New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-08-08
Alaska Runs Onto Blunt S
Reef In Fog And Goes
To Bottom Before Res
cuing Ship Arrives
SURVIVORS PICKED
UP; 48 ARE MISSING
Many Tragic Tales-Five
Year Old Child Saved But
Mother and Twin Sister
and Brother Lost,


Alaska which struck on the rocks at
Blunt's Reef Saturday night with
probable death list of 48 was split
in two by explosion of the boilers
when the boat started to sink, sur
vivors said here today, and passen-
gers and members of the crew were
thrown into the sea by the explosion.
The steamer Anyox today brought
106 survivors of the wreck to Eureka.
Seventeen dead were also brought
here, including three women and a
child. There were 81 others missing
and believed dead. Twelve of the
dead have been identified.
The list OF missing may be changed
for lists OF passengers and crew
aboard have not been verified.
Vessel Goes on Rocks
The full story of the sinking of the
Alaska did not become known until
survivors had landed here. It was
brought out the Alaska was proceed
ing toward San Francisco in a dense
fog when she struck submerged
ledge of the reef. This shock was al
most instantly followed by another as
the vessel struck an out-cropping of
the reef above water.
The Alaska struck the reef shortly
after o'clock. Immediately wireless
distress signals were flashed.
Rushes to The Rescue.
Five miles away the steamer Anyox
of Vancouver, B. c., picked them up
and, disregarding fog and danger of
striking the same rocks as the Alaska,
put on full Hpeed to the rescue.s At
$50 o'clock the Anyox received the
Alaska's' f1na1 message:
'fWe are sinking by the head"
Before the Anyox could reach the
stricken Alaska the latter had sunk.
~ Picks Up Survivors.
In the fog the Anyox came upon a
hfeboat filed with survivors from the
Alaska. The boat was partly filled
with water and oily scum. The oil,
survivors said, had been thrown over
them and in their boat by the ex-
plosion of the boilers which wrecked
the Alaska amidships.
The Anyox 'cruised about in the fog
until many other survivors had been
picked up from the water, including
several women and children.
Lifeboat Tips Over.
Among these were 18-year-old Fro
no Erker, of Cornelius, Ore, who is in
a hospital with her chest crushed. She
was caught between a 1ifeboat and
the side of the sinking ship while the
boat was being lowered and was in
the water from $50 Saturday night
until 1880 Sunday morning before be-
ing picked up and taken aboard the
Anyox.
The ropes of the 1ifeboat in which
she was being lowered gave way she
said, and it's entire cargo was thrown
into the sea.
Family is Separated.
Eileen Dyer of La Grande, Ore,
aged 5, was rescued by the Anyox
after she had drifted around on
wreckage in the wa,ers for nearly
eight hours Little Eileen was un-
conscious when found and was
brought back to consciousness only
through the untiring efforts Of Mrs
Grace Campbell of San Francisco
Eileen, with her parents, and her sis
ter and brother, the latter twins
was on her way for a visit to San
Francisco.
Mrs Dyer who waa 22 years old
and both of the twins aged are re-
ported missing.
Special Train Provided.
Some of the survivors planned tt
leave today for San Francisco aboard
a special train arranged for by Officials
of the line which owned the Alaska
Others left Eureka last night.
The authorities madei plans to hole
an inquest today over the II bodie.
in the morgue here.
Some of the deaths were declared by
survivors today to have been caused
by the explosion of the Alaska:
ro;1err os the shin started Sinkin q
Many of the passengers and member
of the crew who were blown int
the sea by the explosion succeeded
in again boarding the ship or Wer'
rescued by lifeboats after climbing t.
wreckage until help arrived, it wa:
said.
Tragedy Is Sudden.
So sudden did the tragedy happe,
that the crew hardly had time to pre-
pare the fifeboats and many of thes'
were reported wrecked while being
! put over the vessels sides, spillins
' their human cargo into the icy waters
Many of the survivors were rescued
! by the Anyox after they f1oated abou
in the water for several hours.
Tales of Heroism.
Most of those aboard the A1ask;
were cool and composed after the shil
had struck the rocks and while the,
were being taken off in lifeboats ant
rafts according to Mrs. Claflin Wrish
Of Deauvi1le. N. j., and Miss France
Eckstrom of Minneapolis These
two women were brought to Eurek;
aboard the barge Henry Willard which
the rescue ship Anyox had in tow