New-York tribune., 1902-01-25
WRECK REVEALS HERO.
III T. OF SCHOONER .SA YES
TWO LIVES.
ORIENT BOY FREES ANCHORS AND
LOWERS SAILS WHILE CREW
CLINGS TO RIGGING.

The crew Of the three n1asted schooner Mary
H Brockway, OF New-London which sailed
from South Arnboy on December "a for Nassau
with $50 tons Of coal, arrived here yesterday
on the steamer Saratoga. from Nassau having
left their vessel total wreck on PowelTs Reef
between Great and Little Abaco in the Ba-
hsmas On the schooner Captain Joseph N. Mil
Ter Of Totttenville and his crew of seven and
The stewards wife. Mrs William Mason. left all
their belongings. being unable to save anything
owing 10 the rapid breaking UP Of the vessel
The hero Of the disaster was the first mate.
Joseph H Miller. Of Orient Long Island who
is only twenty-five years old. After the vessel
struck. and the sailors feared TO do anything
because II the seas that swept over the vessel
from stern TO bow. IL was he who got the
anchors free. who cut the halliards to lower the
sails. who got out the steward and his wife
when they were in danger Of being drowned in
the cabin, and who was the last 10 leave the
vessel when succor came after fourteen hours
Of staring death in the face. with the schooner
threatening to go 10 pieces at any moment
Mrs. Mason proved to be of the kind of
women who can be depended on TO brave
disaster Of this sort without bIanching. Cap
tain Miller described the disaster as follows
We were unable 10 take any observations on
the way down the coast. owing TO the clouded
sky. After crossing the Gulf Stream we got two
good observations. and then had to depend on
The chronometer 10 determine position At
noon on Saturday, January 4. reckoned by the
chronoueter that We were twenty-five miles off
Abaco. We were sailing at eight knots an hour.
and steering about southeast. It was rainy. and
the sea was heaving up under our quarter
pretty well About o'clock ordered all sail
reefed. the gale had increased
That night about s o'clock, I noticed the
water had changed color. and the sea was bank
ing UP under quarter. I suggested TO the
mate that he heave the lead. He reported about
ten fathoms I could hardly believe II and hove
the lead myself. II had shoaled to seven fathoms
] ordered the helm hard a port, and the peak of
the spsnker dropped to wear ship. The yes
sel wore around all right. In about three or
four minutes / noticed streak on the lee bow
I could keep of. and al SIS o'clock we
srruck on a reef bow on. The bow was forced
up On IL. and the broke the stern.
sweeping the vessel from end to the other.
The sailors suggested that the boat be lowered,
but told them it would never live in such a
and We did not know which way to
20. Within twenty minutes 1t was washed
away. Some OF US took refuge in the
niZzen rigging and some in the forward rig
ging The mate got the cook and his wife out
OF the captain cabin, and took them forward
70 the galley, which was in the lee half OF the
forecastle head and protected. The seas knocked
them down twice in the journey over the deck.
Then the mate got the anchors free and
the hallards' and all OF us crept forward, as We
feared that the stern would be broken off by
the fierce seas. All night and part OF the next
morning watched anxiously. When daylight
came We found ourselves near z little island,
which appeared 10 be uninhabited. I told some
Of the men that thought our time had nearly
come
About 1870 o'clock saw two little boats
Nth leg o mutton sails and jibs approaching
We began 70 feel different then. We knew then
that there was human habitetion near. When
the boats got near saw that there were three
coiored men in each They were wreckers from
Cooperstown. On Little Abaco and had seen our
rnasts- They took Us ashore, and Monday,
January s. the consul at Green Turtle Cav Ed
ward ". Bethel, took in charge and sent us
10 Nassau"
The vessel was owned by William 4steirner
of New-London. and was built in 1891 She
total loss.