Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-06-25


Ellis, the only survivor of the
Mononomy crew, describing
the capsizing of the lifeboat, while try
ing to save men from the stranded
barge Wadena. He is now able to re-
member the experience with distinct
ness. He said:
"We worked under the lee OF the
Wadena and hailed those ON board, tell
ing them to get ready to be taken off.
The second time they passed us line.
The five men on the barge were ex-
cited and we cautioned them to keen
their heads. l think Mr.. Mack was the
1lrst to get safely into our boat, and
The others quickly followed by dropping
on rope and then swinging off. When
all hve men were in the boat Captain
Eidredge sang out to cut the painter.
Surfman Osborn Chase cut away the
rope with an axe.
In going away from the barge we
shipped a small sea. Two of the Por-
tuguese passengers then became ex-
cited and jumped up in the boat.
caught them and forced the two into
the bottom of the boat Then a large
amount of water was shipped. As it
came in over the side, four men, all
but Mr. Mack, jumped all over the
boat, yelling with fear. This inter-
fered with our men in rowing, and
more water was shipped. AS those
crazed fellows rushed toward the for
ward part of the boat, the boat went
over.
Small and Nickerson were on the
second thwart, Kendrick and Rogers
on the third, and Foye and myself on
the fourth. After she went over
came up to the leeward, which, strange
to say, did on the three times the boat
was overturned.
THE first time we Fighter her, all
hands were all right but as soon as we
got her right side up, the Portuguese
clambered in without any idea of what
to do, and as the boat was half full
of water, she rolled right over again.
We all went down again. AS Foye
came up he shouted to the Captain: Il
struck bottom that time, Captain We
succeeded in again righting her, but
she rolled right over, and when she
came up, all of the passengers and
Surfman Foye Were missing. The next
to go were Chase, Nickerson and Small.
l saw them once fifteen feet away,
drifting with the tide, but they soon
sank.
Captain Eldredgc told us not to
waste any more strength in righting
the boat, but to cling on. Rogers, Ken
drick and myself climbed upon the bot
tom, while Captain Eldredge clung to
the rudderbra and said: Come,
boys. help me up We pulled him ON
once. but he was Immediately washed
off. He was again assisted up, but he
couldn't stick. 1t was then all l could
do to look out for myself but, soon
after, looking around, l saw Kendrick
and Captain Eldredge float away. They
sank quickly.
Just then Rogers grasped me about
the neck, and held on like wise. The
man was crazy, and, in my opinion,
never knew what he was doing. l had
hard fight to shake him Off, but did
SO finally. He was unable to hold on
any longer, and was soon washed into
the sea, raving maniac.
Il was now alone with no expecta-
tion of getting ashore alive. The tide
seemed to carry the boat into smoother
water. AS 1t did so l kicked off all
that was left Of my clothing that |
could, thinking l would make one
supreme effort and try to swim ashore.
Just then Captain Elmer Mayo came
along with his boat and pulled me in.
l was almost gone and could not have
stood it much longer"