The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-02-20
Two Weeks n Storms.
Tie Remarkable Experience
OF the Steamship Salisbury.

OF the Steamship Salisbury.
HALIFAX, Feb. l7.--The steamer
St. Jerome, from Galveston via Nor
folk, Va, bouud to Liverpool, arrived
here to-day, having in tow the
steamer Salisbury. The Salisbury
was bound for New York from the
Mediterranean, fruit laden, and has
been thirty-nine days trying to reach
her destination. The captain reports
a rough experience with the terrible
gales of the past few weeks, and her
battered and dismantled appearance
is ample evidence Of what she has
gone through since January %
She was in sight Of the Delaware
coast when the glass swept down on
her, rendering it impossible to make
any Roadway, and she was driven
several hundred miles away without
being able to offer resistance.
The storms continued from day to
day, with undated fury, and the ship
was knocked about like a fragile
cookie she'll. She rolled at times in
such a frightful maner that those on
board feared she would turn over.
The immense waves would crash
down on her on all sides and her deck
was continuously flooded. The
majority of the crew were more or
less injured. Nearly all the coal in
the bunkers was consumed a week
ago aud in order to make it last all of
the wood work about the ship includ.
ing her maintop mast, was burned.
Finally things became 80 bad, there
was nothing more with which to keep
up steam. The engines, too, were
almost useless from rolling and pitch
ing of the ship. The vessels vast
tanks were also started by the terrific
oscillation. In this extremity, the
signal, "want immediate assistance"
was hoisted and on the afternoon of
the 18th, $50 miles southwest Of
Sambro, they were sighted by the
lookout on the steamer St. Jerome,
which was on her way to Liverpool.
The St. jerome Immediately bore
down on the disabled steamer and the
captain of the Salisbury came on
board and stated that his ship was
completely helpless and had been at
the mercy of the waves for several
days and requested that his ship be
towed to Halifax.
Captain Pew of the St. Jerome
agreed to this and lines were run be-
tween the two ships, and at 5 o'clock
p. m. they started ahead After tow
ing till 8 o'clock the next morning
the hawsers parted and the heavy
northeast gale with tremendous seas
prevailing the Salisbury drifted from
sight. At I o'clock OF the following
morning they came together again
and at 9 o'clock managed to get the
lines out. This proved a dangerous
and difficult task, as the two ships
were rolling badly i'll the heavy sea
and the Grey of the Salisbury were
too much exhausted to be Of assist
ance. The greatest risk at this time
was in the ships colliding. The sea
was running too high to permit them
to launch boats, so life buoys had to
be brought into use. \ buoy was
attached to a small line and the St.
Jerome moving to the windward. it
was cast over and allowed to drift to
the Salisbury, where it was secured
and hauled aboard
Hawsers were then attached to this
and by this means lines We're again
run between the two vessels, and a
second start was made A strong
northwest gale was encountered
which lasted until the evening Of the
10Th, when it moderated and remain
ed fair until Sunday evening. when it
became stormy again. Captain Hold
orr and the crew of the Salisbury are
completely worn out, and say it was
the worst they ever went through
and had about given up all hope when
they were picked up The captain
remained at his post practically with
out sleep for ten days and was
thoroughly worn out when rescued.
The Salisbury's cargo is considerably
damaged.
The courts will adjust the salvage