The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-11
A PASSENGER STEAMER STRANDED ON
THE FRENCH COAST
ALL EFFORTS AT RESCUE FAIL
Vessel In signaling Distance of
Storm the One Hundred and Men
uation Has Existed Since Monday.
Many Plans of Rescue Tried The
Vessels Stern Submerged.

Marseilles, January 9.-Dispatches
from the village of Faraman,, ear
which the French mail steamer Rus
sic, from Oran, Algeria, stranded
Monday in a violent storm. with fifty
passengers and a crew of forty on
board, say that all efforts to reach the
steamer have failed. owing to the ire
mendous height of the seas which are
running. This pilot boats and torpedo
boats which have attempted to reach
the steamer ave been unable to battle
with the waves and have returned. The
only hope seems to be in the ability of
~life-savers to throw a line over the
Russie as the wrecked vessel is driven
closer to the shore. The forecastle and
part of the forward deckhouse are all
of the vessel remaining above water.
A signal message was received at 8
o'clock this afternoon from the Russ
saying all on board were alive, but beg
ging for succor. The sea has slightly
moderated, but UP to the present all
attempts at rescue a failed.
When nightfall yesterday enshroud-
ed the Russie quite a number of the
crew n passengers were seen cling
ing to the forerigging and to the rails,
making despairing signals for succor,
which those ashore were powerleSS to
give.
The gale increased in fury all night
long and though a pickering light was
perceived from time TO time, appar-
emily waved by those on board to at
tract attention, it was feared the
steame would either break up or dis
appear in the shifting sands before
morning. A thousand persons awaited
along the shore and the fishermen pre-
pared ito launch a boat at the first sign
Of the abatement 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
port of the ship were still above water,
though he stern a completely van
ished. A group of men huddled on the
steamers bow renewed their mute APP
peals for help.
AS the day wore on more persons ap-
peared on the deck. forming three
groups-one at the bow. another on the
bridge, and a third around the funnel.
Thus it was seen that most of the
crew and passengers who. a rectified
list shows, number 102. were still liv-
ing. y,
The Russie lies partly on her beam
ends, with her deck facing seaward
and the seas, which AVE carried away
her hatchways, filling the holds and
cabins with water.
Every possible expedient vas tried
from the shore to save the sufferers.
The coast guardsmen and fishermen
aimed life boats and made several in
~effectual attempts to reach the steam
er. which was shifted. by the incess-
SAINT bonding of the seas, a trife nearer
thu chnro Ono 1ifa hnnf ornf holf Wa
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 near as possible
to the wreck and hen 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 the beach with lines,
but in no case did they succeed in
reaching the steamer. Rockets were
fired fruitleSsly until the ammunition
of the rocket mortars. which was very
meagre, ran out. The tugs which made
repeated efforts to approach the Rus
sic were themselves menaced with dis
aster and obliged ito Telinquish their
attempts.
Late in the afternoon another expe-
dition was essayed-that of launching
a raft with a life line. from a tug ly-
ing off the wreck. The rcsult of this
attempt to reach the endangered crew
and passengers of the Russie is not yet
known. Those on board of her were
seer to launch floats. but these We're
all carried out to sea by the current.
This afternoon the gale was subsiding.
Narrowing scenes were witnessed at
h office of the steamship company
here, outside of which were gathered
the weeping wives and children and
other relatives of the crew. who mostly
hail from Marseilles. A message post
ed at $3.50 O'Clock p. m. hat all on
board the Russie We're alive evoked a
pathetic explosion of 10Y.
Shortly after 2 O'Clock. during a lull.
the men on shore succeeded in getting
a life line to the Russie. but it snapped
as it was being pulled On board. Other
similar attempts failed: but a more
hopeful feeling prevails in view of the
indications that the weather is clear
ing.
A message from the Russie says:
.The passengers are kept below, but
all the crew are at their posts, and the
captain and officers are dashed to the
bridge. The seamen tried to construct
several RATS, but, as they neared com
pletion they were washed away"
The sinking of the stern in the sand
proves to LAY been a lucky thing for
those on board. as the bow is tilted
high above all save the biggest waves
and affords a refuge: otherwise, 1T is
believed that all would have long since
persisted.
The cruiser Galilee and a tug with
rocket apparatus left Toulon arsenal
this evening to attempt to rescue the
passengers who are chiefly colonial
f~unctionaries and soldiers.