New-York tribune., 1902-03-18
TWELVE LIVES LOST.
LIFE SAVING CREWS DEATH
IN RESCUE.
HEROIC EFFORTS TO SAVE CREW OF
STRANDED BARGES OFF
CAPE COD
CAPE COD.


etatfo7. on tha south end Of Cape Cod. met death
today at tsa post Of duty. and with them into
fhe sea. which capaized the Hfeboat went five
men from tine stranded barge Wadena. whom
they vatuly tried bring in safety to the shore.
one uan, Lemuel Ellis. through the heroic work
Of Captain Elmer Mayo Of another stranded
barge the John c. Fitzpatrick, was rescued from
de bottom of the upturned Hfeboat. Among
those lost was William II. Mack. If Cleveland,
who was on the barge representing his COM
pany the BoutelI Towing and Transportation
Company, Of that city, while Captain Marshall
=. ElIredge. one Of the oldest life savers on the
coast went down with HIS men. All the life
savers came from Chatham and Harwich. There
Is no government pension for those whose hus-
bands and fathers are lost in the life saving
service. so that the lot Of the families who are
left is likely TO be a hard one. Those who were
lost to-day We're:
LIFE SAVERS
E1DREDGE MARSHAL y. keeper South Chatham.
saALL- E5Ear. Harwich
KENDRICK. Elijah. Harwich.
CHASE Osborn. Harw:ch.
ROGERS Arthur North Harwich
FOYB isaac Thomas South Chatham.
NICKERs0N Valentine. Harwich.
Those who were lost or the barge We're:
MACK. william Il. Cleveland
OLSEN Captain Christian. Boston.
sf9LANCX Robert Boston. Of tub Smith.
ZEvED. Walter A Cottage City.
Ial0S. Manuel, Cottage City.
The scene Of the accident was IN the well
known tide rips off Monomoy Point, which make
down from Chatham into Nantucket Sound.
Last Thursday the barges Wadena and John c.
Fitzpatrick, the way up TO Boston with
cargoes Of coal, stranded on the ShoveIful
Shoals 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 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 Wadeua and told those 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.
who had come on from Cleveland, refused 10
leave the barge, and ordered the captain of the
Smith 10 anchor near by.
About O'Clock, the weather growing thick.
the captain Of the tug decided TO run into Hy-
annis. Upon his arrival there the captain Of
the tug tried in vain TO inform the Monomoy life
savers Of the fact that there We're five men left
on board the Wadena, which, being further out
the shoal, in more dangerous place
than the Fitzpatrick.
LIFE SAVERS LAUNCH A BOAT.
This forenoon Captain EIdredge. who had been
Ne.,cn,sI- the Darges closely. sighted signals of
distress on the Wadena. He got out his crew
and slIrfboat. The wind was blowing nearly
gale from the southeast, so preparations were
made 10 launch the boat on the inside Of the
point, where the water was smooth. The crew
had no difficulty in getting off, but after round
ing the point it took nearly an hour 10 reach
the barge. By that time the tide had turned 10
The eastward, and q fierce cross sea had risen.
Captain EIdredge steered the lifeboat under
the lee of the Wadena and one after another, the
five men dropped into the boat With wind
astern. il seemed comparatively easy to gain the
smooth waters behind the point. The seas We're
tossing and turning in the rips, and Captain
Elderdge, when about half way in. thought he
had discovered smooth place over what is
called a hole" and the boat was sheered off for
H. As she did so a great wave caught her under
the stern and she went over, throwing all the
men into the water. Being used to the sea, all
the life savers chung 10 the boat and managed
10 pun the Wadena men along with them. An
attempt was made 10 right the boat but, al
ihough all lifehoats are supplied with cork gun
wales they are heavy, and being full of water.
tne life savers only managed TO get her partially
cleared.
LIVES LOST ONE BY ONE.
They bad some hope. however of reaching
land. until another wave again capszed the
boat Mr.. Mack was the first to succum5. and
one by one they dropped away until there were
only four left. and these climbed on the bottom
OF the overturned boat All were fearfuy ex-
hausted
The four men drifted down IN the direction OF
the Fitzpatrick, where Captain Mayo Of the
craft. caught sight Of them. With great daring
he dropped a dory overheard, and jumping
into il, started after the exhausted men Be
fore he reached the lfeboat, three Of them had
FALLEN into the sea. Ellis managed to hold on
and caught the rope which Captain Mayo threw
TO him. lie was dragged aboard. and then Cap
tain Mayo being an expert surfman pulled
around the point into smooth water and landed
Inc on-! survivor Of the thirteen who started
RON jhe barge. Ellis was too exhausted TO give
ans accurate account Of his experiences for TWO
OF three hours after getting ashore. and TO-
night. although recovering physically from the
tefT-rle ordeal. his mind is still perplexed
TWO OF BARGEs' CREW SAFE.
Two men stil remain on board Of the barge
fitzpatrick, but the storm tonight has sub
sdec. and they are in little danger Both
oarses may yet be saved.
The Monomoy station tonight was without
crew
captain Eldredge a widower. but leaves
son and daughter. Small leaves a widow and
t~o children. Keudricx Rogers and Foye. were
ned, but had 1o children. Chase leaves
s4aow and two children, and Nickerson leaves
~lao| and three children.
, COMMISSIONER EVANS TO GO.