The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-02-08

outlines of human beings, some Of them |
moving about on the ropes and some as |
still as mummies. One figure held long, |
we'll mufhed parcel clasped to the breast as
though it were priceless and breakable |
treasure. The vessel was the schooner David
H. Tolck, from Cuba to New York with a
cargo of sugar. She had struck at o'clock
in the morning within 200 yards of the
beach and about half mile from Life Say
ing Station No. 10.
The people in the rigging were the cap
tain of the schooner. Irving e. Sawyer, his
wife, Ida Sawyer, and the crew of eight men,
Captain Sawyer and his wife were both sick
and were dashed to the rigging to prevent
them from falling into the sea. The figure
with the bundlein its arms was second mate
Emanuel Clausen, and the bundle was the
captains baby girl, Genevra Sawyer, aged
l year and months. The vessel struck, no
matter why nor how, as vessels always
have and always will, in the wrong place
The patrolman of No. 10 saw the danger
and alarmed the corps at the station.
The sailors on shipboard attempted to
| back the schooner from the bar, but found
that her bottom was crushed in, and in
| few minutes the hold showed 10 inches of
| water. There was nothing to do but await
| daylight and rescue, so the sick man and
| woman were carried from their berths to
| the top of the cabin, land the sailors grouped
| around them; the rough old mate turned
nurse, holding the baby as though it were
| all the earth and heaven thrown in. The
decks were swept by angry seas, the life
boat had been smashed like a shell, and
| every one on board was drenched with the
freezing water cast up in jets as the waves
struck the ships sides.
Keeper Martin of Life Station No. 10 hur-
| ried to the scene with a strong surfboat in
it's beach carriage. The wreck could then
be seen in outline from shore, but not
| clearly enough to distinguish her condition.
The surf ran so high that Martin deter
mined not to risk his boat, but to attemp pit
salvage with the life buoy. The first shot
from the Lyle line throwing gun fell short,
but the second carried the line within reach
of the sailors on the boathouse The heavy
seas were now breaking the vessel up around
the decks, and before anything could be
done all hands took to the rigging, the sail
ors with the precious line in their hands.
The captain and his wife were dashed tc
the mizzen rigging and the mate was sta
| toned beside them with his helpless charge
Two active and CHEEKY hearted seamen
Frank June and Richard Gordon, directed
the crew, and after hours Of the most terri
BILE toll the whip line, or the first installment
) of life saving rope, was strung between
the wreck and shore The sailors in the rig
ging, balancing on the rope footholds, hai
but little power, and not more than two
could haul on the line at once. Sometime!
the sea ran so high that the men wer,
Strengthened out horizontally on the waves
and the water between the wreck and shor'
, flowed laterally in strong surface current
which carried the line as fast as it was pait
s out on the beach away to the leeward.
So much rope was paid out in this wa,
that the weight was doubled tenfold TO
D the poor fellows hauling on board ship
Fortunately the crew of Life Saving Station
: No. 10 reached the scene, and the two crew
together dragged the slack of the line vel
to the windward and then let go. Thi
maneuver eased up the labor of the men O.
the wreck, and they soon had the tai
d block of the whip line within a few rods G
, the goal. Alas, just when rescue was i
u sight of the wretched mariners the she
IS line by which they hauled was sundered
q probably by the saving of some heav
" piece of wreckage with which it had b.
>, come entangled in the current, and the try
Vt ing labor of the precious morning hou,
8 was lostl It was then between Q and
l. o'clock. The victims in the rigging we,
u holding out well, and had the life buo
&c Travelled to them on that first cable a
|. might have been saved.
! It was o'clock before another whip lir
was carried across and the tail block mac
Il fast to the vessel. A breeches buoy W:
n ready for transit, and all eyes were rivete
al upon it to watch the first rescue, when
~ calamity which sent q shock through tt