Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-02-14

prompt IN answering IHDlaln hCN ely
call to quarters
While some Of tho seamcn held back
the frantic. freezing passengers by
brute strength. others were preparing
to lower the life boats and RATS There
was no time to think of the comfort
of anyone Even before the boats were
cut away captain McVey knew that
the list Of victims would be greater
than those who survived.
II was physical impossbility for any
but the most hardened to Withstand the
cold which turned ears and noses white
with tho frost and which 50 benumbed
foot that both the passengers and mem
bers " the crew stumbled rather than
walked to the small craft in which they
were To- leave the sinking ship.
PANDEMONIUM REIGNS
Shrieks Of aronizcd rain drowned the
roar of the inrushing water. Pandemo-
MUM reigned supreme hut IN spite OF It
the women on board suffering more in
tensely than the men. were placed in life
boats, the male passengers and mem bers
of the crew selecting the unprotected
RATS as their vehicle OF escape
Captain McVey remained on the upper
deck directing his officers and crew until
every one on board appeared to have been
cared for. lIc ordered all llfehoats and
RATS cut away and before he stepped into
his own boat he stood on the upper deck
a moment to see that his order was ex-
ecutcd. Then he ordered that his boat,
the largest on board be cleared away.
Before the men had an opportunity tc
loosen the tackles, the bottom OF the
boat rested on top OF tho surgiug sea
whic.. was raging over the hurricane dccA
ana for n moment 1t seemed a. though The
lifeboat would be dragged down before
she could be freed from the doomed
steamer.
TERRIBLE SUFFERING IN BOATS.
Every hand i'm the boat was too cold
to handle knife and cut the ropes
which. however. slipped through tho
tackles and set the lfeboat adrift tus,
as the vessel became submerged The
piliabla condition of the passengers and
crew was Increased hundredfold tina
moment they had launched their boats
Every wave sent its dash Of spray over
| boats and their occupants.
! soon a thin co7ting OF ice enveloped
/ everyone. Those who We're fully clothed
suffered from frozen faces and number
feet but there We're many who had on
only their night clothes.
one man IN the Captaln's boat al
/ though dressed warmer than many others
was suddenly driven insane by his in.
/ tense suffering He pulled a big clasT
/ knife from his pocket and Eashed hi
throat. No one stayed his hand ant
again he plunged hts knife into hs
throat. Those who sat near him either
We're too dazed to Interfere or looked up
on the act of self murder As justified.
The unknown mans body fell TO the bot.
tom of the boat where IT remained UNI
/ needed.
STRUGGLE TOWARDS LAND.
Fishers Point. the nearest point OF
land, was not quite i've miles 10 tbs
/ westward Of the point where tbs
steamer went down and every boat i'm
mediately headed for that place, but
the boats were heavy and the men a,
the oars were wear.
a 5O-mile gale blew on their backs
as the men strained at the ioe- covered
oars in a hopeless endeayor to over
come the handicap against which they
We're struggling. The boats and RATS
soon became separated and the only
details Of the terrible disaster which
COulu ne learned mere were given Wnen
Captain McVey's boat came ashore.
Not man on board was able to walk.
Their feet were frozen so badly that
the life savers carried the survivors
bodily to the lifesaving station
CAPT. McVEY's STATEMENT.
Capt McVey, who with six OF hi
crew and four passengers, reached shorc
at 6;io, We're carried by the life savers
to their station. Every man was ter
rtblv frozen. McVcy dictated the follow
ing statement to n correspondent OF ths
Associated Press:
I'VE left Providence at seven. brisk
northwest wind was blowing and we
were of Watch Hill about eleven.
had gone below to look over the pas
sengcrs and freight, leaving a good pilot
and quartermaster in the pilot house. I
returned TO the pilot house, passing
through my room. Everything was O. X
in the pilot house rs I stepped into my
room and prepared to retire for the
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