The morning call., 1891-02-23
ON THE LIFE-BOAT.
Captain Charles Henry Washed
Overheard and Lost.
Their Struggles With the Stormy seas-A Boat
Full of Water and With Three Oars
Broken Could Give No Aid.

About hali-past 10 o'clock on Saturday
night word was received that the keeper of
one OF the life-Saving stations situated at
the entrance to the harbor had been lost
from his boat while on an errand of mercy
to save the crew of the ship Elizabeth,
which was reported in distress in the north
channel.
1t was also stated that another trip would
be made by the lfe-saving crew 10 reach
the scene Of the wreck, and that q tug would
take the crew with their apparatus from
Fort Point Wharf at midnight.
A CALL reporter arrived at the top of the
hill above Fort Point shortly after mid
night After rough trip on foot over the
Notifications visit was paid to the look-
out house of the liie-saving service, but no
lockout was ON watch.
WHEN FIRST SEEN.
A visit was next paid tosthe lighthouse at
the fort. Thomas j. Brown, assistant
keeper, was found on watch. Captain
James Rankin, the head keeper, was called,
and he kindly escorted the scribe to the life
saving station, about mile up the beach.
1t seemed deserted, button knocking loudly
at the door Edward Swanson, a surfman,
who had been left in charge. made his ap-
7pearance. He told the following story:
was on the lookout in the houses at
Fort Point this afternoon, and about 4
o'clock saw a large ship passing in under a
tull head of sail. When she got up off Lime
Point the wind failed her and all her sails
were taken aback. A tug-boat was near
her, and thought she refused it.
" She came near going on the rocks.
Then one of SpreckelS' tug got hold of her
and towed her off shore. | next saw the
tugs hawser let so, and the ship drifted out
with the ebb tide and lost sight of her.
NOTIFIED THE KEEPER.
II went to the station to supper about 6
o'clock, and reported to The keeper, Captain
Henry, what L had seen. Shortly after
we got telephone message from Keeper
HOllohan of the Golden Gate station that
there was ship in distress, and to take cut
the boat. A tug, he said, would come
for US.
whole crew got in, all OF us having cork
jackets; aud when we got Off shore piece
we found we could not pull against the
tide, and we hailed one of the red-stack
tugs-l think the Wizard-that was passing,
ana asked for tow, but the captain would
not heed us.
Then the tug Relief came along, and, on
our asking, the captain willingly gave US
tow. When we got about a mile outside the
Heads the weather was very thick, with
heavy rain squalls and terrible sea- The
nearly capsized twice.
WOULD NOT RISK HIS BOAT.
I'VE could not see any ship in distress,
and Henry told the captain of the tug that
he wanted to GO up the north channel. The
captain replied that he would not risk his
boat up there, and he towed us inside of
Point Bonita aud let us go. We then pulled
an hour and half, trying to get by Point
Dlaolo. The sea was not rough, hut there
was strong inshore suction and we could
make no headway, and nearly went on the
rocks.
WASHED OVERHEARD.
Then the tug Alert came along and took
us IN tow. As soon as the tug took. us
she hooked on and at once went ahead at
iull speed. Then we took big sea in on
one side and next on the other, and L thought
we would capsiZe. The boat went right UNI
Der. L was in the stern near Keeper
Henry, who was standing on the grating
steering. When the boat came on top, and
when we wiped the water from our eyes we
saw that the keeper was missing. He had
been washed overheard.
We were speeding through the water
and we could see nothing of him. We
shouted TO the tug and she let our line go.
Ihree OF our cars were broken and our rud-
uer was no use, as the rudder-head was
twisted. We searched some time for
the keeper and then drifted down 10
near Alcatraz Island. Then We set sail and
reached the station at 9:45 o'clock in the
evening, having been away since o'clock. !"
THE KEEPER AND CREW.
Keeper Henry took charge of the station