchinson. Portland.
b ore; S. Kumazawa. s-eerage passen-
ger.
b Crew: Chief Steward Heane.
Officers; Steward +. X King,
Frank Comm. Ralph J. &ockett,
. Seamen.
Larson. engine hand. Of Portland.
Ore.
Janitor, name unknown.
Waiter name unknown.
. Bell boy. believed named Baldwin
p of Oakland. Calf.
The steamer Anyox. with the
b known 166 survivors. arrived here
b late Sunday. According 10 the
stories Of the survivors. three llfe-
boats were launched The last one
was but a few feet from the wreck
b when the Alaska which had listed
10 starbOard. suddenly righted and
b then plunged bow frse
FINDS LifcbOat
George Glenn who. with another
i passenger and the captain. were the
I. last men on the NJ. came 20 the
/ surface a short time afterward. and
/ finally found an empty lfeboat
Others We're strusE LnE 10 the water.
The steamer AnyOX. towing q barge
20 Vancouver was - miles distant
when the first g. o. g. signals of The
, Alaska flashed out.
. Within en- hour the AryCx had arr
rived at the wreck and with order
that won hiEa praise from The SURE
vivors. the crew OF the Auyox speed
ilv picked up those who Were DRIFT
ing in life preseryers or in Lfeo0ats
Through the night other ships ioine5
In the rescue work Twelve bodies
we're found. which with The arrival
OF the AnyoN and a tug bearing TIE
bodies here LETT the unacc0urted fer
at thirty-two passengers and four
members Of the crew
Praise was mutually extended be-
tween the members Of the crew ana
passengers In their stories OF the
scenes following the crash. Despite
the isolation OF the ship. which was
enveloped in fog with the sweIs
dashing against 10 and throwing
spray from the jagged rocks Of the
reef. calmness prevailed among tho
passengers and crew.
Passengers Helped.
IL was a short time that scaat
thirty minutes between the striking
on the rock and the sinking. But