Evening journal., 1897-03-22
CAPTAINS HEROIC WIFE
She Stood at the Wheel and
Helped Save the Ship.
CLIPPER oAKEs LONG VOYAGE

steAmer-six OF the Crew Died.
NEW YORK, March 22.-Only the match
less herolsm Of a faithful wife brightens
the dark tale of disaster, disease and deatl
told when the British tank steamer Kas
bek towed into port the long overdue
American clipper ship 4. f. Oakes, months
ago given up as lost
On July 4 the Oakes set sail from Hong
kong for this port Typhoon following ty
phoon drove the vessel out Of its course.
Scurvy laid hold on the crew. One by one
the sailors succumbed. Death claimed si1
Of them. So many others were III that il
was impossible to work the ship Captain
and mates made up the crew, and the cap
tain S wife took the wheel
Captain Reed of the Oakes, when inter
viewed at Quarantine on his arrival. tolo
story Of suffering and privation that wa
horrible The Oakos left Shanghai May
II last, and after completing her cargo al
Hongkong sailed from that port July 4.
The crow were apparently in tho best o.
health, with the exception of Captain Reed,
who had been ailing for some little time
but who, under the careful nursing Of his
devoted wife, thought himself on the higl
road to recovery
Struck by Typhoon.
When about six days out in the Chins
sea, terrific typhoon was encountered
lasting several days, during which the fore
and main topmasts were sprung. The YES
sci was obliged to run before tho gale
which had no sooner blown itself out thar
It was followed by a second typhoon
which blew with great fury for - days.
The vessel had then got well out in the
North Pacific and so far off her course that
Captain Reed decided to shape his cours,
via Cape Horn rather than by the Cape OF
Good Hope, hoping thereby to make bet
ter time
The weather remained fine-in fact
nothing but light, battling airs and calms
were experienced until Cape Horn was
rounded, l67 days out. In the meantime
the Chinese cook had been taken down
with severe cold and died on Nov H.
Afterward a seaman named Thomas King
was taken down with what appeared to be
scurvy and died Dec. 20. In quick success
sion Seaman Thomas Olsen was taken in
and died Jan. 12. Thomas Judge, another
seaman, was taken i'll with cancer of the
stomach, and later Chief Mate Stephen 6.
Bunker showed symptoms Of scurvy. The
latter died Feb. and was quickly follow
ed by George King, an old man, who died
on the 9th. On the 18th Judge succumbed,
making in all five deaths One by one the
other sailors were obliged to quit work,
until on March nobody was left except
the second and third mates, the captain
and his wife,
Captains wife at the Helm.
All were well nigh exhausted when
a strong northerly gale sprung up on that
day, and the brave woman was obliged to
take the wheel, and for eight hours, with.
out relief and without as much as a drink
of water she kept the ship on her course.
The provisions were running short, al
though a supply had been obtained on
Jan. 12 from the American ship Governor
Robie, from New York for Melbourne,
when off the island Of Trinidad, and the
crew were left without other than the
barest necessities
A sharp lookout was kept for passing
vessels, but nothing was seen until the
Kasbek hove in sight. The only vessel
previously sighted during the entire voy.
age, with the exception of the ship Gov
ernor Robbie, was a north bound Lamport
& Holt steamer, which passed the Oakes
of Pernambuco, but was too far of TO dis
tinguish signals. For the past 2S days the
Oakes encountered a succession of north
and northwest gales, which were accom-
panied with high seas.
On arrival at Quarantine the vessel was
visited by the health officer and placed in
strict quarantine. The survivors appeared
to be improving, but are still unable to
leave their hunks 1t is probable the ship
will be released after thorough disinfec
ton, which was decided upon by the health
officer, owing to the fact that Hongkonp
was an infected port
The Oakes is an iron three masted ship,
built by tho late Commander Gorringe at
Philadelphia in 1888. She registers 167
tons. On March 13 she was reinsured at
30 guineas premium.
Captain an Old Sailor.
Captain Edward W. Reed was born at
Pottsville Pa, in 1896. He has been al
sea for "A years He started as apprentice
in the ship Decatur in 1858 and worked
his way up TO master. He has been min,
years in command of the Oakes and previ
ously was master of the ship William H.
Starbuck for four years.
Mrs. Reed is a noble and plucky woman
and is entitled TO great praise for her hero
ism and fortitude displayed during thl
ships fearful passage of 25g days. Captain
Reed owes his life to her devotion. It ii
doubtful If Captain Reed, who was i'll al
the time the vessel sailed from Hongkong
would have survived the voyage without
his wife's assistance, and as the chief mat,
died during the voyage the ship, at oncl
bereft of both captain and mate, woult
scarcely ever have reached port
Mrs. Reed is about 53 years Of age. Sh,
was born in New Hampshire and is a de
scendant of General Stark of revolution
ary fame. She has accompanied her hus
band on his voyages to distant ports foi
the past IA years.
Mrs. Reeds story.
Mrs. Reed wife Of the captain, spok,
about her experience on the voyage. Sh,
said that after the vessel tecame short
handed she was often obliged to turn t,
and help work the ship. She knew how K
steer straight course by compass, ant
she generally relieved her husband at tn,
wheel. At other times she hauled at tn,
ropes with the men.
''On March it came on to blow a brisl
gale" said Mrs. Reed, ''and about il
the morning I went on deck and asked
Captain Reed If l could help. He asked
me to take the wheel while he helped thos,
on deck, and did so. 1t was bitterly cold
and was not prepared for the weather