The morning call., 1891-01-12
A BATTLE FOR LIFE.
Three Men Drowned ON the Rocky
Rhode Island Shore.

William Ii. Burns, an eyewitness Of the
wrecking of the thTee-masted schooner A.
II. Hurlburt of Gloucester in the storm Of
December Goth, tells in the Providence
Journal a thrilling story of the battle of the
vessels crew for life. She was trying to
make Newport for harbor, but, being un-
able TO accomplish this, dropped anchor at
noon about quarter of mile off shore.
She dragged her anchors and struck Black
Point about O'Clock, and in twenty min
utes was kindling wood. The crew Con-
sisted of six men. Three were drowned, in-
cluding the captain, and three were saved
Every man of them was on the rocks at one
time, and the captain and steward were
swept away when but five feet from shore.
1t was an awful struggle for life between
these six men and the merciless waters.
Burns tells the story thus: BLACK Point,
where the vessel struck, is about three
miles south of the Casino. 1t is a mass of
rock which juts out boldly from the shore,
but descends into sharp-pOinted reef with
Jagged protruding edges at its further point.
1t is not one solid body, for the action of the
waves has worn wide and deep crevices in
1t. where the water forms in pools. On the
north side it forms a sort OF cove, where the
sea In a gale has full sweep. l have charge
OF ,. ). Rogers of Buffalo, where live with
my family, and which is about quarter of
a mile from Black Point on the bluff was
informed about 40 o'clock by Sam Kis-
south, who lives near by, that schooner
was going on the point. He Immediately
rushed out and was on the bluff about fifty
yards from the rocks when the schooner
drifting broadSide on, struck. The wind
was blowing sixty miles an hour and the
sleet and hail cut into the face like needles.
81 was quickly ON the shore. The vessel
was scarcely 100 feet away. and was right
on top of the sharp rocks, which were ex-
posed by each recedlng wave The men
were plainly visible, huddled together, hang
at 10 farm Of
schooner. AT five minutes to 4, fifteen miu-
utes after she struck, the mizenmast
toppled over with crash that was heard
above the other noises, and the mainmaSt
and the foremast quickly followed. As the
foremaSt went over the side, the vessel split
in the middle, and the cakes of ice with
which she was loaded came pouring out As
the vessel parted the men jumped for the
rocks. They all landed. Young Lawrence,
mere boy, only Is years old, was the last
to jump. He never reached the shore. This
mate, John Rooney, as quickly as he could,
threw off his boots and oyercOat. His fore
thought saved his life. The CAPTAIN. the
mate and the steward. Frank Hammond,
kept together. While Bernard Webers aud
another seaman named kuna tried to work
their way over toward the south end of the
reef, the others went straight ahead and
more toward the north side, where the sea
had full sweep.
II had run down to the shore while KIs-
south had gone after another man named
Rowley. When they got to the scene the
vessel was in pieces and the men struggling
for their lives. / stationed myself toward
the south side and beckoned and geSti-
culated for the men to come that way. L
yelled also, but | could hardly hear my own
voice. The group of three and the young
sailor, however, kept right on. The sea
was daShing over The rocks with terrific
furce, every wave completely submerging
them. The holes and creyiceS were filled
with water and through these the men
waded or swan, clinging TO the rUckweed or
the slippery rocks as each wave struck
them.
~ Dung Lawrence had scarcely covered
twenty-five feet of the distance when
wave struck him and he disappeared. He
was the last to leave the vessel and the first
to drown. kSsouth and ROwley had now
arrived, and WeberS and Lnnd. who had
eraWled and swan in. were hauled ashore,
while | ran over to the other SIDE, toward
which the captain, mate and steward were
struggling. The mate had caught hold of a
cake of ice and was endeavoring to keep
afloat of it, but soon let go. 1t was only five
minutes since they left the ship, but
it seemed an age to the men on shore who
who were watching the brave struggles Of
the unfortunate sailors. Inch by inch they
fought their way along the treaeherOus,
slippery rocks holding ON for their lives in
the crevices and by the weeds when the big
breakers dashed over them. As the waves
receded | would rush down the slippery
l.
they would get near enough for me to seize
them. The minutes seemed like hours. but
still the men held on.
"NUw they are within ten feet but an
other wave breaks over them. Ii had
ten-foot rope l would have saved them all.
The suspense was awful as the men, with
their drawn faces and shut teeth. held on
and looked toward the refuge so near them.
Now the wave goes back. A strong effort
and they are safe. They press forward; are
almost there, only five feet more, when a
monster roller, bigger than the others,
strikes them. 1t tears their weak grasp
from the rocks and buries them out of sight,
All but Rooney. He, dyested of his coat
and boots. has a better chance than the
others, and, as the waves 60 back, he lies
struggling almost at my feet. II is but the
work of a moment TO seize him and drag
him safely on the rock.
The others were washed up on the shin
gle amid the driftwoUd of the vessel the
next day. The stewards body was entirely
stripped Of clothing, his skull smashed in
and his scalp torn off. The survivors were
taken to my house after they had been re-
fused admttance at nearer residence.
The men were supported to the house about
quarter of mile away, the mate walking
barefooted through the snow. There they
were kept and kindly treated until taken IN
eharre by Captnin Church"