The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-12
HELP AT LAST.
Grew of Lfghtship No. So Saved
by Wireless.
Vessel Went Down Just as They
Left 1t.
MUST HAVE BEEN, LOST
IF Their Message Had Not
Reached the Shore.
Had Bailed by Hand for "a
Hours.

New Bedford. Mass, Dec. 12.-Persist-
ent bailing by hand for "A hours and
wireless biography that brought help
at last saved the lives yesterday of the
10 men on board the Nantucket south
shoal relief lghtship No. IS. The vessel
went down a few minutes after the
crew had tumbled over the side into
their life boat.
For six hours Monday the lighthouse
tender Azalea, which had answered the
call for help. lay alongside the water
logged lightship unable to render assist
ance owing to the fearful sea. At length
the weather moderated and then an eff
fort was made to tow the lightship to
New Bedford. But after IS miles had
been covered the water. which had been
coming in steadily through a leak in
the fire room compartment since early
Sunday morning began to gain on the
already exhausted crew and the dis
tress signal was hoisted.
Without stopping for any of their
belongings, the crew launched their
boat and jumped into it. They had
rOwed only a short distance when the
ightship plunged beneath the waves.
The men were taken on board the Aza-
lea which had steamed back to rescue
them and every one was brought here
safe and sound early today.
The relief lightship No So command
ed by Captain JOrgensen took the place
of No. Y on December 3. The vessel
was equipped with wireless telegraph.
At 2 o'clock Sunday morning a leak was
discovered just above the fire room
plates in the midship compartment of
the vessel For several hours the YES
sci was kept free by aid of her steam
pumps but at o'clock it was appar-
ent that the water was gaining and
message was sent to Newport for aid.
During the next few hours the water
rose rapidly until the fires under the
boilers had been quenched and pump
ing by mechanical means ceased. Sew
eral messages asking for aid were sent
after the dynamOs stopped, by means
OF storage batteries.
During all this time the little light
ship had been tumbled about in one of
the severest storms of the season and
the rolling and pitching helped to open
her seams still. further. Realizing that
hand bailing might ~ossibly keep the
vessel afoat until help arrived, the IS
men started the tedious work of hoist
ing the water from the flooded hold by
buckets, the hand pumps being of lit
tie use. Without stopping for food or
sleep they managed to hold their own
for "A hours.
At 2 o'clock Monday morning one OF
the naval wireless operators was able
to send out one more message stating
that the lightship was in distress and
e
where" The power gave out before
he could sign the message.
Two hours later the Azalea was
sighted by the light of the setting
moon. The sea. however, was too
bOisterOuS for the AZalea to go near
the rolling Hghtship and for six hours
she swung around within call ready to
dash up in case the Hghtship, which
was well down in the water, should
founder.
At 10 o'clock the sea under the in
huence of the northwestern which had
followed the easterly storm Gained
down to a moderate roll and a line was
sent to the Iightship from Azalea.
Captain Jorgensen hailed Captain
Gibbs on the tender and said he
thought his men could keep the vessel
ahOat until she reached New Bedford,
although the middle compartment was
nearly full Of water. The big chain
which had kept the hghtship on her
feet throughout the storm was slip
ped overheard and the line from the
Azalea was made fast. Still the crew
continued to bail although greatly ex-
hausted by their hard labors. But the
/ new strain from the tow line on the
+ bow seemed to open up the breach in
the side of the lightship still more and
the water began to gain on the crew.
1t was about noon when, after IS
miles had been covered, Captain JOr-
/ gensen hOisted distress signals on the
/ 1ISnlSnlp ana the towing stopped. me
/ AZalea ran back toward the sinking
/ vessel while the crew of the lightship
1 pushed their lifeboat over the side. No
1 one stopped to gather up any belong
/ ings~ One by one they slid down the
/ rope into the boat Captain JOrgensen
was the last to leave his ship.
Ten minutes later No. SIS, which had
4 withstood some of the most fearful
! storms that ever swept the Atlantic,
/ gave one great heave and then plunged
! beneath the waves.
The crew were dragged aboard, al