Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-10-07
Ae,us and sGisttllan,).
A SWIM FOR LIFE.
THIRD Interpe.itio'. OF Providence.

THIRD Interpretation. OF Providence.
From, the springfield Republican. Sept. n.
Among the numerous disasters to the
coast fishing vessels in the, recent great
gale were tho complete wrecks of two
Rockport schooners, with their crews, save
one survivor. CHARLES jordan, of the
schooner Helen Eliza, returned to tell the
tale of his peril and escape; the rost of her
twelve brave sailors were swept ont Of life
az their craft went to pieeessnear Peaks
island Id Portland harbor, leaving desolate
five widows and seven orphans, beeides the
mothers, sisters, or sweethearts who will
mourn the unmarried seamen. The cap
tain became alarmed at the threatening
skies on the morning Of the fatal day, and
ran for Portland.
. The violence of the storm, however,
came upon the vessel too soon; both an
ohors Wees thrown out and lost, the cables
anappine Ike thread; The rudder was pow
erless % feather. and in twenty minutes
| of ungoverned running, the vessell struck
the ledge. Mr.. Jordan was in the fore
castle. stripping off his heavier clothes for
the chance Of life. when the bow was
smashed in. and Ave mon near him we're
instantly killed. He Immediately ran into
the hold, when n tremendous sea knocked
On SuO uocA "uu uo "en ""ops Auto suo
raging waters. -, With GOODNESS hardly
acreditabls, he realized his position, aud
SWAN for the wreck, which he reached,
and clinging to it regained his breath.
Soon after he was fortunate enough to catch
an empty barrel, for which he abandoned
the wreck. The waves ran fearfnlly high,
and AZ he was borne along he passed two of
his shipmates, clinging to plank. He
heard them each speak of their fearful po-
sition, and doubt whether they would be
able to hold on; and heard them inter-
change the promise that if either WAS saved
he would tell the folks at home all about it.
Il required Jordan's utmost efforts to keep
the barrel in position, as the undertow was
very powerful, and 80 more perilous still
was the endeavor to safely lahd upon
rocky ledge amid the terrible surf; the
waves at one time heaving him toward the
ledge, then retreating. would engulf him in
their treachexous grasp, threatening every
moment to bury him beneath the water.
When he finally succeeded, thep came a
toilsome passage up the Jagged ledge, and
he reached the top completely exhausted.
While resting, he heard the voice OF a ship
mate hailing some one. He answered, tell
ing where lie was, and encouraging the 9th
or to try to get upon the ledge, but that
was the last loNEO Oh 01u. Nc BOOu 1OuuO
that tho ledge did not form part Of the
island, but Was covered at high water, and
the tide was already coming in. 50 With
brief respite heagain plunged into the seeth-
ing waters; another terrible conflict with the
surf followed, in ..hich he was unable
10 make any headwaJ, as his strength was
fast failing. Words are inadequate to de-
scribe such 4 situation. Moments seemed
like hours, and the sullen fopf q sthe.w I
ters as they beat upon the rocks was an aw.
full accompaniment to the burden of his
fears. Afer biz desperats enolts had clear
ed him dom o. bleskers,a hid misfortunes
were, not over, for be dropped into fresh
water pond, as he climbed Over ., wcll in
his progress inland, which was q supplies
mentary calamity quite unnecessary to the
moor fellows comfort An especially re-
markable fact Is that this is the third time
that Mr.. Jordan hs been the sole survivor
Of disaster. Out Of . company Of eighty
confined In Libby Il prison during the war,
he was the only one who lived 70 return
home; and out OF . Grew Of thirty armen
wrecked ON Cape God, he WAS the only one
saved. He has certainly fair right to con-
slider himself the subject Of proyidential
interDositiOn,t sa: i99'iT Oh II 's11i}5 if - =