The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-01-03
RESCUED JUST IN TINE
Lightship Went Down, But All the
Crew Were Saved.
USED WIRELESS TO SUMMON AID

Weasel Bailed Out Water by Hand Fo,
Twenty. -four Hours - Tender A1alea
Started to Tow the Lightship to New
Bedford, But tho Latter Foundered.
New Bedford, Mass.-Persistent bail
ing by hand for twenty-four weary
hours, while waiting the arrival OF
help summoned by wireless telegraphy,
saved the lives 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 tumbled over the side into Their
%lifeboat.
For six hours the lighthouse tender
Azalea, which had answered the call
for help, lay alongside the waterloggeG
lightship, unable to render assistance
owing to the fearful sea. At length
the weather moderated. and then ar
effort was made to tow the lightshiE
to New Bedford. But, after eighteen
miles had been covered, the water
which had been coming in steadily
through a leak in the fireroom COM
partment, gained rapidly on the all
ready exhausted crew, and the distress
signal was hoiste6. ~
Without stopping for any Of their be-
%longings. the crew launched theft
boat and jumped into it. They had
rowed only a short distance when No;
re .plupuod. .banaa5b tha wo uoc Ul,I
men were pulled on board the Azalea,
which had steamed back to rescut
them, and. they were brought here safe
and sound.
Relief lightshipH No. IS, commanded
by Capt. J%orgenson, of Dennis, took the
place of No. 72 On December s. nh.
vessel was equipped with wireless
telegraphy, and constant communica
tion could be kept UP with Newport
At two o'clock the other morning 6
leak was discovered just above tht
fre-room plates in the midsaip com
partmcnt of the vessel. For several
hours the vessel was kept free by ait
of her steam pumps, but at eiglr
o'clock it al apparent that the waite
was gaining. and a message was SEN
to Newport for aid. 4
During the next few hours the swates
rose rapidly, until the fires under tn.
boilers had been :quenched and pump
ing by mechanical means ceased. Sew
eral messages were sent after the dyna
mos stopped, by means OF storage bat
terieS, all urging that some vessel b,
sent as soon as possible.
N,,.- oil %h;1 k,n,a +ha J.A1l1 I,rhH
ship had been tumbled about in on
of the SevereSt storms of the season
Realizing that hand-bailing might pos
sibly keep the vessel afloat until hell
arrived, the thirteen men started thu
tedious work Of hosting the watel
from the flooded hold by buckets. til,
h%and-pumps being of little use. With
out stopping for food or sleep, they
managed to hold their own for twenty.
four hours.
At two O'Clock. in the morning, ONT
of the naval wireless operators wal
able to send out m more message
stating that the lightshiD was in dis
tress, and urging that help be sem
"from anywhere" The power gave
out before he could sign the message
Two hours later the Azalea, which has
been the tender for the lightships or
this station for many years, was sight
ed by the light Of the setting moon.
At ten O'Clock the sea. under the in
fluence Of the Northwestern which hat
followed the easterly storm. calmeC
down to a moderate roll. and q lint
was sent to the lightship from III,
Azalea. Capt. Jorgensen hailed Capt
Gibbs on the tender, and said hk
thought his men could keep the vesse
a1oat until she reached New Bedford
although the middle compartment wax
nearly full Of water. The line from
the Azalca was made fast. Still tn,
crew continued to bail. although great
ly exhausted by their hard labors.
It was about noon when. after eight
cen miles had been covered, Capt. Jor
genson hoisted the distress signals or
the lightship. and the towing stopped
The Azalea ran back toward the sink
ing vessel, while the crew of the light
ship pushed their lifeboat over thu
side. Capt. Jorgenson was the las
to leave his ship. Ten minutes late
No. IS plunged. beneath the waves.
The crew rowed around on the lee
ward size of the Azalea and wer.
dragged aboard, almost too exhausted
to stand. They were sent below:
warmed. fed, and then put to bed.
The wireless outfit on the lightshif
was valued at s2500.