New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-22
PRICE THREE CENTS.
NEARLY A YEAR ON ITS WAY
THE T. F. oAKEs TOwED INTO QUARAN.
TINE, 259 DAYS FROM HONG KONG.


GALES. WITH HER CREW SICK AND DYING.
SHE HAS MEMORABLE VOYAGE
THE CAPTAINS WIFE EIGHT
HOURS AT THE WHEEL
A sad story Of severe and fatal suffering ct
sea learned yesterday, when the long over
due American ship T. r. Oskes. commanded by
Captain Reed which left Hong Kong on July
4, go days ago. with general cargo. was
towed into Quarantine by the British tank
steamship Kasbek, commanded by Captain Muier,
which had picked her up last Thursday In lau-
tude 3S:1O. longitude 6S4f. The first mate,
the cook. and four seamen had died from
scurvy, and the rest of the crew, including the
captain and his wife. were so weak that they
were unable properly to manage the ship. Tne
Kasbek was bound from Philadelphia for Fiume.
Austria, with q cargo Of oil. and left the former
port on Saturday March l3. On the following
evening blue lights were seen. and Captain
Muier ordered the steamers course altered and
bore up for the distress signals. AT daybreak
signals were observed flying from a ship asking
that a boat be sent alongside. as the ships crew
were so disabled to be unable to man their
boats.
Chief officer C. P. Helmshem and three seamen
put of in the Kasbek's yawl. and when within
speaking distance heard tale Of suffering and
sickness from those on board the ship which
made them shudder. Captain Reed. OF the
Oakes reported that his crew were all laid up
with scurvy and that the ships provisions were
almost exhausted He unable to navigate
the ship with the men at his command. and
begged that he receive fresh food and vegeta-
bles, and be taken in tow for the nearest port.
The boat returned 70 the KasDek with the mes
sage, and Captain Muier at once decided to take
the vessel in tow.
PASSING HAwsER TO THE BOAT.
The weather. which had been threatening. now
became boisterous. and a northerly gale sprang
up However preparations were made to pass
a hawser to the Oakes at the same time that the
boatload Of provisions was sent. A manila haw-
ser was paid out over the Kasbek's stern to the
yawl but a tremendous washed II into
the propeller which was turning slowly at the
time and before the engines could be stopped
the screw was entanged that 1t suddenly
ceased turning. and all the power Of the engines
was not sufficient to move II. An effort was at
once made to free the screw. but. as IT was 10
deeply submerged and the sea was running so
high. It was found TO be then impossible. For
eight hours the engineers staff labored 10 clear
the propeller. and finally disconnected the shaft
finding that by placing a small block OF wood
between the couplings the screw could be made
to turn. BY that time the Oakes had drifted out
Of sight, and Captain Muier, despairng Of being
able to tow her with his disabled screw, deter
mined at least to find her and supply her with
provisions. All night he searched the horizon for
traces of her, but not until 4 o'clock Tuesday
morning was she again sighted. The sea was
boisterous at the time. but Chief Of'icer Hell
shem again volunteered TO attempt to board the
naxa opA tno oH ho nr
peller to be working well. 1t was decided to send
hawser aboard. Accordingly a line was
dragged by the boat. and. after many attempts.
two hawsers were made fast, Mr.. Helshem and
his boats crew Of three doing most OF the
work. only the second and third mates OF the
Oakes being able tc help them.
SAILING FROM SHANGHAI
Captain Reed. when seen after his arrival at
Quarantine, yesterday, told his story substan-
TALLY as follows: The Oakes left Shanghai on
May II, and, after completing her cargo at
Hong Kong. sailed from that port July 4. The
were apparently in the best OF health with
the exception OF Captain Reed, who had been
ailing for some time, but who, under the careful
nursing Of his wife, thought himself on the road
to recovery. When six days out III the China
Sea terrific typhoor was encountered, lasting
several days. in which the fore and main top
masts were sprung. The vessel was obliged to
run before the gale which had sooner blown
itself out than IL followed by a second
typhoon, which lasted with great fury for many
days. The vessel was then so well out in the
North Pacific and far off her course that
Captain Reed decided TO sail around Cape Horn
rather than the Cape OF Good Hope. hoping
thereby TO make better time. Afterward the
weather remained fine, only light airs and Gains
being experienced until Cape Horn was rounded.
16I days out
THE SICKNESS BEGINS.
In the mean time the Chinese cook had been
taken down with severe cold. and died on
November II. Afterward a seaman. Thomas
King, was taken down with what appeared TO
be scurvy, and died December 26. Another
seaman, Thomas Olsen. died on January II.
Thomas Judge seaman. then became i'll with
cancer of the stomach and later Mate stephen
G. Bunker showed symptoms OF scurvy The
latter died February !, and was quickly fol-
lowed by George King. an old man. On Feb
ruary II Judge succumbed, making In all six
deaths One By one the other sailors were
obliged to quit work. until on March nobody
was left At for work except the second and third
mates. The captain and his wife were nearly
exhausted and when a strong northerly gallo
sprung up on that day the brave woman was
OBLIGED to take the wheel for eight hours with
out relief and kept the ship on her course. The
provisions were running short. although sup
ply had been obtained on January II from the
American ship Governor Robie. from NewYork
for Melbourne. when off the Island OF Trinidad.
and the crew were left without othe. than tne
barest necessities. sharp lookout was kept
for passing vessels, but nothing was seen until
the Kasbek hove I'm sight The only vessel
sighted In the entire voyage. with the exception
OF the ship Governor Robie and the kasbek.
was northbound Lamport & Holt steamer.
which passed the Oakes OFF Pernambuco. but
was too far off TO distinguish signals.
For the last twenty days the Oakes encoun-
tered a succession OF northern and northwestern
gales with high turbulent seas.
MRS REEDS HERorsM
Mrs Reed also talked OF her experiences on
the voyage. She said that after the vessel be-
came shorthanded she was often obliged TO help
work the ship She knew how TO steer straight
by compass. she said. and she generally
relieved her husband at the wheel while he
turned to with the crew and made or furled sail.