Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-09-22
STORY OF sHIPwRECK.

Max Shulz, seaman, and Arnold Nell
son, engineer, OF the four-masted
schooner Alvira D. French, from New
port News for Portsmouth, n. H., with
lumber, which foundered off Montauk
Point, L. l., in the gale which swept
the Atlantic seaboard last Wednesday,
arrived at Norfolk yesterday afternoon
aboard the schooner Margaret Haskell.
These men are the sole survivors OF the
crew of nine. They suffered untold
agonies for days and nights, buffeted
about by wind and wave, with nothing
between them and death but the cabin
Of the wrecked vessel. Ship after ship
passed them as they drifted about upon
their frail raft, their signals of distress
having tailed to attract attention, and
the mental agony added to the physical
tortures they suffered from chilling winds
at night and clustering sun by day,
proved almost fatal, and they were
forced to see their companions on the
raft one after the other drop into the sea
from exhaustion. The officers and crew
who are supposed to have gone down
with their vessel are; Capt. Daniel e.
Conner, First Mate Adde, Steward Geo.
7. Brand, Seaman Barney, Seaman Ed
ward Mcbride, Seaman andre and an
unknown seaman.
Seaman Shulz last night said that they
lett Newport News on September II,
and that the storm struck them without
warning off Montauk Point, September
IA. The sails were blown to ribbons,
and the next day the schooner was
found to be sinking. AS the men rush.
ed for the boats the stern sank out OF
sight, and the crew were thrown into
the water. Shulz and Nelson clambered
onto the cabin, which had been washed
from the vessel when it sank, and sew
eral other members of the crew after
ward sought refuge upon it, but they
finally succumbed to wounds and ex-
posure, and fell off the cabin into the
sea, and were drowned or fed the sharks.
'For some hours after being in the
cabin the sea was so heavy" said Shulz,
1--WE could do nothing but cling to the
combing of the skylight and wait for
the storm 10 cease. Friday morning the
sea became calm, and we then began to
prepare, as much as possible, tor our
safety. Several flags were found float
/ ing under the cabin. These we're at
tached to a plank III hope of attract
ing attention. Several planks which
had washed from the deck were around
us, and with these was made a box
like affair to lie in. Nelson remarked
at the time that was making my
coffin, and l thought so at the
time, as the box did look like coffin.
Friday afternoon we saw three-masted
schooner three miles away, but she fail
ed to notice US, and kept on her way.
Saturday morning mail steamer passed
us about FIVE miles of. and still we were
unnoticed. Sunday afternoon, however,
We saw a five-masted schooner bearing
our way, and we thought surely we had
been seen. This schooner was about
three miles off and was passing TO the
eastward. She kept her course, and as
she began to recede We gave up hope:
Suddenly she came about and headed
directly for us. We knew then we had
been seen, and Nelson and myself began
to cry, dance, and sing like we were
crazy"
The two shipwrecked men were taken
on the Haskell and given medical treat
ment until they recovered partially from
the effects of theexposure they had beer
through. The Haskell arrived at anchor
off Lamberts Point at 5 o'clock yester'
day afternoon, when Seaman Shulz went
to Norfolk to report the disaster. En-
0ineer Nelson WAS too i'll to leave nil
berth and may be taken to the hospita
for treatment.