The New York herald., 1921-08-08


rescuing craft reached the reef they
found that another vessel. the steam
ship Anyox, had arrived before them
and had taken aboard everybody who
could be found above water. The
Anyox had found 96 passengers and
20 Of the crew in boats. Althoush,
since the survivors had been drifting
about In darkness for four hours be-
fore help came it may be that few
others Of them made their way to shore
on rafts or pieces of wreckage, II Is
not considered likely that they did, ana
II is thought that those who were
picked up are all who lived after the
ship sank. Twelve bodies were picked
up by the Ranger.
Tonight Eureka Is Going what 1t can
TO care for the rescued 10t passengers
and 10 of the crew, who, in tattered
and makeshift attire and soaked With
oil from the lost vessel. we're brought
here this afternoon by the steamship
Anyox. All ambulances and many auto
mobiles met the weary and nerve racked
survivors and under the supervision OF
the Red Cross they were taken TO hos
pitfalls and hotels. Many. OF them, IN
cluding children in arms, are sadly
bruised and battered.
This afternoon Capt. Ellison of the
after a search of the sea around the
scene of the wreck. In his motor life-
boat when he arrived in Eureka were
the bodies of twelve men. Eight We're
members Of the crew and four were pas
sengers.
Acts Of heroism which will add lustre
to the reputation of the American Mer-
chant Marine were frequent during the
work of rescue of men, women and
children.
There is. however, another and darker
side Of the picture. Not from one pas
senger alone but from scores, came word
that rank inefficiency characterized the
handling of the lifeboats indeed most of
the loss Of life was due to accidents
In launching the lifeboats on the port
side of the Alaska.
John r. Clark, OF Escalon, Cal, who
was In one of the starboard boats which
were so successfully launched that none
OF its occupants was even wet, said
this morning that he saw two OF the
port boats dump their living freight into
the sea. On one OF these the forward
falls were let so too soon, with the
result that the occupants were simply
slipped forward into the sea, the life
boat remaining hanging perpendiculariy
suspended from its stern by the after
falls.
Passengers Are Crushed.
The other boat said Clark. dId not
reach the water but hung tightly
against the steep, sloping side of the
vessel until a heavy sea lifted II, dashed
1t against the vessels side and turned II
completely over. number of its pas
sengers were caught between the side of
the lifeboat and the ships side and
crushed.
Norbert Van wetter. storekeeper on
the Alaska. was among those who
openly criticised the lack OF discipline
on the steamship There was, he
averred, no system 10 handle the life
boats. nor did any one appear to take
charge of the launching of the boats
when the frightened crew rushed madly
for the seats.
Second officer Dupree was at the
wheel" he said, 'and Capt. Hovey was
In the wheelhouse at the time we ran
aground. The captain heard a warning
through the fog. which afterward proved
to be the lightship, and he sent Dupree
out to locate ii. The second officer
obeyed the order. but came back with
the report that he could not detect its
direction. Right after this the ship
struck for the first time. and certainly
not more lndh UNG minutes laleT she
had a heavy list to starboard.
Naturally my frst thoughts were for
tho passengers and the lifeboats. ]
made for the lfeboats. only TO find that
NJ one, was In charge. Finally four of
the crew pulled No. lifeboat out first,
loaded to capacity. But the Delay in
launching these boats increased the
fears OF the passengers. many OF whom
were clinging to the rail of the badly
listing ship. That two of the lifeboats
overturned is probably due TO this lack
Of proper management"
No loss Of life, or at least an insig-
nifcant loss, would have attended the
wrecking OF the Alaska had an efficient
crew been aboard. according to charges
made by other passengers, as well as by
members of the crew.
First Officer McClintock OF Alameda
declared that ten certified lifeboat men
were on board out Of deck crew Of
fourteen seamen and four mates.
Il know how Capt Hovey died." de-
clared J. H. Moss, passenger. Il and
c. l.. Vilin OF Chicago were standing
beside him when the boat went down.
That was the last we saw Of Capt.
Hovey. but we are certain that he was
drowned"
Capt. Hovey was on the bridge OF the
Alaska when she struck. according to
officers and members OF the crew. How
ever, no soundinss We're taken prior to
the crash, according TO n. ID. Duprey.
second officer who was on watch Mt the
time. At S:26 r. NJ the course had been
hauled out two and one-half points, ac-
cording TO First Officer McClintock. and
this was regarded as sufficient to carry
the boat BY the Blunts Reef lightship.
Capt. Snoddy OF the Anyox aud his
crew defled the treacheries of the reef
in carrying on the rescue work, bat II
was with difficulty that the victims in
lifeboats and many in life preservers or
clinging to drifting wreckage were found.
All through the night the rescuers
worked. picking up many who had been
struggling in the water. clinging to
wreckaee for hours.
One Of the last survivors picked up
was Irene Dyer girl not yet in her
teens who had been cliuging to wreck
age for more than eight hours.
or all the personal experiences OF the
Alaska's passengers. which together make
a remarkably vivid chapter in human
interest. none was more gruelling than
that Of Mrs. Claflin Wright OF Upper
Montclair. n. j.. and Miss Frances Eek
strom OF Minneapolis. members Of
party Of tourists. These two survivors
were the only ones TO be brought to
Eureka on the barge Henry willard.
which the Anyox had in tow at the time
she went TO the rescue OF the Alaska.
Mrs Wright was brought here on the
.Anyox and there was joyful reunion
ut the wharf