The Portland daily press., 1894-12-28
AN EvENTFUL TRIP.
The Bark Litchfield on Her Beam Ends
With Shifted Cargo.

The Crew Had to Pump and Shovel for
Their Lives-The Bark Was Bound to
This Port With CoaI-A Merry Captain
and Brave Crew Saved the Vessel.
Had it not been for the brave crew of life
savers, led by Captain futile of the Mono
NOV statioL, there is little doubt but that
the bark Henry A. Lilchteld, OF which
Captain Mark Gray of Buoksport is the
principal owner, would be at the bottom OF
the sea, and possibly all her people. The
bark was bound from New York for Pert
land with coal, and in command Of CAPTAIN
Millard G. Dow, Bucksport, who had just
resumed command after nearly year off
duty, caused by fearful fall from the fore
topmast head CT this vessel when in port at
Brunswick. Ga.
The trip was without event until well off
Nantucket shoals Saturday evening, when
the wind suddenly changed to northwest.
kicking up u tremendous sea. the tempera-
lure dropping below zero in short time.
About midnight a squall struck the ship,
throwing her almost on her beam ends.
Several of the lighter sails were blown to
ribbons, and to make matters worse the
over, holding her down so that her star
board shear-roles were under wafer. She
at on oe began to teke water, the sea
pouring in through her top sides and upper
works and for a time it louked as though
the craft was doomed.
But Captain Dow never gives up the ship.
Part of the crew were set to shoyelllng the
cargo back into place. one pump was
manned and by great efforts his bark was
kept af1oat. From midnight Saturday until
$50 D. m. Sunday ths crew pumped ana
shoyslled in the wet and bitter cold. 1or
their lives, not stopping to rest or eat. me
gale and sea slightly abated and the vessel
Was worked along through the slue OF tDe
Pollock Rip, striking bottom once, anu
calne to anchor of the Rip about 45o p. m.
The crew of the Monomoy life saving station
were sigma lied and were on board IN ABOUT
an hour. When Captain futile and his men
came over the SIDE, for the first time IN
eighteen hours the 1itchileld's. crew rested.
while the life savers manned the pumps.
The situation then was critical, with hve
feet of water in the hold and such list
that the life boat could almost come in over
the rail.
For six hours the crew from the station
pumped and shifted cargo, relieved later by
the bark's crew, and at 2 O'clock Monday
morning the pumps sucked and the vessel
was about Ealf righted. Captain Dow con-
clu,ied 10 work the vessel back to Vineyard
Haven, and securing four of the life saving
crew got underway Monday forenoon. The
trip back seems TO have been continual
s.dickeIing'' match with the tug boats that
lowered about the distressed vessel.
The tug Hercules came along and offered
to tow the bark to Boston for $1,000. This
was about like giving the vessel away after
she had been saved. The International
came along next and wanted 500 for the
same Job. Still the skipper hung on, the
bark making good weather considering her
condition. Soon the 7 wharf towboat Storm
King came alongside and offered to tow the
bark to Portland for $500. or to Vineyard
Haven for $780, A good breeze sprang up,
and the bark was making good Roadway
and the tug man said S400. Captain Dow
offered him S250to take him along to Port
land. Tug wouldn't do it. Finally. after
the Litchfield had got in by Handkerch ief
light and half way to Cross Rip, the price
had got down to SIS. The LitchfeId had no
use for tug then and the Storm King
steamed away in disgust, arriving at Vine
yard Haven at p. M, but an hour ahead
of the bark.
The Litchfeld will be towed from Vine
ward Haven to Portland to disc barge. She
will need considerable repairs. She is a
craft of 6i2 tons.