New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-15
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune ]


Atlantic City N j. Jan. 14.-Deserted by all
save her commander and three of her crew, the
Clyde Line steamer Cherokee is pounding to
pieces on Brigantine Shoals. and unless the
skipper and his three companions are taken off
before noon tomorrow 1t is feared that rescue
will be too late
When the schooner Alberta, which finally res
cued the wrecked mariners, hove in sight. the
crew left the pumps and refused to keep at their
work. Captain Archibald and his mates drew
their revolvers and forced them back to their
places until the rescuing craft was alongside.
w. Hadley, United States Consul at Puerta
Plata, one of the passengers. first told of this
refusal of the to obey orders.
At midnight signal had been seen from the
Cherokee for four hours. The Cherokee seemed
to be In g. bad position The northeaster, mild as
1t mad become still kicked up a nasty sea- The
wrecking tugs, which had been out of sight all
day. had not returned, and the vessel apparently
was deserted. Shortly after midnight the wind
veered slightly. freshening at the same time.
The sea, which had been heavy all day. rose at
once. and the surf became worse than ever. The
Cherokee is not expected to last through the
day. II Captain Archibald sticks to his boat
until noon he stands little chance of getting
through alive
The day opened with a bowling northeaster.
FTurries of snow and driving fog shut the
sci off from the view of those on shore. The
wind gradually increased to a velocity of from
fifty to sixty miles an hour. but, despite the
driving wind. the drift in between the Cherokee
and the shore hid the steamer entirely until late
I'm the morning.
The first attempt to take off the passengers
made with a naphtha launch owned by
Captain James E. Moore. She put out from the
North Brigantine Shoals Life Saving Station
1
and to the shoals, which are about three miles
off shore, is nasty bar, the surf from which
extends for nearly half a mile. The launch
made good progress until It struck this surf.
Inch by inch the crew fought their way until
the boat reached the centre of the smother.
where the currents boxed the compass. There
the boat hung for minute, until a big cOmber
slapped her under the port bow and swung her
head around into the trough of the sea, just
as her engine broke down. There were only
two men on board, and until the boat was clear
Of the worst surf they in the gravest dan
ger. Foskett the engineer. tnkered at the
machinery until it finally sent the boat ahead.
and while he was working over the rods and
wheels the skipper. McGrath, kept the little
craft head-on to the sea, which saved her from
being bilged and swamped.
The second crew of the North Brigantine
Shoals Life Saving Station saw the prcdicament
of the two men in the launch and put their boat
in the water. Twice they were capsized before
they reached the disabled launch. but each time
the boat righted herself. and the crew after bail
ing her out. doggedly kept on. The long beach
combers were throwing their spray twoscore feet
in the air when the surf boat overlook the
launch. The two men were taken off in the
midst of the smother and brought back to the
station, where they soon recovered.
REACH STRANDED VESSEL.