The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-28
IN THE BITTER BLAST.
The Melissa Trask Wrecked
at Sandy Hook.
CREW NEARLY FROZEN STIFF.
Rescued just in Time by the Line of
the Life-Saving Force.
A Steamer Obliged to Abandon Her Tow
at sca-CIear Cold weather in the
North Atlantic Region-Tremendous
Snowfall in West Virginia.

NEW YORK, Dec. 27.-ISpeciai. yellow
pine lumber strews the beach at Sandy
Hook II is part of the cargo of the
American schooner Melissa Trask, which
stranded last night. 1t was during the
great northern storm which was lashing
the coast from Cape Cod to Hatteras, and
the schooner. bound from jacksonville,
Fla, TO this port, was trying to make the
harbor. He'd it not been for the heroic
conduct of Captain John H. Patterson, of
the Sandy Hook hfe-saving station and
his hardy crew. every man on board the
schooner would have perished. 1t was
one of the most difficult rescues the life
savers say they have undertaken in years.
The storm of ice and snow struck the
Melissa Trask yesterday, but she contin-
ned to beat her way northward, and Just
before midnight she was off Sandy Hook.
The snow was still coming down in blind
ing gusts and the wind, which had lulled
somewhat in the early evening, began to
blow with hurricane force. Captain Hat
wood had one of the anchors
sent down, but it did not hold.
The schooner was going ashore,
there was no help for it, and the waves
were rapidly pounding her deckload to
pASSSS. hS SdlAs utiu kASeAiS NG1C nOLcii
stiff. and the masts were covered with ice
far above the gaffs The mizzen mast
showed signs of falling. Slowly the
schooner drifted toward the beach, and the
benumbed crew, seeing the inevitable re-
suit, shouted with all the strength of their
lungs. and signals of distress were burned.
The cries of the men were heard even
above the roaring of the storm by some of
Captain Patterson's patrolmen, and in less
than three minutes two large mortars were
dragged over the snow to the beach and
placed in position, while a couple of life
boats were made ready for launching.
But it was too rough to launch the boats.
The waves were dashing far up ON the
beach, and the atmosphere was freezing
4 life line was shot from one of the NOR
tras, but it caught on the mizzen spring
stay. The Trask's crew did not dare TO
ascend the nizzen-mast, as it threatened
to tall at any moment. Another shot
sent line through the ratlines of the main
rigging, however, and this was secured
Here new difficulty was presented. The
schooner's crew did not understand work
ing the life-saying apparatus and instead
of hauling in on the line to secure
stronger cable, which was to carry out the
breeches buoy, the men simply made the
line fast.
Enormous seas were sweeping over the
little schooner and she was rolling fear
fully. with her decks and rigging solidIy
coated with ice, which was constantly
growing thicker The life-savers were at
their Wits end. After shouting them
selves hoarse, and burning several signals,
the life-sayers decided to try to
launch one of the surf boats, as it was
plain that the schooner's crew would sue
cumb ere many minutes. Just as this was
being done Trask's crew, to Captain Pat
terson's JOY, began hauling on the
line. Within a few minutes the cable
was in position and the breeches buoy
brought ashore the first man. His clothing
was frozen stiff on him, and the life-savers
almost had to carry him 10 the station.
Others were rescued in the same terrible
condition, and had the men been left on
the schooner many minutes longer they
would have frozen TO death.
LAUREL, Del, Dec. 27.-The schooner
Mary Ellen left ten days ago for Baltimore
with cargo of lumber. Today she was
found floating bottom up and the crew,
consisting of Captain Wheatly, his son and
three others, have undoubtedly perished.