Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-05-26
]iiSUEl..FI III,
The Ship Winche ter

Tho p,,l,,t sL;, Vh;uol,,....,. ,,l;.l. ,,...
.-r,
'oN ut st" 1t" "''ES ''To' soon a't'f nef crow
ana passengers, nearly 'Oo III all. bad been
taken of by the steamer WASHINGTON. WAS a
R,.+on shin sh,.,,,. +I,r,.., ,,.,,r.,,.,,..l,
80.
S'N'c'c" i7'' ''"S' '''l' ana c'r%" mostly
insured. The following letter from Prof.
lIinkel, a passenger ON board the Washing
tnn tn thn \ Y v,Lyo,. ,.i,cs ., ..r,,Ii,..,.-
" ''' -'''' = W '''0 '''''O'' '''''
crew ol the steamer
SIN. As ;tm,, Inc ,r i,,toy,.t r., ,,,,,r ,.,.,1
ors to lonrn tho inn ,,rtipI,r. i, ,,,I,,i,,,
rho ,,r,.k nr ,Ln WIi;n,I,,.t,. r'.. i..,',.
With wLi,.h tln. .tn,,n-.L;u W..I.;,.,t,,,, III
in -, Lnr ,,,v fran, SnntI,n,n,.t,n, - N.,,
Yn,l s,,ln,if fl, van thn r,II,,I;,,.,..,.,.,,,,+
On the ,nnrn,,., nr tb,. 81 ,i,, w1,;i
under a furious a,lo. the sea was rnlIn,
mountain hich, the passcucrrs OF the WASH
inston were called on deck hy tire intelligence
of dismasted vessel drifting in the direction
Of the steamer. About 10 A.N we were near
enough to enable Cant. Fitch to hail the YES
sci and ascertain that she was the " hInchrs-
fer. from Boston. the captaiu of which en-
treated Cant. Fitch To- stay hv his shin and
save nusscn,trrs and crcw. The latter was in
A most difficult rosition. To lower the boats
and venture out upon the waves. tremendous
lv lashed bv the ,ralr. was n most prriluus
undertaking Besides, the Washington was
6llcJ With pos.cngcrs and heavily laden
On the other side. hundreds of human lives
was at stake. The humane cantaIn of thc
WASHINGTON. however. was quickly decided
He communicated to his passengers his reso-
linton not to proceed until ali WAS done with
in hu,nnn mower in saving thc rcn,,lo nm Lnnrd
the wrocL There was nf cnurs. but ouc
Geeling of annroLation o,nour the nnsscnocrs
of the steamer vho had soon an oinnrtunitv
to nhsrrve fine circumsucctinn. couroro and
inability disnlnyrd Inv the brave sonmen of the
W,shington No snoner had Cant Fitch
made known his noble resolution. when Mr.
Kin, first officer Of tho WASHINGTON ot nucr
stenned fnrth and called unnn the crow for
volunteers to hoard the wreck Fran nmonr
Tho Lroyc s,ilors yhn vitbnut oxcc,,tion ~
fcred their services. he chose four excellent
scamcn. 4 lifc-boat WAS lowered Althouoh
thcir own lives were in imminent nor;l sine.
II ,nnenrrd ncnrlv i,nnossiLI. that "a Lnot
shoutd live unon such n sea v.t Mr. K;pc
with his men, vcnturcd out i,non nm ert.r,
/ rrise. the obvious DANCER of vI,iI, cnuld mo-,
but excite the HIGHEST admiration for thc;r
hornism os wei as tbe trucst r.,.,rd c,,
their s.li.Cprprttul love of their G.llow-non
/ All evs were fy.d unon tLc bnnt in ,yLirh
. these heroes. sulprIlmun n
length succeeded to get alongside the Win
chester. However. il was E,unJ im,ractir-
able to board the wreck. rs th, sea was con
tinually making a comrlcte break over if and
the boat. The captnin of the Winchester
threw bottle into the boat. which contained
Il letter REQUESTING their rescue. and stating
the number of passengers and crew rs hrinr
4Ii. Mr.. King again reached ton steamer in
safety. and Immediately left once more. with
the answer of Can't. Fitch sealed IN in a hot
tie. This time. however. the noble .eamcu
nearly fell II sacrifice to their Luiu,nc iutrn-
tions' Coming near Tin, wreck. tLrir L,ot
broken in the forward air chamber ro,nr,nu,
crd to sink. Rnp,s were thrown from. n,
Winchester. hy means of which. first Nh, t.,,,r
sailors. and last Mr.. Kins were snatch,I
from watcry crave. On board the wreck. Il
.p,ctaclr was I,rs,.ntcd t. Mr.. kim. of th.
most hcart-rrii,lins d,,crirtiDu. Tie r,,,cu-
rcrs. of every u,,e and s.X. in state of nm
speakablc anxiety. excitement and exhaustion.
were partly lyinr ON deck. and nlthnu,,b sr-
cured by ropcs-owin, to the trcmrnd nus roll
inr of the shin. continually kuocked uLout in
a manner that the arms. fingers and Ices of
many were broken. and all sui',rin., from pain
full contusions. The remainder of the ras,-
enrers and crew were engaged at the u,lmrs.
winch they could not leave for fear Of being
a. mn, ,,..rh.,, ,ri I,. tl., l;u,, i ,I, ,.i