New-York tribune., 1902-02-04
HARD FIGHT TO SAVE CREW
BRIG GOES ASHORE NEAR THE
PLACE WHERE THE CAVOUR
WAS BEACHED.

Long Beach Long Island. Feb. s Especially
The three masted square rugged brig L. Schepp,
from Hong Kong 10 New-York, was driven
ashore early this morning by a heavy gale half
a mile east Of where the iron steamship Cavour
grounded last Saturday morning. The moon
ehone this morning and Captain Andrew Rhodes
and his crew of the Point Lookout Life Saving
Station saw that the vessel was helpless against
the wind which was blowing nearly seventy
miles an hour. Despite the efforts of the cap
tain Of the brig, the vessel was slowly driven
shoreward. and finally struck firmly in the
sand on e long bar at the outer line Of breakers.
nearly a mile from shore off Point Lookout.
The stranded vessel at once began shooting sig
nails Of distress. Captain Rhodess men tugged
along the beach for nearly q mile, facing the
hovyling gale and pluckily dragging their mortar
to point shore opposite the vessel. Several
times line was shot but the gale blowing out
of the southwest would on each occasion carry
the lire TO leeward of the vessel.
In the mean time word had been sent TO the
Long Beach crew, which also made many efforts
10 shoot line and failed. Surfboats were then
taken to the water. Time after time they were
thrown back TO the beach with great velocity
by the heavy surf, scattering the crew in all
directions Both crews plucl1ly stuck to their
tasks until nearly noon, when seeing that the
sea was becoming even rougher than when their
first attempts were made, they dessted for
t.me
By people on shore the crew the stranded
vessel could be seen running about deck,
evidently in effort to keep from freezing.
In the afternoon the seas were much heavier
than in the morning and the wind shifted to
the northwest. Immense waves broke over the
vessel. and parts OF her began to drift shore
ward. Her main topgallant and royal mizzen
topsais, with the foretopgallant studding sails.
had been carried away, and every spar in the
ship was either broken twisted. The other
sails were torn to ribbons. In the afternoon
efforts were again made to launch the surf
boats, but they were useless. The life savers
then exchanged signals with the crew Of the
brig, learning her name and that there were
twenty-four men on board. At about sunset
large part of her keel was washed ashore.
Seeing that the efforts of the life savers to
rescue them were useless. the men on the
stranded vessel climbed aloft and lashed them
selves fast in the rigging. Even when they were
in that position the seas broke over the
fortunate men and incased them in ice. Until
darkness hid the apparently doomed men from
the spectators and surfmen on shore, repeated
Efforts We're made by the life guards to shoot
line through the rigging Of the Schepp.
II is doubtful if surfboats be launched
tonight, as the sea is still heavy. The Schepp
has been forced to a position almost broadside
10 the waves, and is being pounded heavily.
The life guards say that if the continue TO
beat the vessel during the remainder. OF the
night she will go to pieces before morning.
Owing 10 the extreme cold of the last twenty
four hours il is doubtful whether any of the
men viii be alive by morning
People have been driving TO the beach all day
from miles around to view the wreck. When
they the pitiable condition Of the men in
the rigging many of them Wept.
The Schepp is 224 feet long, ~ feet broad,
16 feet deep, and built in 1879 AT Kennebec,
Ne. She is Of 1,716 tons burden and is owned
by A. G. Ropes. She lies at one of the most
dangerous points along the Long Island coast,
q point that even in an ordinary sea would be
dangerous
The gale Of this morning also played havoc
with the steamship Cavour, Of the Lambert &
Holt line, plying between South American ports
ana New-York. The vessel was washed almost
70 the waterline the beach. While being
o1ven shoreward Eer propeller was broken and
sne was also otherwise injured. The FIVE hun
ured tons Of water ballast, and part Of the cargo
OF ten thousand bags Of coffee were taken from
the vessel yesterday. This Hghtened her
much and It wss easy for the heavy sea to toss
the steamship.
The two lighters which were attached to the
Csyour were torn loose from her. and were
washed up and broken on the beach near Fire
paced the lighters. All the efforts Of Cap
tain Kelly and his crew TO prevent the Cavour
rom being beached were useless. The hawsers
attached to the large anchors were torn
apart like so much twine.
Large fires were built along the shores to-
night by the life saving crews to warn other
vessels passing into New-York Harbor, and also
70 give hope to the half frozen sailors lashed in
the rigging Of the Schepp.