The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-12
WIRELESS SAVES
y ON LIGHTSHIP
Nantucket Vessels Grew Bailed
for Twenty-four Hours
Ship Went to Bottom i

Newport, R. L, Dec. 1.-THE anxiety
station in this city regarding the gum
boat Wasp was accentuated today by
the continued absence of news from the
gunboat, which has not been heard from
since she started Saturday night to the ,
assistance Of the brig Harry Smith, REL
ported in a bad position at the en-
trance of Vineyard sound. Reports
from the sound are that while the brig
had been sighted safely at anchor,
of the Wasp. The Wasp is not equipped
with wireless telegraph apparatus. She
has on board eighty men, under COM
mand of Chief Boatswain Hugh Mo
SWeeny.
New Bedford, Conn.,, Dec. 12.-Per-
sistent bailing by hand for twenty four
hours. and wireless telegraphy that
brought help at last, saved the lives
the Nantucket South Shoals relief light
ship No. So, but the vessel went down
few minutes after the crew had tum-
bled over the side into their ifeboat.
For six hours Monday the lighthouse,
tender Azalea, which had answered the
call for help, lay alongside the water
logged lightship, unable to render as
sistance, owing to the fearful sea. At
| length the weather moderated and thea
an effort was made to tow the ightship
to New Bedford. But after eighteen
miles had been covered, the water,
| which had been coming In steadily thru
| leak in the fire room compartment
since early Sunday morning, began to
gain on the already exhausted crew, and
the distress signal was hoisted.
| D1,,,ood Da,a,%b uoyas I
| 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
lightship plunged beneath the waves.
The men were taken on board the
Azalea, which had steamed back to res
cue them, and every one was brought
here safe and sound early today.
The relief lightship No. So, COM
manded by Captain Jorgenson Of Dem
mis-, Mass, took the place of No. SO on
Dec. 5. The vessel was equipped with
wireless telegraphy and constant COM
munication could be kept up with New
1 port.
At Q clock Sunday morning a leak
was discovered just above the freroom
plates in the midships compartments Of
the vessel. For several hours the vessel
pumps, but at CLOCK it was apparent
that the water was gaining and mes
sage was sent to Newport for aid.
!: Wireless Appeals.
During the next few hours the watel
rose rapidly, until the fires under the
: boilers had been quenched and pumping
by mechanical means ceased. Several
messages were sent after the dynamoi
stopped, by means Of storage batteries
all urging that some vessel be sent al
soon as possible. While it was felt that
J the water-tight compartments nigh,
, keep the vessel afoat for some time II
, was feared that the bulkheads nigh;
> give way eventually.
| During all this time the little light
ship had been tum bled about in one OF
I the severest storms Of the season, and
the rolling and pitching helped to oper
! her seams still further. Realizing thai
: hand bailing might possibly keep thu
y vessel afoat until help arrived, til,
thirteen men started the tedious worl
Of hosting the water from the foodet
! hold by buckets, the hand pumps being
or sleep, they managed to hold thei
; OWN for twenty-four hours.
Last Message for Help.
: At O'Clock Monday morning one o
the naval wireless operators was abb
e to send out one more message stain;
: that the lightship was in distress am
t urging that help be sent "from any
/ where. The power gave out befor
; he could sign the message. Two hour
, later the Azalea was sighted by tn
E light Of the setting moon. The sea
/ however, was too boisterous for tn
b Azalea to go near the settling hghtshi
J. and for six hours she swung aroun
within call ready to dash up in cas-
the lightship which was well down 1
the water, should founder. Then sh
o got line aboard.