The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1899-12-28
british SAILORS DROWNED.
Twenty-one Men Perish in the
Wreck Of the Ariosto.
NINE OTHERS REACH SHORE.
Captain and Eight OF tho Crew Rescued
by Life-savors-Au Would Have Boon
Saved Had They Stuck to the ship
Good Work of Coast Patrol

Norfolk, Va, Dec. 2S.-The British
steamship Ariosto, Capt. Baines,
bound from Galveston to Hamburg,
was wrecked at o'clock Sunday morn
ing six miles south Of Hatteras, N. c.,
and twenty-one of the crew were
drowned. Capt. Baines and eight Of
the crew were saved by the heroic
efforts of the Ocracoke life-saving
crew, under Capt. Howard.
Those who lost their lives attempted
to reach the shore in small boat,
which was swamped shortly after it
put off from the ship. Capt. Baines
and the eight men remained aboard
and were landed by the life-savers in
the breeches buoy, but not until after
struggle which lasted all day.
The Ariosto wreck is the worst on
these shores since the German ship
Elizabeth went ashore in 1885, when
fifty-five people were drowned
Thick fogs have prevailed along the
Virginia and North Carolina coasts for
several days, and number of vessels
have narrowly escaped destruction.
Saturday night, however, the air was
clear, but the wind averaged from forty
to fifty miles an hour and the sea was
furious saround the point, which has
been designated as the graveyard Of
American shipping
The Ariosto, vessel of 265 tons,
sailed from Galveston for Hamburg,
via Norfolk, on Dec. II. The skipper,
Capt. Baines, and his crew, consisting
of Twenty-Five men, were all British.
The coast patrol from Ocracoke was
returning to his station about o'clock
this morning, when he discovered a
big ship ashore. He Immediately
lighted signal to notify those aboard
that they were discovered and ran to
the station to arouse those of the life
savers who were not on duty.
Against the fierce wind the life
savers then dragged the heavy appa-
ratus, consisting of the Lisle gun,
breeches and life-car, and it was al
most daylight when they reached the
scene of the wreck. They could see
the outlines Of a big steamer, but
COulu AOI dCCOupllSu duy LulA6 uAl4A
daybreak.
When daylight broke the sailors
were seen huddled together on the
wrecked ship, waving their arms in an
appeal to be saved. To launch boat
in such sea would have meant in
slant death, so the life-savers placed
their gun in position and fired.
The Ariosto was some 600 feet out
and the line fell short. Line after line
was fired to the stranded ship, but all
failed to reach.
In the meantime the waves were
dashing over the ship, and Capt.
Baines called his men together for a
consultation, explaining to them that
the chances were about even If they
should take to the small boats or wait
for the life-saving crew to fire life
line on board. So far as he was con-
cerned, the captain said, he would wait
for the life-savers, but he left 1t to the
crew to decide among themselves.
Eight sailors said they would stick
by the captain. These were saved.
Twenty-one declared they were
doomed if they remained aboard, and
they left the ship in small boat. All
of them lost their lives.
Meanwhile the Ocracoke life-saving
crew stood its ground and continued
firing lines to the stranded ship.
About four hours after the Ariosto
struck lifeline was cast over the
ships side. Capt. Baines and his re-
naming men made it fast, and an hour
later they had dragged the big hawser
aboard.
The life-savers slowly ran out the
breeches buoy and it reached the ship
in safety. Through the binding spray
the men were then, one by one, hauled
to shore, more dead than alive, and by
nightfall all were safe.