The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-28
CAPT. O'BRIEN SAVED.
Taken From the Whsleback
When Food Was ALI Gone.
SEVERE SUFFERING FRon COLD
Standing Two Days In Icy Wxfer-The
Wetmors still Intact, Though
There II Small Hope for tssr.

MAHsHFrELD, Or, Sept. 27.-5fter ten
days suffering from cold and huager and
the probability Of finding wat@sy grave,
Capt. O'Brien and his watchmans William
Holmes, were rescued from the. wrecked
whaleback steamer Wetmore tEjs after
noon by Capt. Bergman and the"Umpqua
life-saving crew. A week after che crew
had been taken off the wreck Capt O'Brien
and his Waterman went aboard t5ae vessel
during a calm. to prevent parDes from
boarding her and claiming saEgage.
storm came on, and for the last gen days
all efforts OF the iife-saving crew 20 rescue
the shipwrecked men were futile and it
seemed certain that they must peS.sh.
The sea was not running so high today
as yesterday, yet it was q hard struggle for
the rescuers to reach the vessel. After
several hours work they put ling aboard,
which Capt O'Brien and Hole,es tied
about their waists. and then, jumping
into the sea, the life crew pulled them
safely to shore. The men were almost
worn out from exposure. When 1hey saw
the lifeboat upset last Friday they began
to feel that their chance of escape was ale
most gone, but the captain had Ahe life
raft ready to launch, and as a Last resort
he intended to risk his life on the5raft.
For the last five days the men slave ex-
listed upon one scant meal day, and this
morning they divided the last biscuit.
which had been set aside for todas's meal.
Their sufferings from cold was terrible,
and for two days they stood in WAGER up to
their waists, with spray dashing oyer their
entire bodies. The whars at EN- sire City
was crowded today when the men came
ashore, and the greatest interest 81 caring
for their wants was taken by the citizens
of that place.
The weather side of the Wetmors's main
cabin is stove in and the vessel.will UNI
doubleday prove total loss. st is un-
likely that any one else will 60 aboard her
to prevent a salvage claim.
O'Brien says it would have been death
to have jumped into the sea that sEas rag
ing yesterday. He had a kite made and
was waiting for favorable wind
to send it over the government
works and by this means to get
communication with friends on shore. He
had letter of instructions to be attached
to the kite. Capt. O'Brien & salts
fed from his past weeks expersence on
the Wetmore that no other type ea vessel
would stand such seas as the Wethaore has
experienced during that time. Che only
injury is to the cabin. The vessel is no
worse than when operations for Tying to
float her were suspended.
Following is Capt. Pope's report to the
underwriters:
We started about a. m. on Saturday from the
| life saving station. When Of Coos head Capt.
Loche kept his boat OF and on until the
tide turned 70 flood. Ho then gradually
worked the boat over toward the wreck. The
sea was running in terrific manner: and was
very cross and uncertain. The wreck 5ies upon
| the worst part of the north Spit ana had an
| anchor out toward the south. 1t reqeired the
| utmost caution to keep clear OF coal in ap
| preaching the vessel. When we were within 80
| feet OF the vessel could see Capt. O'Brien
| getting ready He had a life belt on, 5and was
| handling some line, ready to make lslp when
| the time would come Alasl the time did not
| come. for three huge rollers came beasing upon
| the boat. They were close together. The
| first of these the boat crested, but
she went clean through the second and it
| filed the boat Suddenly the stem of the boat
| dropped and the third roller caught her beyond
her balance and capsized her To my horror
| found the boat did not right herself she lay in
| this condition for fully two minutes. I had
| swallowed two big gulps OF water, when made
| dive from under the gunwales ofsthe boat
| and held to the lifeline. After wtile the men
| who were hanging to the boat on the osher side
endeavored 10 rlghs her, IN whleh
| they succeeded, but 1t gave me snotsier turn
| under the water. We finally all ks,cceeded
| in scrambling into the boat, the mo&s demon
| allied set OF men imaginable. Mos. OF the oars
! were broken into matchwood, and we ssnly had
| four left, with which we succeeded IN work
| ing our way out to the main channel.
| Fortunately Msgee, with the tug HuHfer, had
| kindly come out to stand by, and he took Us
| in tow. All the men were moro or less
hurt, particularly Capt Loche, End the
| highest praise IL due the ent;re crew
| for their cool behavior. The wretcEed boat,
| however should be condemned forthSsith. 1t
| is entirely unseaworthy. boat thas will not
1 recover herself in ten secords is
| unworthy the name of lfeboat. Besides
| it discoursges the men in the life-sseIng sta
! tons. But for the above accident Capt. o Brien
and his unfortunate companion wo,od have
| been rescued on Saturday.