The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-09
SWEPT BY A
RAGING SEA.
-Four Men Killed on the Nays
Big Cruisers.
ADMIRAL BUNCE's SQUADRON
ENCOUNTERS "A TERRIFIC
STORM ON THE WAY TO THE
CHARLESTON CELEBRATION AND
ALL TIE SHIPS ARE MORE OR
LESS DAMAGED-MANY MEN
WE'RE INJURED.

Charleston, Feb. S.-The United States
warships New York, Maine, Columbia
Amphitrites, and Marblehead arc off
Charleston bar to-day uftcr.a terrible ex-
perience with the storm which swept up
the South Atlantic coast Friday and Sat
urday.
The cruiser Columbia and the battle
ship Maine were sighted from Sullivan's
Island early in the forenoon and the flag
ship New York, monitor Amplitude and
the cruiser Marbehead steamed into view
later, the flagship being the last of the
squadron to reach anchorage to the north
of Charleston lightship.
All five of the vessels are now at an.
Choir about two miles of the har. Adj
miral Bunce's fleet ran straight into the
teeth of terrific storm Friday night
The warships were forty miles OFF the
North Carolina coast and we'll below Hat.
teras, and while the officers ale us usual
unwilling to discuss their experiences, it
is known that both ships and men were
in great peril. When the fleet was visited
by reporter of the Associated Press it
was learned that the actual loss consisted
of four lives, eight men seriously injured
and minor injuries to almost all of the
vessels themselves.
The battleship Maine had six OF her
men swept overheard, three of them los
ing their lives. The MTarbIehead lost one
man killed and six injured. The killed
on the Maine were: J.. G.. kogel, appren-
tice, dashed to death against tllrrets and
body lost ut sea- John Brown, seaman
washed overheard, body not recovered; a.
i. Nelson, private United States marines,
washed overheard and drowned body lost.
The Murblehead lost the ships carpenter.
Strnwhat, who was dashed to death by
tlNf. Il
ut sea on Sunday. Seven of the carpen.
ter'S gang. who were ut work on the sea-
anchor, were hurled against the super
structure of the ship by the sea and more
or less injured Their names are: Den
mis- Ryan, Chas. Osborne Scnnland and
Kicker. Kicker sustained II compound
fracture of the skull and his condition is
serious Arrangements have been made
for placing all the injured in the Marine
Hospital here and they will be transferred
from their ships to the shore tomorrow.
The New York. the Columbia, the Am.
phitrite and the Maine were off the coast
below Hatteras and about forty miles
out when the storm began to gather Fri
day night.
The admiral sssignnlled from the New
York for the ships to stand together.
The storm was blowing from the south
east. 1t steadily increased during the
night and the four ships We're separated.
So heavily did the New York roll that the
big inch guns in the tuirets were dashed
down with heavy hawsers us IL precau.
ton.
During the storm II heavy sea rolled
over stern and the aft companion way
was flooded with water which went down
intosthe officers quarters ssThc gun ports
and torpedo tubes also let the water in;
there was plenty of water inside.
Bontswain VIM. Anderson. while on the
forward deck, was struck from his feet
by sea and injured by being dashed aft.
Naval Cadet Castleman, while on the
forward quarter deck, also lost his foot
ing and was about to go over the side
when he managed to sseize lifeline and
saved his own lie.
When the sea was shipped astern the
sounding apparatus was knocked to
flinders and one of the officers nearly
dashed over the side When the morn
ing came the Maine was sighted and
spoken. The battleship, it is believed,
had the most trying experience of the
fleet. Friday night Apprentice Kosel
was struck by terrible sea and his life
dashed ont Of him. The rushing waters
carried his body overheard. Two men
jumped after him as he WIS being cnrred
away. lHey were Sealnen John Brown
and Alex. Nelson.
; In trying to save their messmate they
lost their lives, for they, too, were car
ried ont into the mountains of black
water. Chas Hassell was washed..over-
board at the same time.
When these four men went overheard
VIM. j. Creelman. landsman, was
standing on the poop deck. He saw the
upturned face of kosel floating by.
Creelman dove over the stern and struck
out to save him. In the meantime two
life buoys had been thrown over Has.
sell got one OF them The other three
men disappeared, and the brave Creelman
was struggling far from the buoy in
tended for him. Hassell saw him and
reached him in time to save his life
The Maine was brought around in the
storm and lifeboat lowered from the
starboard. Naval Cadet Gherard was
put IN command of six men, The boat
got go, only few yards from the ship when
she was overturned and seven more men
were in the water. The men were
reached with life lines. The lifeboat was
lost, rs were one or more of the ships
boats. these were all torn from their
davits by the heavy seas.
The Amphtrite, the Maine, the Colum.
bia and the Marblehcad were sighted in
the morning The Marblehead was
laboring heavily and had out her oil bags.
Grave fears had been entertained for the
Amphitrite, but she rode out the gale
and ns far as can be learned lost no lives.
On board the Maine board of inquiry
reported on the loss of three men, They
highly commended Creelman's brave at
tempt to rescue Kosel. He will be recon-
mended for life. savers medal of the
first class