Joseph McCaffrey was a second-class passenger on the Valencia and one of the Topeka Raft survivors. McCaffrey, age 23 was from St. John New Brunswick and departed his home town in November to seek his fortune in the West.
The Valencia Disaster
1. The Valencia 2. The Voyage 3. The Boats 4. The McCarthy Boat 5. The Bunker Party 6. On the Valencia 7. The Rafts 8. The Turret Raft 9. The Rescue Ships 10. The Aftermath 11. The Survivors 12. The Lost
The West Coast Trail
Prologue 1: The West Coast Trail 2: When to Hike & Fees 3: Trailheads 4: Getting There 5: Considerations 6: Campsites 7: Shipwrecks 8: Routes 9: Sights & Highlights
His story was extensively covered in newspapers and he testified in both the Canadian and American Valencia inquiries. His time on the life raft was described in dramatic detail in the San Francisco Examiner on January 27th, 1906: “If we had been an hour longer on that raft I believe every man would have gone insane. One could tell by the looks in the eyes of his companions that reason was departing. Just touch some of the men and they would growl like some trapped animals. I pulled on one of the oars with a poor fellow whose strength was about exhausted. He would work like mad for a few moments and then his head would drop on his breast and his hands would relax their grasp.”
McCaffrey, was questioned at the Valencia inquiry. He said that when he came on deck there seemed to be a panic and no person had control of anyone. He stated that none of the officers gave him any instructions but on the first night he had seen them trying to make the passengers comfortable. He went on deck with a life preserver and was told by an officer that there was no need of them, but later he told him to put it on again. He saw two boats launched and smashed up. It was dark when he came on deck and there were quite a few people on deck. He did not try to get in a boat, and did not see any officers. Could not say who gave orders to let go. No.1 boat was practically gone when he came on deck and he saw the second boat go down but could not say if there were any officers in charge or not. He had heard some passengers say that no orders had been given. He said there were no orders given and suggested that the officers should have been at their posts. He said that when he came on deck there seemed to be a panic and no person had control of anyone. He stated that none of the officers gave him any instructions but on the first night he had seen them trying to make the passengers comfortable. When the steamers Queen, Salvor and Czar came in sight he thought that it would be a matter of only a short time before all were rescued. He thought the Czar might have come within 200 yards of the ship at the outside and drifted a raft down the vessel. McCaffrey went on the second raft with 18 others. They had considerable difficulty in getting away from the ship but after they reached the bow of the Valencia it was much easier. He was pretty well done up when taken on board the Topeka.
The West Coast Trail
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