Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-13
TIE RESCUE AND ITS DIFFICULTIES.

THE RESCUE AND ITS DIFFICULTIES.
The work of rescue, however, did not pause in
the agony that wrung the hearts on shore. Men,
residents of Winetka and Evanston, stripped of all
suuerhuous clothing and with ropes tied about them,
held on shore, dashed noby into the surf, and only
BY such peril wrested the saved of the wreck.
Where many wrought so well we cannot particular
ize but we accord the universal sentiment OF the
day in the assertion that the Theological teachings
of the Garrett Biblical Institute must include lib
eral amount of Muscular Christianity" for Messrs.
Spencer and Combs. of that institution were fore
most among the heroes of the day. 49,.
ThencefOrward the scene on the shore until two
P NJ, when the last survivor was drawn out of the
surf was one which the lookers-on will never for
get OF its nature the best proof Is the fact that
the forty fifty persons saved were less than one
third of the number that came In from the lake to
pass the fearful gauntlet of the line OF breakers,
several hundred feet from shore, were under the
very eyes and almost within hail of those on shore,
we saw the majority perish. The RATS would come
into the line of surf dip to the force of the waves
and then turn completely over. Again and again
would RATS containing from one to five or more
persons, gradually the shore and then be lost
where stones cast would reach them, yet really as
farfrOm human help as if in mid ocean.
INCIDENTS AT lwINETKA-HEROISM OF CAPTAIN WILSON
The scenes of these fearful hours would fill a
volume. The episode of the saving OF the gallant
James E. EvsOn, of Milwaukee, with his wife in his
arms was one that left few dry eyes among the
spectators. He had secured himself and his precl-
GUS burden TO the severed roof OF the plothCuse,
a stout octagOnal, canvas covered frame. As this
came in he was seen upon it holding in one arm
woman. Again and again waves broke over them,
and more than once both were submerged. Still
they came on passed the first breakers, and midway
thence the shore their raft grounded from project
ion beneath. There it hung, beaten and swept by
roller after roller, and for minutes making no pro-
gress, while the breathless spectators not TWO
hundred feet distant watched and waited the result
Edward Spencer, before named with rope about
his vast dashed into the waves, once, twice and
again, but was washed back by the huge seas. 1t
was critical moment, he followed a retreatng
roller as it passed the two the frail structure
the man with his burden in his leaped into the
water. and made laboriously towards his rescuer,
not second too soon. an angry roller was at ms
back if 1t reached him he was lost the rescuer
toiled nobly they neared one another, and just as
the oustretched hands met all were lost IN mighty
submerging wave-its refuence told with cheer
that rang along the shore that they were SAFE and
the next instant eager hands were bearing two limp
exhausted burdens, the husband and wife, up the
steep bluffs
Thus. amid such scenes of peril and daring, hours
passed, the gale still continuing. The saved were
taken at once to one the other of the scattered
Winetka homes, and never shone humanity nobler
than that which ready and instant and incessant
with every thing that could relieve the sufferers.
All the survivors unite in according to Captain
Wilson, the commander of the Inflated steamer
praise for bravery and daring such often shed
upon the fame of the brave sailor aurels that time
cannot dim. True to his duty and his manliness, he
was, throughout foremost in confronting danger,
cool and collected in its encounter instant and earnest
for the safety of his passengers. For long time in
that company of fifty the raft held in his arms
the young child of a lady passenger cheered his
companions in peril, on his last words he neared
the fatal line of surf were of encouragement and
cheer: 'NOw, boys look out for the breakers ahead
Warming timely but vain. The raft parted and Cap
tain Wilson went down in the angry waters his last
act being to attempt to two children. Honor to
the memory of the brave His house in COldwater,
Michigan, is desolated and stripped of brave and
true heart as ever beat in a sailors BOSOM
Late in the afternoon a beautiful female infant,
about three months old, washed ashore at Evanston.
In sweet Inconsistencies of peril in an hour when
a mothers breast was no shelter the fierce wrath
of the elements could drive the smile from the
tiny cheeks that in death, hours after the
blance of quiet and placid sleep.
A large was seen for two or three hours
standing on piece of the wreck, and evidently
guiding it with great GOODNESS toward the shore.
Reaching the breakers his raft dashed in pieces
and he struck out for the shore, struggling
fully to reach it. He had almost succeeded, and
hope among large crowd of anxious spectators
ran high that he would be saved, when heavy
wave broke over him, and, receding, carried him
out of sight.