All 217 saved from flaming steamship
Oct. 12, 1922: The steamship City of Honolulu caught fire and sank 670 miles from Los Angeles during its journey home from Hawaii.
The freighter West Faralon rescued all 217 on board, who had left by lifeboat, The Times reported.
“The boat lay last night like a huge ember on the horizon, plainly visible to the passengers and crew members rescued by the West Faralon,” The Times said.
“It flared like an ocean torch for hours, a vivid reminder to the rescued persons of the double menace they had escaped -- a giant firebrand floating on the sea -- equal danger of perishing in the flames or the water.”
The fire began in “the forward section of the old second-class quarters,” The Times reported, citing wireless messages from the captain. Passengers were alerted to the problem at 5 a.m.
By 5:30 a.m., the boat’s first wireless SOS messages had been received. The West Faralon reached the scene about 2:45 p.m., the newspaper said.
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