Too Late by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 25, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 29.

Too Late

By Editor

Too Late.—The Pacific Coast Steamship Company's steamer Santa Rosa was wrecked on Saddle Rock, near Santa Barbara, early Friday morning, July 7. The steamer ran on the jagged rock. The captain hoped that she might be saved; consequently nothing was done for the rescue of the passengers. Three steamers, it is said, stood ready to take them off, and the morning of the 7th was fair and the weather calm, and they could have been moved with perfect safety. One report is that of the 200 on board, 11 were carried to death. Later it is stated that all passengers were saved, but two members of the crew were lost. There are all sorts of conflicting accounts.

Some say that the captain was perfectly competent, an able, kindly man, and of course he had absolute control of his ship; but it is thought that he took advice from the officers of the company, and waited too long. This is denied. He declares that if he had followed his own judgment it would have been different. It is indeed a very sad case that where 200 lives hung in the balance there should be hesitation and haggling over the cost of rescuing them, and that a whole pleasant day should go by before the rescue was attempted. There are millions waiting over moral questions and deciding them too late.