The Portland daily press., 1885-01-30

Keeper Hanna of the Cape light whose
watch then began at the fog signal'
promptly put the whistle in operation,
and at s q. M, Mr.. Hanna was relieved
by Assistant Staples. AT that hour one of the
coldest and most violent storms was raging
ever experienced at the station, the mercury
being 4o below zero. Mr.. Hanna on gaining
his dwelling, having been for some time quite
sick of very bad cold, was much exhausted
by exposure to the storm and lay down for a
few hours rest, leaving the light in charge of
his wife
Mrs. Hanna put the light out at 10 minutes
past seven, at which time there was no vessel
to be seen, She looked out upon the sea
several times after coming out Of the tower,
and at about o'clock reported to her husband
that she could see vessel in the breakers near
the whistle. Hastily donning his clothes Mr..
Hanna made his way as quickly as possible to-
ward the scene of the wreck
Reaching the whistle he found that the
man in attendance, owing to the flying spray
and thick vapor, had not seen the wreck. To-
gether they hurried to the spot, when their
Mortified gaze was met by the forms of men in
the rigging apparently frozen stiff The vessels
deck was being swept every moment by the
breakers, and one man, Capt. Lewis of Booth
bay, had already been washed overheard and
drowned.
A gulf of seething foam, 100 feet wide, alive
with wreckage, lay between the wreck and
the shore; and how to span this chasm and
rescue the more dead than alive men in the
nj Oivarr khn n.
with weight attached seemed the only
method that promised shadow of hope.
The door of a small cunning house near by
was promptly forced and the needed lines
procured. Many fruitess and disheartening
efforts were made to cast the line on board.
Every time it fell short and every time the
line was growing heavier and more unwieldy
frem the ice accumulation. The shores were
covered with thick coating of ice making it
extremely perilous to venture near the surf.
At this juncture Mr.. Hanna was left entire
~ alone, his assistant returning to duty at the
fog signal. Determined to exhaust every
means in his power for the mems rescue, he
redoubled his exertions and at last succeeded
in reaching the wreck. One of the men
quickly made the line fast around the waist Of
his more helpless shipmate and Keeper Hanna
was signaled to haul away. The man was SO
badly frozen as to be entire helpless and the
task of dragging him to the shore and up over
the icy rocks to place of safety was almost
superhuman.
This accomplished MT. Hanna turned to the
rescue of the remaining man, and after many
futile efforts, again cast his line across the
wreck. Several of the neighbors now appear
ed upon the scene, and lent needed assistant
in dragging the last man to the shore and aid
ing in carrying them both to the signal house
where they were furnished with food and dry
clothing So severe was the storm, and SO
deep the drifted snow that it was impos sible
to reach the keepers house with the rescued
men until yesterday morning when they
were placed on a hand sled and by the united
labor of four men were drawn to Mr.. Hanna's
house.
Nathaniel Staples. lad Of Is years, son OF
Assistant Staples, who was dispatched to sum-
mon the neiehbors is entitled to much praise
for the fearless manner in which he faced the
merciless storm in the discharge of his errand.
He was quite badly frost bitten about the face.
The wrecked vessel proved to be the Austria
liza of Boothbay, Capt. Lewis, bound from that
port to Boston with a cargo OF mackerel and
dry fish. Encountering the storm off the Cape
Wednesday morning they hove to, but the
vessel iced up so fast and shipped SO much
water that they threw over the deckload OF
mackerel. Hearing and recognizing the Cape
fog horn and believing the vessel would not
survive the storm they took the desperate
chance of running ashore as near the signal as
they could steer.
STATEMENT OF IRVING PIERCE.
Irving Pierce, the man who was fret taken
from the wreck, mads the following state
ment
We left Boothbay at about o'clock Tues
day afternoon and were wrecked on the rocks
off the Two Lights Wednesday evening. Tho
weather when we sailed was very fine with a
light north wind. We were struck by the
storm when we were abreast of Halt Way
Rock. I told the captain that it was not safe
shore and headed East. We lay off for three
hours. The mainsail having burst, we double
reefed the foressil We then hauled down
the iib and wore ship.
Running in we made the fog whistle at the
Two Lights at about three o'clock in the morn
ing, hoisted The mainsail and tried to weather
the light. Finding we couldn't weather the
light, we kept her off and ran her ashore.
As soon as the vssssl struck she began to
pound and the sea broke over her, the waves
dashing half way to the top of the masts. We
all then took to the starboard fore rigging.
The captain was leaning against ratline
when it broke and he felt through on the deck
and was washed to leeward, the lee side being
under water. He got up from there to wind
ward. got his hand and helped him into
the rigging. He said, "There is no help for
us. We've got to 90. We might as well 20
first as last" 1 said, "Dont give up; hang
on" The captain then said, "God pity my
vito and children" These were his last
words. A sea struck him and washed him
overheard. He was carried under the bow
where he caught rope which was hanging
over the side and tried to climb on board. He
let go and started TO swim ashore. He very
nearly reached shore but the undertow took
him and didn't see him again.
Keller kept saying that he must 20. told
him to hang on as long as he could.
When I got into the rigging took off my
overcoat and oilcloths and kicked off my boots.
lost one of my mittens.
looked up on the bank and saw two men
coming. Mr.. Keller was about giving up. L
told him there was help coming. They came
to the edge of the water. 1 waved my hand
and shouted and told them to throw the rope.
They were Marcus A Hanna, principal keeper,
and Hiram Staples, second assistant. They
went away and came back with lines. Hanna
threw the line a dozen times. 1t finally fell
across the schooner and I got hold of it. do
not remember IL Keller helped me to tie it
round my waist I said, "Are you ready2 L
am going to jump" Mr.. Hanna got me to the
shore and became unconscious.
John W. Lewis Of Boothbay, the captain,
was about 3S years of age He leaves wife
and two little girls seven and ten years old.
Irving Pierce is twenty-sight years old and
unmarried His parents live in Boothbay.
Mr.. Pierce was severely frozen. One foot and
hand are in terrible condition and his face 10
quite badly frost bitten. Mr.. Pierce is quite
animated altbouph ha paupA bexva er -