Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-14
WORK OF THE wINoNA.
Bat for It's Timely Succor Several
Persons Would Have Perished.

Hat for It's Timely succor Several
Persons Would Have Perished.
"A New Berne IN. CO special to the
Baltimore Sun says: The revenue-cutter
Winona, Captain W. 8. Simmons. COM
handing, has been the means Of making
seven sad people happy. During the gale
that started In on the 7th instant the
schooner Venus. OF Fair Creek. n. c.,
and the sloop Hattie Peterson, OF WASH
ington, N. c., put into Indian Island har-
Dor, Pamlco river. for shelter. The Hat
tie Peterson anchored close under lee of
Indian Island. and the Venus came to
about a mile To the eastward. During
the night Of the 7th the crew OF the
Peterson suffered intensely for want of
food and fuel. and Joe Roy had his fingers
badly frozen. Early In the morning Of
the sth they began firing guns and max
ing signals to attract the attention OF
tn, revenue-cutter Winona. that had
anchored for shelter about half mile
away.
AS soon as day broke a boat was sent
from the Winona to the Peterson. and the
distressed crew were taken on board the
cutter and cared for. On account OF
the heavy gale and icy weather the crew
VI tUt ItttTSOu WtIc uhaotc W SvA asttotN
In their little half-swamped skin. and
even II they could have reached Indian
Island they would have found nothing
to keep soul and body together. The
members of the Peterson's crew were
Captain Reuben Stryron. Joe Roy. and
w. II. Davis. the latter OF Wilmington
and the others Of Washington. n. G.
About noon a signal Of distress was set
in the rigging OF the Venus, and the
WInona got her anchor and steamed
down to the schooner. anchoring hard by.
A boat was sent through the heavy sea
with a long line to haul II back from
the Venus. and Captain Silverthorn re-
ported his crew OF three and his four
passengers had exhausted their supply
OF provisions and fuel. These wants were
supplied by the cutter. which then steam
ed back to her former anchorage, the
position of the Venus being considered
not dangerous.
During the night Of the sth the harbor
froze over and the drift ice carried down
by the heavy gale caused the Venus TO
drag her two anchors. and Captain Silver
thorn was In fear of being cut down In
the early morning Of the 9Th the people
on the Venus had about decided to set
another distress signal. when the cutter
ice toward them. Through wind and Ice
again a boat was sent to the Venus to
see II anything was needed. and Captain
Silverthorn asked that his passengers be
cared for on the cutter. as his little
skiff was barely large enough TO hold
himself and his two men II the Ice should
happen to come down and swamp or
strand the schooner.
Accordingly. the four passengers-Misses
Mollie Respess. of Ransomville; Laura
Siverthorn. and Mary Farrow, of Mid
dleton. and Mr. George Roper. Of Enge-
hardware taken on the cutter. where
the ladies were auartered In the cabin.
and the Winona then started out to try
to make the port Of New Berne. that
being the only place where there could
be any chance of making landing
The gale was still high and the ice.
in many places. thickly packed. but the
Winona behaved well. and successfully
fought wind. sea. and ice. finally making
port and landing her passengers. some
at least OF whom would have persisted
Of cold and hunger but for the timely
succor given by the brave hearts on the
revenue-cutter.