Imperial Valley press., 1928-10-12
FOR
CREW OF
I EN- MEN
Faint Signals Heard from
Missing Coast Guard
Cutter.
REPORTED TROUBLE
Small Vessel Victim Of
Severe Storm Off North
ern Coast.
BY United Press Leased Wire

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. IL
After silence of II hours, faint
radio signals believed to have been
from the coast guard cutter Smith
were picked up by operators here
and hope was revived for the men
aboard the craft lost in heavy seas
off Point Arena Thursday.
Receipt of the almost undistin-
guishable signals was announced by
Captain D. F. A. Otte, commandant
of the coast guard, northern divi-
sion.
Revival of hope that the ship was
still afloat and having difficulty
with it's radio set, resulted in in
creased efforts at rescue.
After remaining blocked by
rough seas for several hours, the
cutter Chokia managed to put out
from Eureka this morning to join
other cutters in the search.
Patrol boats and other craft that
attempted to put to sea from San
francisco and nearby California
points encountered difficulties that
increased the fear for the guards
men on the Smith. It was reported,
however, the storm in the vicinity
of Point Arena was subsiding.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 12.-The
'coast guard cutter Smith with IL
men aboard was believed lost today
OFF Point Arena after being caught
and badly damaged III a terrific
gaze Thursday.
y vadio message from the craft at
gao p. m. last night said the vessel
was in distress and sinking An sos
was sent to all coast guard cutters
in nc rthern waters at that hour.
Uuil midnight intermittent radio
CONN lnication was kept up with tho
dist'eused ship. After that no moro
redo messages were received.
'"oNst guard officers here express.
cd the fear that the vessel had gone
down.
Tne cutter Smith is large motor
rum chaser, sometimes used as a
harbor patrol vessel in San Francis.
co bay. The rest of the time it is ON
liquor patrol duty on the northern
California coast.
The vessel is commanded by
Boatswain Nielsen and carried a
crew of 10 men.
Lieut.. F. L. Austin of the coast
guard station here, said it was pos
sible that the Smith had run out OF
fuel when caught in the storm.
Reports from the Point Arena
Light this morning said that the
gale had subsidized considerably dur.
ing the night, but that nothing had
been heard of the Smith. Coast
guard crews from the Point Arena
station attempted to put out in their
boats when the distress call was re-
ceived Thursday night, but did not
succeed. New attempts were to be
made today. ,3
"Bucking heavy seas, shipping
some water. Slight leak forward, -
said the last distress message which
was received by Commandant d. +.
A. Deotte of the Coast Guard, nor
| thern division.
The continued silence after that
message caused apprehension on tho
part of guard officials. 1t was
| feared the cutter went down.
: One hope for the safety of the
men on board was held. 1t was
believed possible that the craft may
have reached the shelter of a cove
and that its small radio set could
not signal over the mountains.
The boat at the time of the last
signals, however, was heading for
the open sea battling waves so high
the crew dared not attempt to turn
! it around.
A second patrol boat put ont from
| San Francisco this morning.