Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-13
A TIMELY RESCUE.

New BEDFORD, Mass, Dec. 12.-Per-
sistent bailng by hand for "a weary
hours and wireless biography that
brought help at last saved the lives,
yesterday, of the Is men on board the
Nantucket South Shoal relief lightShip,
No. IS, but the vessel herself that had
lived through many Il north Atlantic
gale, went down in a few minutes af-
ter her crew had tumbled over her side
into their lifeboat.
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
sstancc to the crew, owing to the fear
full sea. At length the weather moder-
ated and the sea subsidized a trifle and
| then an effort was made to tow the
| lightship back to New Bedford. But af-
ter covering IS miles the water. which
| had been coming in steadily through a
! leak in the fire room compartment since
early Sunday morning, began to gain
| on the already exhausted crew and the
| distress signal was hoistetd.
/ Without stopping for any of their
belongings the crew of the fast sinking
vessel launched their boat and jumped
| into it and had not rOWed far before
NJ. IS plunged beneath the waves.
| The crew We're pulled on board the
Azalest which had steamed back to res
cue them and everyone was brought
here safe and sound, early this MORN
| ing.
The relief lightship No. So, command
cd by Capt. JcrGenson of Dennis, took
the place of No. -, Dec. ). Both vessels
were equipped with wireless biography
and constant communication can be
kept up with Newport.
| At 9 o'clock, Sunday morning, q leak
| was discovered just above the fireroom
plates in the midship compartment of
! the vessel. For several hours the YES
| sci was kept free by aid of her own
} steam pumps. but at o'clock, Sunday
| morning, it was apparent that the wat
cr was gaining and message was sent
to Newport for aid.
During the next few hours the water
rose rapidly until the fires under the
| boilers had been qucnchcd and pumping
| bv mechanical means ceased. Several
! MESSAGES were sent after the dynamos
stopped by means of storage batteries
all urging that some vessel be sent as
soon as possible. While it was felt that
the watcrtight compartments might
| keen the vessel afoat for sometime still
il was feared that the bulkheads might
give way eventually 50 the crew started
to keep the vessel above water by hand
baiing.
All this time the little lghtship was
| tumblcd about in one OF the seVcres'
| storms of the season and the rolling
| and pitching helped to open stlil fur-
ther her started seams. Realizing that
hand bailing might possibly keep the
vessel afloat until help. which they
| were fairly sure would come. eventual
" the IL men started the tedious work
Of hosting the water from the flooded
hold by hand buckets, the hand pumps
being of little use.
1t was a race against the incoming
food and the crew without stopping 1oi
food or sleep. managed to make IL at
even thing 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 as
trcss and urging help to be sent IRON
anywhere. The power gave out before
he could sign the message.
Two hours later the AZalea, when
has been the tender for the lightshlps
on this station for many years, ap-
reared, i'm the light of the setting moon
and those On the lightship knew tEd'
they had a chance for life. The sea
however. was too boisterous for the
Azalea to go anywhere near the rolling
liehtship. and for six hours she swung
around within call ready to dash up II
case the ligl1tship which was well doWr
in the water, should founder.
AT 10 O'Clock. Monday forenoon. tho
sea under the influence of the north
wester which had followed the storm
Gained down to a moderate roll ane
p:eparations were at once made 70 sent
a line on board from Azalea. Capt
Jorgenson hailed Capt. Gibbs on Tn
tender and said that he thought nj
men could keep the vessel afioat unit
she reached New Bedford. although tn
entire middle compartment was nearl!
: full of water. The big chain which ha'
kept the lightship on her statio
l throughout the storm was slipped over
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