The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-06


ance, but were not tight. There was at the
mainmast an inch of thwarthship vibration
and only half an inch longitudinal vibTa-
ton. While making this examination,
about 4:30 a. m, Captain Chittenden was
thrown down and fell on the chain, hurting
his side and back enough to temporarily
disable him. He continued to give us valu-
able advice.
PUMPS CHOKED WITH COAL.
"At a. m we made signal to the Vulcan
and Merritt to go to windward, which they
did as well as they could. Up to l o'clock
a. m. we were running the starboard aain
engine and had steam on the two central
boilers and three of the short forward boil
ers, but the trouble in the forward freroom
caused the steam to run low, and lighted
fires under the starboard after boilers and
stopped the engine SO as to run the steam
up for the pumps. The pump for keeping
the water from the forward compartment
was driven by a belt, and when the sea
broke over the bows the belt became wet
and slipped. AS soon as the water was up
to the floor place in the forward fireroom
the rolling of the ship swashed into the
coal bunkers and carried the coal out,
choking the pump and carrying the floor
plates about which made it difficult and
1 called for volunteers to hoist coal and
water into the ash hoist. Everybody re-
sponded, and the work was continued as
long it seemed of any use.
About $3.50 a. m. it was reported that
water was coming into one of the starboard
forward coal bunkers and running into the
firerooms. Where the water came from
we do not know. About o'clock the IL
inch gun in the after turret ran out and in
twice When it recoiled the second time
something gave way and it settled to ex-
treme elevation and remained stationary.
We asked the Vulcan to signal the Leonides
to stay close to us, and the latter hoisted
the flag at the signal yardarm, which was
a signal agreed upon to call the Leonidas
to come within hail. She was steaming
ahead of us and making rather bad weather.
1t seemed as if she feared to turn in the
heavy sea, but eventually she did cross
ahead of the Merritt, and twice passed
under the Marias stern, although at some
distance L think she picked up the life
RATS which the Vulcan threw over. About
1880 we signaled the Vulcan to ask the
Merritt if we could be turned safely to run
for the lee of Watling's island. To this
Captain Wolcott replied, No. and, as Cap
tain Chittenden thought we would sink if
| We lTleu 10 turn, lulS lued WAS given up.
Both the Vulcan and Merritt could with
difficulty keep us head to wind, and the
sea was running so high that the Vulcans
bits started or the tow lines parted. The
ship would fall into the trough of the sea.
THE SHIP ABANDONED.
"At / p. m. Captain Chittenden asked me
to signal the Vulcan to cast off the Mer-
ritt's towlines and have the Merritt come
alongside 1 then assumed command, told
the men what was to be done, and assigned
them to stations 1 told the chief engineer
to start the engine to aid the Vulcan in
keeping our head up. He did so, but it
could run but a short time with The steam
we had. We signaled the Vulcan: We are
about to abandon ship. Try to keep us head
to wind 1 ordered Captain Lecota to take
| charge of the lee surf boat and when it
was lowered to rail ordered Captain Chit
tenden into it against his repeated protests.
He was placed in the boat with his son.
This boat was unable to reach 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 a lee for the boats to come here
and then to swing them back. She was
| splendidly handled.
From until the work of transferring
the crew continued Captain Lecato made
two more trips, when, his arm being dis
abled, his place was taken by Mr.. Johnson,
| who also took two boatloads. The liferaft
was got over and capsized, but was
righted. 1t was put in charge of James
Bashford ordinary seaman of the Illinois
naval militia. He and his crew took six
| Cubans to the Merritt. The smaller surf
| hDo rko av,An ri Lao cfI roo
then got out and put in charge of Charles
A. Ounce, quartermaster. first class. L gave
him nearly all the good seamen left for a
crew. 1t was launched very handsomely
and made two trips. In all these trips we
| poured oil from the sponsors on both sides
and the Vulcan also used oil to make it
| smooth where the embarking was done. i
! doubt if we could have worked without it.
| The ship labored more and more heavily.
Before L left the bridge she rolled her
| sponsors under. which l should estimate to
/ be thirty degrees, and her pitching was
| enough to show her rudder, propeIers and
| perhaps twelve feet of her keel. She was
about four feet by the head. She fell into
| the sea very heavily and shuddered as she
rose. There was no water aft. The Vulcan
did her best to keep our head up, steering
to starboard and going at full speed while
| the sea beat the Teresa mead TO port.
| Throughout the day the Vulcan did every
thing possible. We were constantly signal
| ing.
THREE MEN GOT DRUNK.
with the exception of three men, who
| got drunk and gave much trouble, all 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 l called for volunteers
and the donkey boilers were at once fired
! up. Twice | asked C. Il. Smith and James
r. Brien, chief machinists, TO oil the steer
| ing engine, and they did so and the engine
ran till we left. When l took Dunno from
| the helm to help lower the smaller surf
boat, his place was taken by William c.
Morhoff, machinist, second class, who
steered the wreck until we left the bridge
| together, when he lashed the wheel amid
ships. Willard Crossett, bugier, was signal
man, and was as cool as possible. He made
no mistakes, and was very useful to me as
a messenger.
about 4:3O he made signal, Hang on the
wreck until you are sure she is SINKING to
which the Vulcan replied, We will hold on
until she sinks or parts the towline.' 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 5 o'clock we were all off. The boats
were hauled under the stem as near it as
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