Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-31
THE DRUMELzlER ABANDONED.
Situation So Bad That Life Savers
Take Off the Crew.

New York. Dec 3O-With her sig
naI4 of distress and her half-mastcd
ensign still flying the steamer Drumel-
zirr was abandoned. Thursday night, as
Il total wreck by her captain and a dozen
officers and members of the crew who
were taken off the craft and landed on
oak island by the crew of the Fire Is
land and Oak Island life saving sta
tons Early in the day IS men of the
crew were taken off the stranded
steamer by the surf boat Of the Sandy
Hook station which was lowed to the
y,.ue The men were brought here lat
Or n tug.
can't Nicholson, Chief Engineer
Wood and the remainder of the officers
and crew decided to remain aboard I'M
iii officially notified that the vessel had
been blaced in the hands Of the wreck
ing company in order to Obviate any
claim for salvage on the dereliCt.
At 90 O'Clock in the Afternoon, the
Coptoain decided that it was unwiSe to
remain longer on the ship, which was
being terribly buffetted by the heavy
seas ana asked immediate rescue. The
crews of the nearby stations responded
TO his signals and after hard strug-
gle the men were taken on ana lanueo
at oak Island.
The rescue of the mon on the Drum
elZier was hazardous in the extreme
and was attended by many thrilling m
Cid,ntS.
II was $50, this morning, when the
big ocean going tug Katherine moran
left Sandy Hook with the life saving
crew aboard and towing the SURF BOAT
The wind was blowing 40 miles an houi
and it took six hours for the tug, con-
tiruously beaten back by huge COMP
.rs to reach the scene or the Wreck
The Drumelzier was found lying side
on the beach, about one and one-hal
miles from the shore. She was nstet
about 60 degrees to the starboard ane
the sprav which dashed over the shil
reached to her masthead. Great gap
were seen i'm the steamers SIDE
throngh which the waves rolled In re
lentless energy. The crew were hud
died together, vainly trying to nno
Mace of shelter from the fury OF tn
sea.
can't. Patterson and his life savers
after many narrow escapes, succeeoe'
in getting into the surf boat anu III
little craft was finally maneuvered uii
der the Drumelzier's lee amidships. IN
m.rooned crew who had lived four day
in one small deckhouse. came out ..
the slanting. ice-covered deck ana l.
of whom two were boys decided 10 qu'
the wreck. 1t took over an hour TOT IN
,,en to crawl out upon davit an
1rop into the waiting lifeboat. the trl
hack 70 the tug which was stahoih
off about a mile away was attehoe
with more danger than that mace
the stranded vessel
The lifeboat made for the deep wa'e
and the Katherine Moran swun
around again and allowed the hfeooa
10 get under the lee. Next followed 81
removal of the wrecking men oy inc
comrades. This was attended VII
the same difficulties that conirohte
the life savers in the previous rescue.
The wreckers landed on Oak isia''
after a narrow escape from turh'''
over in the surf
When Capt Nicholson DECIDED ~ "e ,,,,
don the shin the tide had shifted SO '.''
(, was impossible for tugs 70 &c. ~.
he, The rescue was thereupon atte"p''
BY the crews OF the Fire Island stauo''