The news & observer., 1905-12-17
Life Savers Rescue Nine
teen From Death.
NO HOPE FOR THE SHIP
The Belgian Steamship Calimetta
Driven Ashore at Little Island Alter
48 Hours Battle Will! Stormy
Waves. The Crew Saved by
the Breeches Buoy.
the Breeches Buoy.
.Rv the Associated Press.l

Norfolk, Va, Dec. l5.-After a
struggle of forty-eight hours with
winds and waves. during which time
the crew had no time for eating or
sleeping, the Belgian steamship Cali
meta went ashore at Little Island,
about twelve miles south of this place
shortly before o'clock this morning.
No lives We're lost. but this is due
solely to the arduous efforts on the
part of the crews at the life saving sta
tions at Little Island and False Cape,
with Captain Edgar Chadwick and
Captain w. II. ONeal in command,
respectively.
The Calmctta with Eugene Calma-
let, master, is now hard aground
about 200 Yards off the shore and in
the life saving station at Little Island
the 8 members of her crew are being
cared for.
1t is probable the vessel will be a
total loss. The Ca!imetta was first
sighted off Virginia Beach yesterday
afternoon when she was being slowly
driven south by the storm. AS the
vessel drifted to the south she APP
reared to be holding her own in keep
ing off shore. All night the vessel
drIfted and about O'Clock this morn
The beach patrol answered and at
Il quarter of five O'Clock the crew from
Little Island life saving station was at
the scene. IT was not long before the
crew from False Cape was also on
hand. By the time everything was in
readiness the sea had begun to run
even higher Ii was on: OF the ques-
ton to launch q SURF boat and a line
was gotten on board the vessel at the
first shot.
The First Man Saved.
Not until ten o'clock this morning
was the first man. a coal passer, sent
ashore in the breeches buoy. The next
man did not come ashore until about
noon, and by one o'clock when the
velocity of the wind mad increased to
As miles, only three men had come
ashore. From one o'clock on, how
ever, men from the steamship were
coming ashore more rapidly. Hardly
had a man landed in the surf before
he was hauled out and the little car
was again travelling toward the ship,
which all the while was being driven
harder and harder upon the bar and
her condition grOWI;io M0.~e. E1Snt-
cen times did the car make round
trip from the beach to the Callmetta
and eighteen times did it bring back
it's load of human freight before Cap
tain Calmalet got in and came ashore
with such of the ships papers as he
had not already sent
1t was about half past three, eleven
hours and half from the time the
distress signals were shown. when the
last man of the crew of IL was
landed. At that time the wind was
blowing so miles an hour, and its We
locity is increasing every minute to-
night. and as the Calmetta, about 200
e, D,-iYn Ann TItr q
is listing further to the sea which
breaks over and obscures her entirely
the chance of saving the vessel are
becoming less every minute. and un-
less help reaches it, all efforts of get
ting the steamer off the bar will be
futile.
On December I, the Calmetta of Ant
werp. an iron vessel cleared Mobile
with lumber for LaRochelle. France
by way of Norfolk for coal. Last week
she ran into the northeast gale just
after she had rounded the Florida
Keys. She came on up the coast, but
encountered such bad weather and
heavy seas that Captain Calmalet had
to put back into Charleston for coal
enough to bring him to Norfolk.
The Calimetta was out from Charles
ton about twelve hours Wednesday
night when she encountered a second
gale. the one which is now raging
Although she got within seven miles
of the capes. she was beaten back and
blown ashore.
When seen tonight Captain Calma-
let refused to make any statement
other than to say that he still hoped
that his vessel might be saved. This
afternoon the tug Rescue, of the Mer-
>rit CHAPMAN Wrecking Company
passed out the capes on the way to
aid he vessel but was forced to
put back