The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-18
LIFE SAVERS LOST
srvEN LOSE THEIR LIVES IN RES
CUE ATTEMPT.
FIVE OTHERS GO WITH THEM
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY OF THE
SEA OFF CAPE COD.

s.,,sn of the Crew of the MonOmoy
station, with Brave Old Capt.
rIdridge at Their Head, Over
4,rned in Lifeboat After RescuinS
Wen from stranded Barge Wadena.
Four Chung to Bottom of Boat, but
Three Dropped Away, and Only
One Lives to Tell the Tale.
chatham, Mass, March 17.-Seven
life savers, practically the entire crew
Of the Monomoy station on the south
end of Cape Cod, met death to-day at
their post of duty, and with them into
the sea, which capsized the lifeboat.
went five men from theN stranded
barge Wadena, whom they tried to
hiring in safety to the shore. One man,
1emuel Ellis, through the heroic work
~ cant. Elmer Mayo of another
stranded barge, the John C. Fitzpat-
rick was rescued from the bottom of
the upturned lifeboat. Among those lost
was william H. Mack of Cleveland,
O.. who was on the barge representing
his company, the Boutell Towing and
TRANSFORMATION Company of that city,
while Capt. Marshall n. Eldredge. one
of the oldest life savers on the coast,
went down with his men. All the life
savers came from Chatham and Har-
Wich.
The names of those lost are as fol-
lows:
Life-savers-Marshall n. Eldredge,
keeper, South Chathim, Edgar Small,
Harwich; Elijah Kendrick, Harwich;
Art Poo
ers. North Harwich; Isaac Thomas
Foye South Chatham Valentine Nick
erson, Harwich.
From the Barge-William H. Mack,
Cleveland; Capt. Christian Olsen, Bos-
ton; Robert MolanuX, Boston, steward
OF tug Peter Smith; Walter A. Zeved,
Cottage City; Manuel Enos, Cottage
City.
The scene of the accident was in the
we'll known tide rips off Monomoy
Point which make down from Chat
ham into Nantucket sound. Last
Thursday the barges Wadena and John
c. Fitzpatrick, on the way to Boston
with cargoes of coal. stranded on the
Shovelful Shoal about three-quarters
of a mile off Monomoy Point. Since
then every effort has been made TO
float the barges, and all day Saturday
and Sunday men from Vineyard Haven
were at work throwing coal overheard
from both of them. Last night the tug
Peter C, Smith, which has been lying
beside the barges, ran alongside the
Wadena and told them on board that
storm was coming on. All the
wreckers were taken on board the tug
with the exception of the five men who
met their fate to-day. Mr.. Mack, VINO
mad come on from Cleveland, refused
to leave, and ordered the captain OF
the Smith to anchor near by.
About 8 o'clock, the weather grow
ing very thick, the captain of the tug
decided to run into Hyannis. Upon
arrival there the captain of the tug
tried in vain to notify the Monomoy
life savers that there were five men
left on board the Wadena, which be-
ing further out on the shoal, was in
more dangerous place than the Fitz-
patrick.
LiGe-savers Went to Rescue.
This forenoon Capt. Eldredge, who
had been watching the barges very
closely, sighted signals of distress on
the Wadena He got out his crew and
surfboat. The wind was blowing near
ly gale from the southeast, so prep
aratOns were made to launch the boat
On the inside of the point, where the
water was smooth. The crew had no
difficulty in getting off, but after
rounding the Point it took nearly an
hour to reach the barge. By that time
the tide had turned to- the eastward
and fierce cross sea had been kicked
up. Capt. Eldredge steered the lifeboat
under the lee of the Wadena, and one
after another the five men dropped into
the boat. With the wind astern IT
seemed comparatively easy to gain the
smooth waters behind the Point. The
seas were tossing and turning in
the rips and Captain Ed
redge was constantly looking
Tor smooth spots. When about
half way in he thought he discovered
one over what is called a hole, and the
boat was sheered off for it, AS he did
SO tremendous sea caught her under
the stern and she went over. throwing
the men into the water. Being used
10 the sea, all the life savers chung to
me boat and managed to pull the
Nadena men along with them. An at
tempt was made to right the boat, but
although all lifeboats are supplied with
cork gunwales, they are very heavy
and being full of water, the life savers
only managed to get her partially
cleared. They had some hope, how
ever Of reaching land, until another
wave again capsized the boat.
DevOured by the sea.
AR Mack was the first to succumb,
ana one by one the others dropped
away until there were only four left,
ana these climbed on the bottom of
me overturned boat. All were fear
!9lly exhausted. The four men drift
eu down in the direction of the Fit7
paTlck, where Capt Mayo of that
gr9tt caught sight of them. With much
Hlarlng he. dropped a dory overheard,
Jumped into it and started after the
eAHausted men. Before he reached
.he IHeboat three of them had fallen
INTO the sea. Ellis managed to hold on
oIu caught the rope which Capt. Mayo
ulIsW to him. He was dragged aboard
ana then Capt. Mayo, being an expert
suIl man, pulled around the Point into
we smooth water and landed the only
survivor of the thirteen who started
noih the barge. Ellis was too exhaust
~ 10 give any accurate account of
NY experiences for two or three hours
Ter getting ashore and tonight al
o Ii9gugh recovering physically from the
0'real' his mind is still perplexed.
r. "o men still remain on board the
s,i,Ipatrick, but the storm tonight has
IptoSlded and they are in little danger.
'NIh Darges may vet be saved.