Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-08-16


their lives seemed to depend on the daring
act, every man within sight begged him no;
to 20. lie fastened the end Of the linz
about his waist, Of. mbed out on bit Of rail
TINT was above water level and cast bis eyd
ashore to reconnoiter. Then he plunged
boldly IN, only to be instantly caught in
receding wave and dashed baol- against tbs
ship with deadly violence The hsro disap.
pearcd at once, mud scorfs who, like him, at.
tempted 70 breast the Sea, went down. Fot
more than eight hours the Survivors OF tho
VandHlia chung to the rigging with death
awaiting them below. Once the Trenton
was driven pest the wreck ON the whirlina
tide, aud her crew b1rstsinto cheers Mt tho
sight Of those brave seamcn In their heroic
battle for life
II was o'clock when the Trenton bore
around with her dragging anchor and help.
less engines and for the lasi time drew near
to the fatal reefs where the victims OF tho
mad hurricane lay. Tho day had been ono
Of cealeless struggles on her decks. Soon
after her fires went out mammoth set
carried In port on tho gun deck, lcav.
ing u hole { feet high by @ feet wide. Tho
water poured In every time the vessel dipped
the wounded side, Tho gunner in charge,
John Marshall, pushed his way through
the itipourlng flood and with the help OF
shlpmnte fastened capstan bar against
the outer side OF the ship and across tho
opening. In order to fasten barricadc TO
the bar II WINS necessary for some one to 20
outside and fix tnckling straps to It, No
one would volunteer, aud Marshall burst
from the grnsp Of some one who tried 10
hold him back and went out alone. He
succeeded In his work and crawled in again,
followed by sea that would have crushed
him in an instant had 1t come 10 seconds
earlier The barricadc was built and the
ugly hole plugged with mattresses held IA
place by tables, lumber and other heavy oh.
jects, lashed to the capstan cross bar.
At 1850 in the afternoon the terrible Olga,
which had plunged wildly about the haI.
Dor since morning, ramming first one ship
and then another, gave the Trenton last
blow, slipped her cables and was borne
high upon tho sandy beach, The Trenton
was then alone, but all power to help her.
self had gone. Once she was borne ut u
frightful speed within 10 feet Of the reefs,
but setting her storm mizzen In n favorable
breeze her commander saved her from
pounding on the rocks Again and again
she would DO swept almost upon shore,
then carried out TO sea as II by an under.
NNNs ub 1tNN AANN ~ was hlAll
aquestion OF moments when the ship must
strike. All bands were called on deck.
The feet admiral and the captain OF tho
Trenton stood on the bridge. The sailorI
stripped for Inst plunge. Then the band
struck up the "Star Spangled Banner
and falling and heaviug upon the crest Of
huge wave. the American flagship, thu
last and proudcst OF the fleet, rode maies.
tlcGlly over tho pillows like swan, float
lug and singing as its life goes out. On
nearing the wrecked vessels the Trenton
fired rockets with lines at the Vnndalins
rigging and saved many Of her men. Then
huge wayo took the flagship aud hurled
her broadsdc upon the Nandaiia's sunken
hull. She settled alongside the VandAlia.
the two humping and chatting one another
the whole night through Mt the fist col
lision the men on the Vandalin's rigging
Jumped into the sea after ropes thrown to
them from the Trenton's decks. In thif
way many Of those on the miEzen mast
were saved, and when that was accom-
piished the Trenton gave u fearful lurch.
carrying tho miRzen down. Then those re.
manning on the mainmast were picked OF,
and soon that followed the fats OF the IniE
Ken. GEoRoE. l.. KILAiER,