The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1895-04-04


up and directing them to the rope which
Brady and others had established across
the space between rock and shore When
the rock became SO crowded that it
would hold no more, he went on shore
| and performed the same service there
for three hours. Many of tho passen-
gers were benumbed with cold or help.
less from fright.
Brady was the first man to reach
land. When he saw that the line from
the wreck to the rock was working we'll,
knowing tina all could not find refuge
on tho rock, le stretched a rope to the
island. 100 yards distant meanwhile
sending men to the ship for more lines.
Fous lines were brought into use be-.
tWeeA the wreck and the rocks Reach.
ing tho island, Brady made his line
FAST and ran toward the hut Of fisher
man named Clancy. Clancy and his
daughter proved the ministering angels
for the suffering people who got ashore,
and through Clancy Brady sent cou-
rier On horseback to arouse other inhab-
itants OIL the island and get word to tho
nearest ports for boats to come to the
rescue. Then ho returned to the rock,
where the situation WAS pitiful
I! Captain Williams had remained in
his cabin, expecting to be called at 8
O'clock, when ho would put the ships
head to the southwark and await day
light. As has been stated, the call was
not made because the log showed that
tho Ct |, 4 ,Nt I,l
He knew nothing of the situation until
tho vessel struck on Meaghers rock
aurryng on deck, ho found that tho
sea had carried away the port boats,
and set his officers to firing signals for
help and getting out the sturboeI;l boats
They were all lost when tho ship heeled
Finding biz; boats useless, Captain Will
liams set to work to get the people from
Lelow into the rigging, tho only safe
place Oil the wreck. Tho hull Of the
steamer lay completely under water
and only thu bow and raasts were out.
Hundreds OF the people had been drown
Cd in their berths, but hundreds more,
perhaps half of those on board, had
rushed Oh deck at the first alarm. Many
Of these went overheard in the heavy
seas following the ships settling Cap
tain Williams first ordered the boats
cleared to save tho passengers but tho
latter crowded in before the boats could
be plugged and manned Seeing the
confusion, he ordered the passeng gers
into tho rigging and began to help the
women to climb up. He ordered the
ropes and halyards unreeycd to cast
ashore and stood by to see that it was
done; also, when the first line had been
stretched, 10 send passengers off first
When finally boats sent out from the
island by Clancy and his neighboring
fisherman made for tho rock, the can
tain shouted to them to save the people
in tho rigging, whore there was the
greatest danger, and offered e5OO for
every boatload of people carried from
the wreck to the island. Seeing that tho
sailors and some Of the strongest pas
sengcrs We're franticaly eager to get
into tho boats when they approached
and were likely to swamp them by a
rush, he ordered the fishermen to stand
OF from the wreck and pick up the
passengers who would jump into the sea.
Tho last man to leave the wreck after
Captain Williams was Chief Officer
Firth. Firth left tho deck with the cap
tain at midnight and was aroused in
his berth by tho shock and sinking of
the vessel. Rushing out he cleared two
starboard boats with an AK, bat they
were rendered useless when tho hull
settled. Losing his hold as the deck
dropped from under, he caught in the
mizzen rigging and clung there with
some 30 others. When the captain or
dered all tho people to get into the fore
rigging as the safest place, man and
wife, with their child, in the mizzen
near Firth attempted to follow tho di-
rections. The child was carried away
by heavy sea- and tho VITO encouraged
her husband to 90 forward and savo
himself and leave her to her fate He
went alone, and Firth, getting firm hold
or the woman, secured her in tho rig
g1ng, determined to stand by her to the
last. Several who attempted to cross to
the forerigging We're lost, but few got
over, until only Firth, the woman and
a lad remained. The boy was finally
washed off as tho sea rose, but he swan
gallantly to fishing boat and was saved.
By that time Firth, who was scantily
and soaked through with the
chilling water and spray which beat all
about him, had become quite helpless.
I ct he made no effort to save himself
until the woman by his side perished
from suffering and exposure. Firth
then began to signal the boats to come
to him and was finally saved by the
Continued on 4th page.)