Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-12
SHIP PLUNGED
BENEATH WAVES.
For TWenty.Four Hours Sailors
Had Kept Her AfIoat by
Bailing.
CREW BARELY MADE ESCAPE.
Did Not Stop TO Take Any OF Their Be-
longings--Captain Last Man to
Leave Vessel.

New Bedford Mass. Dec. i2.-Persis-
tent bsiling by hand for "A hours ana
wireless telegraphy that brought help
at last saved the lives yesterday of the
l3 men on board the Nantucket south
shoal relief lightship No. S. The Ves-
sci went down a few minutes after the
crew had tumbled over the side into
their life boat.
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
sstance owing TO the fearful sea.
At length the weather moderated and
then an effort was made TO tow the
lightship to NcwbedfoId But after Is
miles had been covered, the water
which had been corning in steadily
through IA leak in the fire room COM
partment since early Sunday morning
began to gain on the already exhausted
crew and the distress signal was hoist
ed.
without stopping for any of their be-
Iongings. the crew launched their boat
ana Jumped into II. They hao rowed
only short distance when the light
ship plunged beneath the waves. The
men We're taken on board the Azalea
which had steamed back To rescue them
and every one was brought here safe
and sound early today
The relief Iightship No. 5S. COM
manded by Capt. JorgenSen took the
place of No. 72 on Dec. .. The vessel
was equipped with wireless telegraph
cry. At o'clock SUNDAY morning n
leak was discovered just above the fire
room plates In the midship compart-
ment Of the vessel For several hours
the vessel was kept free by aid of her
steam pumps bur at o'clock ii was
apparent that the water was gaining
and a message was sent to Newport
Tor aid. During the next few hours
the water rose rapidly and the fires
under the boilers had been auenched
ana pumping by mechanical means
ceased. Several messages asking for
aid were sent after the dynamos
stopped. by means Of storage batter
les.
During all this time the little light
ship had been tumbled about IN one OF
the severest storms Of the season and
the rolling and pitching helped to open
her seam still further Realizing that
hand bailing might possibly keep the
men started the tedious work OF hoist
Ing 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
for "a hours.
AT o'clock Monday morning one of
the naval wireless operators Was able
to send out one more message stating
that the lightship was In distress and
urging that help he sent from any
where" The power gave out before
he could sign the message.
Two hours later the Azalea was
sighted by the light of the setting
moon. The sea, however was too
boisterous for the A2alea to go near
the rolling lightship, and for six hours
she swung around within call. ready to
dash up In case the lghtship, which
was we'll down in the water should
founder.
At 10 o'clock the sea under the in-
fuence of the northwester. which had
followed the easterly storm Gained
down TO moderate roll and a line was
sent TO the light ship from the Azalea.
Capt Jorgensen hailed Capt Gibbs
on the tender and said he thought his
men could keep the vessel anoat until
she reached New Bedford. although
the middle compartment was nearly
full Of water. The big ca bin which
had kept the lghtship on her feet
throughout the storm, was slipped
overheard, and the line from the Aza-
lea was made fast. Stll the crew con-
tinued to bail although greatly ex-
hausted by their hard labors HUT the
new strain from the tow line on the
bow seemed to open up the breach IN
the side of the lEhtshlp still more,
and the water began to gain on the
crew.
II was about noon when after is
miles had been covered. Capt. Jorgen-
sen hoisted distress signals on the
lightship and the towing stopped The
Azalea ran back toward the sinking
vessel. while the crew Of the lightship
pushed their life boat over the side. No |
one stopped to gather up any belong
ings. one by one they slid down the
rope into the boat Capt. Jorgensen
was the last to leave his ship
Ten minues later No. IS, 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 crew were dragged aboard almost
too exhausted TO stand. They were
sent below, warmed, fed and then put
10 bed. where they were sleeping when
the tender reached here shortly before
o'clock this morning.