The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-04
THE CYCLONE AT SEA.
MANY LIVES LOST ON THE ATLANTIC.
Whole Crews Swept from the Rigging OF
Ships by Mountainous Waves-TerribIe
Tales Told by Captains of Ves-
sells Arrived in Port
OLD NEPTUNE's RAGE.

HALIFAX, n s., Sept. 4.
The first reliable information of the loss
of life in the recent terrible storm on the
coast OF Nova Scotia came to hand Sunday,
the sad news being Of the drowning Of nine
teen Lunenburg fishermen by the wrecking
OF two vessels. and the probable death also
OF all entire crew of another bark Benia-
min Zimmerman, of Lunenburg, owner of
the schooner Welcome, received intelli-
geEce OF the swamping of his vessel
near East Cape, Prince Edward Island,
during gale, and the loss of ten OF her
men, one member OF the crew surviving.
The Welcome heaving of the cape at the
beginning OF the storm lowered both her
anchors and for several hours rode safely at
sea. Late at night, however, when the gale
became more furious, the vessel began to
strain seriously, and mountainous waves
struck her sides violently, and swept over
the decks, carrying everything movable
before them. Eleven fishermen Oh board
at last were compelled to cling continually
to the rigging for safety, and were un-
able to move hand to attempt to control
the schooner. About three O'Clock in the
morning wave Of great size struck her
with disastrous violence and the next mo-
ment she sank, carrying with her all those
on board. One of the crew. young man
named Spindle, arose to the surface and fort
unately fell in with floating spar of the
sunken Welcome. Seizing this, ten minutes
later he was carried high and dry on
East cape. Spindle states that
after the schooner went down
he saw nothing of his comrades, and all un-
doubtedly were drowned. Five of the crew
were named Himmelman, three of them being
SONS of Benjamin Zimmerman and the other
two being their cousins. The names of the
rest on board are at present unknown, but
all were natives of the county Lunenburg.
The sunken Welcome lies on her beam ends
in twelve fathoms of water. She was YES
sci of f0rty-fiye tons register and built al
La Have IN 1876.
The second disaster happened but short
distance off the port of Halifax, but the sur
yiyOrS were taken from the wrecked vesse
by another and carried to Lunenburg. They
reached the latter place Sunday forenoon
The schooner J. W Russell, of Malone
Bay, Captain Allen Ernst, was on her way
from Bank Quero to Lunenburg with 45(
qllintals of fish on board. The gale can't
on her early Wednesday evening, wheI
about sixty miles to the westward of Sam
bro light, and TO increase her chance o
riding through safely she was brough
to an anchorage. The wind rapidly in
creased in violence, and shortly after dark.
ness set in the storm was accompanied By
| thunder and lightning. About ten o'clocl
| violent gust struck the vessel, and sh
! was hove on her beam ends in the tempest
uouS sea. Waves of fearful size washet
over her continually. Everything on deel
was soon swept away and her matches wer
| stove in, water in great quantity pourin
MO the hold. The fOrcastle in which tn
tcward of the schooner and boy had take
| refuge was broken in and filled with water
| and its two occupants perished. They wer
| unable to succeed in their struggle for life
BY this time the remainder of the crew ha
taken refuge in the rigging, in the hope tina
they would be able to cling there until tn
| storm had spent its fury. One after anothe
seven of these were carried away by the sea
ami after vain and heartrending effort
| to regain the vessel, sank before the
shipmates' eyes. -Four only of the crew
| numbering thirteen, were now left, bu
these, after many terrible struggles to kee
themselves from being washed from tn
rigging, at last found the storm abating an
daylight approaching. During the mornin
the Gloucester fishing schooner Flora De
mer, CAPTAIN Frank Wright, hove in sgf
Of the wrecked vessel and the half-drowne
survivors, and succeeded in getting the me
from their perilOus positions.