The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-17


Experience Given by Captain An
derssn. |
Captain Charles Anderson, who wasI
master Of the schooner Sarah D. J.l
Rawson. which went to pieces on theI
Cape Lookout Shoals on las Friday
and five members of the crew, came ipI
Yesterday on the revenue cutter Semi
Hansen, a swede. was swept overheard.
The experience Of Captain Anderson
and his crew a a most terrible one
and such as few men pass through.
The schooner was owned by parties In
Camden, Maine, and was bound from,
.Georgetown. S. c.. to New York with
a cargo of lumber A severe storm
ragged off Of the coast during Wednes-|
day. Thursday and Friday of last week.
and 1T was in his storm that the ILL.,
fated shiD met her doom. She struck
the Cape Lookout Shoals on Thursday
morning about 5 o'clock. When the
vessel struck all sails were set and the
crew went to work at once to cut the
.halyards. While they were occupied
at this task an enormous wave swept
over the vessel carrying away a part
of the rigging and one of The sailors
xr - - x~o~ r. ~o+ I~~~
for one of the spars which fell across
Captain Anderson's body and pinned
him to the deck he would have met
the same fate as the sailor who was
lost. Captain Anderson fell upon the
deck with a part Of his bod extending
aver the edge of the deck. He saw the
sailor go overheard and witnessed bis
struggles in the angry waters but was
unable to help him
For some minutes Captain Ander-
son lay upon the deck unable to novel
he eventually succeeded in slipping
down the deck to there the par was
smaller and then pulled himself from
his dangerous position, but a positionl
il he had not been in he would have
been lost.
From S o'clock on Thursday morn,
ing until 1 o'clock Friday afternoon,
thirty two-hours. the crew Of the ILL
|fated vessel hung to the rigging with
the seas sweeping over her. All the
vessel was submerged save g. portion
of her week about so feet long and 90
feet wide. Drenched with the icy wa
|ters, without food and expecting death
lat any moment, the crew chung to the
and earnestly waited and prayed
for assistance. 1t was a terrible ordeal
and enough to AVE made the staupch-
est heart loose all hope. The crew.
knew that a life saving station was not
FAR distant, but they also knew that
with such a storm raging it would be
impossible for them to render them
assistance.
b watchful life savers at the Cape
Lookout Life Saving station, ever On
the lookout for vessels in distress. saw
the wrecked schooner on Thursday but
they could not reach her on account
OF the storm. The vessel was then
labout ten miles out. BY Friday at
moon the wind had abated and during
the night the vessel had been driven
several miles nearer shore. The crew
t~S NASS SNSo0 oA LIN oSSA 1AN 49, SA-
vessel gradually going to pieces. 1t
was ! O'Clock Friday afternoon when
1.-THE life savers reached the wrecked
Z essel and rescued the crew. The men
lwere in a bad condition, being very
lcold and almost famished. They were
carried to the Life Saving Station where
they remained until taken on board the
In about an hour after the
lcrew deserted the wrecked vessel she
disappeared.
| The members of the lost vessels
lcrew, with the exception Of the Cap
ltain and one of the sailors, suffered no
jul consequences from their terrible ex-
lr~ erience. Captain Anderson's back,
lwhere he was struck by the spar is Civ
ling him some trouble and his feet were
badly swollen and very sore from stand
ling In the water so long. Peter Samu-
Ielson. q sailor. suffered such an attack
lof rheumatism from the exposure that
lhe was sent to the Marine hospital as
Isoon as he arrived in the city. Captain
Anderson at once reported to Mr.. c. D.
iMafitt. who wired the owners for in
istructions. In the meantime Captain
Anderson and the members of the
tcrew win remain In this city. Captain
Henderson and his crew speaks in the
highest terms of the courteous treat
lment accorded them by the officers OF
the Seminole.
! A sailor indeed leads a dangerous life
land Captain Anderson's life has been
mo exception to the rule. This is not
the first time that he has been face to
face with death. Something less than
tfnfg~ SyAo- ~ - AndaNGnn UaS
master OF the schooner Louise Adlile.
Icrude oil from Philadelphia to Stock
holm. Sweden. and before the cargo
was discharged the naptha exploded