The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-12-20
A STRUGGLE AT SEA.
The Steamship Sacramento in Distress
The Steamer Hecla Stands by Her
Thirty two Hours.
From the New York Times, Dec. 10.

From the New York Times, Dec. 49,
The brief announcement in yesterdays
Times, by Capt. Edmundson, of the Gun
ard steamship Hecid, that 'at 7:S0 A. NJ.
Dec. s, in latitude 40 degrees minutes,
longitude II degrees 46 minutes, west, left
the steamship Sacramento, of Boston, with
mainmast gone and jury mizzen rigged,
heading southwest, wind northwest, fresh
gale, had stood by her thirty two hours,
having her in tow three times, ropes part
ing each time conveys but very imper-
fec. idea of the terrible work of those hours
The facts as related by a passenger on
board the Hecla, are these ''Shortly after
midnight, Friday. when about twenty five
miles from Sandy Hook, Mr.. Mckay, the
chief officer of the Hecla, observed large
vessel with main and mizzen masts gone,
showing signals Of distress. The steamer
at once bore down toward her, and though
at the time the wind was blowing perfect
gale, and the sea running high, the captain
ordered the boat lowered and manned, the
chief officer being in command. While the
wind howled mady, some OF the passengers
stood on deck and watched the boat as it
left the steamer and approached the tenn
pest-tossed and unmanageable ship. To
Iandsman like our informant the sight was
terrific, and one not to be easily described.
The nervous watching, the constant strain
ing Of the eye in the endeavor to follow the
fortunes of the boat, and the efforts to scan
its light as it mounted on the top of the
waves was the source of SO much excite
ment that the GOODNESS of the weather,
with all its biting severity, was all but for.
gotten.
At last, the eyes Of all were gladdened
when che boat was observed near to the
side Of the rolling ship. The boats crew
labored at the oars with commendable gal
lantry, and on learning that the craft in
distress was the Sacramento, Of Boston,
in ballat, proceeded in their efforts to save
the ship, and, if possible, bring her into
port. The chief officer advised the captain
| OF the Sacramento 20 cast anchor just
where be was, to prevent his drifting, as
| there was only fifteen fathoms of water at
that point. Owing to the storm, he could
! ship, but took it for granted that they
| to the steamer, and immediate preparations
were made to render further assistance as
soon as daylight would facilitate move
mcnts. All night the Uccla laid by the
| Sacramento, and before dawn the captain
had sent the boat off again under command
| of Mr.. Pearson, the third officer, to try
and get a line from the ship, so as to make
tow. After many unsuccessful attempts,
| they obtained the end of a small line, and
| brought 1T into the steamer. The l5-inch
| hawser was fastened to this line, and it was
sent to the ship. The Hccla than began to
make her way, with the Sacramento in tow,
towards this port, going, OF course, at a
very slow rate. In less than half an hour,
| however, owing to the heavy laboring Of
| the imperiled vessel, and the tremendous
sea, the hawser parted, snapped like a
small cord.
| Again the boat was lowered and connec-
ton made second time, no less difficulty
and danger having been encountered than
in the two previous efforts. This time the
captain ordered two hawers, each of the
same with the disabled vessel in tow
again, the Hec,a kept her charge for about
an hour only, the prospect of success
being good; but in an evil mement, just as
the captain sat down simultaneously, and
again the two vessels were parted, the
Sacramento QIce more at the mercy Of the
storm.
Notwithstanding these discouragemcnts,
Capt. Edmundson expressed his determina-
| ton to stand by the Sacramento as long as
there was vestlge of hope remaining.
There was no abatement whatever of the
storm, and nothing but, almost insuperable
difficulty presented itself, but the captain
of the Hecla took his steamer round and
round the disabled ship several times. The
captain then requested the ships crew to
| send the end of their cable on board the
| steamer At that moment the excitement
| among the passengers on board the Hecla
was intense, but it was an excitement, not
of panic, but OF sympathy for the crews Of
both vessels. Every eye was watching the
laboring vessel as she pitched and rolled SO
| heavily. 1t was terrible to witness the un-
! wieldy movements Of so immense a body
the more especially as they desired to get
near it, and yet dared not make too close
an approach.
1t was under these circumstances that an
| incident occurred at once alarming and lu-
dicrous. The ladies in the cabin were
somewhat alarmed with the most amazing
velocity at which the running sea carried
astonished at the speed with which the
lady of DR.. B. few across young Irish
man and an old Scotchman, who were sit
ting in the saloon at the time, when she
saw the unfortunate ship coming, as it
|
critical moment that the jib-boo of the
ship swept over the stern of the Hecla,
and making severe lurch, came down
with her martingale right over the wheel
house, and with the martingale chain cut
it In two, the men at the wheel having a
very narrow escape with their lives The
force Of this lurch was so great that a hole
was made in the steamers deck and cut
the wheehouse through, at the same time
sweeping in its career the high tripod COM
pass, the flagstaff aft and the stern rail-
At length two hawsers were again got on
board the ship, making her fast to the
Uecld, and she was once more taken in tow,
the steamer making only speed enough to
prevent her drifting more out Of the proper
course, barely, however, holding their way
against the wind and sea. This time the
tow was prolonged for hours, away into the
night Sunday, but as before the hawsers
parted. Then it was deemed impossible to
succeed, and it was agreed between the
two Captains that he of the Hecta should,
upon arriving in port, report the case, so
that steamers might be sent out TO the re-
lief of the Sacramento. The Captain, his