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JOHN SEGALOS, HERO OF
THE VALENCIA WRECK
Greek Sailor Now On the Alliance Who Knows Not Fear
And Holds His Life, Where the Safety of
Others Is Concerned, As Naught
Chief Engineer J. P. Mann, of the
S. S. Alliance, has a fireman whoso
deeds of valor are familiar to those
who live in the great Northwest. A
year ago the 24th of January, the
country was shocked by news of the
Valencia wreck off Cape Flattery and
It was several days before definite in
formation could be obtained as to
the extent of the disaster. How the
vessel hung on the jagged rock which
pierced her hull for nearly two days;
how the despairing passengers clung
to the rigging as the ship settled far
ther into the sea; how they were
washed away in a fierce sea as raft
after raft was lowered; how the wo
men staid aboard rather than risk
their lives on the tempestuous
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JOHN SEGALOS.
waves; the deeds of self-sacrifice, the
songs which were sung by the hope
less passengers, all is yet familiar to
the people of the Pacific slope.
Risks lilfc.
Many deeds of heroism were re
corded during those trying hours,
but the greatest hero of the disaster
was John Segalos, who, with a line,
swam to the shore, facing what
seemed to the ship's passengers, cer
tain loss in the sea. Yet Segalos
reached the shore and clambered up
on a rock. But fate was unkind and
tho line was paid out so slowly that
its weight dragged him off the rock
and ho was pulled aboard after one
of tho most admirable ventures re
corded among seafaring men.
But Segalos was not satisfied with
I1I3 offort and believed ho could land,
the line. He made a seconJ attempt
and buffeted the waves and breakers
against the advice of seamen, tie
failed, yet fi" determination and de
sire to saTe lives which he exhibited
will go down In sea history as one of
the noblest acts of all time.
Stajs to Last.
His attempt to carry the line to
shore was admirable, yet his work
in equipping and launching rafts was
as praiseworthy. Ho was constantly
at work, doing what he could to pa
cify the passengers and aiding In
whatever manner he could. Segalos
was one of tho seventeen to leave
on the last raft, after women who
had been invted to go had refused,
preferlng to take the chance of some
succor coming to them by some ship
In the Sound. But none who re
mained escaped alive, for the ship
pounded to pieces and sank with all
on board. The raft which was last
launched was picked up seven hours
afterwards by tho S. S. Topeka.
i)cath Result of Bravery.
it will be remembered that the
wealller at the time was severe and
Bevdrill died from exposure. Segalos
Has jnever recovered from the effects
bi those fateful hours and now has
nfetirt disease in an aggravated form.
Since the wreck he has had three
attacks of the trouble and each time
physicians who attended him be
lieved he would die.
Almost Gets Cnrneglc Medal.
Tho., deeds of this hero were re
corded throughout the length and
breadth of the land, and his fame
was widespread. Yet fate again came
between him and the thing he prized
most highly a Carnegie medal. Se
galos is a Greek from an island In
the Grecian archipelago, and he Is
not versed In the ethics which tho
Carnegie commission exact. In a
weak moment, at tho urgent need of
funds, he was induced to exhibit him
self in various theatres throughout
the Northwest, and as a consequence
George A. Campsey, special agent of
tho Carnegie Hero Fund Commission,
who came to Seattle to Investigate
Segalos' claims to n medal, refused
the emblem.
Seattle Rewards Him.
But Mr. Campsey's action was In
striking contrast to those of several
Seattle bodies, and Segalos has three
medals that would Invoke envy in
the wearer of a Victoria cross. Tho
first and most highly prized by Se
galos, was given him by the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce. It Is bronze
and on the obverse side has a heavy
bar with the word, "Courage." Sus
pended below is a circular medal
with the figure of a woman crowning
a sailor with a wreath. On the re
verse side is the Inscription engraved
as follows: "Presented to John Se
galos by the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce for heroism at the wreck
of S. S. Valencia, January 24th,
190G."
U. C. T. Medal.
The second Is one given by tho
United Commercial Travelers of
America. This Is a gold enamel em
blem and a beautiful work of art.
The Inscription on this reads: "From
those who travel by land and sea.
Wreck of Valencia, January 23,
190G." "Presented by Seattle Coun
cil No. 83, U. C. T. of America. It is
a token of our admiration for your
devotion to duty."
Church's Remembrance.
The third IsTKe-glft of the Seattle
First Methodist Episcopal Church.
Tho reading on this medal is brief
but expressive, "John Segalos, he did
his best at the wreck of the Valencia
January 23, 1906." "A well-deserved
tribute to heroism."
