The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-06


charge of the lee surf boat. and when
IT was lowered to the rail, ordered Cap
tain .Chittenden into it against his re-
peated protests. He was placed in the
boat with his son. This boat was I'M
able to report the lines we had astern,
but the Merritt picked it up and after
taking Captain Chittenden aboard,
toWed the boat to our lee quarter, and
repeated this maneuVer each trip
forming lee for the boats to come here
and then to wind them back. She was
spiendidly handled. From until the
work of transferring the crew contin-
ued. Captain Lecato made two more
trips, when his arm being disabled his
place. was taken by Mr.. Johnson, who
also took two boat loads. The life raft
was gotten over and capsized. but was
righted. 1t was put in charge of James
Bashford, ordinary seaman, of theN IL
linois naval militia. He and his crew
took six Cubans to the Merritt The
smaller surf boat slowed on board on
the lee side was then gotten out, and !
put it in charge Of Charles A. Dunno,
quarteImaster, frst-class. l gave him
nearly all the good seamen left for a
crew. va H.aiHuiosy
It was launched very handsomely and
made two trips. In all these trips we
poured oil from the ship on both sides,
and the Vulcan also used oil to make
it smooth where the embarl1ing was
done. 1 doubt if we gould have worked
without it. The ship labored more and
more heavily. Before | left the bridge
she rolled her Sponsors under, which
I should estimate to be 30 degrees, and
her pitching was enough to show her
rudder, propellors, and, perhaps, 10 feet
of her keel. aa4 as4iS
She was about four feet by the head
She fell into the sea very heavily and
ME-
water aft. The Vulcan did her best
TO keep our head up, steering to star
board and going to full speed, while
the sea beat the Teresa S head to port
Throughout the day the Vulcan did
everything possible. We were constant
~ signalling. With the exception of
three men who got drunk and gave
much trouble, all of the crew behaved
well. Every man did his duty, and
my orders were instantly obeyed by
wreckers and men of the navy
When the fires were low, 1 called for
volunteers, and the donkey boilers We're
at once fired UP. Twice I asked c. F.
Smith and James F. Brien chief ma
chinists, to oil the steering engine and
they did so, and the engine ran till we
3 left. When / took Dunn from the helm
TO lower the smaller surfboat, his place
was taken by William c. Morehoff, ma
chinist, second-class, who steerAd the
wreck until we left the bridge together.
when he dashed the wheel a1nidships.
William Crossett, bugler, was signal
man. and was as cool as possible. He
made no mistakes and was very use
1ul TO me as a messenger.
About 40 he made signal, Hang to
ylie wreck until you are sure she is
sinking" to which the Vulcan replied:
We will hold on until she sinks or
parts the tow line"
The last signal he made was: "These
two boats will take ALL" After that
! had to go aft to force the drunken
men overheard and about O'clock we
were all off. The boats were hauled I'M
der the stem as near as it was safe,
where the oil and lee of the ship made
it smooth, and were held by one line.
while another line, with a ladder at
tached, f1oated the stern on this line
Two double bights were stopped on
the right side to go oyer a mans shout
der. The end was-sslaeked from the shin
and when two men jumped they We're
: hauled into the boat
A very fine fellow. named Olsen. at
tended to this When all had gone but
he and ], be cut the line and we jump
ed together. 1t was perhaps $50 O'clock
when we reached the Merritt While
she was getting in the surf boats. the
Vulcan slipped the hawser of the In
fanta Maria Teresa. i expect that the
wreck, dragging off to port, brought
all the strain on the port brindle, and
started the bits.
1t my request, started to speak the