The Portland daily press., 1894-11-14
PUMPING FOR LIFE.
Suffering Of the Grew Of the Kate
+. Rich.
RESCUED IN THE NICK OF TINE
BV A PILOT BOAT.

SIX Days and Nights of Constant Pumping
The Rescue from the Sinking Vessel
Was on Board the Vessel
New York, November 13,-This is a
story of men who 90 down to the sea in
shlps who saved the lives of six of their
fellows and of woman. The rescuers
were the crew Of New York pilot boat,
VINO went to a wrecked schooner. 1S
miles off Fire Island on Saturday after
noon last.
The two-masted schooner Kate E. Rich
owned in Philadelphia, and commanded
by Captain James G.James, sailed from
her home port October 81, bound for a
Powtucket, RI, coal laden Her crew
consisted OF the captain, mate, and four
men before the mast. The mates wife
was also on board The crafts tonnage
was 2S6, her length 113 feet, and her
draught feet. She was an old vessel,
having been built at Absecom. Nj.
IN 1868, and after almost 80 years of
service was well qualified to cease fur-
ther voyaging.
She had only been out of port couple
OF days when she ran into a heavy gale,
ana was driven first toward one point
OF the compass and then toward anothera
her sails having been rendered useless
IN a short time, and her helm so dam
aged that she steered with the greatest
difficulty.
The storm showed no signs of abatipg.
and to add to the danger of the situa-
tlon the seams of the vessel began to op-
en-. The pumps were Immediately rugged
ana Ghe crew went to work to keep the
craft af1oat. Several vessels were sight
ed, but none succee led in observing the
American flag, which the Rich had
holsted upside down as signal OF dis
tress.
DAYS AND NIGHTS OF PERIL.
Days and nights passed, but no succor
came, and those on board were almost
despairing. Last Saturday dawned, and
it was evident that they could not hold
out much longer Six days and nights of
almost constant work at the pumps ha d
so exhausted the crew that further exer-
tion was impossible. Hunger and ex-
posure to the elements had reduc eed
them all to nearly the last extremity.
The mems hands and feet kwere swollen
to an abnormal size, and they could
hardly stand. The mates wife also
suffered frightfully.
ne Rich had reached point about is
miles south by east from Fire Island
light at 2 O'Clock in the afternoon, when
IN the distance craft was seen whose
rig denoted that she was q pilot boat.
1t was soon evidenb that those ON
board had made out the schooner's sig
nal OF distress and were bearing down on
her. Joy filed the hearts of those on the
Rich.
The other vessel drew quickly closer.
and it was seen that she was the E. f.,
Williams, of New York, which was out
making cruise with Captain William
Yonkers, Pilot Lawn Van Albert and
crew of six men,
It.did not. take the crew of the Will
liams long TO "bear a hand" and de-
broughtshis craft about under the lee of
the sinking schooner. but at a conven.
iently safe distance, and stood slowly off
and on, while Pilot Van Albert, with
four men, cleared away a boat and
pulled off to the schooner The Rich
had SAILED with only one boat. and
that had been carried away two days be-
fore. -%e
SAFE AT LAST.
There was little time lost in taking
the crew off the sinking craft. Three
trips were necessary before all hands
were transferred to the ,Wiiliams. The
mates wife was of course the first to be
taken, while the schooner's crew, with
Captain James, who was last to leave
her deck. followed. Part of. the crews
personal effects and the ships papers
and chron nOmeter were also saved
The work of rescue was most difficult
and dangerous. With six feet of water in
her hold, the schooner's deck was almost
awash, while the way in which she
rolled on several occasions threatened to
swamp the pilot boats yawl. Pilot Van
Albert several times..was obliged..to jump
from the schooner's deck into the boat
and assist in bailing her out after she
had been half filed with water by
heavy sea.
At last all hands were safely on the
Williams, wrapped in blankets and given
nourishing food and restoratives. The
pilot boat stood by the schooner for
three hours, waiting for her to sink, but
two large, empty Efresh water tanks in
her holdsserved to keep her aaoat. At
the expiration of the time named how
ever, il was seen that the Rich was about
TO go under, and few minutes later she
plunged into the ocean's depths, bow
first
HOMEWARD 30 uND.
Then the Williams, abandoning her
cruise for the purpose of bringing the
shipwrecked crew TO port, headed Efor
New Y ork. but strong head winds made
it slow work beating up from sea, and
it was not until o'clock Sunday after
noon that she dropped anchor off Tom p
kinsville.
Pilot Van Albert and Captain Yonkers
made up purse of se5 for those whose
lives they had saved. and thenput them
safely ashore Captain James returned
to PHILADELPHIA while the mata and hia