COURAGEOUS CAPTAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 317, 17 February 1910, Page 2

COURAGEOUS CAPTAIN.

SAVES ENTIRE SHIP'S COMPANY. The San Francisco Chronicle gives a graphic account of the burning of the steamer St. Croix on the coast of Southern California on 20th November. Captain Warner was the hero of the occasion, and was so determined to get the passengers and crew ashore tiiat ti actually threatened to shoot his brother (the third officer), wiio was backing one of the boats' away from the ship before it had received its complement. The story is told by Mr. Charles C. Claggett, one of the passengers:—

"Every man and woman, passengers and (crew, on the steamer was as a child. It' was Warner who saved us, and no words may properly express' my praise and admiration for this brave, unselfish man. It was his powerful personality, the commanding ring in his voice, his artistic swearing, and the manner in which he fondled the gun at his hip that gave us confideTice in him. After the first excitement we all became calm, and we fooked to Warner for everything. There was but one distressing incident, and that was when he threatened to kill an officer who had disobeyed him.' - Thus "brieflv Clageft began his story of the disaster. He continued:

"When every man and woman hut the captain were in the boats, Warner shouted: 'Have you got the milk for the babies?' Sure enough, there was a ten-gallon can of milk, and it was this that preserved the lives of the little tots. Previously he had sent some of the crew to the state rooms tnat could be reached safely, and had them throw blankets into the boats. Tnese were for the women and babies. From the moment the fire began until we were encamped on the beach, and long afterward, Warner was absolutely in command. He did not give a single thought of himself. He had an overcoat, which he threw to a Woman in one of the boats. At night on the beach he went around cold and shivering, but cheering us, and saying that everything was all right. The fire must have started about half-past twelve o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Captain Warner was on the bridge with a gun strapped to his hip. He gave his orders quickly, and seemed to stroke his gun pleasantly, as much as to say, 'lf you want to Know who is boss, start something.' The tarpaulins were removed trom the boats, which were swung side. 'Women and cnuuren nrst,' called Oaptam Warner, saying he would shoot any man who attempted to get into a boat. His conduct throughout the ordeal was like this first display of his ability to command a hideous situation such as it was. I consider the saving of the 185 passengers and crew of the St. Croix due solely to the strong personality of Captain Warner and the commanding ring of his orders. Apparently Captain Warner knew it was a losing game, for he went on with the work of getting the passengers off the ship. There was very little shouting or screaming, but several women fainted. The work was done so systematically, few of us realised what danger we had been in until 'we were safe on the betch. • When they ,vere attempting to lower the first boat, ,vhk-h contained aOout six women and several children, the ropes gave way, md it plunged into the water. It seemed as though all of the crew leaped into the. ocean. The "ooat was soon righted, and every one was safe. Cap- , tain Warner would not allow another boat to be loaded with passengers until | it struck water. As we were entering j the boats one of the officers either tried to get in a boat or in some way disobeyed an order of Captain Warner. The vftptata swtore at him like a trooper, and said if he did not do as I he was told he would blow his block off, but at no time did Captain Warner j give any one the impression that he had forgotten his revolver. I was in ' the third boat to leave the St. Croix. Finally all were off the steamer but the wireless operator. First Officer Mills, Chief Engineer Lowe, and the captain. | After giving orders that blankets should be thrown into the "boats for j the women and children, liquor for all ' hands, and milk for the babies, the wire- > less operator, the first officer, and the j chief engineer left the vessel. Captain Warner went below—what for I have no idea. Presently he came on deck and entered one of the boats. He gave orders to row away, as there might i»e an explosion, and before his boat had gone twenty yards the St. Croix blew up. Captain Warner took the injured j men in his boat, and he made the seven other boats wait until he bandaged the arm of Sidney Finley, a waiter, who ] had been crushed between a lifeboat and the guard on the St. Croix while assisting one of the women passengers. Then, standing in his boat, the captain, gun in hand, distributed the liquor, giving each boat enough for the comfort of its complement. He also placed an officer iand crew of four sailors in each boat, 'so that there would be no mishaps due ito inefficiency. As we started for the shore he ordered all boats to follow his own. "There was a lieavy fog and a long swell. Once we got caught in a great field of kelp, which delayed us some time. Captain Warner at all times stood up in his boat, giving orders. The first sign of land was when he heard a whistling buoy off Point Dume. Later we heard the booming of the surf. Every one cheered heartily. Warner went" ahead with his boat, and as the fog lifted slightly he saw a landing could riot be made, as the coast was precipitous. He "returned, and led the way'down the coast about a mile. Here Warner saw it was possible to effect a landing, but he gave orders that no boat should movo until ho signalled it. He made the fir* landing, going through a pounding surf seven or eight 'feet ' : From the shore he signalled to the other boats one b"v one. and they came in. the crews on shore running into the water ifp to their necks, so that every oi>t> could be laTwu sntelv. How wo ever got ashore I do not know, but Warner did it. JNo't a boat capsized."