New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-18
THEY MADE A BRAVE FIGHT.
HOW CAPTAIN CREEDEN AND HIS CREW
SAVED THEIR SHIP.
A SPARE PROPELLER BEFAKs LOOSE IN THE
HOLD AND PUNCHES HOLES II THE
SIDES or THE sTEAMER-PLUCKY

wOEK ~ A STORM.
The tramp steamship El>ic commanded By Cap
tain Crecden cam" in Yesterday from St Vim
cont. in the Cape lc Verde Islands. with story
of the sea such IS las few parallels in authentic
maritime history. TIE Fl,in c.mn here H. ballast
10 20 under charter 20 the United States and
brazil Lin" and carrt freight to Montcvdco
Sic is a vessel Of over 'ooo :os, icgi>ter and is
rs gallant tramp as lails fro.l all the world -
Her captain j.. Of course. Ereii~h and patriotic
but he has such kindly feeling for the Greater
Brtan that hr has nine American spread eagles
i'll gildcd wood abou; his cauin. The Elsie always
carries spare propeller and saaIe tail Shaft y
with her aS Sic Ioams the world Of waters. and
shcsc heavy pieces of iron are kept sccurcY lashed
l,'Wccn decks az
She had a hard trip Of il across the oceln As
size approached tine American coast she en-
cOuntcrrd tremendous and terrific gales
She was iced mp from stem 10 stern. Inc steamer
was tossed about until she lerled to an angl"
of G3 degrees ~ > o'clock on the morning OF
january Il there came great cras! in the hold
The second officer and the captain were on the
bridge at the time. and most u the crew were
turned in. trying - slocr. In less time than 1t
takes To tell il the captain and all the deck crew
were in the hold. where by the CLEAN OF their
lanterns they spw Tire pare propeller cavorting
from one sid" Of the ship to the other. rushing
down the inclined docks VIII terrific force ana
hatt"rirg at the s'd,'
The ship cave great weather roll and a
blade Of the propeller went through tn" side ana
stuck there holding the mass of iron. With
the lee lurch three of the blades Of the pro-
pcller bfok" oiI AMI began httrrng. iir>t at
orc side and ,aen at the other. The crew dashed
among the charging pieces OF iron and tried to
get line, about them, but Captain Creedcn saw
q create danger. The tail shaft was fetching
locsc-in fact. wnS nearly loose and II that
got away II would batter the ship 10 pieces
Ih" tail ,haft weigh. lou: tons. but the Cap
tain, iumpi z down to where il was swaying
and breaking its lashings. got a prc" OF wood
under ono cnd and raise IN" end mp so tlat
a lnshing could b" PAT over il. Every man IN
that dismal aiorn.-tosscd lold know he was work
ing for m- life and worked with Will
There was no excitement The time was too
serious for that In" captain told tnem 10 leu
the propeller blades 90 and help secure tue eha''
No commander ha hiS orders oicycd morr mi k v.
I'm fifteen minutes the tail shalt wls Sccnr'd ana
ihc greatest danger was over Then bean the
struggle with the pieces Of tl" broken propeller.
Tho part caught IN III" side Of the ship had
fetched away and had lorcl tine mad charges of
,ho oflcr nortiors Il took three hours Of as hard
work and ~ dangerous ~ ever man did To get
hastings on all tie pi'ccs of non and fast'n
,rcin -o.rr"lv wl,r" th"v could do II"
l.in S,lon-th, %. tn and daring, finally
uc-rcdcd Vic,,r lla-,, d. ..oi2'i "f th" can
:o, loose at s.a on board man-oi-wtr has not
tie pictGrSqucncs~ OF that battl" IN the dlhIV
lislieI holI. II tine s;alwsrt sailors wfli ~"
mas,c, Of driving iron, amid th' tlUnurr oi 'H'
.,,,cs th. ho,y;iue of the tempest AMI the ArcilI
coli .,,,,i, aud
When the battle was ot"r d7i g." c'pthln ana
lis sailors had won two eich noe, W"I IL
,l. .f..t-.o~ ono ON oItt'r .uiii'i- lio u'9
,hc icv waves rushed at every roll or th" N'Ss''I
C.pt,in Cr,slcn stuffed ais and All sorts oi
,.r and A. fast - the material WAS washed
ont u,rl s,nfrI in nlorc. The hr>t Hay th' Elsie
rot into Dciaw.rc i'rrn',wa'rr Ian She CAM
rp herr ard = anchored oi lf"'i'W i'I"Lu, !,
20 the steamer.