Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-01-31

glneer and fourth engineer took to a
raft. think the steamer struck on
lone rock the captain is positive he
struck outside the buoy and in back
ing drifted inside.
Officers of the cutter Dexter fur
nished the following statement: About
II 80 we sighted a vessel ashore on the
reef near Gaybead, blowing a gale
and a terrible sea running. As we
approached, we saw the vessel was a
steamer and the waves breaking over
her. We anchored on her starboard
quarter, 200 or 800 yards away. The
cutters boat was at once lowered and
manned by five men in charge of
Lieut.. Rhodes, who brought off seven
men. A return trip was made
and one man was brought to
the vessel. Lieut.. Kennedy then
dispatched in gig with four men,
and took off four or five men. Mean
while the life-boat transferred several
men to the cutter and at length the
rigging was cleared of survivors. The
vessel sank IN about four fathoms of
water and the railing on the bow was
the only portion of the hull visible.
" AOUilQ d nltl III iIlt 1OIb uldln-bOD
and rigging, but it was impossible to
row over the rigging as the boats
would have been pounded TO pieces.
The men IN the rigging were forced to
jump into the sea and we caught them
as they rose to the surface and pulled
them into the boats. Some of the
men could not swim but nearly every
one in the rigging was saved.
Eugene McGarry jumped from the
rigging; Lieut. Rhodes jumped for
him but the boat was lifted Is feet on
a crest and it was necessary to star
board to avoid being killed. McGarry
was not seen afterward. At nearly the
same instant McGarry's brother was
pulled into the boat Capt. Wright
was among the last to leave the ship.
Two men were frozen so stiff they
were unable to relinquish their hold
on the rigging. They were the only
persons remaining on the ship except
the captain and Lieut.. Rhodes who
asked him to jump but he shouted:
"sAvE THOSE MEN FIRST,
they are frozen, was the lieutenants
answer. The captain then jumped,
and although he could not swim a
stroke, was rescued by Lieut.. Kenne-
dy. Lieut.. Rhodes performed heroic
act, which elected hearty commenda-
ton. Two men hung in the rigging
unable to move from exhaustion. The
officer determined to save them at the
peril of his own life. Returning to
the cutter he asked Capt. Gabrielson
n I'M 10 ct that ha
might swim to the wreck and rescue
the unfortunate men. The captain
granted the request and Lieut. Rhodes
was placed in the boat, but on nearing
he steamer it was found to be folly
to attempt to go alongside. Lieut..
Rhodes refused to abandon the at
tempt and sang out to the men in the
life boat to take him to the wreck.
Lieut., Rhodes boarded the Lie boat
and tying a rope about him waited
until within about thirty feet of the
vessel, when he sprang into the sea.
tie had nearly reached the wreck
when he was struck by piece of tim
Der on the leg and sank. He was
pulled aboard the boat and later taken
to the cutter. His leg was found to
be cut, but after changing his cloth
ing, as the sea was smooth he determin-
ed to make last attempt. He set out
for the wreck and this time the men
were reached One was hanging by
his feet and arms through the raft
lines with his head downward. Lieut..
Rhodes put bowline about him when
he murmured, ''for Gods sake don't
touch me-. :" The man was Mr.. Rich
ardson who was placed in the boat
but died before reaching the cutter
About $500 was found in a wallet in
his pocket. A second man, the last
person removed from the wreck, was
in the ratlines in the weather rigging
and although breathing when placed
in the boat, also expired before reach
ing the cutter.
Boston, Jan. 1S.--The City of Co
lumbus was one of the finest vessels
on the coast; was built in 1873 by
John Roach & Son, of Chester Pa,
for the Ocean Steamship company of
New York, to run between that port
and Savannah; was purchased by the
Boston q Savannah Steamship
company September, 1882 and
since has been plying be-
tween this city and Savannah,
making fortnightly trips in alterna-
ton with her sister ship Gate City.
The Columbus was built of IRON and
thoroughly equipped, and was rated
A, /, for 100 years, and was / ,997 tons
burden; was 270 feel long
and thirty-nine feet beam. She
had passenger accommodations for
eighty-four frst-class and forty-fve
second-class passengers. 1t is said
that the steamship was insured at
lower rate than any vessel on the
coast She was valued at $500, 600
and insured for $3.50, 000-S170, 900 in
England and $50, 600 in America
THE LATEST.
New BEDFORD, Jan. 1S.-The City
of Columbus had SO first class and %
Storage passengers, and a crew of 45.
OF these, So first class and Is steerage