The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-04
LOST ALL THEY HAD.
Shlpwrecked Crew OF a Gloucester
Boat Picked Up at Sea.
Encountered Two Hurricanes-Twenty
Men Narrowly Escaped watery
Crave-Sad Tales From the Sea.


NEW YORK. April 4. - The British
steamer Mohawk arrived here yesterday.
On the morning of March 2s, and when
In Lat 4614, long. SS.2s signals were oo-
served from vessel in distress. Ihere
was a strong wind. aud heavy sea was
running at the time. BY Captain VIII
shire's orders, the steamships course was
Immediately altered, and bearing down
toward the vessel, he stood by her untl
daylight set in. She proved 20 be the
dismssted schooner Alton S. Marshall OF
Gloucester, Mass.
A lifeboat was at once manned by the
chief officer and crew and proceeded to the
wreck, when, with the assistance Of the
schooners boat, they succeeded in saving
the whole OF her crew Of 20 men.
Captain j. Marshall Of that port was in
command OF the schooner which, while
on a voyage to Gloucester 10 Iceland, and
when among the ice, had encountered
heavy gale; a tremendous sea striking her
and throwing her on her beam ends.
thereby causing her cargo, consisting
principally of salt. TO shift 90 one side.
The schooner, being an obstruction to
navigation, with Captain Marshalps con-
sent, was then set on fire.
Captain Marshairs Story.
Captain Marshall said when he got up
to the city: I'VE left Gloucester for Ice
land early on the morning of March 10
We were aoing TO Iceland for n cargo Of
halibut, and carried salt enough TO cure
the FISH. This was our only freight.
"On :he morning OF the GOTH we saw
quantity of ice It was so small. how
ever. that did not worry about il. About
III O'Clock At night the wind. which was
blowing from the northeast, freshened
considerably. AT midnight n fierce gale
was blowing. For two days the hurrl-
cane continued 10 rage with unabated
vjgor. have had over 80 years. expert
ence at sea, and never before saw such
hurricane.
''It blew the top Oft the sen, and was
really too strong for the sea TO get rough.
AS the wind died away the sea began 10
rise We were trying 10 lie too under
bare poles, but were powerless to help
ourselves. We were compelled TO drift
with the storm. On the third day it
calmed sufficiently to enable us to put up
rome canvas. / at once changed the
coarse for a more southerly one.
''On the 26th we ran into another hurri-
cane. This was a westerly gale. i was
in my bunk down below when sea broke
broadside ON the port side OF the ship,
that put her on her beam ends. She lay
with
Her Mastheads In thu Water
for nearly 10 minutes. The vessel veg
filing with water. There was seven feet
of water in my room. l thought that my
time had come and was beginning TO lose
consciousness when she began to right.
The water which had poured in through
the door and skylight then began to sub
side.
II rushed upon the deck. The men
were just in the act of pulling Herman
Olsen and james Barry out OF the rig
gng. These men had been washed over
board, but chung 10 the rigging of the
vessel when she lay over on her side. The
cargo had shifted and the schooner had
terrible port list on her.
"The rigging interfered with her. and
ordered IL cut away. She rightea con-
siderably. bat still had a dangerous list
10 port. The hurricane passed over, and
i caused portion OF the cargo 20 be
thrown overheard aud manned the
pumps. We succeeded in pumping her
dry.
I'VE rugged up a signal mast and kept
signals OF distress dying all day, and
burned lights all night. We were totally
disabled and lay at the mercy OF the
waters from March 26 until early on the
morning OF March 28 when the Mohawk
sighted us and rescued Us.
II have lost everything that had, and
the same applies to my men. The schooner
was worth $4,000. She WAS partially in
sured. had the savings of lifetime in
vested In her."