The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-25
LIFEsAVER, HERO
OF ARGO WRECK
Name of Robert Smith Will Be.
Held in Veneration by Fifty,
Saved by Him.

staunch ship is resting high and dry on
shore.
The night was spent by Captain
Stewart and the members Of his
untoward incident. They did not find
it necessary to communicate with the
shore during the night.
The Argo is so thoroly beached that
it will be tremendous task to get her
back into deep water. The steel draft
has stood the pounding Of the water
without breaking at any point. It can
not be determined how badly she is
wrenched.
Hero Of the Wreck.
Wherever the story is told Of the
wreck Of the Argo, the name Of Life
saver Robert Smith will be held in ven
Grafton. The lifesaying crew had Ia
reach the stranded ship.
Men and women passengers and the
crew stood helplessly at the end of the
lifeline, not knowing how to manipulate
the breeches buoy that would carry
them 300 feet over the slender line to
the shore. Then it was that Robert
Smith wrapped around his body slen-
der line attached to the boat and was
dragged aboard the Argo. He sent
ASHORE no the passengers and crew.
The ifesavers had vainly tried to
row their lifeboat to the wreck. and had
after repeated efforts been com PEELED to
deslst and resort to the cannon and the
lifelong, as it was impossible for a
small boat to make headway in the fif-
ty mile southeast gale that ragged on
Lake Michigan.
Make Another Fight.
Nevertheless when the lifeline proved
useless the doughty ifesavers immedi-
ately set out for another fight in their
small boat. This time they made
more progress than at first, but were
line from the Argo was caught bY one g
of the lifesaving crew.
Without a moments hesitation Rob-
ert Smith tied the line around his body
and plunged into the boiling lake, to
be dragged aboard the wreck in few
minutes, badly bruised but still able to
direct the sending ashore of the passen-
gers and crew in the breeches buoy.
Twenty-Five passengers and thirty-three
Of the crew were hauled ashore, but
picked members Of his crew, refused to
desert the ship. This evening they were
still on board, the breeches buoy being
kept in readiness for their rescue the
moment the ship should begin to show
signs Of going to pieces.
No Panic on Board.
Displaying remarkable self-control,
the Argos passengers and crew be:
| trayed no tendency to- 60 into a panic
| as they watched. anxiously for hours
the desperate efforts being made for
their rescue. Not only was the wreck,
spectacular and thrilling as it was, de,
void Of fatalities, but, more remark
able still, no serious injury was report
ed in the case of any Of the passengers
or crew Of the steamer.
the women passengers to the breeches
| first trip looked at the slender sagging
| line, shuddered and stepped back, Civ:
ing place to Mrs. P. j. Niskern of Chi
cago, who was the first to ride ashore
thru the drenching clouds Of spray
During one Of the return trips Of the
buoy the cable parted, worn in two by
friction with the steamer g side.
1t was noon, and only eight or nine
$50 in the morning. The pumps had
been worked and Captain Stewart hac
sent word ashore that his vessel g seams
were not leaking to any dangerous OK
tent, tho he was pumping her fun o1
water to hold her steady on the sand
bar. The lifeboat was resorted to once
again, but efforts to reach the boat
were futile. With the beach cannon
another lifeline was sent out to tn,
wreck and made fast about O'Clock
The rescue then proceeded without fur
ther mishaps. Darkness had fallen be
fore the Hfe-savi1g crew had finished
the long and thrilling days work, ant
when the men retired to their station
they left a guard on watch to give tht
alarm should the men left on board tn,
wreck appear to be in more immediat,