The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-10
POWERLESS TO RESCUE
MANY FRUITLESS EFFORTS TO SAVE
1O2 SHIPwRECKED PERSONS.
Incidents at the Scene of the Strand
thunderstorm Abating.

MARSEILLES, Jan. ga signal message
was received at 3 o'clock this afternoon
from the stranded mail steamer Russie
saying all on board were alive, but beg
ging for succor. The sea has slightly mod
Grated. but up to the present all attempts
to rescue have failed.
When nightfall yesterday enshrouded the
Russie quite a number of the. crew and
passengers were seen clinging to the fore
rigging and TO the rails, making despairing
signals for succor which those ashore were
powerless to afford. The gale increased
in fury all night long, and though a flicker
ing light was perceived from time to time,
apparently waved by those on board to at
tract attention, 1t was feared the steamer
would either break up or disappear in the
shifting sands before morning. A thou
sand persons waited along the shore and
the fishermen prepared to launch a boat at
the first sign of the abatement of the hur-
ricane. When day broke it was a great
relief for the watchers ashore to find that
the boat and other parts of the fore part
of the ship were still above water, though
the stern had completely vanished. A
group of men huddled on the steamers
bow renewed their mute appeals for help.
AS the day wore on more persons APP
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 passen-
gers, who, a r~ectiied list shows, number
1O2. were still living. A signal message
was received at 3 o'clock in the afternoon
saying that up TO that time no one had
persisted.
The Russie lies partly on her beam ends
with her deck facing Stewards and the
seas, which nave carried away her hatch
ways. filling the holds and cabins with
water. Every possible expedient was tried
from the shore to save the sufferers. The
coast guardsmen and fishermen manned
lifeboats and made several Intellectual at
by the incessant pounding of the seas a
trifle nearer the shore. One lifeboat got
half way when it was capsized. and its
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 posi-
BILE to the wreck and then flew a kite. to
which a life line was attached, in the d.
rection of the Russie, but it failed to reach
the stranded vessel. Floats were also sent
case did they succeed in reaching the
steamer. Rockets were fired fruitlessly
tars, which was very meager, ran out. The
tugs which made repeated efforts to ap-
proach the Russie were themselves
menaced with disaster and obliged to re-
linquish their attempts.
Late in the afternoon another expedition
was e~ssayed-that of launching a raft with
q life line from a tug lying off the wreck.
The result of this attempt to reach the
endangered crew and passengers of the
Russie is not yet known. Those on board
of her were seen to launch floats, but they
were all carried out to sea by the current.
The most hopeful news was received late
this afternoon. 1t was to the effect that
the gale was subsiding.
narrowing scenes were witnessed at the
offices of the steamship company here, out
side of which were gathered the weeping
wives and children and other relatives
of the crew. who mostly hail from Mar
settles. A message posted at $3.50 p. m. that
up to that time all on board the Russie
were alive evoked a pathetic explosion of
joy.
Shortly after 2 o'clock. during a lull. the
men on shore succeeded in getting a life
line to the RusSie, but 1t snapped as 1t was
being pulled on board. Other similar at
tempts failed. but a more hopeful feeling
prevails in view of the indications that the
weather is clearing.
A message from the Russie says: "The
passengers are kept below. but all the
and officers are dashed to the bridge. The
seamen tried to construct several RATS.
but, as they neared completion they were
The sinking of the stern in the sand
proves to have been a lucky thing for those
on board. as the bow OF the mail boat Is
tilted above all save the biggest waves and
affords a refuge. Otherwise IL is believed
that all would have long since persisted.
The cruiser Galilee and n tug with rocket
apparatus left Toulon arsenal this evening
TO ATTEMPT to rescue the passengers. who
are chiefly colonial functionaries and SOL
diers.
The Frisia Is now not expected TO arrive
before daybreak tomorrow. Tugs will be
In readiness to assist her. II was reported
that she had dropped anchor in the harbor
at IL O'Clock this evening. but the report
was erroneous. a coaster having been mis-
taken for the steamer.