New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-15
DEATH IN LONG ISLAND SURF.
TWO MEN SWEPT FROM THE BARGE SETH
LOW AT SHORT BEACH.


THE s.NTr-rr AND RINGIEADER COME TO PORT
COVERED WITH IcE-A TERRIFIC FIGHT
WITH WINDS. WAVES AND
FREEZING COLD.
Tho bIr coal barge Seth Low was wrecked OF
Short Beach near Fire Island early yes'sn'aS
morning and two OF her crew were dro"ne'
were five men the barge ana thtee We. 80,
cued by the crew OF the Short Beach Liz no
Station This IL the end. so far as the Se.n 10"
| is concerned OF series OF storms anu
,,,htcb for the last few weeks have been loiio"'"e
her the steamer SanuIt and the barge H"s
on the night OF December 26 In heaNy S'o'N'
the barges Seth Low and Rlngleader' "h'cn VIZ
being lowed from Boston 10 Philaueip"'" -,
steamer Santu, parted their tow-lines OH r"s
leland The Rlngleader sailed into this port anu
rho Seth Low af.er rough experience was
lowed in by a tug The Santuit arr'eu !" ~
aged condition at the Delaware bredA""' -,
then came here. Her captain took severe wv
on the night Of the storm and dled IL" 90 s
AGO IN Boston from pneumonia. The parses anu
,bo steamer having been overhauled, TOOK Oh
corgo of coal here and started on SUNDAY loi
Boston. -, .,,,ord
4, daylight Yesterday morning the coastguaru
patrol at Short Beach saw Dig 'h'ee-
barge rounding on the outer bar Inc waves W.
breaking over her. and between her ana 'he ''oie
nos such n wild tumult OF waves that no poa.
Could live in t. BY the aid OF glasses men cou''
he seen dashed to the top OF the oarse
I, was intensely cold. and drenched as '"e "
,,,ad mon were constantly by the dashing spray
{, seemed doubtful II they could I've UNI" mp
,,ed them Captain Chichester or the NE
ao,Ing station made several unsuccessful attempts
% launch a surfboat Noon came VII" t'e 80
am c,inging to their stranded vessel. anu appa'-
emily doomed to be swept 10 uea'" o'' VIZ
~ the watchers on the peach ..
hn o.
-, .,r,hoat was successfully launched IL was
. ,o,y and hard struggle 10 reach the wreck anu
before the boat got there two OF the me" Vi. VI,
horge were torn from their lashings oy s'ea' ny
waves and swep, away. The other three "eie IN"
- % IN. ufeboat and carried 10 Fire island Inc
so, was still so high that the boat could not MAKE
- ,o,di,g AZ Short Beach. The rescued men were
C,p,,in - y Do,triige and seamen Charles BROW"
and u Ellison The captains son anu 'o'Ili '0'
CON the cook were the two who were lost Inc zap
tain was In a precarlous condition from eNposui'
and the poundng Of the waves. and was unaoe 10
o." -, ,bev GOT him IN the llfeboat. The
ca,,aln and crew belong in Boston. The captain
an ,yas about twenty years old. and was making
,hia trim with his father In hopes thar sea wy
age would restore his health which was not goo''
The santut with the Ringeader in tow came
into mort Yesterday morning. The story OF her ad-
centuries and OF how the Seth Low broke loose from
her was told by her officers as she lay AZ ahcnor Oh
c,,rlefon The Santuit, with the two barges IN
tow sailed from here for Boston az O'CLOCK OF
SUNDAY The Santut had LIS tons OF coal on Doaru'
the Ringleader had 100 tons AMI the Seth 10"
had 1850 tons The Rlngeader was attached 10 the
steamer by 200 fathoms OF nine-nch Manila to"Ilhe'
and behind her was the Seth Low az the END oil
so f,,homs Of nlne-inch cable The Hook was passed
AT . O'Clock. and outside heavy. cnoppS sea WIS
encountered The Santuit. with her tow ran down
under the lee OF the Highlands ana lay OF ana Oh
ther, until 6 D. m when she shaped her course Tor
va
squalls OF wind and snow. and the vessels were IN
a seaway which caused them to roll and pitch ter
rlbly The Santult rolled 80 that she seemed on
her beam ends most ~ the time, and she shipped
great quantities of water.
AT o'clock as Second officer Davidson and a
sailor were hauling In the sheet of the mainstay-
sail which had been set 10 steady the ship the
vessel gave a Vicious roll 10 port and great sea-
boarding her, swept over the deck where the TWO
men were at work. Mr.. Davidson grabbed the KNOB
Of Il door In the deckhouse and held on Tor dear
life The sailor was washed to the rail. where the
recedlng wave left him clinging This great ron
NJ the Santuit caused her cargo OF coal TO shift
giving her terrible list to port. IL was so cold
that the seas froze they broke over the steamer
and she was a mass OF tee from stem to stern At
the same time the shreking OF the steam whistle
the wind and the thunder OF the waves She gave
one long blast calling attention and then -FOUR
snort ThsS enrnes Of the Santut were slowed down
and she circled around the barge trying TO get
NJ
began to burn signal lights soon as her hawser
parted The Santuit answered with one coston
signal but owing to the tact that her decks were
"a she wished to. The Low had lifeboat on board
and the officers OF the steamer said yesterday that
II they could have worked the signals they would
have told the men on inc o'ise " "''0"o' an"
launch the boat 49, ,, 81, ...o,o. H..
they did not believe a boat would nave deem OF
When IN. Santult had circled around the Low |
twice the captain discovered that he was In white
water and dropping lead over the side. found
onIv seven fathons OF water. He therefore stood |
off shore with the Rngleader Deing unapie 70 give |
any further assistance TO the Low The last he |
hut he hoped she would anchor. and that her |
anchors would hold. Just as the Santuit steered !
for the open again the moon broke through |
the clouds and In that burst or light ne saw me |
last Of the Low The waves broke so constantly |
over the decks Of the Santuit that 1t was not safe
to open hatch. but the list Of the vessel to port
men below at any risk to try 10 trim the cargo.
A manhole pate was pried OFT, ana a sailor had got
half down the manhoie. when Way SWEEP over r
n Mug for n manhole and no water got Into the
hold After great difficulties ten men were got
into the hold and tried to trim the cargo. lney
Santrit came into port yesterday her deck on the
port side close to the water that one could
touch the surface OF sne S covsre3 with ica ,ba
even after the steam hose had been played on her
FOR Ave hours she looked like vessel OF glass.
The people on the Santuit and Ringeader were,
of course much distressed to learn of the fate OF
the Seth Low and the crew. The Santut
formerly the Antia and was sunk several years
name changed. and got an American register.
While the Brazilian war was going on she went
stroyer. Her adventures have been many and her
career evenful
THE CHESS MATCH ~ PARIS.