The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-25
LOST IN A GALE
49,
Steamer ArioSto Goes Down Off
Virginian Coast Near Cape
Henry
TWENTY-0NE OF CREW
LOSE THEIR LIVES
Captain and Seven Others Stick
to the Ship and Are
Saved

steamer Ariosto, Capt Baines, bound
from Galveston to Hamburg, was
wrecked at 4 o'clock this morning, six
| miles south of Hatteras, and q of the
crew were drowned. Capt. Baines and
eight of the crew were saved by the
heroic efforts of the life-saving crew,
under Capt. James Howard. Those who
lost their lives attempted to reach the
shore in small boat, which was
sWamped shortly after they put off from
the ship.
| Capt. Baines and the eight men were
landed by the life-savers in the breech-
es buoy, but not until after a struggle
which lasted all day. The vessel may be
saved as the wind tonight is in the
wrecked We 5sel's favor.
Thlck fogs have prevailed along the
Virginia and North Carolina coast for
several days and number of vessels
nave mad very narrow escapes.
HEAVY WEATHER.
The Ariosto, vessel of 2265 tons.
sailed from Galveston for Hamburg
Dec. H. Capt. Baines and her crew con-
sisting of Is men were all in good
health. Shortly after leaving port they
encountered heavy weather This morn
ing shoftly after o'clock the vessel
vas sighted flying distress signals. -
A fierce wind was blowing, and it
was almost daylight swhen the life
1 savers reached the scene Of the wreck
| They could see the outlines of a big
| steamer, but could not accomplish any
| thing until daybreak The wind
| caught up particles Of sand which were
blown into the faces of the life-savers
until their cheeks We're cut as if by a
| rawhide. When daylight broke, the
| sailors were seen huddled together on
! the wrecked ship, waving their arms
IN an appeal to be saved, and to launch
a boat in such sea would have meant
instant death, so the life savers placed
their gun in position and fired.
LINES FELL SHORT.
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 to a
consultation, explaining to them that
the chances were about even if they
should take to the small boats or wait
4 for the life-saving crew to fire a life
i line on board. So far as he was con-
eerned, the captain said, he would
| wait for the life-sayers, but he left it
to the men to decide among them
selves.
Eight sailors said they would stick
| to the captain. These were saved
| Twenty-one decided they would be lost
! If they remained aboard, and they left
| the ship in small. boats. All of them
| lost their lives. The boat in which the
q men put off was one of the regular
| life boats. 1t was strong in ordinary
| weather. but a mere shell in such a
/ Ia n
| with difficulty it was swung from the
davits. The q men, in their excitement
| made no provision for the overturnins
| of the craft, and one by one they clam.
| bered In, in haste to go to their deaths
| Capt. BaInes and the remaining eighl
men flom their perilous position
| watched the boat put off
TRUST TO THE BOAT.
Tossing about on the great waves
| the sailors pulling a strong stroke, the
| boat seemed in a fair way of reaching
shore when wave swept with
| mighty force on the little craft, COM
| pletely filing it. The q men We're
thrown into the sea- and, although the
watchers on shore were witnesses OF
/ the disaster, they were powerless tic
render aid. The sea swallowed the I'M
! fortunate men only for an instant, for
/ they appeared high on the crest of a
great wave, making a desperate fight
! for their lives.
WEPT LIKE A CHILD.
! Capt Baines of the wrecked vessel,
as he saw his men, wept like a child.
Meanwhile the Ocracoke life saving
| crew stood it's ground, firing lines to
| the stranded steamer. About four
4 hours after the Ariosto first struck, a
4 life line was cast over the ships 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
| breeches buoy and 1t reached the ship
| in safety. Through the binding spray
| the men We're then, one by one, hauled
| to shore, more dead than alive, and by
nightfall all were safe. When the dis
aster was made known here wrecking
| tugs started for the scene and 1t is a
matter of steam against time If they
/ succeeded in reaching the Ariosto to-
night. The vessel is owned by Mean
4 drews g. Co. of London.