The Daily Alaska empire., 1928-12-22

small boats as the storm was still raging outside. During this time the Alameda was steaming full speed at 14 knots through heavy seas which oftimes came over the bow and completely buried the fore part of the ship.
 Towed To Alameda
 With the arrival of the Alameda the Explorer, Kodiak and two ether boats put lines aboard the Starr and lowed her outside the bay to the waiting rescue ship which was unable to approach the helpless Starr on account of the shallow water. The 12 passen- gers were transferred from the Explorer by means of a Jacobs ladder to the upper decks of the' Alameda. The transfer of the men and women called for an adund- ance or nerve on their parts and was made possible only by the wonderful seamanship of the skip pers and crews of the two shlp3 as high seas were running during the time the transfer was made.
 At 1 o'clock, Friday afternoon, December IA the Alameda started the 150 mile tow to Seward With the Starr at the end of double lines. The first mishap came at 5:30 o'clock the next morning when the lines parted from the heavy strain and the heaving and bucking of the towed ship. Steel lines from the Starr were rlgged and the length of the tow line was increased. Progress was slow. At times the seas made it impo5- sible to travel over one mile an hour. Every available Ian d aboard the Alameda and a num- Der of the passengers were called to stand by and be ready to help with the heavy lines in case of breakage.
 Second Gable Breaks
 The tow cable broke the second time Sunday morning at o'clock. Extremely high and choppy seas were running at the time and the two boats soon drifted apart Dur ing the time the Starr was adrift the storm increased in violence and the Alameda was forced to stand by, unable to render assis- tance or get lines aboard until late that afternoon; then it was accomplished With greatest diffi- culty and attended by many dang CTS.
 The Lyle gun was resorted to but the wind carried the line away from the Starr just out of range of those on board. eager to grasp it. A life raft was lowered from the Alameda and with lines att tached was allowed to drift along side the Starr, and the tow, which finally ended successfully, was again resumed when both of the vessels were dangerously close to the most treacherous coast of the North Pacific.
 Safe in Seward, the passengers were high in their praise of the captains and crews of both the Alameda and the Starr. In the opinion of many it was seeming ly a miracle that the last line was put aboard the drifting Starr in the face of breaking seas and high winds which at times ragged at so miles an hour. With fine sense of modesty Captain Westerlund would not comment on the experi- ence except to say they accom- plished the task as b e IS t they could.
 Mrs. J. I. Otis, who was a pas senger south on the Alameda last night, was one of the passengers on the Starr from King Cove. Commenting on the experience she said that at times it seemed most impossible for the Starr to be saved. When the steel line broke the last time the Alameda, sud- denly freed from her heavy strain, gave a lurch which threw everyone who did not have support, to the deck