The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-19
CHEROKEE WILL Be TOTAL LOSS
THRILLING STORY OF RESCUE
Sixty OF the Passengers and Crew Were
Taken Ashore Through the Heroic
Efforts OF Captain Caste n Picked
Crew I'm the Sloop Yacht Alberta
Women Were Weeping and Praying
and Men Pacing TO and Fro. All Hav.
ing Given In Hopes


ing Given Up Hopes
Atlantic City, y. j.. January To-
Captain Aheibald. hts two mates
and the life saving crews who had
refused To- leave the steamer Cherokee
which lis on the treacherous Brigan-
tine Shoals two miles of shore, to-
night abandoned the vessel. When
they ies. the steamer TO the fate OF
the elements, waves We're rolling over
the deck and pounding against the
pilot house-the last refuge of the
captain ms his little band OF men,
The big vessel, which Is valued at
about half a million dollars. will
probably be n total loss. Tonight
two wrecking tugs and a lighter are
towering In the vicinity OF the Cher
okee, and their crews will, at the first
opportunity. strip the steamer OF
whatever Is worth the salvage. Cap
ain Archibald and his mates are at
the Brigantine life saving station.
During the day Captain Mark Cas-
te who yesterday made the sensa-
tional rescue of sixty persons from
the steamer, ven out to the stranded
vessel in the sloop yacht Sinbad and
brought ashore all the baggage of the
passengers and crew. All the proper
" was forwarded 10 the owners to-
night.
Captain Caste and the members OF
his crew were showered with con-
CALCULATIONS today.
STORY OF THE RESCUE.
Atlantic City, y. J., January Ia
After spending 24 hours in anxiety
lest they be wrecked and swept into
the sea, the passengers and crew. 80
in all of the Clyde Line steamer
Cherokee, bound from San Domingo
for New York, which went aground
on the Brigantine Shoals Friday,
were escued late this afternoon aud
landed at the inlet here. Captain
Archibald, two mates and the ships
carpenter elected to remain aboard
the steamer. The rescue was accom-
plished by Captain Mark Caste and a
picked crew on the sloop yacht AL
berta, and their experience was al
most as thrilling as that of the stand
ed passengers. More than a thou
sand people greeted the storm-tossed
party.
Nothing was heard from the pas
sengers after the fog settled down on
the scene yesterday and not until
dawn today was the fate Of the party
known. A signal from the steamer
reported all hands still on board. all
during the night the life guards of
the three stations watched for a
slight moderation of the storm, but it
did not come until noon, when there
was a p~erceptible fall in the wind.
The life savers deemed 1t folly to at
tempt to go to the steamer in the sea
that was running and it was decided
to send two men in a launch. This was
done, but as it was about To go I'VE
the bar at the mouth of the inlet the
launch's machinery became disar-
ranged and it drifted about helpless
ly. Another launch was sent Out and
brought back the two men and the
disabled launch. Then the staunch
sloop Alberta, with Captain Caste
and a picked crew., got over the inlet
bar in safety and went pitching up
the coast towards the stranded ves-
sci. When abreast of the stranded
steamer h sloop put about and came
to the leeward. A small boat was
launched and several of the crew
made the perilous trip to the steamer.
They found the passengers and
most Of the crew i'm a terrible state
of anxiety. The women were weep
ing and the men were pleading that
something be done. Captain Archf-
bald and Captain Caste decided to
make the attempt to transfer the pas
sengers, though the sea was rough
with a fairly stiff wind blowing. The
Drawer passengers volunteered TO go
first. Only four or five were taken
a time and after nearly two hours
work all but the captain and three of
his crew were safely aboard the Al
berta. A great cheer went up from
the crowd ashore when the Alberta
loaded with people, left the steamer.
Most the rescued were in an ex-
hausted condition, lot having had n
sleep for As hours. Agents OF the
company took charge of the party,
sending all the passengers and crew
to hotels. Among those landed was
Lieutenant FL. VI. l.. Walker. former
ly of the United States cruiser Yam
kee, who was returning To Washing
ton from Puerto Plata. He said the
enc aboard the steamer were
heart-rending. All of the passengers
and some of the crew.. he said, were
filed with fear. The women prayed
and the men paced to and fro, believ-
Ing that the great waves that were
washing g the helpless vessel
would tear her 20 pieces. All OF Sat-
urday night and Sunday morning the
passengers and crew were huddIed
about a fire in the gallery. Early
Saturday night ten feet of water was