Hero Is Modest.
Mr. Segalos was Interviewed by a
Times reporter, but there was little
to be learned from him, since his
speech Is broken and he cannot un
derstand English very well. What
has been written was gained from
him through the aid of Engineer
Mann, who was able to communicate
with him and translate his replies.
The hero Is a modest man, yet ho
feels keenly the circumstances which
precluded his obtaining a Carnegie
medal.
Mnrshflcld Mnn In Wreck.
Sam Davis, Jr., a native of Marsh
field, was second engineer on the
Valencia and went down with the
boat. Mr. Segalos spoke very high-?
the wreck.
What is Accomplished By The
"Sisters of Mercy" In
Charge A Modern
Institution
One of tho attractions of Coos
Bay aside fom its manufactories is
the excellent hospital on Sherman
avenue, North Bend, conducted by
the "Sisters of Mercy." No institu
tion in the State offers better facili
ties for the training of ycung ladies
for nurses than the Mercy Hospital.
Its location is all that could be
desired. It Is situated on a high
eminence overlooking Coos Bay and
surrounded by extensive grounds,
which afford ample space for recrea
tion and different varieties of exer
cise, here and there ornamented by
trees and shrubs of many varieties.
The hospital offers superior ad
vantages to for those n need of med
ical or surgical ,attendance. The
good sisters are noted for tho excel
lency of their hospital and many pa
tients are received from all parts of
the State.
The hosplatl was founded a little
over a year ago, and has been con
ducted by the Sisters of Mercy since
that time. It Is legally incorporated
and empowered to confer full hos
pital honors.
The Institution is ably managed
by the Sisters and is productive of
great good In caring for the home
less and friendless who would other
wise, In case of Illness, be thrown
upon the cold charity of a colder
world.
There Is no distinction as to class
or creed but all alike find a haven of
protection with tho noble Sisters
who have devoted their lives to this
humane and Christian duty. The
building is a three-story structure.
The basement comprises the laundry,
the furnace room, kitchen, three re
fractories, store room, and large
pantry. On the first floor Is the
office, waiting room, reception room,
house doctor's office, priest's dormi
tory, ten handsomely furnished
rooms for medical patients, the phar
macy, a large ward containing nine
beds and accompanying the ward are
two large and modern bath rooms.
On the second or surgical floor Is
the operating room, equipped with
modern conveniences; a preparatory
ly of Davis' conduct at tho tme otir'','vvSJ,'vvJ''v'v'v,v'
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The Coos Bay Times Job
Department is now prepared
to print Butter Wrappers in
accordance with the require
ments of the Oregon law gov
erning the sale of that product.
We use nothing but Extra
Quality pure vegetable parch
ment and sanitary ink especial
ly made for this class of printing.
COOS
BAY
TIMES
( Continued on page 5.)
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Piano and Player Combined
We have just received a shipment of Needham Pianos and Players combined, established 1846 by Elias Parkman Needham, which we will be
glad to exhibit to anyone wishing to hear them. We have a few questions which you may ask us and which will be beneficial to you to know before
selecting a combined Piano and Player.
No. 1. What particular advantages are gained by building the Player action in four distinct sections?
No. 2, Wftat is referred to by the term "means of adjustment"?
No. 3. Does any part of the action have to be1 removed in order to tune the piano in the proper way?
No. 4. In case it is necesary to remove part or all of the player action from the piano, how much time and trouble is required?
No. 5. How do you disconnect the rubber tubes from the action and from the expression box, and in replacing them is not care required to pre
vent leakage?
No. 6. Why is it undesirable to buy what are termed "cheap pianos" with the player attachment?
No. 7. Does not the placing of the action in front of the piano muffle the tone to some extent?
No. 8. What is the advantage of your "Staccato Forte" devise that you have referred to, and is it difficult to learn to use it effectively?
No. 9. How about the music rolls? How large is the supply and where can they be obtained?
We are using the Universal Tracker Board published by the Universal Company, whose catalog today contains over ten thousand rolls of Class
ical, Sacred and Popular compositions and all the new music issued monthly. No player that cannot present an enormous catalog is of any value, and
the rolls that can be used by the Needham Piano and Player are endless in variety.
We buy everything in the Music Line from a Guitar string to a Grand Piano directly from the Foreign and Eastern Jobbers and Factories. We
are not handling either on commission or consignment and can therefore furnish you with anything in the Musical Line at prices and terms which
you could not do better anywhere in the United States.
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New Rodgers Building, Corner C. Street and Broadway
Phone Main 1 44 1 - Marshfield, Oregon
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