The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-02-16
CaleClain1s
Four Ships
in Pacific
Furious Storm Takes Heavy
Toll Along Washington and
British Columbia
Coast Line.
Members of Crews Saved

Pacific s graveyard OF ships
claimed four more vessels as vic
Tins in a furious gale that swept
- ocean off the Washington and
british Columbia coast lines.
The four vessels known to have
been lost were the steamer Nika
burned to the waters edge neal
Umatilla reef; the freighter Santa
Rita. lodged high on a rock ledge
near Choose, Vancouver Island. 3
c.; the motorship Coolcha, pounded
by huge waves as 1t lay on an ex
posed reef at Albert Head, near Vic
toria. 3. c., and the British freighte1
Tuscan Prince.
Ship Total Loss.
The Tuscan Prince is a total loss
on Etevan Point, Nootka Sound, 3
@, according TO a wireless message
from the United States coast guard
cutter Algonquin. The crew. was
landed safely.
A later message from the Algonquin
said that the crew was on the beach
near Carmanah light. Vancouver
island. The message said the men
I'VE are breaking up fast; we are
going to DROWN was the last mes
sage from the Tuscan Prince early to
day. Then its spark failed and II
was unable TO give its position. Re
peated calls brought no answer and
ships that went to the rescue were
unable to sight it.
Crews are Saved.
The crews of the other three YES
sells were saved.
Word by word. the wireless mes
sages, often halted or broken. brought
the story of the storms toll into Sc
attic during the night and today.
First. late Wednesday came wort
from the coast guard cutter Snohom
ish. Capt r. r. Waesche:
I'VE are going to aid steamer Nika
lost rudder. dangerous posi-
lion off Umatilla reef"
The Snohonish was at Port Ange
les, eight hours run from the dis
abled vessel.
A little later another message. from
Victoria, said the Coolcha had beer
abandoned and the crew taken of
by the salvage steamer Algerene.
Then word came that q station a
walla Walla, Wash, far inland, hac
heard the. Nika's call for aid. Th'
Snohomish reported It would reacl
the disabled craft at midnight. Tn,
regular routine of the air began again
Vessel Reported Afire.
Once more out of the west cam,
an IS o s." family, and a call:
I'VE are on fire. Help
There was no signature.
The. operator at the naval radio
station at Bremerton, Wash. though
he heard Nika say something abou
fire aboard" but couldn't understand
it\ all.
The Smith Island radio compass!
station reported:
apparently inexperienced operator
on watch"
Tho Snohomish searched vainly 70
the vessel and reported no progress
The steamer Kewanee, off the en-
trance to the Straits of Juan de Fuca
saw n glare, evidently from a steame
afire
Shortly after 8 this morning tn
Santa Rita broke into the aerial con
versation.
we Will be there at O'Clock.
said the Santa Rita's keyman.
Another hour later and the SAINT:
Rita had struck a Vancouver isla n,
ledge and vas itself calling for help
Breaking Up Fast.
Another call came:
SOS. Tuscan Prince ashore. lat
>,tlide ~" here the wireless failed
I'VE are breaking up fast. we ar
going to drown" said a faint secon'
message.
Other radio messages received wer
as follows:
Santa Rita. off Tatoosh on rock
sinking, receiver broken, cannot heal
anyone working. The water Is rough
Captain asks Is anyone on way. u
8. Cutter Algonquin off Columbi,
river. attempting rescue Tuscar
Prince"
Santa Rita's receiver in commits
sion again"
Commercial messages filed the al
again and then came the Snohomlsh
Rescued total crew OF "a men from
burning Nika. Now standing b.
wreck. VIII give report later
More Bad News.
BAD news then came OF the Tuscai
Prince. Number lives probably los
when Tuscan Prince went ashore nea
Estevan. Going to vessels aid." sal
a message from the tug Sea Mon
arch, which had been standing by tn
Santa Rita. The latter vessel at tha
time was reported In no immediat
danger.
Just before noon the snohomisl
told OF the rescue OF the Nikas me
In n radio message as follows:
Sea was too rough for lowerin
OF boats. SO Snohomlsh put bow u
ciose along stern OF the burning Mix
and took crew of with improvise
breeches buoy men putting buoy o.
and Jumping into water and beln
hauled aboard. Heat intense. NJ
Sne lost, three men slightly hurt"
All afternoon the wirleess me
searched, via the air, for the Tuscai
Prince. Early tonight. with thei
ears still glued TO the head receiver
they awaited ylgilantly for furthe