Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-12
THE CREW Of IS SAVED
But the Nantucket Shoal
Lightship Went Down.
HEROIC FIGHT FOR LIFE
FEARFUL SEA PREVENTED HELP
FOR SIX HOURS.
Jeopardized Men Forced to Bail Ship
for a Whole Day-Details OF Res
$500 hr fha Azo1oa
HEROIC FIGHT FOR LIFE

Persistent bailing by hand for twenty-four
hours and wireless telegraphy that brought
help at last saved the lives yesterday OF
the thirteen men on board the Nantucket
South Shoal relief lightship No. IS, but the
vessel went down a few minutes after the
crew had tuInbled over the side into their
Hfeboat.
For six hours Monday the lighthouse ten
der Azalea, which had answered the call
for help, lay alongside the waterlogged
nghtship, unable to render assistance. ow-
ing to the fearful sea. At length the
weather moderated and then an effort was
made to tow the lightship to New Bedford.
but after eighteen miles had been covered
the water, which had been coming in stead
lily through leak l nthe fireroom COM
partment since early Sunday morning, be-
gan to gain on the already exhausted crew
and the distress signal was hosted.
Without stopping for any of their be-
longings the crew launched their boat and
jumped into it. They had rowed only
short distance when the lightship plunged
beneath the waves. The men were taken
board the .AZalea, which had steamed
brought here safe and sound early today.
The relief lightship No. So, commanded
by Capt. Jorgenson, of Dennis, Mass. took
the place of No. - on December 5. The
vessel was equipped with wireless teleg
raphy and constant communication could
be kept up with Newport.
Leak Discovered Sunday.
AT o'clock Sunday morning a leak was
discovered just above the fire room plates
in the midship compartment of the vessel.
For several hours the vessel was kept free
by aid of her steam pumps, but at y
O'Clock it was apparent that the water was
gaining and a message was sent to New
port for aid.
During the next few hours the water
rose rapidly. until the fires under the boil
ers had been quenched and pumping by
mechanical means ceased. Several mes
sages were sent after the dynaros stopped
by means of storage batteries, all urging
that some vessel be sent as soon as pos
sible. While ii was felt that the water
tight compartments might keep the vessel
af1oat for some time, 1T was feared that
the bulkheads might give way eventually.
During all this time the little lightship
had been tumbled about in one of the Sc
yerest storms Of the season, and the roll
ing. and pitching helped to open her seams
still further. Realizing that hand -bailins
might possibly keep the vessel afloat until
help arrived, the thirteen men started the
tedious work of hoistng the water from
the flooded hold In buckets, the hand
pumps being of little use. Without stop
ping for food or sleep they managed to hold
their own for twenty-four hours.
"1iClCSS 1OWcI Wives OuC.
At 2 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 be sent from anywhere" The power
save out before he could sign the message
Two hours later the Azaea was sighted
by the light of the setting moon. The sea-
however. too boisterous for the Azalea
+, tto, ,oI1I
hours she swung round within CALL ready
to dash up in case the lightship which was
we'll down IN the water, should founder
At 10 o'clock the sea, under the influence
of the northwester which had followed the
easterly storm, Gained down to a moderate
roll and line was sent to the ship from
the AZalea.
Capt. Jorgenson hailed Capt. Gibbs on the
tender and said he thought his men could
keep the vessel afioat until she reached
New Bedford, although the middle COM
partment was nearly full of water The
big chain, which had kept the lightship on
her station throughout the storm, was
slipped overheard, and the line from the
AZalea was made fast Still the crew con-
tinued TO bail, although greatly exhausted
by their hard labors.
Water Gained on Crew.
But the new strain from the tow line on
the bow seemed to open up the breach In
the side of the lightshfp still more, and the
water began to gain on the crew.
II was about noon when. after eighteen
miles had been covered, Capt. Jorgenson
hoisted distress signals on the lightship,
and hte towed ship stopped. The Azalea ran
back toward the sinking vessel, while the
crew of the lightship pushed their lifeboat
over the side. No one stopped to gather up
any belongings. One by one they slid down
the rope into the boat. Capt. Jorgenson
was the last to leave his ship.
Ten minutes later No. So, which had with
stood some of the most fearful storms that
ever swept the Atlantic, gave one great
heave and then plunged beneath the waves.
The crew rowed around on the leeward
side of the Azalea and were dragged
aboard almost too exhausted to stand.
They were sent below warmed, fed and
then put to bed. where they were sleeping
when the tender reached her wharf in this
city shorty before o'clock this morning.