The San Francisco call., 1896-11-24
TAKEN FROM
The RIGGING
Imperiled Men of the San
Benito Rescued by the
Point Arena.
SIX NUMBERED AMONG
THE LOST.
Survivors Almost Dead From
Exhaustion When Aid
Arrives.
DRENCHED FOR HOURS BY THE
HEAVY SEAS.
Stories of Awful Suff ring Told by
Those Who Escaped With
Their Lives
DRENCHED FOR HOURS BY THE
HEAVY SEAS.

POINT ARENA, CAL, Nov 23-Thirty.
one survivors OF the San Benito disaster
were taken from the wrecked steamship
at O'Clock this morning by rescuers sent
in boats from the steamship Point Arena
Since l O'Clock yesterday morning some
had been hanging to the wave-swept rig
ging and others tenanting small apart
ment in the hold, which each high sea
almost filled with water. The men were
Denumbed and exhausted, aud half
dozen of them had decided TO plunge into
the sea and m axe iast attempt to reach
shore when the boat from the Point Arena
stood in and they saw rescue at hand. 1t
is now certain that only six of the crew
were lost. They were:
o. W. SCOTT, first assistant engineer.
c. CONDON, second assistant en-.
gineer.
L. w. WILSON, chief cook.
JOHN SHEEAAN, forward messman.
CHARLES BROWN, coal passer.
NICHOLAS FITZG ERALD, coal
passer.
Those who reached shore from the
wreck by swimming, or on the boat that
capsized when near the beach. were: f.
E. Foster, quartermaster; Charles Janson,
seaman; Harry Jackson. donkeyman;
Harry, Faehn. seaman; George
Christopher, fireman, and Narciso
Lyva, coalpasser. The rest of the
crew are aboard the Point Arena, which
steamed for Eureka after taking them
aboard.
The San Benito lies as it did yesterday,
the forward half about 100 feet from the
balance OF the vessel. Much of the pro-
visions and canned goods in the store
rooms can be saved if the divided hull is
not pounded to pieces by the seas.
Ali night long efforts had been made to
rescue the men from the wrecked steam
ship. At midnight men were sent to the
town of Point Arena to make some bolts
to be shot from the steamship Weott's
gun. Unfortunately the steamer sent only
one bullet with the gun and on the first
trial the line was too tight and it broke.
1t was nearly mornins when the men
from town returned with bolts ana new
line. Meanwhile those on the beach had
made two large kites and had them flying
over the wreck when it was light enough
to see her; but at this time the boa,s from
the Point Arena and Weott had reached
wreck was rescued.
A mighty shout went up from the shore.
The men yelled and danced for Joy and
the women, many of whom had patiently
watched on the beach all night In the rain
and cold, cried and laughed alternately.
The whole country was soon notified of
the rescue, messengers starting for town
as fast as horses could run to carry the
glad tidings.
The six men who reached shore yester-
day tell substantially the same story.
Harry Faehn, the last man who was
washed overheard and pulled out of the
breakers exhausted, and who required the
doctors attention for two hours before
consciousness was restored, is still in
critical condition. a CALL correspondent
found him at the house of Thomas Ken
ney, who lives near the scene of the disas-
ter, whittier Faehn was taken as soon as
he could be moved. He is still dazed and
believes he is on the wreck, and the doctor
is afraid he will not survive.
Harry Jackson, donkeyman. and Charles
Janson, seaman. say that it began blowing
gale Saturday afternoon, with heavy
shower of rain, and at times nothing
could be seen a ships length away. The
deck was washed by the waves every few
minutes, so that the lookout had to stand
on the bridge for fear of being washed
overheard.
After dark Saturday night no lights of
any kind were seen. and as the ship was
being worked by dead running the log
showed that she was or should be four
miles off and below the Point Arena light
house. A few minutes past 1 o'clock
breakers were seen dead ahead, and, al
though going very slowly, before she could
be stopped or her course changed the San
Benito ran bow on the beach and
stuck fast.
The heavy sea broke over her every mo-
ment and each wave lifted her stern high
and brought it down with a thump that
shook her from end to end. Soon the ves-
sci broke in two just aft the smokestack
and the stern parted and went back on
the beach about fifty feet south of the for
ward part, which stuck fast
As soon as she struck the whistle was
blown for any assistance that might be at
hand. The whistle was kept going until
she broke in two. When the vessel
crashed into shore both the forward and
after port boats were wrenched from their
davits and crushed. The forward star
board boat, with First Assistant Engineer
Charles Jansen and three others in it, was
sent away to attempt landing and get
assistance.
1t was capsized in an instant, and the
crew left struggling in the angry waves.
Jansen and one other reached the beach