The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-13
IN NICK OF TIME
CREW ABANDONs THE NANTUCKET
 LIGHTSHIP.
Men Keep Vessel AAeat by Persistent Railing by Hand-As Sailors Quit Ship, She Goes
 to the Bottom.

|. New Bedford, Mass. Dec 12.-Per- sistent bailing by hand for twenty four hours, and wireless telegraphy that brought help at last, saved the lives yesterday sof thirteen men on board the Nantucket South Shoal relief lightship No. 5s. but the vessel went down few minutes after the crew had tumbled over the side into their life boat. For six hours Monday the light house tender Azalea, which had an- swered the call for help, lay alongside the waterlogged lightship unable to render assistance owing to the fearful seas. At length the weather moderated and then an attempt was made to tow the lightship to New Bedford, but after eighteen miles had been covered the water, which had been coming steadily through a leak in the fire room com partment since early Sunday morning. began to gain on the already exhausted crew, and the distress signal was hoisted. 94
 ' Without stopping for any of their belongings the crew launched their boat and jumped into it. They had rowed only short distance when the Iightship plunged beneath the waves. The men were taken on board the Azalea which had steamed back to rescue them, and every one was brought here safe and sound early to- day. 'o ociock yesterday morning a Ieak was discovered just above the fire @ roonn piates Tn the midship compart- ment of the vessel. For several hours the vessel was kept free by aid of her | steam pumps but at o'clock 1t was apparent that the water was gaining ana message was sent to Newport for aid. ~
 During the next few hours the water rose rapidly until the fires under the poliers had been quenched.
 several messages were sent after the 1ynamos stopped. by means of storage batteries, all urging that some vessel De sent as soon as possible. While it was felt that the water-tight compart- Ihents might keep the vessel afioat for some time, 1t was feared that the bulk heads might give way eventually.
 During all this time the little light ship had been tumbled about in one of .ne severest storms of the season. and the rolling and pitching probably helped to open the seams still far ther. Realizing that hand-bailing might possibly keep the vessel afioat until help arrived. the thirteen men started the tedious work of hoistiug 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
 IDufS.
 At o'clock Monday morning ono Of the naval wireless operators was aole to send out one more message stating that the lightship was in dis Iress and urging that help be sent
 rom anywhere" The power gave ouI before he could sign the message.
 TWO hours later the Azalea was T sasnted oy the setting of the moon. me sea, however, was too boisterous for the Asalea to go near the rolling nghtship 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.
 AL 10 o'clock the sea, under the influence of the northeaster which 1ao Ioliowed the easterly storm, calmed ooWh 10 a moderate roll and a line Azalea 'h 'he The big chain which had kept the lIShtship on her station throughout the storm was slipped overheard ana tne line from the Azalea was made last' Stiil the crew continued to bail. although greatly exhausted.
 But the new strain from tbe to,, me seemed to open~up the breaches in the sides of the lightship stIll more. ana the water began to gain on tbe crew. It was about noon when. after eighteen miles had been covered, Can tain Jorgensen hoisted distress sig nals on the lightship and the towing stopped. Thee sAzalea ran back toward the sinking vessel. while the crew of the lightship pushed their life boat over the side. No one stopped to gath CT up any belongings. One by one they slid down the rope into the boat captain Jorgensen was the last to leave the ship.
 Ten minutes later No 5S, which had withstood some of the most fearful storms that ever swept the Atlantic. gave one great heave and then plunged beneath the waves.
 The Wasp at NewPort.