Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-07-12

In the Doomed Main-FenEful story
of Their saaerIngs For Over Sever
/ Hours.
OF the many stories related about
the recent great fire at the North Ger
man Lloyd Steamship companys docks
in Hoboken the following account OF
the experiences and marvellous rescue
of - men from the hold of the steam
lship Main. as told by the New York
Sun, Is most dramatic and thrilling:
After the Main had been dragged
iup the Hudson until she was about OPP.
lposite Weehawken and before she had
fairly settled into the muddy bottom
she was so near 10 her sister ship, the
Bremen, that one could almost have
leaped from deck to deck.
| Up the river steamed the fireboat
New Yorker to see If there was any
thing she could do. Giving up the
Main as beyond aid, she devoted her
attention to the Bremen. which lay
between the other ship and the shore.
The tugs were still lowering like faith
full attendants about the doomed ship,
watching the progress of the fire in the
glow OF her redhot sides. 1t was
nearly IL o'clock when there came out
of the darkness where they lay togeth-
er hail
Did you hear that?"
Another OF the tugs answered, mo,
what is itT'
"a noise aboard the Main. Some
body hammering."
1T isn't possible. Nobody could live
aboard OF her. Look at her. She's
almost white hot now"
Nevertheless all the tugs edged in
closer, SO close that the men on their
forward decks held interlaced fingers
before their eyes while they painfully
peered through the whirling smoke
that enveloped them in the hope of
finding something to account for the
alleged hammering.
might be some donkey engine still
going" came the suggestion from one
of the tugs.
As near that Internal area of heat
and smother as they could endure it
the tugmen held their place, but moth
ing further was heard. They were
just about to draw away when from
Il low coal port about midships there
flashed a light. 1t was not the red
light of the fire. but a clear white
radiance. a signal that meant beyond
the possibility of doubt that some liv-
ing creature was aboard that fire ship
appealing for rescue. There was q wild
yell from the tugmen, and together the
boats moved forward. but another tug
was before them. The little Stevens
had darted down stream past the bow
of the Main aud now poked her nose,
well swaddled in dripping hemp,
against the side of the liner. 4 cloud
OF steam Kissed up at the point of con-
tact. Captain Gilkinson OF the Stevens
hailed the Main.
Aboard the Maini Is there anybody
Shere?"
Even then" said the captain after
ward, Il almost thought that the light
must have been an hallucination- and
/ hardly expected to get an answer"
But the answer came promptly.
Take us off, for Gods sake, There
are ID OF us here"'
Drop down. shouted Gllkinson.
"We'n stand by till you're safe. But
do il quick. Wen be afire ourselves
In two minutes
Some of his men came forward, bring
ing water. which they threw on the
decks and over the captain and them
selves. There seemed to be an inter
delay upon the steamship. The
tugboat men danced upon their smol-
dering deck and yelled for the Mains
survivors 10 jump and be extremely
quick about it. They did not know
that the delay was caused by the man
who had signaled turning back TO
shout TO his fellows that help was at
hand and they must follow him as fast
as possible. Presently he hauled him
self through the coal port and peered
down into the darkness with blinded |
eyes. He was almost naked. In the |
glare from the ships sides he looked |
like nothing human, and the deckhands |
recoiled in horror from the apparition.
We're right below you. Jump |
shouted the captain.
The man jumped and was caught. |
Instantly his place was taken by an
other red lit and half naked figure, |
which in turn launched itself forth in |
the air. Then came n third and = |
fourth. The fifth hesitated before the i
jump, and II was seen that supporting .
hands from behind held him. He fell I.
rather than jumped, but Captain Gilkin-
son was ready and caught him IN his 4
arms. Other figures followed swift until
the first man out, who had been keep
Ing count, reported that all were out
We've got en- shouted the Ste
vens triumphantly TO the rest OF the
little feet OF tugs, and the others gave !
them n cheer. Only one OF the rescued
men was badly injured, the man who
had fallen He was in great pain and
seemed to be blinded The others COM
planned Of discomfort OF the eyes from
The great heat and Of irritation of the
skin. but otherwise they seemed TO be
Ill right As the Stevens moved out
the other tugs crowded around to ask
4 the men had really been aboard all
The time. II was almost too much for
hair noyVerS Of believing