The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-18
Seven Gallant Life Savers Drowned
While Attempting to Take Periled
Men Ashore from a Barge.
FIVE OTHER LIVES ALSO LOST
INCLUDING w. III. MACK, REPRESEN-
TATIVE OF A TOWING COMPANY.
Battle Against Huge Waves i'm Storm
I'm the Tide Rips on the south
End of Cape Cod.

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 the
stranded barge Wadena, whom they tried
to bring in safety to the shore. One man.
Lemuel Ellis, through the heroic work of
Capt. Elmer Mayo. of another stranded
barge, the John c Fitzpatrick, was res
cued from the bottom of the upturned life
boat Among those lost was William II.
Mack, of Cleveland, o., who was on the
barge representing his company, the Bou-
tele Towing and Transportation Company.
of that city. while Capt. Marshall N Ed
redge, one of the oldest life-savers on the
coast, went down with his men. All the
Iife-savers came from Chatham and Har-
wich. The names of those lost are as fol-
lows:
-Life-Savers.-
MARSHALL y. ELDREDGE, keeper,
South Chatham.
EDGAR SMALL, Harwich.
ELIJAH KENDRICK, Harwich.
OSBORNE CHASE, Harwich.
ARTHUR ROGERS. North Harwich.
VALENTINE NICKERSON, Harwich.
From the Barge
WILLIAM II. MACK, Cleveland.
CHRISTIAN OLSEN. captain. Boston.
ROBERT MOLANUX, Boston, steward
of tug Peter e. Smith
WALTER a. ZEVEND. Cottage City.
MANUEL ENOS, Cottage City.
The scene of the accident was in the we'll
Of Iof
make down from Chatham 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 men from Vineyard
Haven were at work throwing coal over
board from both of them. Last night the
tug Peter c. Smith which has been lying
beside the barges, ran alongside the Wa
dena and told those on board that a storm
was coming on. All the wreckers were
taker on board of the tug with the excep-
ton of the five men who met their fate to-
day Mr. Mack, who had come on from
Cleveland. refused TO leave and ordered the
captain of the Smith 10 anchor near by.
About 8 o'clock. the weather growing very
thick. the captain of the tug decided TO run
tain tried I'm vain 10 notify the Monomoy
life-savers that there were five men left on
board the Wadena. which. being farther
out on the shOal. was in a more dangerous
place than the Fitzpatrick.
This forenoon Captain 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 nearly a gale from the
southeast, so preparations 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 il took nearly hour
TO reach the barge. BY that time the tide
had turned to the eastward and a fierce
cross sea had been kicked up. Captain
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, IL seemed comparatively easy
10 gain the smooth waters behind the point
The seas were tossing and turning in the
rips. and Captain Eldredge was constant
ly looking for smooth spots. When about
half way in he thought he discovered one
was shsered of for it. As she did so a tre-
mendous sea caught her under the stern
and she went over. throwing all the men
into the water. Being used to the sea-
all the lifesavers clung 10 the boat and
managed TO pull the Wadena men along
with them. Another wave struck them
and they soon became exhausted. Mr.
Mack was the first 10 succumb and one bv
one the others dropped away until there
were only four left and these climbed on
the bottom of the overturned boat. All were
fearfully exhausted.
rection OF the Fitzpatrick, where Captain
Mayo OF that craft. caught sight OF them
With much daring he dropped a dory over
board; then, jumping into IL, started after