The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1895-02-28

E~ IN MdICu q ., lC,Jl,
II the life saving
s ~aaas1ya crew Of Dam
oSAA @@B~ tion, on the coast
IS eea of Virginia, in
-~= = $50 ----- the vicinity of
False cape, sighted large bark, about
mile from the beach, tacking under a
shortened canvas, the wind blowing 40
miles an hour. She was standing to the
northward. The wind was east north
east The sea was Of course very rough,
and the weather was rainy and thick.
News Of the danger was telephoned from
station to station along the beach, and
the surfmen donned their storm cloth
ing
The bark was the Dictator, from
Moss, Norway, bound to Liverpool from
Pensacola. She had been at sea three
weeks, with a steady run of bad luck.
She encountered a hurricane off the Ba-
hamas which swept away two of her
boats and left her leaking. The leak
gained steadily, causing discomfort
among the crew, and Captain Jorgen-
sen decided to put back to Hampton
Roads for repairs. The sun had not
shone for several days, and be supposed
he was off Chesapeake bay. Noticing
broken water he bore for it, but instead
Of striking deep water he ran upon a
line Of shore breakers. When the bark S
keel grated on the bottom, he saw no
hope of escape but to beach his vessel
This he attempted, driving her head
on. She struck Oh the outer bar about
$50 yards from shore, a mile north of
Seatack life saving station Keeper
Drinkwater had been warned by tele-
phone, and, watching, saw her strike.
1t was about 10 O'Clock. At 1916
Drinkwater had his crew Oh the ground.
The bark was working shoreward with
the foresail set Her mainmast was
gone, having been cut the moment she
struck to ease her. In falling it carried
the fore and mizzentop masts with it.
The first shot fired at the wreck fell
short 40 yards; the second also fell
short. The wind and rain were directly
in the face Of the keeper when firing.
About that time the surfmen saw an
empty caslS, with line attached, thrown
overheard from the Dictator
Two shots were fired over the cask,
and the second carried line across it.
A heavy run of seas whir]ed the cask
ashore within reach Of the surfmen, and
communication between bark and life
savers was established 1t was now
noon, and as yet not life had been lost
among the II people on the wreck
Among them were the captains wife
and 4-year-old son. The promptness of
the life savers in getting line off au-
cured we'll for rescue, but the elements
were against them. The wind was fu-
rious, driving the rain in torrents Oc-
casional squalls swept up from seaward,
increasing the wind at times to over so
miles an hour. AS the lines Stacked out
from shore they became twisted, and
the sailors were obliged to cut them at
their fastening on the wreck and then
splice to take the twist out The wind
and strong current also swept the life
buoy haWser away northward, delaying
the surfmen in getting it anchored on the
beach, and after it had been swung the
rolling Of the vessel hoisted it high in
the air and again dipped it into the
surf, to be swept at the will of the
frightful current. In order to test the
working Of the buoy sailor got in, and
the surfmen began hauling ashore. He
had not Travelled more than third Of
the rough and perilous journey when
the shore end of the hauling line broke.
The buoy was quickly run back to the
mast and. the man taken out more dead
than alive.
The chief anxiety Of Captain Jorgen-
sen at the time was to save his wife
and child. For this he had tested the
buoy, and that failing he ordered out
the only remaining ships boat. Two
had been lost in the hurricane off the
Bahamas and two others smashed when
the masts went by GAo board. The re-
one was a small craft suited
to serve for a life car. Under trying
the wind blowing it's worst,
all was made ready, and four sailors got
in, two taking the oars, one steering
and the other bailing. Near shore it
and threw them all out. They
were all rescued by the surfmen.
Captain Jorgensen had instructed the
men in the boat to signal him if a life
boat could be launched as soon as they
got a word with the surfmen, but in their
excitement the message was forgotten,
md Keeper Drinkwater signaled to the
wreck to fasten the end of the line used
n Stacking the boat ashore to the life
buoy. This was done, and the buoy
made trip empty. Then the sailor who
lad made the unlucky attempt before
got in again. He passed through most
errible ordeal, but reached shore alive,
ike the others. However, he forgot the
'aptain's message about lifeboat,
which had been given him also.
After that Captain Jorgensen sent off
lis ship carpenter in the buoy, telling
,iYn t0 ci Oy1a1 hack 1uhofbor q ~ra~,1l -