The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-19
SAVED IN The NICK OF TINE
Capt. BuTg'S Gallant Rescue Of a Ship
wrecked Crew.

Almost Persisted When the City of
Birmingham Sighted Them-Twenty-
four Hours at the Pump Without
Food and Their Clothing Burned for
Signals.
The steamship City of Birmingham,
arrived yesterday morning from New
York She had on board four
shipwrecked sailors, survivors Of
the schooner, Calumet Club,
which was wrecked of Hatteras in the
storm which swept up the coast last
week, and which sank at sea a short time
after the men were taken of
The survivors are: Capt. George w. Vain
wright, master of the schooner; James
Simmons and Stephen Dorman, seamen,
and William Cabin, the colored cook The
mate, Charles H. Weston, Of Salisbury,
Md, a brother-in-law Of the captain, was
wash ed overheard and drowned. Capt
Wainwright is a native of Salisbury, but
his family lives at Baltimore The other
men are from Baltimore.
The wrecked schooner was Of ffty-eight
tons register, and was owned by p. F.
Prendergast, of Baltimore. She was
loaded with guano. and bound from Bal
timore for Newberne N. c.
CAPT. BURG's GALLANT RESCUE.
Capt Burg, of the City of Birmingham,
sighted the schoOner's signals about II
O'Clock Friday night, and Immediately
brought the ship about, to render assist
ance. He was about thirty miles south
of Hatteras, and the schooner lay in
towards land about mile and a half off.
There was heavy sea running, and
strong gale blowing from the northwest.
AS soon as Capt Burg was near enough
to distinguish the distressed vessel, he
saw that her rudder and sails were gone,
ana Immediately ordered a boat, which
was manned and, in command Of the
fist officer, went to the assistance Of the
crew. With considerable difficulty the
men were taken of. They were COM
pletely exhausted, having been steadily
at the pumps, without food, for twenty
four hours. They were taken on board of
the Birmingham, where they were pro-
vided with clothing and food aud made
comfortable. There was about feet OF
water in the hold of the schooner when
the crew was taken off, and it
had been gaining steadily, although
the men had been constantly at
the pumps She was sinking rapidly
when the steamer left her, and was
probably at the bottom of the sea, in
twenty-three fathoms of water, q few
hours afterwards.
CAPT. wAINwRIGHT's STORY.
Capt. Wainwright tells graphic story
OF his experience in the Inflated schooner.
1--WE sailed from Baltimore" he said,
with cargo of guano for Newberne,
N. c., and put out TO sea from Cape
good run to Hatteras. The
wind was from the northeast
and we tried to get in Hatteras' inlet, but
night came on and we could not make IL.
We were obliged to haul of shore; soon
after, the wind veered around to south
southeast and began blowing gale. We
reefed the mainsail, slowed the topsail
and brailed up the flying 1ib. BY this
time the seas were getting tremendously
high and the wind was blowing
about fifty miles an hour.
The jibs soon went, and Wednesday night
we managed TO work of, under a closely
reefed mainsail and old foresail, to about
fifteen miles off Cape Lookout. Then we
put the vessel on the starboard.
SWEPT INTO THE SEA.
About an hour afterwards, while the
mate was working at the pump, huge
sea struck the vessel, washing him over
board. We never saw him after
he went over the vessels rails The
storm continued to rage with incessant
fury, and the men were compelled to lash
themselves to the rigging to keep from
sharing the fate of the mate. l dashed
myself to the wheel but was thrown
from 1t several times, and was washed
oterboard twice. The line around my
waist, which was attached to the vessel,
enabled me to got safely on board again
During the remainder Of Wednesday
night we held on pretty well, and when
day broke the wind shifted TO southwest
and we made a run towards shore. We
made Ocrecoke inlet and got inside and
anchored
The vessel lay well at her anchorage
until about 10 o'clock Thursday night
when the wind began to blow with the
force of hurricane from the northwest
The terrific strain parted the chains and
the schooner drifted into the breakers on
the tar, and for an hour and a half, we
thought she would break up, she was
hammered with such terrific force upon
the bottom. The wheel was unshipped,
the rudder torn away and we drifted out
TO sea.
KEPT AT THE PUMPS
The hull sprang leak, and the water
poured into her hold steady stream
We kept working continually at the
pumps, but the water increased in her
hold so rapidly that it was impossible to
keep her clear. We attempted to hold to
the beach. by pntting on the reefed main
sail and foresail, but the canvas blew
away like tissue paper. At that time we
SdNO up al hopes OF reaching lana IN the
schooner, so put some provisions in the
small yawl boat, which we had,
and made ready TO leave in
case we could not keep the wreck
aaoat by pumping. ! was determined to
stay by her until the last minute, how
eyer, 80 we kept at work on the pumps.
knew that we were near the track of the
coastwise steamers, so we burned signals
during the night TO attract the attention
of some passing vessel. We burned every
piece of wood aboard of the vessel, and
wheniwe cited the City of Birmingham
we were making signals by burning
our clothing which we tied to the
end of an oar. When assistance
came, we had burned up
all the coats and vests on board, as well
as several pairs Of trousers.
NEARLY EXHAUSTED WHEN HELP CAME.
''We were in a terrible plight when the
boat came to take US OF. aud had hardly
strength to keep on our feet. The steady
work at the pumps for twenty-four hours
without sleep had completely exhausted
every man, and we had not tasted food
during that time. Although we had some
uncooked provisions on board we had no
means, or time 10 prepare it. When we
left the schooner there was four feet of wa
ter in her hole and IL was impossible TO keep
or fsAr eli ha 10