Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1877-12-08

< protection. l had not been there long
when
THE SEA BROKE IN THE CABIN.
and the word was passed to move for
ward to the forecastle. With much
difficulty | did so and was assisted on
the topgallant forecastle by some of the
men who were already there. l secured
position by the pin rail on the star
board side and protected my head some
time by tarpaulin which several of us
held around us, but the seas came
heavier and / was dashed against the
pin rail, bruising my limbs. At last one
sea which dashed me against the rail
with such force rs to take my breath
away decided me to leave the ship and
swim for shore. took off my overcoat
and moved to the chains, but before l
could take off the rest of my clothing /
was washed overheard to some spars ly
ing off the starboard bow. After vain
ly attempting to get on top of the spars
| started for shore, and was carried
astern, and then the current sent me
toward shore. | was assisted out of the
surf by some fishermen. taken to cab
in, and was soon all right, excepting
my legs, which were bruised, and was
not able to walk without much pain. |
reached the shore about a. m, and re-
manned in the cabin till the afternoon,
when Sheriff Brinkley drove me to his
house with the other officers, the men be-
ing taken to the liie-saving stations. We,
We're well taken care of by Mr.. Brinklev,
who gave us clothes and supper, and
then turned us into good feather beds.
After breakfast on Sunday returned to
the station and remained there while
Mr.. Conway and Mr.. Young, with the
rest of the men, went up the beach to
signal to the Powhatan and Swatara."
ASSISTANT ENGINEER X. G. DENIG,
says: 81 was awake at o'clock and
heard the order to stop to take sound
ings, and Immediately she struck bot
tom. Quick as possible / summoned
my associates, and in few moments
the entire engineer force were in the en-
gine-room. The ship was striking bot
tom three or four times minute. The
next signal was to stop and then to back
This was about l 20. The conduct of
the men was admirable. The men were
stationed at the stop-valves. The bilge
injection was put on and two Blick's
pumps were put on the bilge. All the
water she made then came from the seas
down the hatchings which could not be
battened down. The ship was heeled
over about forty degrees to windward.
AT every thump some part of the engine
frame would snap and the starbOard
boilers shift toward the port side.
Every effort was made to keep the fires
going. At about ten minutes to 2
O'Clock it was found necessary to haul
the starboard fires. At 2 O'Clock the en-
gines stopped suddenly with forty
pounds of steam on, and the fires were
hauled at 2:15, the remainder of the
steam blowing through the whistle,
making a signal of distress. All valves
in connection with the sea were closed,
and word passed for all hands to get on
deck. The engineers were all cool and
collected,
NOT THE LEAST CONFUSION
on the part of any one being manifest.
A few moments after this the starboard
boiler shifted clear across the fire-room
/ then went on deck and remained in the
cabin until the order was given for all
hands to go forward. The sea was
breaking over the ship, and it was pitt
lessly cold. 1 climbed up the mizzen
rigging. Mr.. Olson, Chief Engineer,
was also with me in the rigging. We
dashed ourselves in the rigging with the
signal halyards and waited patient
ly for daylight. AT daylight
there WAS a company of about
80 people on the forecastle and every
sea would wash some of them over
board. There were five people in the
main rigging. About 8 O'Clock the
main and miZzen masts heOan IN hreak