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ALTADOC - cont'd. 12. were in bed in their quarters. The water blew in the doors and ripped the doors off the hallway. Other doors leading to the galley, officers' messroom, crew's messroom and storeroom were all smashed. Cook Ed. Spencer, of Midland, and second cook, Bruce Hilliard, of Midland, were in bed off the saloon. The water was rushing in and made it dangerous for the two men to get out. So to make their way out they broke the fan-lights (skylight win dows) of the saloon and went forward. "Jim Graham, fireman, of Wiarton, was firing at the time of the disaster. The storm threw him from starboard to port and he struck his head against the bulkhead. He received three or four deep scars. Wireless operator F. V. (elsewhere reported as "John") McGee, of Toronto, was busy sending out an S. O. S., but could not receive as his receiver had been smashed by the storm, putting the ship in a more difficult position. All the men were ordered for ward. All stayed in the passenger quarters that night. "'Going back aft in the morning to prepare coffee for the crew, we noticed that the ship had split between No. 7 and No. 8 hatches, throwing No. 7 hatch down into the hull. Rocks were grinding under us all the while. Again the operator tried to send out an S. O. S. but he could not receive. On Friday morning (other reports say it was about 1 0 : 3 0 a.m . ), we released a lifeboat and sent four men to shore to try to get word to Copper Harbor that we were aground. The men rowed 100 feet to shore and then had to trek eight miles. '" Other reports varied somewhat in the details, which is not surprising consi dering the confusion that must have been rampant while the ship was being swept across the lake and eventually up on the Keweenaw shore. For instance, one report, in contradiction of Rickard's version, indicates that nine men were sent to man the auxiliary steering wheel aft (atop the after cabin and totally exposed to the elements), and were to take three-hour watches. Three men had to be on the wheel at any given time, and they were spelled off each ten minutes, for none could have stood any longer stretch on the "armstrong" wheel. One report stated: "Young Jim Carter (fireman) describes best what happened in the after part. He was in bed, between decks. He had gone to bed at mid night, but he had not slept. The rolling was pretty bad and he had a feeling something was going to take place, although he did not know just what. He soon found out, shortly after five o'clock in the morning. "There was a crashing and a great heave. The chap in the bunk above him was pitched out of bed. A wave smashed in four doors on the port side of the af ter house and stove in the partitions. Jim jumped out of bed and found him self in water to the waist. Water was pouring down the companionway. He snat ched what clothes he could and rushed on deck. It was pitch dark and pelting snow. Everyone was running about... They found they were aground about 150 feet from the shore. "Captain Simpson called everyone forward. Danger lay aft. He gave them a lit tle lecture, told them he'd done the best he could, said he was sorry for the crew and that he hoped it would all turn out well in the end. "Everything aft was a mess, so everyone lived forward. The second engineer, Roy Hardman, of Wiarton, was in charge of the engineroom when the ALTADOC struck, with Orval Gonyou, of Port Colborne, as oiler and James Graham, of Lion's Head, as fireman. These men stayed in the battered engineroom. They stayed to pull the fires. But some of the live coals got into the bunkers (sic.) and started a fire which may burn for many days in spite of the wa ter. The lower engineroom was completely flooded. Some of the aft c r e w had to escape with little clothes and less gear. The forward crew shared with them what they had. Some of the engineroom men tore blankets into strips and made them into wraps to keep their feet and legs warm. Others made mitts of them... "Those remaining aboard were anxious for them (the four men who had gone ashore in the lifeboat). With the wireless dead, there was no means of learn-