Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-12-29
FOUND NI|ERY GRAVES.
Ewenty-One Men Abandon Strand
ed Steamer and Try to
Reach Shore.
tHE CAPTAIN AND EIGHT MEN SAVED.
iBy superhuman Efforts the Life-saving
Crew Succeeded In saving Nine Who
Remained In the Vessel-Captain Left
It to Them to Decide Whether to Leave
or Stick the Vessel.

or Stick to the Vessel.
Norfolk, Va, Dec. 26.-The British
steamship Ariosto, Capt. Baines,
bound from Galveston to Hamburg,
was wrecked at four o'clock this
morning six miles south of Hatteras,
n. c., and 81 of the crew were
drowned. Capt. Baines and eight of
the crew were saved by the heroic
efforts of the Ocracolze life saving
crew unde Capt. James Howard.
Those who lost their lives attempted
to reach the shore in a small boat,
which was swamped shortly after it
put off from the ship. Capt. Baines
and the eigh men remained aboard
and were landed by the life savers in
a brooches buoy, but not until after
a struggle which lasted all day.
The Ariosto wreck is the worst on
these shores since the German ship
Elizabeth went ashore in 1875, when
SIS people were drowned. Thick fogs
have prevailed along the Virginia and
North Carolina coasts for several
days, and a number of vessels have
narrowly escaped destruction. Last
night, however, the air was cle1I, but
the wind averaged from 40 to Sc miles
an hour, and the sea was furious
around the point which has been des-
ignated as the Grave yard of Amer
lean shipping" The Ariosto, YES
sci of 265 tons, sailed from Galveston
for Hamburg, via Norfolk, on Decem-
Der II. The Skipper, Capt. Baines
and his crew, consisting of 90 men,
were all British. The Ariosto, which
had a general cargo, had all the way
from port encountered heavy wealth
err.
The coast patrol from Ocracoke was
returning to the station about four
o'clock this morning when he discov-
cred q big ship ashore. He imme-
tliately 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 apparatus
consisting of the Lyle guns, breaches
and life car, and it was almost day
light when they reached the scene of
the wreck. They could see the out
lines of big steamer, but could not
accomplish anything until daybreak.
The wind caught up particles of
of the life savers until their cheeks
were cut as if by rawhide. 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
a sea would have meant instant
death, so the life savers placed their
gun in position and fired.
All q "a
and the line fell short. Line after
line was fired to the stranded ship,
but all failed to reach. In the mean
time the waves were dashing over the
strip and Capt. Baines called his men
together for a consultation, explain
ing 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 concerned, the cap
tain said, he would wait for the life
savers, but he left it 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 boats. All
of them lost their lives. The boat in
which the 21 men put off was one of
the regular life boats. 1t was strong
in ordinary weather, but q cockshell
IN such q sea. The ship was tossing
heavily, and with difficulty it was
swung from the davits. The FL men
in their excitement made no provision
for the overturning of the craft, and
one by one they clambered in, in
haste to go to their deaths.
Capt. Baines and the remaining
eight men from their perilous position
watched the little boat put off, shout
ing luck to the departing sailors.
Tossing about on the great waves.
.he sailors pulling a strong stroke,
the boat seemed in fair way of
reaching shore, when a wave swept
with mighty force on the little craft,
engulfing it. The 81 men were thrown
into the sea, and although the watch
ers on shore were witnesses OF the
disaster, they were powerless to rem
der aid. The sea swallowed the I'M
fortunate men only for an instant,
for they appeared high on the crest OF
a wave, making a last desperate fight
for their lives. Finally, one by one,
they sank out of sight. Capt. Baines,
on the wrecked vessel, as he saw his
men perish-this mariner who had
sailed the world over for 25 years
wept like a child. Meanwhile the
Ocracoke life saving crew stood its
ground and continued firing lines to
the strained ship. About four hours
after the Ariosto first struck life
line was cast over the slips side.
Capt. Baines and his remaining men
made it fast and an hour later they
had dragged the big hawser aboard.
The life savers slowly ran out the
brooches buoy and it reached the ship