The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-11-09
Oniy I've Of the Crew We're saved sad
They Were Rescued by Another
steamsr-Ths stsry Of the
wreck a. Tsid by the Mon.

~ ANtA AAAsNAAf NANhAhAAhs
Robert Williams. wheelman.
A. J. Richard. lookout
Henry Thompson. lookout
Conrad Rlanker. fireman.
William Gregory. fireman.
John Healey. assistant steward.
Frederick Mirort. oller.
Edward Smith. deck hand. Roches-
ter.
~ Bell. deck hand.
The names OF the three others
drowned are unknown to the steamship
company. One was a fireman. another
a deck hand and the third a porter II
ls not known al the ONCE OF the West
ern Transit company where the great
or portion Of the dead men hailed
from
William GU. a deck hand. who was
rescued. told his story OF the disaster
az follows:
We left Buffalo Friday night bound
for Chicago with cargo Of gen
eral merchandise. When we got out
side the breakwater we were struck by
the worst storm ever saw. when
the FIRST big breaker struck ~. We were
tossed up In the air like a top and a
second later a big roller came over the
port bow and rolled down amidship a
foot deep. The wind shrleked and
howled but We did not pay much at
tsntion TO the storm. We had felt
wind before. The captain Consulted
the mate and decided that he ecu d
weather Il and he kept his course.
"As We headed up the lake dead
against the gale Il appeared to be get
ting worse every minute The waves
we're running high and the wind threw
the tops from the breakers like dust.
we moved slowly agaln5, the heavy
seas and wind and when We were well
up the lake We found that the boat vas
making water Il kept coming faster
and faster and the bilge pumps were
put to work but the water continued to
gain.
we were near Long Point at this
time and the captain started to put In
there with the intention Of Bleaching
the ship. But the water gained so
rapidly that II was too late. She was
already laboring and the two men AZ
the wheel could do nothing with her
Two more men went out 10 work with
them and finally they brought her
around and headed her towards land.
Captain ellis started the pumps
and ordered the men to the Are buckets |
and We formed a line and began to bail |
her out. but Il was no use. The water
gained and soon put the fires out
when Il was found the power vas
gone and that the Idaho could not he
moved We know We could not live In
The trough Of tina, fearful sea and the
only hope left was TO run out the an
thor and bring her head up to the sea
and let her ride out the gale Every
,camanTeallled the danger Of attempt
ms 10 do that In the face OF a hurr-
,ane, and when Captain ellis decided
10 do Il he ordered the lashlngs Of the
boats cut and told the men they we're
'orced TO take one last chance for their
ives
AT the word the anchor dropped and
he chain began to pay out, but the
yea was too heavy and instead Of the
anchor catching with a nrm grip and
bringing the ships head up 10 the
storm with a jerk. u went too slow
md simply tumbled into the trough n
he sea which broke over her In, tor.
'enta.
I'm an instant abe vas helpless a.
/ log and ahe was tossed here and
here and taking every wave aboard.
From port 10 starboard the great
OF foaming water poured.
Weighing her down After moment
he ship koelcd over 10 the siarboard
md went down. stern first
What became Of my mates ! do not
nov. ! remember that the boats had
'een loosenet and that seine Of the
hen were ready 10 take TO them n the
ossel went down. bH no boat could
ave lived for a minute In that ter
lnc sea. the nnt wave would have
wamped a. When the stern began %
y uHder ! went for the rigging and
fent up a. fast a. could Another
ian went with me. the second mate.
There vas a rolling 10 and FRO and
he vessel struck bottom and slowly
lighted to an even keel and then a
econd later she rolled over 20 one
lde ! thought she was going an the
Jay over, but she aid not. She ST.
led on The k0ttom and though tho
'avea relied her from port 10 star
GARD, Tie spar Femained out Of tie
'aier with my mate and myself cling.
NJ 10 IT, y feet above the water.