Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-04
THE TUGS CREW RESCUED.


| fsABtFithtt vi Int Men WHO
Were iilown to Sea by the Gale--o One
Scow Still Missing.
VINEYARD HAVEN, MASS, Jan. 81
Captain George Clark and nine men
from the missing steam tug Edwin II.
Webster Of New York for whose safety
so much anxiety has been felt, arrived
in this harbor last Friday night. They
are still quartered on board the
three-masted schooner Everett Web
ster, Captain Bowen of Philadelphia.
The Everett Webster was bound for
Boston from Philadelphia with cargo
OF coal, and rescued the 10 men when
nearly every hope of being saved had
been given up. A violent northerly
| gale has been blowing since she anchored
here, makingit too rough for the rescued
men to make landing, and it was not
until to-day the schooner could be
boarded and full particulars of the
rescue ascertained.
Captain Clark of the Inflated steam
tug, states: 1--WE left New York Tues
day morning about | O'Clock for the
dumping grounds oil Rockaway inlet,
about three miles from Coney Island.
we had dumping scows Nos. 5 and II
IN tow. There was an incre asing north
west wind blowing. At 4.55 the same
morning We reached the grounds and
after the two scows had dumped their
loads we started to return. The wind at
this time had attained the velocity of
gale and the tug was struck by blind
ing snow squalls, causing her to keep
near and under East bank. In conse-
quence she got into shallow water and
while endeavoring to get out into deeper
water, the hawser caught in the pro-
peller. just as day was breaking, steam
tug Nichols, with two scows in tow,
came TO our assistance in response to
our signals, and, as all efforts to get
the hawser clear were unauailing, she
endeavored TO tow the disabled steam
tug and scows to New York, but was
unable TO do so on account of the severe
gale and high sea. The Webster was
then anchored and steam tug Nicholas
proceeded to New York with her own
scows. The Webster with her two
scows dragged oceanward, her anchor
not being sufficient to hold them. Fifty
fathoms of hawser was bent on to the
end of her chain, which checked her
greatly, she then having about 100
fathoms of cable out. After an hour
the hawser holding the scows, which
was entangled in the propeller, cut or
chafed itself clear, and the scows drifted
rapidly out to sea. They each dropped
their anchors, which were apparently
of but little service to them. They
could be seen by the Webster all day
Tuesday drifting to the northeast, but
the next morning nothing could be
seen Of them. The Webster continued
dragging into roughcr water, and
was complete mass Of ice. She labored
so heavy that she sprung bad leak,
and, by constant pumping and all hands
oailidg with buckets, we could just keep
her free of water lie tug rolled so
badly that coal was washed into her
bilges and under her pumps, choking
them up badly. The men were obliged
to stand In the ice cold water, working
for their lives, endeavoring to keep the
pumps clear and in working order. In
this manner they were all more or less
frozen. At midnight on Wednesday the
supply Of coal became exhausted, and
all available woodwork, such as berths,
flooring, Joiner work, &C., was burned,
furnishing fuel TO work the pumps.
About o'clock, while In this
precarious condition, the wind still
heavy, the fuel became exhausted,
the water rose to the CRATE bars
in the hre-room and the crew all nearly
exhausted from exposure and excessive
labor and hunger, having eaten scarcely
anything for 40 hours, vessels light |
was sighted heading straight for the |
Webster. The welcome vessel, which |
proved TO be the schooner Everett |
Webster, was signaled by our lights,
and she Immediately bore down and |
lowered her stern boat, which was |
by her first officer, w. M. |
Leeds, and three men. These men. by |
sklllful management, rescued the 10 |
men from the sinking steamer, one by
one, this Consuming about an hours |
time. When the last man was rescued |
the guards of the tug were level with
the water, and she could not have staid
aaoat much longer"
When landed aboard the schooner all
ii the rescued men had their hands
and feet more or less frozen. Captain
Clark states that too much praise cannot
De accorded to Captain Bowen and the
he officers and crew of the schooner
Everett Webster for their gallant rescue.
The schooner herself was II solid mass
- - 'So NEARLY w her cIoss-lIees, ana was
llmost unmanageable. The captain
tates that he has no knowledge of miss
ng scow No. B, but thinks that she
would not sink, being large and new,
With water-tight compartments running
Yearly the whole length Of her. He
nanifests anxiety regarding the two
men on board, as she was not abundantly
Implied with food and fuel.