The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-11-25
SO SAVED IN THE
BREECHES BUOY
Brave Life Saver Dragged
Aboard Through Waves.
CAPTAIN OF STEAMER STAYED
Brooches Buoy Hawser Parted After Pert
we're on Shore, and New Line Had 10
Be Shot Out
CAPTAIN OF STEAMER STAYED

Holland. Mich, Nov. 25.-Wherever the
story is told of the wreck Of the passen-
ger steamer Argo, from Chicago, which
struck a sand bar yesterday while at
tempting 10 enter this harbor in the early
hours OF the morning. the name OF Life
Saver Robert Smith will be held in ven
Grafton.
The life saving crew had labored hours
in futile attempts TO reach the stranded
ship. Men and women passengers and
the crew stood helplessly at the end or
the life line, not knowing how to manipu-
late the breaches buoy that would carry
them 900 feet over the slender line to
safety ashore.
Then It was that Robert Smith tied
about his body a line thrown from the
wreck to the struggling lifeboat and vas
dragged through the foaming waves to
the deck OF the Argo, sending safely
ashore first the four women passengers
and a little girl, and then one after an
other the other passengers and those of
the crew who had not chosen to remain
with Capt. John Stewart on board.
STUCK TO THE SHIP.
For hours the life savers had vainly
tried to row their lifeboat to the wreck,
and had after repeated efforts been COM
PEELED to desist and resort to the cannon
and the life line. It being impossible for
"A small boat to maxi Roadway In the 90
mile southeast gale that ragged on Lake
Michigan during the morning.
Nevertheless. when the life line proved
useless the life savers Immediately set
out for another fight i'm their small boat.
This time they made more progress
than at first. but were still unable TO
reach the wreck. when a line from the
Argo was caught by one OF the life
saving crew.
without a moments hesitation Robert
Smith tied the line about his body and
plunged into the boiling lake to be
dragged aboard th6sAAreck in a few mo-
monts. badly bruised. but still able to
direct the sending ashore OF the passen-
gers and crew in the breeches buoy.
Twenty-Five passengers and Is Of the
crew were hauled ashore, but Capt.
Stewart, with a few picked members OF
the crew. refused to desert the ship.
Last night they were still on board. the
breeches buoy being kept I'm readiness for
their rescue. the moment the ship should
begin to show signs of going to pieces.
HAD TO SEND NEW LINE.
Representative of the Graham and
Morton steamer line assert that their
steamer in trying to make the harbor
truck n shoal and. losing her Roadway.
was tossed helplessly against the north
pier.
Not only was the wreck, spectacular
and thrilling as il was. devoid OF fatalities,
but. more remarkable still, no serious In.
Jury was reported I'm the case OF any or
the passengers or crew of the steamer
During one OF the return trips or the
buov. the cable parted, worn In two by
friction on the steamers rail. II was
nearly noon Their and only eight or nine
had been sent ashore, while the vessel
had been stranded since $50 In the morn
ing.
The lifeboat was resorted to once again,
hut efforts 10 reach the Argo were futile.
with the beach cannon. another line was
finally snot out to the wreck and made
fast about . O'Clock in the afternoon. The
rescue then proceeded without further
mishap.
The steamer Argo. which was wrecked
IN Yesterdays terrific storm, is nigh
on the beach today. The lookout AT the
life saving station reported today that
the storm had abated and the water re-
coded, so that the greater part OF the
staunch shin Is resting high and dry on
shore. The night was spent by capt
stewart and the members OF the crew
who were on board without untoward In
cldent. They did not find II necessary
10 communicate with the shore during
the night,
The Argo is so thoroughly beached that
q win be a tremendous task to get her
hack into deep water. The vessel mas
stood the pounding of the storm without
breaking at any point so far as X ls
now known. 1t cannot yet be determined
how badly she IL wrenched.