Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-16
SEVENTEEN RESCUED.

| Westerly, K. l.. Dec. 15.--No fatalities
had resulted today among the il people,
| including one woman. who reached
| shore from the wreck of the tug Her
cuIes and her four bargcS on Pleasant
| View beach yesterday, after one of the
most arduouS reScueS in the history of
Rhode Island life saving work. The
condition of Mrs. Everett Mattson, the
woman survivor of the wreck. however,
was serious and it was not known
whether she could survive her terrible
experiences. The condition If the Is
men of the crews Of the Watch Hill
who battled for 1: hours for the ship
wrecked mariners was pitiablc today, for
every man was aching 50 from mis- ex-
perience that there has been little sleep
or rest at either of the two stations.
The names of those who were taken
from the Hercules and her four barges,
the james English, Elk. John q. Wy
man and Allison A. Sumner are:
Crew of Herculcs-Capt. Fl. W. Stew
ems, New London; steward, c. r. Wade,
New London; chief engineer, Grover
Cronklin. New London; assistant en-
gireer. Samuel Zcadic, New London;
mate. Charles Kelly. New London;
deck hands, Harry Brown, Providence,
Charles Johnson. Jersey City; tircmcn,
Loving HagencS, Norway, Benjamin
Nilsson, Norway, Ole Sumclforc. Nor
way.
Barge James EnSIish-Capt. y. L.
Barker of Orange. n. j.; seancn, Eli
NOR Tapley. North Brooklne, Me.
Barge ElK-Capt. james Brown, Jc!-
sey CITY.
Barge John G. Wvlnan-Capt. Jack
Loefiler. 1907 Washington street. Hobo
ken, n. J.
Barge Allison A. Sumncr-Capt. Jake
Storer. Brooklyn, n. y; seaman.
Everett Mattson 261 Richmond street,
Providence: Mrs. Mattson. his wife
The length of Pleasant View beach
is Strcwm with WrcClIaSc. and it IS
thought that not one of the five r'aft can
be saved The tug Hercules lies ABOUT
1000 feet from the shore, her smoke
stack being visible at low water In
the heavy sea that is still flashing the
coast here it is breaking up and il IS
thought that only hcr machinery may
be saved There is Il slight possibility
that the barge Elk can he pulled off,
but at cost exceeding her value The
Hercules is valued at about 100000 and
the barges at about $1,000 each. They
contained no cargo. being bound llght
from Newport to New London
Tho cause Of the wreck is supposed
To bc portion of the wrcckagc from the
JOY Line steamer LarchmOnt, which
went down not far from the scene last
February. when scores of passengers
and crew were lost. The Hercules
struck the submerged obstacle, tear
ing q hole in her bottom and 1t was
necessary to run her head cn:o the
beach through the breakers in the dcS-
peratc chance of reaching shore. Inc
four barges cast anchor but were
driven up to the beach, where the life
savers worked l. hours to save them.
The crew Of the Hercules reached
shore in one of their own boats and
carried the first word of the wreck
to the Watch Hill lifesavers, who werc
unable to see the craft on account o.
the thick snow. The cNertIon OF the
hard pull through the surf and the
weary tramp up the beach with the %
| mile gale almost sweeping them Oh
their feet was too much for capt. Ste
yens OF the Hercules and. as he reach
cd the door of the Watch Hill station,
he collapsed. but after stmulants hau
bnpn APPLIED he recovered Su!lclentlY
to go down to the beach and assist IN
the rescue Of the unfortunateS on the
bareeS.
While Cant. Howard Wilcox OF the
QuonochCntaug station and his SiN men
were struggling through i've miles 81
,,Jmultuous seas in their surf boat to
the scene the barge James English mad
drifted close enough to tho beach for
the Watch Hill men. after repeated ef-
forts to throw q heavinG stick Oh deck.
| Cant. Barker of the barge is a white
haired broad .shouldered old sea dog OF
Il years. but Is capable Of making q
hard fight for his life as many q
Younger man. With his helper, Elmer
Taplcv Of North Broolllinc. Ne. he man
aged to make the line fast TO cieai
OIL the barge. hanging on with one hand
| and working with the other. Then, tax
| ing the line in his hands, he jumped
overheard into the seething tumnlt OF
breakers and, hand over hand, strug-
gled toward shore.
The combined undertOW ana onward
sweep Of the surf was not sufficient
TO loosen the old mans bulldog grip
Oh the rope and though he admits that
at least five times lie was tempted to
give up the heart breaking struggle,
h, retained his grip and staggered
ashore almost in Il state Of collapse,
with the life savers who had rushed
in shoulder deep supporting him or
| - hI tered a nd
aching in every bone Of his body bat
is recovering gradually from his eX-
perience.
Scarcely less remarkable is the e.
cape of Mrs. Everett MattsOn, her hus-