By Michael Redmon
During the early years of the 1900s, the most economical way to
move cargo was by ship, and California’s waters were inundated by
steamers moving goods and passengers up and down the coast. One
such steamship was the Santa Rosa, an ironclad more than 300 feet
long, displacing more than 2,400 tons. This veteran of the
California coastal route had been launched in Pennsylvania in 1884;
its years of faithful service would come to a tragic end on a
gloomy night in July 1911.
In the evening of July 6, the Santa Rosa was heading south on
its usual route from San Francisco to San Diego. It carried 78 tons
of cargo and about 200 passengers. At the helm was J.O. Faria, in
relief of the ship’s regular captain, who did not make the
voyage.