The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-01-11
PERIL
STILL GREAT
PEOPLE ABOARD RUSSIE NOT
YET RESCUED.
STERN IS GONE
Continuance of Hurricane Prevents
Efforts to Communicate with
Wrecked Ship. .

Marseilles, Jan. 9-On account of
high seas it has been as yet impossi-
BILE to rescue any n from the mail
steamer Russie stranded Monday.
Fifty passengers and a crew of 40 were
on board.
When nightfall yesterday anshroud-
ed the Russie, quite a number Of the
crew and passengers we're seen cling
ing to the fore rigging and to the
rails, making desperate signals for
succor, which those ashore were
powerless to afford. The gale in
creased in fury all night long and
though a Pickering light was perceived
from time to time, apparently waved
by those on board to attract attention,
it was feared the steamer would
either break up or disappear in the
shifting sands before morning.
Thousands of persons waited along
the shore and fishermen prepared to
launch a boat at the first sign of abate-
ment Of the hurricane.
When day broke it was a great relief
for the watchers ashore to find that
the bow and other parts Of the fore
part of the ship were still above water,
although the stern has completely
vanished. A group of men huddled
on the steamers bow renewed their
mute appeals for help. AS the day
wore on more persons appeared on the
deck, forming three groups, N at the
bow, another on the bridge and the
third around the funnel. Thus it was
seen that most of the crew and passen-
gers, who a revised list show number
1O2, were still living.
A signal message was received at 3
O'Clock in the afternoon saying that
The Russie lies partly on her beam
ends, with her deck facing seward
and the seas, which have carried away
her ~hatchways,' filling the holds and
cabins with water. Every possible
expedient was tried from shore to save
the sufferers. Coast gua1dsmen and
fishermen manned life boats and made
several Intellectual attempts to reach
the steamer, which was shifted by the
incessant pounding of the seas a trifle
nearer to shore.
One life boat got half way, when it
was capsized and it's crew swan
ashore and were dragged out of the
water by the people ashore, who
formed a line with hands joined and
waded breast deep into the water in
order to seize them.
A tug approached as Zeal as posi-
BILE to the wreck and then flew a kite
to which a life line was attached, in
the direction Of the Russie, but it
failed to reach the stranded vessel.
Floats were also sent out from shore
with lines, but in no case did they
succeed in reaching the steamer.
Rockets were fired until the ammuni-
ton of the rocket mortars, which was
very meagre, ran out.
Tugs which made repeated efforts to
approach the Russie were themselves
menaced with disaster and Obliged to
relinquish their attempts.
Late in the afternoon another expe-
dition was essayed, that Of launching
a raft, with a life line, from a tug
laying off the wreck. The result of
this attempt to reach the endangered
crew and passengers is not known.
Those on board of the Russie were
seen to launch floats, but they were
all carried out to sea by the current
The most hopeful news was re.
, ceived late this afternoon. It was tc
: the effect that the gale was subsiding.
narrowing scenes were witnessed a,
the office of the steamship company
here, outside of which were gathered
! the weeping wives and children ant
other relatives of the crew, who most
~ hail from Marseilles.
t A message posted at $3.50 p. m.
: stating that up to that time all O,
board the Russie were alive, evoked
, pathetic explosion of joy.
The latest Information as to tn
Russie indicates that the situation ha
! not been modified, but the outlook i
8 distinctly more hopeful. The wealth
er continues calm and the vessel
: which are coming to the assistance o
the mail boat from Toulon will short
~ be in sight Of Cape Faraman.