Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-15
STRUGGLING FOR LIFE.
A SHiPWRECkED CREWS VAIN EFF.
FORTS TO REACH LAND.

a SHiPWRECkED CREWS VAIN EF-
FORTS TO REACH LAND.
Three Men Drowned on the Rocky Rhode
Island Shore Within Ten Feet of Terra
Rirma "A Vivid Description Of an
Awful Storm.
William H. Burns, an eye witness of
the wrecking of the three masted schoo-
ner A. H. Hurlburt, of Gloucester, tells
a thrilling story of the battle of the YES
sells crew for life. She was trying to
make Newport for harbor, but, being
unable to accomplish this, dropped an
chor at noon about quarter of mile
off shore. She dragged her anchors and
struck Black Point about o'clock, and
in twenty minutes was kindhng wood.
The crew consisted of six men. Three
were drowned, including 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. It
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
three miles south of the Casino. It is a
mass of rock which juts boldly from the
shore, but descends into sharp pointed
reef with jagged protruding edges at its
farther point. 1t is not one solid body,
for the action of the waves has worn
wide and deep crevices in it, where the
water forms in pools. On the north side
it forms sort of cove, where the sea in
q gale has full sweep.
! have charge Of the cottage of S. S.
Rogers, of Buffalo, where l live with
my family. and which is about quarter
of mile from Black Point on the bluff.
| was informed about twenty minutes to
4 by Sam Kissouth, 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.
WRECKED BY WAVES.
l was quickly on the shore. The YES
sci was scarcely 100 feet away, and was
right on top of the sharp rocks, which
were exposed by each receding wave.
The men were plainly visible, huddled
together, hanging ON to the house at the
stern of the schooner. At five minutes
to 4, fifteen minutes after she struck,
the mizzenmast toppled over with a
crash that was heard above the other
noises, and the mainmast and the fore
mast quickly followed. As the fore
mast 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 18 years
old, was the last to jump. He never
reached the shore. The mate, John
Rooney, as quickly as he could, threw
off his boots and overcoat. His fore
thought saved his life. The captain, the
mate and the steward, Frank Ham
mond, kept together. While Bernard
Webers and another seaman named
.Kuna tried to work their way over to-
ward the south end of the reef, the
others went straight ahead and more
toward the north side, where the sea had
full sweep.
had run down to the shore while
Kissouth had gone after another man
named Rcwley. When they got to the
scene the vessel was in pieces and the
men struggling for their lives. I sta
toned myself toward the south side, and
beckoned and gesticulated 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
force, every wave completely submerg-
ing them. The holes and crevices were
filed with water, and through these the
men waded or SWAN, clinging to the
rockweed or the slippery rocks as each
wave struck them.
WASHED AWAY.
Young Lawrence had scarcely covered
twenty-five feet of the distance when a
wave struck him and he disappeared.
He was the last to leave the vessel and
the first to drown. Kissouth and Row.
ley had now arrived, and Webers and
Lund, who had crawled and swan in,
were hauled ashore, while ran over to
the other side, toward which the cap
tain, mate and steward were struggling.
The mate had caughtshold Of cake of
ice and was endeavoring to keep afoat
on it, but soon let go.
It was only five minutes since they
had left the ship, but it seemed an age
to the men on shore who were watching
the brave struggles of the unfortunate
sailors. Inch by inch they fought their
way along the treacherous, 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 I would rush down the
slippery rock on which I stood in the
vain hope that they would get near
enough for me to seize them. The min
utes seemed like hours, but still the men
held on.
Now they are within ten feet, but an
other wave breaks over them. r had
had ten foot rope I would have saved
them all. The suspense was awful as